A good sense of humor is a must have as an Autism teacher. It helps me get through the day and to enjoy my students.
It also is important to be able to understand jokes and humor in our society. I have realized that this is especially the case for teenage boys, as this is a major part of their interactions with each other.
This school year I have overheard MANY "that's what she said jokes" gone wrong as I listen the my boys trying to make friends at lunch and interacting with their classmates. Each time I giggle in my head, but I am also thrilled that they are trying to socialize.
Today I heard one of these jokes used in the correct context. It was executed perfectly and was hilarious. Of course I wanted to laugh as loudly as everyone else and was overwhelmed with joy that this kid has a chance of fitting in at lunch with the neurotypicals. However, after trying to keep a straight face I had to do my teacher part and explain that this was a funny joke and that I was so happy that he was making friends, but he could not tell these jokes in front of teachers and probably shouldn't tell them in front of girls either. There are so many unwritten rules in our society that we must teach ASD students. If he told these jokes in front of a girl in a few years when he is 18, he could end up in lots of trouble or fired from a job, yet he needs to know these jokes to make friends. This must be so confusing. I am sure that this student will go on to make many friends and be successful in the future, and I am glad that he will be able to make people laugh and make friends in the process.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
The Day Before the Trip Conversation
Tomorrow is field trip day. We will be going to a local museum and having lunch at a pizza buffet. I will have approximately 20 students on the spectrum with me plus about 30 others students with an array of disabilities from Down's Syndrome to Cerebral Palsy. This could get interesting.
From past field trip experiences with my kiddos I have learned a few things. 1) For the most part, they act better in public than they do in my classroom. 2) They will get bored with my exciting trip and revert to Yu Gi Oh, Pokemon, and Beyblade discussion. 3) They need food to be happy. 4) Be ready for anything- like moments of panic when you think you have lost a kid and realize he is in the bathroom.
I have never taken a group this large to a museum. I am hoping everything breakable is super glued down to concrete. Today we discussed what not to do at the museum. 1) Do not touch anything. I don't care who dares you or how shiny and sparkly it is. Don't touch it. 2) Stay where the adults are. If you aren't with an adult you are in the wrong place. Stay where I can see you. Don't wonder off. I restated this in 100 different ways. They will all wander off. 3) Don't touch anything and don't wander off.
I then asked if anyone had questions. The questions were: 1) Can I bring my Yu Gi Oh cards? 2) Does the restaurant have an arcade? 3) Why did I have to get a flu shot? Followed by the statement,"I thought about flowers in the field while I got my flu shot." Well there you have it. My kids are definitely prepared for the field trip.
This conversation took place during my evaluation by one or our assistant principals. I am sure she was entertained.
From past field trip experiences with my kiddos I have learned a few things. 1) For the most part, they act better in public than they do in my classroom. 2) They will get bored with my exciting trip and revert to Yu Gi Oh, Pokemon, and Beyblade discussion. 3) They need food to be happy. 4) Be ready for anything- like moments of panic when you think you have lost a kid and realize he is in the bathroom.
I have never taken a group this large to a museum. I am hoping everything breakable is super glued down to concrete. Today we discussed what not to do at the museum. 1) Do not touch anything. I don't care who dares you or how shiny and sparkly it is. Don't touch it. 2) Stay where the adults are. If you aren't with an adult you are in the wrong place. Stay where I can see you. Don't wonder off. I restated this in 100 different ways. They will all wander off. 3) Don't touch anything and don't wander off.
I then asked if anyone had questions. The questions were: 1) Can I bring my Yu Gi Oh cards? 2) Does the restaurant have an arcade? 3) Why did I have to get a flu shot? Followed by the statement,"I thought about flowers in the field while I got my flu shot." Well there you have it. My kids are definitely prepared for the field trip.
This conversation took place during my evaluation by one or our assistant principals. I am sure she was entertained.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Figurative Language- It just adds fuel to the fire.
