TEACHER'S CORNER: MARY TALLEY TEACHES SPEECH, LANGUAGE AT MEADOW HEIGHTS

Speech and language therapist Mary Talley works with students to turn their comments of "I can't" into ones of "I can."

Talley teaches children in kindergarten through grade 12 and an early childhood special education program for three to five year olds at Meadow Heights School District in Patton.

"The most gratifying part of my job is going through the evaluation process to find a child's specific problem areas, and then being a part of his learning experience," she said. "It is especially rewarding to me to see how a student feels about himself when he has achieved success."

She recalls one kindergarten student whose speech was unintelligible.

"He was a child with very low self-esteem. When he began therapy, he would frequently say, `I can't.' After a relatively short time of therapy, patience and lots of positive reinforcement, his `I can'ts' became less frequent, and his face beamed with pride as he learned that he `could' achieve success and be understood by others."

Talley was a non-traditional college student. She started school after her own children were in junior high and high school.

"I had been active in my community and, in the back of my mind, had always wanted to go on to college," she said. "So with the encouragement of a friend, we took a course together. I enjoyed the class, adding more courses the next semester."

Talley discovered an interest in speech pathology and was attracted to a "helping" profession.

She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in secondary education with a major in speech pathology from Southeast Missouri State University in December 1984. Her daughter, Andrea, also a teacher, graduated the same year. In fact, she said, all three children and she were enrolled at Southeast at the same time.

Talley is currently working towards a master's degree in speech pathology at Southeast.

She and her husband, Carl, live in Jackson, where he is city administrator.

She is a member of the Meadow Heights Parent-Teacher Organization and Community Teachers Association, Missouri State Teachers Association, Missouri Speech and Hearing Association, National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Progressive Extension Club and a registered Girl Scout volunteer.