Happy Holidays

I am taking the week off to spend with my family. I wish everyone a ver happy holiday. Enjoy your time together.

Following Directions, Teacing it Directly is a Must.

   Following directions, or rather the lack or difficulty with being able to follow directions, is one of the difficulties I have run across most frequently in my time as a special educator.  I often hear both parent s and educators frustrated with a child’s difficulty with beginning tasks or following through with tasks independently.  When I sit down and talk with both parents and teachers, what I find most confusing is their lack of tools to give the students to assist with learning to follow the directions.  A student with disabilities is not going to magically pick up a skill they are lacking unless tools and direct instruction are given to assist them.

                How can you help a student lacking in the skill to follow directions? One way I have found helpful is is to teach the student to write the direction for the assignment on a stickie note and place it next to the assignment.  If the student can only follow two steps at a time, break the work down into the first two steps and once that is complete come back and give the next two steps.  Be sure to give praise along the way for the independent work.  This can be done at any level.  It can be modified to picture cues made by the teacher if need be. As the student masters two steps, increase to three and so on.  It is amazing how the student feels after learning to master this independence.

        There are many fun group activities you can do to teach following directions in class where the students do not even realize they are learning.  White board cues are always a class favorite.  I pass out white boards, pens and erasers to everyone and then give simple directions for them to follow: draw a square in the center, write your name in the upper left corner.  As the students get more advanced you can add multiple directions.  Dance parties are another way to teach following directions as well as social skills.  You Tube the Electric  Slide, The Chicken dance or others and everyone has to learn and follow together.  Simon Says is also fun and this is an easy way to add multi step directions.  Be creative but directly teach the skills.

  In life everyone has to follow directions.  This is a skill that is usually taught in Kindergarten and first grade. Many of our students did not pick the skill up at that point thus it is up to us to take the time to directly teach  the skill, not just become frustrated that our students do not have it.

 

 

Making Informed Decisions

 Being a responsible learner is very important in today’s flood of information.  We live in a wonderful time where we have access to more information than ever before. With this access comes great danger.  There is as much, if not more, bad information as good information available. Being able to sift through and find what the truth is and what is smoke and mirrors is imperative.

   While at the UNT Autism Conference, one of the Keynote speakers was Dr. Brian Reinchow.  His presentation was about evidence based practices. He spoke about how  there are studies out there that have not been replicated, and  if they cannot be replicated then they are not valid. This is easily researched if you want to validate a practice on your own. One piece of information I want to pass on to you, that is very easy to implement when you do searches on the internet for information, is how to know how trust worthy a site is.  According to Dr. Reinchow, the most trustworthy sites end in .edu, .gov, and .org.  He also talked about advertising on sites.  His information was that the best sites had little to no advertising.  This makes sense.  A site that is trying to sell their treatment will have biased information. This research is not difficult and it can be amazing what just a little digging can find. 

  Let me give you an example.  My daughter went for a job interview to be a caregiver for a young man with Autism. During the interview the mother asked if she would be willing to come for a trial to work with one of the team she has working with him.  They have a strict protocol they are working with and would expect her to assist with it and follow it.  When she left she was given a DVD to watch before she returned. We went to the website of the center they were working with when my daughter got home. Our first sign it might not be reputable was it was very negative to ABA therapy.  That in itself was not enough to disregard it.  We continued to explore the site.  We saw a link to research.  Their research was one study done by their own staff. They had no independent research to back up their claims.  We decided to do some digging and could not find any independent research on this program.  We watched the DVD and saw it was a made for TV movie made in the 1970’s about a Hollywood Producer with a child on the Spectrum who created this therapy with his wife.  Neither of them had any training.   My daughter called the family and said she did not feel she could follow this protocol.  The woman seemed astonished that an 18 year old would say such a thing. Even an 18 year old can research a protocol on the internet. Anyone working with special needs children should do so before beginning any sort of treatment with their own child.

    With parents looking for anything that will help their child there are always going to be people out there who are willing to prey on the uninformed and desperate.  There are some wonderful programs out there for children with special needs that have studies and data to back them up. Take time to do your research before you put your money and hope into smoke and mirrors. 

I am not claiming the Therapy mentioned above is fake or you should not use it if you want to.  I am only saying do your research and make an informed decision.

For more information you can start here:

http://hstalks.com/main/view_talk.php?t=2053&r=444&j=756&c=252

   

Let the Repetitions Begin: Learning Takes Practice

   Patience is a virtue and when dealing with kids with special needs it is a necessity. Of course anyone who is working with special needs children needs patience to deal with the day to day routines and situations that occur, but what is most important is patience in seeing the fruits of your labor.  Change and improvement does not happen overnight or with just a few trials. It takes repetitions and consistency: patience.

   When I started in special education one of the most important things I heard in one of my classes was a comparison one of the instructors made.  I wish I could find the notes, so I could credit it correctly.  It takes a general education student a minimum of 3-7 repetitions to put something learned into memory. For a special student with a learning disability or other special need it can take from 100-1000 repetitions.  Ok now let that sinks in.  That takes patience, both on your part and the child’s. It also takes creativity. For a child with autism, who does not mind repetitiveness it is not very difficult to get the repetitions. For a child with ADHD or other disabilities it can be a challenge to keep them engaged enough to get the necessary repetitions. Luckily, with some of the computer programs available today, it is a bit easier.

   Behavioral changes are no different than academic improvement.  It takes time for the new skills to become habit. The child has to have to process what is being expected of them and when.  It is also necessary for the child to learn how to apply the skills to different situations. Transference takes time. It is important to continue to praise the child along the way as they develop and try to use the skills even if they do not use them correctly. You do not want them to give up trying, just as you wouldn’t if they tried a math problem and did it wrong.  They need to know that you have the patience to see through their learning this new skill.

  Remember all these small steps add up.  You will be able to look back in a year or so and see great changes.  It is amazing what these kids can and will do with a little patience love and support.

