Litsy

#teachersoflitsy, parents anyone...

We have an autistic student at our school and he has approached me a couple of times to tell me how excited he is that he might be in my Spanish class next year. Honestly I am nervous becasue I don't feel like I understand autism enough and I want to be the best teacher I can be for this student. What books can you recommend?

Sace I probably sound like an ass. Our Sp. Ed person is great but she's assigned to several schools and can't always meet with us over the summer. So I want to educate myself over the summer so I can start the year out right for this student. 6y

IamIamIam I don't think you sound like an ass at all! You sound like a teacher who wants to do right by a student who may need alternative learning methods. 😉 That's the sign of a true educator! 6y

ShookBelf How wonderful that you want to invest your own time in order to make this student's experience a great one. As a parent to a child with special educational needs, we need more teachers like you! I have never read it but heard nothing but good things about The Reason I Jump.

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy With Autism

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Sace @IamIamIam awww thanks! 6y

Sace @ShookBelf thank you! That does sound good! 6y

GatheringBooks you may want to read any of temple grandin‘s picture books or memoirs. there‘s also the nora raleigh baskin title and for picture book luke‘s way of looking. i teach our allied educators here in singapore who are supposed to provide in-class support and withdrawal classes to students with special needs who are enrolled in mainstream schools. :)

Anything But Typical

tournevis That very fact that the student approached you is a good sign! In addition to all the previous comments, I would add that you should remember that autism is not one single thing. It's as diverse are people with autism. If I may, I approach my students with autism as individuals with singular needs first, as autistic second. They are individuals first, with needs that may be different for most you encounter, but individual needs nevertheless. 6y

Sace @GatheringBooks *head smack* of course! Temple Grandin! All add her and your other selections to my list! Thanks! 6y

Sace @tournevis Thank you for the check. You're right. He is an individual and I shouldn't get hung up on the autism. I just worry because I honestly don't know enough. And I feel sh***y about it. It's 2018 FFS. 6y

alisiakae You don‘t sound like an ass at all. You sound like an excellent teacher who wants to do right by all of her students. You want to go out of your way to make sure the classroom experience is great for this student. 👏👏👏 6y

Andrea4 Would it also be helpful to ask his other teachers if they have found him unresponsive to certain techniques or more responsive to others or how he excels or struggles? 6y

Bostonmomx2 In addition to what @Andrea4 said, maybe meet with his parents As well as they know him best and can help you understand his specific needs the best 😊 6y

LibrarianJen I work in special ed! 1. You don‘t feel like an ass. The fact that you are wanting to prepare for the challenges you might face is awesome. The student already sounds high functioning if he approached you on his own. Things to look for are anxiety. Does he get anxious or act out working in groups? Let him opt out working with people. Does he lose focus? Have him write vocabulary words. 6y

LibrarianJen Most importantly he should have an IEP and it will lay out his educational goals, his behavior patterns etc. You can always email me if you have any questions. I love the kids I work with they are so much fun! Maybe even more so than regular ed. Cartasporjen@gmail.com 6y

LibrarianJen Oh and @Cupofjo also works with autistic kids. 💖 6y

Sace @Andrea4 I might. Gonna be honest and tell you I don't get along with many of the teachers he has. 6y

Sace @Bostonmomx2 his dad is our tech guy and I plan on reaching out to him. I just don't want to come off like an idiot or put my foot in my mouth. 6y

Sace @LibrarianJen he'll definitely have an IEP Unfortunately its sometimes weeks into the school year before we see them. I might see if I can talk to our Sp Ed person now. I know she can't give me specifics, but maybe she'll be willing to meet with me next year during pre-planning. 6y

sloanghost My recommendation would be to talk to and/or read content from autistic adults. Many of us were badly failed by the education system, so we tend to have a lot of thoughts on what might have helped us/worked better. 6y

sloanghost Remove "high functioning" and "low functioning" from your vocabulary--they are ultimately pretty meaningless to most of us and create expectations rather than allowing you to see the individual person in front of you. Of course you should try to see the human being you're working with and not regard him as a Walking Autism, BUT regarding him as a "person who just happens to have an autism hanging around" isn't great either-- 6y

sloanghost autism is a pervasive condition. It IS part of who he is, not an unwelcome appendage, metaphorical kidnapper, or wall/cage/other entrapment metaphor. Some good stuff to check out might be Autistic Hoya, Emma Zurcher Long (blogs), Amythest Schaber (youtube), Neurotribes (book), Loud Hands (if it's still available for download), and #redinstead/#walkinred and #actuallyautistic (twitter). 6y

Sace @sloanghost thanks for those recs! 6y

sloanghost @RestlessFickleBookHoarder yw! 6y

[DELETED] 3803335244 I think the important thing besides books is just remember he‘s just like any other kid. We all have quirks, we all have wonderful abilities, and we all just need reaffirmation we are loved or treated with kindness. Nothing scary. I have 2 children with autism myself. A book that comes to mind that my son loved is tagged. There is a character with autism but he‘s written wonderful. If you‘ve met 1 kid with ASD, you‘ve met 1. We are all unique. 6y

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Navigating Early

Ddzmini The best thing you can do is stay calm 6y

Ddzmini And research 6y

Cupofjo @LibrarianJen thanks for the tag! And give my email too! I‘ve worked with children with autism for 15yrs... they are just the best! ❤️ each child is unique and has their own special shine! Don‘t stress, and be positive with corrections. Like any child, they can feel your stress levels rise! Also, talk w/ this students teachers of this year and get the scoop of his/her favorite things! 6y

Ottergirl My eldest is autistic and I‘d love it if his teachers were this conscientious about him moving into their class. I‘d say talk to his siblings or friends as well because he may not know al the things that work for him but they will be better able to express them. Find out what his ‘thing‘ is - it will be a way to talk to him. Once you have his trust it will be easier to get him working with you. (edited) 6y

kgriffith My former partner is autistic, late diagnosis (36), and recommends this as the book that made them feel seen. They also hold a PhD and are highly esteemed in their field.

NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter About People Who Think Differently

Sace @kgriffith thank you! I will stack it! 6y

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