As one may imagine, when all of my students end up in the room together, conflict can occur. On one such occasion two students were arguing and one tattled on the other. A paraprofessional told the tattler,"There you go tattling and throwing him under the bus..." Immediately, several objects were launched across my room, and my Rubbermaid cart was kicked in and busted. The tattler proclaimed,"I did not throw anyone under the bus this morning! I do not do stuff like that! All I did on the bus was read my book!" Wow.
So what just happened here? My dear student did not destroy my room because he is a bad kid or because he was trying to hurt anyone. He simply was frustrated and confused by this "throwing someone under the bus" business. At this point using the 5-point scale for anger was obviously useless, but after we gave him a few minutes to recover, we explained the statement. Now he thinks this is a very funny thing to say, and he tries to use it himself.
Moments like this, though not always as severe, happen often in my room. These moments are teachable moments for the students and adults alike. We must be reminded that idioms and sarcasm are like a foreign language to our students. Many of them do not have the processing and translating skills needed to make these statements make sense in their current situation.
Using curriculum such as The Hidden Curriculum by Brenda Smith Myles is helpful, but I have found that teaching these through "teachable moments" is most effective. While it may be impossible to teach a student every figurative language statement, it is possible to teach him to realize that when he doesn't understand what a person says that it is ok to ask what they meant in order to avoid frustration, anger, and a possible melt down.
So what just happened here? My dear student did not destroy my room because he is a bad kid or because he was trying to hurt anyone. He simply was frustrated and confused by this "throwing someone under the bus" business. At this point using the 5-point scale for anger was obviously useless, but after we gave him a few minutes to recover, we explained the statement. Now he thinks this is a very funny thing to say, and he tries to use it himself.
Moments like this, though not always as severe, happen often in my room. These moments are teachable moments for the students and adults alike. We must be reminded that idioms and sarcasm are like a foreign language to our students. Many of them do not have the processing and translating skills needed to make these statements make sense in their current situation.
Using curriculum such as The Hidden Curriculum by Brenda Smith Myles is helpful, but I have found that teaching these through "teachable moments" is most effective. While it may be impossible to teach a student every figurative language statement, it is possible to teach him to realize that when he doesn't understand what a person says that it is ok to ask what they meant in order to avoid frustration, anger, and a possible melt down.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Bouncy Bus Follow Up and Communication.
So far the bouncy bus rides and new job for my student are going well. I haven't any negative reports and generally no news is good news! I believe that one of the hardest challenges my students face at school and in their jobs is communication.
Communication is key to independence whether is be oral communication, sign language, PECS, or some other communication system. Students on the spectrum need to have an established means of expressing their needs and feelings with others and to understand the social skills to express these thoughts at the appropriate times.
Much of our classroom time is focused on communication. I have students on all levels. Currently, I am working with a new non-verbal student who uses a mixture of PECS and sign. It can be frustrating at first to determine and develop a system that works for the students and to familiarize staff with the system. This is where patience prevails. It takes weeks, even months for students to catch onto and fully utilize a communication system. It helps at the high school level if some system has been used at home or in the lower grades, then we can continue that system with modifications.
I know that the next few weeks with the new student will be challenging, but seeing the progress she has already made is amazing. With structure, a routine, and communication she will be ready for her own bouncy bus rides in a few years.
For more information:
PECS: http://www.pecs.com/
TEACCH methods (structure and routines): http://teacch.com/
Communication is key to independence whether is be oral communication, sign language, PECS, or some other communication system. Students on the spectrum need to have an established means of expressing their needs and feelings with others and to understand the social skills to express these thoughts at the appropriate times.
Much of our classroom time is focused on communication. I have students on all levels. Currently, I am working with a new non-verbal student who uses a mixture of PECS and sign. It can be frustrating at first to determine and develop a system that works for the students and to familiarize staff with the system. This is where patience prevails. It takes weeks, even months for students to catch onto and fully utilize a communication system. It helps at the high school level if some system has been used at home or in the lower grades, then we can continue that system with modifications.