For more information you might want to start here:

http://www.yale.edu/eglab/pdf/PaulReprint.pdf

http://www.audiblox2000.com/learning_disabilities/overcoming_learning_disabilities2.htm

Have a Low Stress Thanksgiving

   I am sorry I am late posting today.  I was busy like many of you getting ready for guests and the holiday.  for those of you trying to juggle the festivities while worrying about the needs of your special  child I have one small piece of advice.  Enjoy! Enjoy your child, your family and your holiday.  Do not stress over spills and messes.  Do no stress over what the family will think or the impression your child needs to make.  This is not a time for your child to prove how much they have grown or for family and friends to be judging you and your child.  If they are, let them and know they are not living in your shoes.  Listen and smile then toss their uninformed, inexperienced, ignorant advice into the recycling bin and walk away knowing that you are the bigger person. Enjoy watching your child bask in the attention showered on them and see the love that surrounds you.

I wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving.

Tired of Always Being the Enforcer?

                Some days I get tired of being the mean one. I would love to turn a blind eye to behaviors in class and just let them go.  Is it really hurting anyone?  I stop and think, yes, I would be hurting my student by not teaching them the independence they deserve or the socially skills to be accepted by their peers.  So I suck it up put on my big girl pants and become the corrector of behavior, the enforcer of independence, the TEACHER! 

                Being a caregiver or teacher of a special needs child is an exhausting job.  There is no down time when you can say I’m tired let’s just put on a movie and pass out snacks.  I won’t have to do anything then.  Let’s go over all the lessons that have to be reinforced during this down time event: personal space, hands to yourself, quiet during a movie, assistance with snack packages, assistance with choosing snacks, proper eating (mouth closed, no slurping), restroom breaks, proper way to address someone who is bothering you, proper way to respond to someone who asks you to stop something that is bothering them, to name a few.  There are positive ways to do all of this: by praising those who are doing things correctly, thanking a student when they do it correctly etc, but it is still a constant teaching moment.  There are times when it can feel overwhelming, and then you see it, your student who never  walked around a conversation and always walked right between people talking, he walks around two teachers talking all on his own and you cry.  You know it is all worth it.

                Our job is so much more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. Our job is to help our students in every facet of their life become as independent and socially accepted as possible.  We hear about the wonderful people and organizations who reach out to our kids. and I am so thank full for them, but we have to do our part to teach our kids to come as far as they can to meet them in the middle.  For some eating with their mouth closed may not be possible, but for many it is. It just takes time to be reinforced and think how much better their life will be if they do.  How many more people in the work place will want to eat with them.   Teaching students how to take turns and how to not always be the winner will give them the ability as adults to have full social lives.  The simple act of covering a sneeze and using a tissue makes it so people do not walk away from you.  While these tiny things are easy to over  look they are the things that will make our kids accepted or not as adults.  One thing I try to keep in mind is what is cute now or accepted now, will it be as an adult?  If the answer is no. then it is not acceptable now.  I cannot reinforce something now that will not be acceptable later because it is so much harder to unlearn later. 

  So while I may get tire of being the bad guy from time to time,  I try to remember my young man  simply walked around a conversation on his on, or my young lady who can now ask for help on her own when she couldn't before. Or a multitude of other firsts and then I pull up my big girl pants an move on.

     

           

               

     

Helping See the Way to the Future

  When a child is diagnosed with a disability,  a family goes through a morning process.  They are morning the child they thought they were going to have as well as the life they thought their child would have. As with any emotional process this takes different people different amounts of time, and they do this in different ways.  As teachers we have to be sensitive to where parents are in this process, while still being sure to help them insure the best for their child’s future. 

    One of the earliest bridges to cross with this is getting them to sign up for housing and services lists.  These lists can be 10-15 years long. Each state has their own system and organizations, but it is important to get parents to sign up for these services.  Some parent will say that they are planning to have their child live with them or do not need the services. No one knows what the future hold.  Families can always turn down the services once their name comes up or defer services, but if they are never on the list, the options are closed for 10-15 years.  One way to put it to a parent is that it is a kind of insurance policy in case something was to happen to them.  There is a backup plan.  It is very hard for  many parents  to think of their own mortality at this point or what would happen to their child.  It is our responsibility to ease them into thinking about this, and help guide them to where they need to go.

   As children start to get older the legalities and issues get more complicated.  There are issues with guardianship, social security and other living arrangements.  Some parents are open to discussing these issues, while others are not. It becomes very complicated to take custody away from an adult if it is not done before the child turns 18. Being honest about the process is the best idea.  There is plenty of information about guardianship and social security available to parents, and they need to access it early to understand it all. Your job is to give them the informational resources, not to advise on financial or legal options.  Be honest about the child’s ability levels so they can make informed decisions.

  Our job as special educators goes far beyond just books.  It is our responsibility too get our kids and parents ready for life after school.

Holiday Guest: Little Preparation Can Add to the Joy

                Holiday time can be stressful for anyone. When you have a child with special needs, the stress multiplies. The idea of having so many different, often new, faces around your child can add anxiety to any family event.  I came across this with my own children, and they are not special needs.  I had taught my children they do not have to give anyone a hug and kiss or accept one from anyone if they do not feel comfortable.  As you can imagine, this did not go over very well with some family members.  My thinking was that we spend so much time telling them how to say no about physical contact, they should always have that right.  Looking back, there were some things I could have done to make things go smoother.  I want to share those with you.

      The world has changed greatly over the past two generations.  It used to be that extended families all lived in the same towns and neighborhoods.  This is no longer the case.  Often times when family gets together, children are meeting family members for the first time or do not remember the last time they were together.  To these children, the family members are strangers.  In their minds, we do not hug and kiss strangers.  They have been taught to stay away from strangers.  It takes time to make friends and get to know these people. This can be a tough concept for some family members to accept. Be sure to explain this to your visitors before you get together. Take time to tell them what kind of relationship and reaction they can expect from your child.  Set up boundaries before they come.  Explain to them that these are not permanent, but if they want a good relationship with your child, this is the best way to build it.  Let your family know you will be doing some work with your child ahead of time to help quicken the process along. Hopefully this will make everyone understand and work together.

