Teacher Turns Tourette's Dinosaur Roars Into Classroom Lesson

When Sharn Davidson roars like a dinosaur in the middle of class, her students don't flinch. They know it's just Kevin or Terry, the two "dinosaurs" that live inside their teacher.

Davidson is a Perth high school teacher and mother of three who lives with Tourette syndrome, a neurological condition that causes involuntary movements and sounds called tics. Her particular tics sound like two different dinosaur roars: one high-pitched and screechy, the other lower and more raptor-like.

Her year 12 students named the louder one Kevin. Her own children named the quieter one Terry.

As a child, Davidson only had occasional tics, maybe once a month. But after witnessing a traumatic incident on a freeway at age 21, her tics exploded to more than 100 per day.

It took five years of doctor visits before someone finally diagnosed her with Tourette syndrome. "It was kind of cool actually," she says. "It's nice to be able to put a label on something that you do that you don't have any control over."

The roars often emerge at the worst possible moments. Stress triggers them, which means they show up during exams, in libraries, and in quiet classrooms. They appear when she meets new people and during important conversations.

Davidson has learned to handle these moments with humor and honesty. At a recent road safety workshop with 40 kids and parents, a roar escaped. She simply announced, "I have Tourette's; I make dinosaur noises, sorry," and everyone moved on.

Sunny's Take

Davidson chose not to take medication for her tics. Instead, she turned them into teaching opportunities about accepting differences.

"If you make your differences into something really fun and something that doesn't bother you, then I think other people reflect that," she explains. She uses her own experience to help students who also have Tourette syndrome feel less ashamed.

"They feel a little bit better that there is somebody out there who doesn't hide away," she says. "It's something that I embrace, something that I make a part of my personality."

Davidson recently got two tattoos on her arms: one of Kevin and one of Terry. The dinosaurs are now a permanent part of who she is, both inside and out.

Her students with Tourette's now have a role model who shows them that differences don't have to be hidden. They can be named, embraced, and even celebrated with body art.