I know that the next few weeks with the new student will be challenging, but seeing the progress she has already made is amazing. With structure, a routine, and communication she will be ready for her own bouncy bus rides in a few years.
For more information:
PECS: http://www.pecs.com/
TEACCH methods (structure and routines): http://teacch.com/
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Bouncy Bus
In general most kids hope to either go to college or get a job after high school. However, for many kids with disabilities this time of transitioning from high school to the life after is anxiety filled and unclear. Discussions about transition are filled with acronyms like DRS and DDSD,and we spend a great deal of time ensuring that they have a plan in place for after graduation. However, due to limited funding at some agencies and large waiting lists at others this can be a difficult process.
One student will start work tomorrow morning through an agency that works very well with my students. For weeks we have heard this question endlessly, "When do I get to ride on the bouncy bus?". He only wanted to know when he would start work, as knowing his schedule and planning for changes is very important to him. However, due to paperwork having to be completed at agencies outside of the school, I could not give him an exact answer. So, he continued to ask the question about ten times a day, minimum.
The anxiety, uncertainty, and stress of the unknown will end (well at least about the bouncy bus) tomorrow as he starts his job and begins to prepare for what his life will be like after graduation. I do hope that he enjoys the bouncy bus and experiences success at his job.
Autism Speaks (Transition Tool Kit ) and other websites have information on helping students transition from high school to adulthood. Families should start planning for this transition early and get their child on the appropriate waiting lists early as to ensure that they have services available when they need them. Some families are still waiting for services after being on the waiting list for 7 + years.
One student will start work tomorrow morning through an agency that works very well with my students. For weeks we have heard this question endlessly, "When do I get to ride on the bouncy bus?". He only wanted to know when he would start work, as knowing his schedule and planning for changes is very important to him. However, due to paperwork having to be completed at agencies outside of the school, I could not give him an exact answer. So, he continued to ask the question about ten times a day, minimum.
The anxiety, uncertainty, and stress of the unknown will end (well at least about the bouncy bus) tomorrow as he starts his job and begins to prepare for what his life will be like after graduation. I do hope that he enjoys the bouncy bus and experiences success at his job.
Autism Speaks (Transition Tool Kit ) and other websites have information on helping students transition from high school to adulthood. Families should start planning for this transition early and get their child on the appropriate waiting lists early as to ensure that they have services available when they need them. Some families are still waiting for services after being on the waiting list for 7 + years.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Why is there a swing in that room?
For the past four years I have heard this question asked numerous times as inquisitive teenagers walk past the door way of my classroom. Here they are in a high school listening to their iPods, texting on their smart phones, and focusing on Friday night when they suddenly see another high school student swinging vigorously on a swing in a classroom. At this point one of two things happen: they either ask me if they can come in and try out the swing or they stare for a moment, shrug their shoulders and keep on walking.
There is a swing in my classroom because all of my students are on the Autism Spectrum, and they need the swing and other items to help them cope with their sensory needs during the school day. While there are marked differences between them and their neurotypical peers, they are like the normal teen in so many ways. They want to fit in, to make friends, and to have a date to the Masquerade Ball.
The high school kids that stop by and ask to check out the swing usually come back for further visits. They soon realize that the kids on the swing are fun to hang out with and that the swing is kind of cool too.
There is a swing in my classroom because all of my students are on the Autism Spectrum, and they need the swing and other items to help them cope with their sensory needs during the school day. While there are marked differences between them and their neurotypical peers, they are like the normal teen in so many ways. They want to fit in, to make friends, and to have a date to the Masquerade Ball.
The high school kids that stop by and ask to check out the swing usually come back for further visits. They soon realize that the kids on the swing are fun to hang out with and that the swing is kind of cool too.
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