     Before everyone gets together, do some homework with your child to prepare them and have them get to know the people who are coming.  In this way they will not seem like strangers the first time they meet.  Find pictures of everyone who will be getting together so that faces will be familiar.  Tell your child stories about each of the people.  Help your child get to know what kind of person each family member is.  Be sure to keep your own feelings out of the stories if there is any bad blood and keep things positive.  You are working to make this experience as positive as possible.  Have your child talk to people on the phone or better yet face time when possible.  Take the time to do some relationship building before to make the holidays stronger than ever when they roll around.   

Following Directions: Take Time to Teach the Skill

   Following directions or rather the lack or difficulty with being able to follow directions is one of the difficulties I have run across most frequently in my time as a special educator.  I often hear both parent s and educators frustrated with a child’s difficulty with beginning tasks or following through with tasks independently.  When I sit down and talk with them, what I find most confusing is their lack of tools to give the students to assist with learning to follow the directions.  A student with disabilities is not going to magically pick up a skill they are lacking unless tools and direct instruction are given to assist them.

                How can you help a student lacking in the skill to follow directions? One way I have found helpful is to teach the student to write the direction for the assignment on a stickie note and place it next to the assignment.  If the student can only follow two steps at a time, break the work down into the first two steps and once that is complete come back and give the next two steps.  Be sure to give praise along the way for the independent work.  This can be done at any level.  It can be modified to picture cues made by the teacher if need be. As the student masters two steps increase to three and so on.  It is amazing how the student feels after learning to master this independence.

        There are many fun group activities you can do to teach following directions in class where the students do not even realize they are learning.  White board cues are always a class favorite.  I pass out white boards, pens and erasers to everyone and then give simple directions for them to follow: draw a square in the center, write your name in the upper left corner.  As the students get more advanced you can add multiple directions.  Dance parties are another way to teach following directions as well as social skills.  You Tube the Electric  Slide, The Chicken dance or others and everyone has to learn and follow together.  Simon Says is also fun and this is an easy way to add multi step directions.  Be creative but directly teach the skills.

  In life everyone has to follow directions.  This is a skill that is usually taught in Kindergarten and first grade. Many of our students did not pick the skill up at that point thus it it up to us to take the time to directly teach  the skill not just become frustrated that our students do not have it.

Do Not Cross the Enabler Line

     When you are a care giver or teacher of a special needs child, you walk a fine line between facilitator and enabler.  It is important not to cross that line.  It is our job to teach our children how to be as independent as possible for their well being as adults when we are not there all the time.  It may be easier, in the moment, to erase the paper for them, but is that really the best thing for that child in the long run?  Did you just take away the child’s sense of independence? Did you take away an opportunity to exercise that muscle group?  Did you take away the feeling that mistakes are ok, and the child can fix his own mistakes?  Remember every small ripple in the pond radiates outward.

    I do not want to make it sound like I myself have not been guilty of picking up the eraser or cutting the paper for the student for the sake of moving the class along, but I do want to make us all think of what we are doing in the big picture.  There are so many times in the day that we as nurturers do things for our kids that they themselves could and should be doing for themselves.  We need to take a step back and try to encourage them to do as much as possible now while we are there to support them and guide them.  It is so much less awkward for a school age child to learn how to tie their shoes than it is for an adult.  Do we want to send these children to whatever adult living environment having been coddled or do we want to send them with as many skills as possible?    

    When I sit down with parents, I always ask what chores does your child do at home?  Very often the answer is that the child is not able to do chores.  Even a child in a wheel chair can have someone put plates in a basket and be taught to bring them to the table to be a part of the family.  I explain that the chores may need to be assisted and may not be done to the standard the parents are used to, but it is important the children learn to have responsibilities and be a part of the family unit.  Most children can be taught to dust if someone clears off all the items in the way. Pushing a vacuum is simple and fun. Learning to set and clear the table is a life skill everyone needs.  Once I explain this, it is amazing how excited parents are when they come back and tell me how well things are going.  Just start out small with guidance and everyone can come out feeling more ready for the future.

       

Assessing: Take it One Skill At a Time

   Assessing students with special needs can be a difficult task.  It can seem overwhelming when a teacher looks at all the accommodations and IEP goals. A very important thing to remember when assessing our students is to limit what is being assessed at one time and give the proper supports needed during the assessment.

     Let’s look at math because it is the easiest to see how this works.  When a student is learning a basic arithmetic concept you would not give them a calculator or a multiplication chart, but once a child shows you they understand the concept through manipulative and has solved numerous simple problems.  I would do an assessment to document this knowledge and move on to using either a calculator or multiplication chart.   They will learn their facts as much as they can through repetition.  I would still reinforce through computer flashcards, but I would move forward in skill using available tools.  I teach my students multi digit multiplication using a calculator to do the single digit facts, but they have to do all the steps, once they show me understanding of the concepts, through an assessment, they then use a calculator for all multiplication.  When is the last time you did multiplication long hand?  This is a life skill.  It takes our students longer to acquire these skills. In order to move them forward it is essential to move them to a calculator as soon as they show mastery of the skills.  While doing geometry or other math they always use a calculator.  It is they concept not the arithmetic that is being assessed.

     In history and science try to decide what is being assessed and limit it to one thing at a time.  If you need your students to learn vocabulary great, but having them use vocabulary in a sentence is a very different skill.  That is a sentence writing skill. Having them read a selection aloud as a group is wonderful, but then answering questions is a second skill. I would reread the selection to them to be sure they had the information.  Do not forget in these subjects the repetition of information is just as important as in math and reading.  The concepts will need to be repeated many more times for our students to be able to retain the information than what would be needed for a typical student.  Doing many smaller assessments along the way can be easier than expecting them to retain the information or be able to sort through it at the end of a large unit.

  The most important thing to remember is to keep assessment simple and to the point.  What is it you want them to show you they learned?  Do not complicate it by having them try to show you too many skills at one time.  It is much better to take many smaller assessments that to take one large one where you cannot distinguish what it is that really is the problem.  In my own personal opinion, this is the best way to go when you are dealing with students with more complex learning difficulties. 

