From: Mr. Nick Maramba - Principal of Stratford School , Osgood Campus, Fremont, CA
Questions
1) Have you encountered people with stammering ? How often?
Answer: Yes, I have encountered individuals who stammer throughout my career as a teacher and as a principal, but not too many. I can think of three students from the top of my head from the past ten years.
2) What is your first reaction when you interact with a person that is stammering/ stuttering?
Answer: As a teacher and an educator, I feel that I have the responsibility to make every student feel comfortable in my classroom and in the school. Because of this, my first reaction, I would like to think, is to signal patience to the person stuttering. I try to consciously remind myself to have an open body language to show the speaker that I am ready to listen regardless of how long it takes for them to express their thoughts.
3) After the initial reaction is past, what are the subsequent thoughts in your mind? Do you transition the focus on the content? How long does it take?
Answer: After the initial reaction, I shift my focus as much as I can to the content of what is being said (rather than how the person delivered it). Again, as an educator, I try to look for the idea behind the words despite who is saying it. My goal is to ensure the speaker feels heard and understood, without being rushed.
4) Educators – How do you as an educator/ teacher internalize and communicate more effectively with kids who have stammering/stuttering
Answer: I prioritize creating a 'safe space' where stuttering students know they will not be interrupted or finished, and every single student knows that everyone deserves respect. I avoid completing a speaker's sentences, as that can be disempowering. Instead, I practice active listening; I do this by nodding to show engagement and waiting until they are fully done before responding. My goal is to model patience for other students, reinforcing a culture where every voice is valued and respected.
5) Does stammering/stuttering make you feel impatient?
Answer: No, it does not. In my role, I view communication as an important part of learning. I understand that the stammer is involuntary, so feeling impatient would be counterproductive and unfair to the student. I focus on the connection I am making with the student rather than the speed of the conversation.
6) Some techniques include speaking slowly and with elongated starts to words. Many stammering kids feel that this sounds unnatural and would feel funny/odd to the listener. How would you feel if someone uses such technics to avoid/ get over stuttering?
Answer: I would feel respect and appreciation for this student's efforts. If a student is using a specific technique to communicate more clearly, I view it as a sign of resilience and self-advocacy. Though I would feel that it is out of the norm, I would not find it funny or odd; I would see it as a tool they are using to communicate effectively, and I would continue to focus strictly on the message they are conveying, because every student deserves to be heard.