For more information you may want to start here:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/what-are-formative-assessments-and-why-should-we-use-them

Letting go of the Apron Strings

         I want you take a minute and imagine that someone took away your power to make any decisions for yourself each day.  They told you what to wear, eat, where to go and what to do at all times. Now, imagine for whatever reason, you could not tell them what you wanted or how you felt about it.  In our society that is what we call prison and punishment.  For our children with the greatest special needs this is their daily life.  As care givers it is important for us to step back and remember this and try to find ways to let them have as much control over their lives as possible.

     With a normally developing child, it can be terrifying to let our children go and spread their wings knowing they will fall and bump as they learn to fly.  When a child has special needs, that fear is magnified. We cannot let our fears hold them back for it will only frustrate them more.  Try to keep in mind both the cognitive age of the child, the developmental age, as well as the chronological age when deciding what kind of control to give them and how to let them have it. Making it a team decision between school, therapists and home can help so that consistency is maintained and independence reinforced.  Everyone’s end goal is the same: to see the child as independent and happy as an adult as possible.

    How can you give the child independence and self-determination?   At home you can let your child choose their clothing and participate in shopping.  You can give them a choice in the order they get things done.  With their bed room, you can ask if they like the color and or decorations and change them.  It does not mean to give them control of the family, but to make them an active rather than passive member.  At school a teacher can do this as well by using a child’s interests in assignments.  Or letting them read a book of choice.  Giving the class a vote on two activities either of which fits the criteria needed also lets them feel empowered.  We sometimes feel it is easier for us to have our students sit together so we can assist them.  Give them a larger section or find peer buddies to help out so they feel less constrained.  When walking in the halls, let go of the notion of a straight line, let them walk and back off a little giving them a feeling of independence and confidence.  All of these small things add up to an individual who is learning to handle themselves confidently in the real world while we are still there to assist if need be.  You would be surprised at how little the assistance is really needed once they get the hang of it.

  If we are ever going to see our children as more than dependent special needs children, we need to start treating them as such.  We need to stop treating them as prisoners of their disability, controlling every aspect of their lives and teach them to make decisions and choices for themselves.  We need to encourage them to make mistakes and learn from them without getting upset before they are adults just as we do with our other children.  Let our little birds fly and they will soar.

Transition Goals: Finding a Path that Fits Each Child

   I have three amazing kids.  I one is starting her career as an educator.  My middle child is starting student teaching, something I would never have dreamed of in a million years, before he continues his education in the field of historical archiving.  Finally, my youngest is starting her second year of college on the road to becoming an occupational therapist.  These are all paths I would not have pictured for my children when they were in middle or even high school. All children have to navigate through life to find their own way and interests.  What is difficult with special needs children is guiding them to what is practical and realistic with their abilities, issues and needs. As parents and caregivers it is our responsibility to help guide them to realistic goals while still helping them to reach for their dreams.

   Everyone has interests, strengths, and preferences when it comes to work and work environments. There are many ways to find out what kinds of things interest a child. You can find surveys for them to fill out if they are capable.  If not you can show the child pictures of different items and let them point to the things they like: animals, plants, people, computers, stores, office, outside, inside, alone or with others. Help the child make a chart that shows them what their work interests are and create a work profile for them.  Once they have this work profile, you can help the child to find jobs or careers that would fit that profile and their desire for further education.  This will help eliminate things like a doctor, but you can possibly put in medical assistant or child care if it is taking care of people they really like. If they wanted to be a veterinarian, you can explain the schooling and then give them the options for veterinary technician, pet groomer or pet store worker. Depending on the level of the child, there are usually jobs that will fit for their interests if you think creatively. The important thing is to help the child see a future and see a goal to fit the learning.

    Setting these goals helps the entire family.  Parents and siblings start to see the future of the child.  How will the child get to and from work? How will they choose clothing? How will they record and remember and schedule? How will they communicate information from work to home? These are all things that caregivers need to start planning for.  The school system will not always be there to support the child.  It is the school system’s job to help prepare the child as best as possible for after school. This includes teaching the child and family not to depend on the school as an intermediary. Starting in middle school the parents need to start taking responsibility for getting information from the school websites rather than expecting the teacher to give them information made available to all parents. It should become a weekly if not daily habit to check the school website for updates and information on coming events and activities. Teachers need to make sure that parents are given this information at the beginning of the year, so they are aware of this responsibility. With general education students, the parents and students usually both do this and it slowly transitions to be more and more the student’s responsibility.  Like much with special needs children, this responsibility will stay with the caregiver the rest of their life.

  Starting in Middle school the job of educators becomes complex.  We are responsible for academic growth, but also for transition growth.  We need to look at the future of the child and the family after school.  What are the goals for the child and how can we help them get there.  Helping to choose a career goal and setting up communication is just the start of this transition planning.  

Prepare for days you will be gone

  Today's post will be short but important as I am headed out of town.  When you are planning a trip for a day or an extended amount of time, be sure to give as much warning as possible.  Mark it on the calendar. Discuss who will be there in your place.  Let the child/children know you have left detailed plans about the routines and plans.  Most of all be sure they know when you will be back and that the trip has nothing to do with them.  If you do these things, you can go knowing they will be calm and ready to continue while you are away.

Finding the Right Reward System

   Reward systems with special needs children who have any kind of behavioral issues are an important tool. The literature you are going to find is going to talk about finding one that fits the student’s needs.  This is of course the most important aspect of any system, but one thing I have found over the years that is not emphasized enough in my opinion is finding one that fits the care givers as well.  I have gone through may a system that just didn't work because I could not follow through with them. They did not fit into my flow and thus I did not comfortably use them. It is important to find that balance between the children and the caregiver.

                If you establish a reward system and find that it is not working for you because you are having trouble keeping up with it or following through, take some time to figure out what is it that the child is looking for from it and how can you make it work for you?  If the child is working for stickers on a chart, but you have difficulty getting the stickers on the chart, ask yourself how important is the actual chart?  Could you just give the sticker to the child and let them do as they please with it?  Could you have a place for the stickers and let the child go and get the stickers themselves?  If the student is working for a token they collect in a container, again could the student be responsible for getting the tokens themselves? This of course can only be done with students you can trust not to cheat, but you can teach this easily with consequences for most children. There are many Apps available for tracking behavior. Trying some of these and having a daily reward may make your life simpler if you are a tech and gadget person.  Some can be personalized to student interests and are engaging for the children. Be willing to establish the reward system you are starting is a trial and that if it does not work, you will work together to find one that fits everyone involved. 

Some Tracking and Reward Apps:

http://www.classdojo.com/

http://www.inov8-ed.com/2011/10/theres-a-special-app-for-that-part-10-apps-for-behavioral-management-and-intervention/

Perseveration: Work with it Not Against it

    When you work with or have a child with Autism, you hear the word perseveration quite often. What does this word mean and how does it affect your interactions with the child you are working with? Let’s start with the definition.  Perseveration: 1. Uncontrollable repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic disorder.2. The tendency to continue or repeat an act or activity after the cessation of the original stimulus. The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. Those of you dealing with children on the Autism spectrum have probably seen behaviors that fit this definition, but it can also be seen in children with other disabilities to lesser extents. Teaching children to handle perseveration is important.  Like sensory sensitivity, you cannot cure it, but you can teach a child how to deal with the perseverations in order to function in day to day life.

  What do these perseverations look like?  They can manifest themselves in infinite ways.  A child’s need for a schedule that is consistent is one form, a repetitive word that is said over and over again, having a favorite game to play or book to read that is done over and over again.  All of these are forms of perseveration.  Each form can be dealt with if you look at it, recognize it as a perseveration, and handle it as a need of the child.  Remember to work with a child’s perseveration, not against it.

  The schedule is the easiest of all to deal with even though it may seem daunting at first.  While the child may seem to need the exact schedule every day, you can usually work with the child to get to where you can visually warn the child of upcoming changes in advance, and the new schedule will be fine as long as there is a schedule to follow.  In my class, as soon as I know there will be a schedule change, we begin talking about it.  We mark the day on the calendar as a special day.  The day of the schedule change we write down the new schedule and go over it. I answer any questions about the new schedule the students may have to alleviate any fears they may have.  If unplanned schedule changes come up during the day, even unscheduled announcements, my administrators tell me in advance, so I can let my kids know. Using these warnings, the children still have a schedule, they just learn to adapt and adjust with help. 

  If you have a child that is perseverating on an item there are many things you can do.  You can give the child specific times to use and focus on the item using if then statements: If you do this then you can use your blue blocks for 10 minutes. Or you can allow them to put them in a safe place for use at a specified time.  I do this in my class.  Each student has their own carrel and they have their own items they need.  They know that at the end of each class they are allowed time to go to their seats and have time to themselves for sensory or perseveration time whatever they need.  Another thing I do is use these favorite things to grab their attention in lessons.  I make lessons using these items for the students to engage them and keep them interested.  For example: if I am doing a lesson on capitalization, I write sentences about each student and their interest. I have them correct their own sentences. The entire class is engages looking for their own name and to see if I get the right interest for each of their friends.  EX. tim went to the park to play on the train   If I had a student who perseverated on trains.  Instead of fighting the perseveration, I use it as a tool.

  The most difficult form of perseveration is when a child begins to perseverate on another person.  This can happen and this does need intervention.  In this instance the student needs to be taught the appropriate way to relate to other people.  You cannot stop the student from perseveration on the other person, but you can and must teach them socially acceptable ways to interact.  I have found that letting your child know that their actions will drive the other person away to work the best.  Ex. “When you sit so close to her, send her notes and run her down in the halls she feels uncomfortable and does not want to be your friend anymore.  Do you want her to be your friend?  Ok, let me help you learn how to keep her as your friend.”  Then give very specific guidelines to your child and practice them.  Also, this needs to be something that is communicated between parents and teachers so that it is supported in both settings.  With both parents and school working together, the student can learn to develop healthy relationships.

Everyone perseverates on something from time to time.  With our kids,  just take it a little farther.  The important thing to remember is to work with it not against it.  

For more information you may want to start here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOcl5iWLl2U‎

http://www.pediastaff.com/resources-autistic-perseveration

http://www.projectlearnet.org/tutorials/perseveration.html

Positive Teaching: Errorless Teaching

The red pen can be a frightening tool for any student.  When dealing with a special needs student, it can be even more terrifying.  The color itself can bring up fear and anxiety.  Having someone pointing out errors and focusing in on what was wrong can set a student on the defensive and shut them down from being able to learn anything past the mark on the paper. How can we address errors without fear?

   From the first day of class it is important to emphasize mistakes are how you learn while you go through your classroom policies and procedures.  It is also important to establish a safe learning environment where no one is allowed to laugh or demean another classmate because they make an error. Errors need to be seen as a way for the teacher to know what to teach, not as a way to judge what the student did wrong.  That is how I explain them to my students.  If they do not make any errors, then I know we are ready to move on.  The errors tell me what I have to teach and work on with them.  I turn them into a positive tool for me rather than a negative for the students. I also never grade in red.  I personally use green, but you can use purple or orange, whatever color you like, just make it consistent.  I leave red as the color for self-editing.  They have control over the red pen.  It is empowering.

    Another strategy I use to take away the intimidation factor is to not use the X for a wrong answer.  I simply use a dot to mark the problems they need to look at again.  It is not a sign You got this wrong, but rather, let’s look at this again and figure out where you went wrong.  It is a learning opportunity rather than a judgment.  Even if it is an assessment, it can be a learning opportunity as well. The students are less fearful and more willing to take a risk when they do not feel judged in my experience.

    There are many ways you can choose to grade the work from this form of errorless teaching. You can give average grades for the two: before corrections and after.  You can just give the first grade.  You can just give the second grade.  You can give completion grades.  This depends on the students and your class.  It is important to be consistent and that your parents understand both the marking and grading system you are using. The fundamentals of errorless teaching are that you introduce the topic without letting the students fail.  You cue or prompt correct answer and gradually fade until they have mastery. The grading comes in when you begin to assess for mastery. If you will be using errorless grading you may want to put it into the accommodations at the IEP meeting. There are many references available for errorless teaching on the internet for more information.

   With our kids, it is always important to focus on the positive.  When they do well on a project or paper, give rewards and praise.  Put a sticker on it.  Let them show it off to a favorite staff member or peer buddy. Send a quick email home and read it to them before you hit the send button.  Remember to make the special moment shine, so they can work through the harder things to seek out the rewards.

For more information you may want to start here:

http://www.projectlearnet.org/tutorials/errorless_learning.html

The Teachable Moment

   Have you ever felt like you were in a bumper car, kept hitting the side wall, and couldn’t get moving forward?  You get out of the car run around and try again just to find yourself stuck in the same corner time and time again.  Did you ever stop to think maybe you need to go in a different direction?  When working with special needs kids, it is important to be willing to see when something isn’t working and be willing to go in a different direction.  I cannot count how many times I have had a wonderful lesson planned, but once we started, I realized this is just not working for them. I tossed it aside and found something else to do.  Sometimes, I would just find a fun review activity while I regrouped for the next day.  The important thing was I didn’t frustrate my students and myself by forcing a lesson that just was not working.

   There may be times that a lesson is working great for some of the class and just isn’t right for one or two other students.  It is important to be able to see that and figure out a way to make the time productive for everyone.  By taking a couple minutes out of your lesson to set up an alternate lesson, you are not only make the time more valuable for the one group, but also for the entire class by avoiding classroom management problems that would have arisen from a non-engaged and frustrated student or group of students.  Let’s imagine the class is looking up facts on a country for a geography class. Most of the class is doing fine with individual accommodations: list of what to look up, pictures etc. Two students do not understand what to do even if you bring them to the page and highlight the information for them.  The activity is too high for them.  You can quickly ask them to look up pictures of the country and paste them into a document.  Ask for 3 pictures of buildings, 3 of land and 3 of people.  They are engaged in the country, will visually learn about the country and will not disrupt the classroom learning.  In another example, you have planned to use protractors to measure angles.  Your students are having trouble physically manipulating the protractors you have and reading the small numbers.  Pull the assignment, do some measuring with rulers around the room and look for better protractors later.  You may have to make some yourself.  The time and frustration you save in having them use a tool that is inadequate will save you in the long run.  Flexibility in your planning will be your best friend.

  This flexibility goes two ways.  Always be on the lookout for that teachable moment.  When a student brings up and idea or concept that is important and there is interest, grab onto it.  Use their enthusiasm and run.  Your lesson will be there tomorrow, their desire and openness to the topic at hand may not be.  Engagement and full participation is difficult to get with our students, when they willingly give it, take it as a gift and use it.  Feed their desires for knowledge and they will reward you by being more open to you when you are instructing them.  Some of these unplanned teachable moments have been not only my best lessons, but my best teaching memories.  Enjoy the moment and be a true teacher!

For more information you might want to start here:

http://www.teaching-learning.utas.edu.au/orientation/flexible

Parent Teacher Communication Make it a Positive in the Educations Process

 The life of a special needs parent is a difficult road.  From the day you get the diagnosis you are told all the things your child will not be able to do that you thought they would be able to do. If You get the diagnosis when your child is a bit older and has been in school the likelihood that you have had phone call from the school, with less than positive news is great.  A parent can become warn down and almost dread the caller ID showing the school phone number.  The relationship between parent and school needs to be positive for the student to thrive.

      As a teacher it is important to make contact with the parent and share the positive achievements that occur along the way not just the negative.  Send emails to the parent when a student does something special.  Pick up the phone and share your excitement when a child initiates a conversation with a peer for the first time.  This lets the parent know how much you truly care about their child and lets them share in these moments of success. Be sure to let the student know that you contacted the parent as well.  It will let them feel that much more proud of their accomplishments.  When I call, I always start out by stating right off that nothing is wrong, this is a good call.  The reactions I get are varied, but usually have some sort of relief involved.  Always remember that parents of special needs students are entrusting us with their treasures and when they see that number on the caller ID, worry is the trained response.  We need to be sensitive to that at all times and honor that while building our relationships.

   When contacting a parent for a mishap that may occur in the classroom, I always remember my training from when I was a retail manager: give 3 positives for every negative.  Be sure to point out how you used the situation as a learning opportunity, so the child will not do it again.  It is also important to let the parent know how the student responded to the consequences, and how they were able to come back and function for the rest of the day. Emphasize this as a positive.  This is a very important skill for the future.  We need to communicate certain major occurrences in the class, but if they are minor and handled within the class think about if every  one needs to be addressed with the parent. Would you call a general education parent every time you had a small interaction with a student? You may want to set up ground rules with the parents for the times when you will contact them at the beginning of the year.  My general rule is if it does not interfere with the learning of other students and is corrected quickly with redirection or a simple in class consequence, it is not necessary to contact the parent. There are times things may not fit tightly into this formula, but it gives me a starting point. For frequent behaviors a communication log can also be established.   Do not forget to keep documentation of behaviors for your own records.   If you see a pattern arising and new strategies need to be implemented, then you contact the parents to discuss it as soon as you establish a possible pattern.  The teacher is able to handle discipline in the classroom and needs to maintain it in the eyes of the student. 

   The communication between parent and teacher is vital to a healthy school relationship.  Both the positive and negative events need to be shared.  The parents need to share the great things they see as well with the school. With both sides openly communicating the child will only do better.

For more information you may want to start here:

http://www.adi.org/journal/ss05/Graham-Clay.pdf

http://www.ldonline.org/article/28021/ 

Laughter is for Everyone

  Laughter is the best medicine.  Everyone likes laughing and joking with friends is part of our social dialogue.  Children begin learning about humor from the time they are toddlers.  They start by noticing that using items for things they are not meant to be used for will elicit a laugh.  They learn that the element of surprise will also cause people to laugh as they enter their toddler years.  A Child will repeat these actions over and over learning about humor along the way. Children with learning disabilities mimic these behaviors as well. Children on the autism spectrum are not as in tune to the reactions to these behaviors, but they will pick up on these reactions in time as well, it is usually later.  They do have a sense of humor just a bit different than others. 

    As children grow and develop language, their ability to understand and use humor grows.  They will hear a joke and want to repeat it over and over again or try to rearrange it, not quite understanding the nuances of how the humor works.  This is where children with learning disabilities can have difficulty.  If a child has difficulty with word relationships, analogies, comparisons or opposites, many early simple jokes can go over the child’s head. They know it is a joke, but do not quite understand why it is funny.  Encourage their exploration of the humor in a safe environment, by role playing how to tell jokes in social setting. Take time to explain the jokes to them.  Often special needs children will repeat the same joke over and over to the same friends to the extent that it will become annoying to them.  Help the special needs child develop the boundaries for the social setting and develop enough jokes to entertain their friends. 

    While our children are mastering the skill of humor, their peers most likely will have already mastered this in the past.  Be sure to monitor the situation so that the child does not become the entertainment, rather than his jokes.  It is a fine line the kids walk between being attentive to our kids and being on lookers to the special kid. We want our kids included, not put on display.  To insure this, it is imperative that we as care takers, role play with the children how to interact and how to set the boundaries.

  Watching a young person explore their developing sense of humor can be fun and exciting.  It is an important part of fitting in with peers.  Having joke books available, sharing jokes and riddles with kids is a fun way to become close with your kids.  It is part of growing up for all kids.

For more information you may want to start here:

http://www.cscanada.net/index.php/sll/article/view/911/0

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/health/805-understanding-the-language-of-friendship.gs?page=2 

Disinformation, Snake oil, and False Cures for Autism and Learning Disabilities Beware.

When I was in school 30 or so years ago, I remember being sent across the school to work with younger kids on my writing.  Dyslexia was a new and misunderstood phenomenon, and they didn’t have a program to help me.  My brother was taught how to read lips and was diagnosed with auditory dyslexia, something that does not even exist.  We have come a long way in 30 years.  This is a great thing, but we still have to be aware of the information and disinformation that is out there.

   Once you have become involved in the world of learning disabilities, you will begin to explore and try to educate yourself. As you discover new programs and methodologies, make sure you look into each for their research and reputation.  Any program can say they have research to back them up.  Check to see what kind of research and who did it.  Was it a reputable independent researcher?  It is interesting to see some companies do the research on themselves and on a very select few clients.  Let me be clear:  disorders such as autism, turrets, ADHD, etc. to date do not have cures.  There are wonderful programs that can help children control behaviors and improve their ability to attend to tasks which enable them to learn more easily, but there is no magic cure.  Unfortunately, there are people out there who are willing to prey on the desire of parents and educators who want to fix rather than assist our special needs students.

   When parents first learn their child has a disability, there is a mourning process they go through.  They see the loss of the child they thought they were going to have as they come to embrace the child they were given.  As with any mourning process, it takes different people different amounts of time to go through the stages.  Some parents stay in the denial stage for much longer than others.  Others stay angry and will take it out on the teachers and care givers. Others come to acceptance very quickly and look at the child as who they are and can plot a new course easily.  Whichever path a family is journeying on, the more information they have the better.  There are groups on the web, school district support groups, social services, and religious organizations today that did not exist 10-20 years ago. Use these tools and support both as educators and parents, but use them wisely not blindly.  If something seems too good to be true, look into it and be sure it is credible and reliable.  There are some amazing programs out there, but unfortunately there are some you need to be wary of as well.  Be sure to share what you learn both good and bad with others who might need your guidance.  This journey is a journey of a community and with special needs kids they saying it takes a village is never truer. 

You can follow me on my Facebook page:  Special Kids, Special Teachers, Special Hearts

For more information you may want to start here:

Autism False Prophets

http://mediamatters.org/research/2011/03/02/fox-amp-friends-unethically-pushes-dubious-

auti/177095 

http://www.texasobserver.org/autism-inc-the-discredited-science-shady-treatments-and-rising-profits-behind-alternative-autism-treatments/

Siblings of Special Needs Children in the Same School

   It is always a two edged sword to have a sibling at the same school. You have the reassurance of knowing you have someone who always has your back, but you also have the teen anxiety and embarrassments that always seem to follow with family relationships at this age.  Both of these seem to be amplified when one of the siblings is a special needs child.  As a parent and teachers we need to be sensitive to the siblings to allow them to enjoy their school experience and develop as normally as possible.

     While at home, many siblings take on extra care and supervisory roles of their special needs siblings.  It becomes second nature for these care takers to seek out their siblings and spend their social time to be sure their brother or sister has friends and is doing well at school.  While to a parent this may be reassuring, it holds back the care taker sibling from developing friendships and social skills appropriate to their age group, and it does not allow the special needs child the independence to grow either. If the Sibling wants to join a Circle of Friends organization that is great, but their time should be spent with other kids not their sibling. The idea is to expand the Circle beyond the family and caretakers.

   Public displays of affection, PDA, are another problem teachers often have to deal with when siblings of special needs students attend the same school. What might be acceptable at home is not acceptable in the school setting.  It is important to teach our students that there are appropriate times and places for demonstrating these feelings.  This needs to be communicated to the parents as well, so they understand the expectations and can discuss it at home. What is cute for a 5-8 year old becomes annoying for a 10-12 year old, and uncomfortable from a 15-20 year old.  These subtle changes are difficult for our special needs children to learn, and it is easier for them to master the boundaries that will be expected from them sooner rather than later.

   It is very important not to hand over your “power” as a teacher or care giver to a parent or sibling. When in a school setting it may be tempting to call a sibling in to calm a child who is upset.  Once you have crossed this line, the child learns they can use this behavior to get their sibling.  The sibling is there for their own education.  You are there for the special needs child.  Let the siblings have their time.  If the siblings are responsible for pick up at the end of the day, that is fine, but until then, the school day is their time and should be respected as such.

  It can be a joy to have siblings on the same campus.  You get a unique insite into the loving relationships of a family.  It is important to respect the development of both students and individuality of both students in these situations.  Get to know the siblings and show interest in what they are doing.  They will appreciate the attention being showered on them for their own unique personalities.

Follow me on my Facebook page: Special Kids, Special Teachers. Special Hearts

For more information on siblings in the same school, you may want to start here:

What Siblings Would Like Parents and Service Providers to Know

Siblings of Special Needs Children

When to Let Your Special Needs Child Use The Public Restroom Alone

I was reading through some Facebook pages and found an interesting stream of conversation.  People were discussing how to handle taking people with special needs into public restrooms.  I found this very interesting because my students use the public restroom at school.  For some it is their first exposure to using the bathroom on their own. As their Life Skills Teacher, I feel it is important to make them independent enough to be able to use these facilities on their own, but being a woman it is difficult for me to relate to the issues that face the boys. Luckily I have a male Paraprofessional and wonderful relationships with my parents to help me navigate these waters.

    It is very import to go over the procedures and rules of the public restroom just as you would a classroom.  This is a new environment for many.  Give them the vocabulary they will need: stall, urinal, seat cover, sanitary bin. Make sure you go over social expectations.  Do boys talk to each other while they are at the urinals?  Do you look through the cracks in the stall doors and watch other?  Is it appropriate to wait for your friends to finish or should you leave as soon as you are done?  If you pull your pants all the way down to urinate, do you use a urinal or do you use a stall? If you are not sure of these answers discuss it with male co-workers or the child’s parents.  It is also a good thing to take a “field trip” to the restroom, close it off for a few minutes to other students and go over the rules and expectations there.

     If your student’s need supervision at first, use the restroom while the other students are in class and close it to the others for the time you are in there. This will make it less awkward for everyone involved. If it is possible to have two male staff members to supervise in the boy’s restroom, that is best, but if not, use one male to supervise the boys.   I would suggest he stand at the door with it open just a crack to protect him from any one questioning what an adult is doing in the boys restroom. The same goes for the girls with a female teacher. If a boy has not used the urinal before and wants to, ask his father to teach him and have him use the stall until his father has taught him.  As soon as the students are proficient, the teacher should start backing out and giving them independence, just checking in less and less until they are doing it all on their own.

  As parents, you have a much tougher choice.  This is a hard decision even when dealing with a child who does not have a disability.  When do you start letting your child use the public restroom on their own?  I know with my own children, it was a gradual thing.  I first sent them in with a friend or in a small safe environment and stood close where I could monitor.  When you have a special needs child the same process needs to be followed.  Send them in with a friend or buddy at first to see if they can handle it. Be sure to go over the rules and expectations each time before you send them on their way.  You may even want to set a reward if they can do it.  If they cannot, you know they are not ready. Do not give up on giving your child this independence.  Go places at times you know the restrooms may be empty and let them work at it. Wal-Mart is not as busy in the evenings. It will be a learned skill like any other.

    If using a public restroom on their own is not a possibility and you are dealing with a child of the opposite sex, I have a couple suggestions to try.  If you are at a mall, go into one of the stores and ask to use their restroom.  Explain your situation.  You may be surprised. If you must use the opposite sex restroom, lock the door for the few minutes you are in there with your child, or have someone in your party let others know before they walk in to give them the choice of waiting. You can even make and carry a small sign with you if you find this to be a common occurrence in your lifestyle.  Many people may not care, but being given the choice rather than having things thrust on them and knowing you are being sensitive to them will make them more sensitive and accepting of you and your situation.

   Using the public restroom seems like such an easy common place task, but having children with special needs can make it so much more difficult.  Taking the time to pre-teach and practice the skills can help make the transition from dependence to independence easier and more rewarding for all involved. 

Please Follow me on my Facebook page: Special Kids, Special Teachers, Special Hearts

For more information you may want to start here:

I Want to Go to the Public Restroom by Myself

Hygiene and Related Behaviors for Children and Adolescents with Autism and Related Disorders

Special Victories Can Your Day

What is a victory? Is it making the football team? Is it winning the Spelling Bee?  Is it Getting a 100 on your Spelling Test?  These are the types of things parents and teachers think about when they have yet to begin their adventures with special needs children.  When dealing with these amazing kids, we have different victories.  Our victories happen when we least expect them and may seem trivial to others, but to us and those who understand these victories are just as amazing if not more so than making the football team or scoring a homerun.

   It is very important to celebrate the small victories with our kids.  At school, when my students master a new concept they have been working on for a while, we make a big deal out of it.  They get to pick special stickers, the class congratulates them, and they get to choose an adult from the school they want to show off their achievement to.  These achievements vary from student to student depending on their abilities:  learning to add single digit numbers using a number line or touch points, mastering 5 times tables, or maybe reading a short paragraph independently.  The important thing is to allow the children to be proud of their learning and achievement.

  Not all celebrations and victories are academic.  With special need children there are so many goals we as caregivers and teachers are working on daily. It can be exhausting.  Do not forget to see the progress.  A high five is a wonderful form of acknowledgement for your child because it is shared between both of you.  You have worked together so celebrate together.  When a child spontaneously says hello, comes out of the restroom with clothes straightened independently, uses a calming technique without a cue, or asks for help spontaneously give praise and a high five.  Take a moment to bask in the moment that the child has grown, and do a little victory dance!  If a tear falls, know you are not alone in knowing that these moments are hard earned and those who are members of the “in group” share in your pride.

  This is where communication between teachers and parents is so important.  It is important for the parent to share the victories at home with the teacher so the school can support them.  It is important for the teacher to share them with home so the parents can see the progress and share in the victories of their child.  We are so lucky to be in the age of email.  It only takes a moment to send a quick email and say,” I am so proud, she did such and such today.  We took her paper to Mr. Smith to share. She was so proud of her work.” What is great about this is you can also read it aloud to the student and it is another form of affirmation.  With all the correction and redoing our kids have to do, there is never too much praise and affirmation for a job well done!

  Take time to enjoy the small victories that happen.  They add up.  I always say,” baby steps, baby steps,” it may be slower, but if you keep moving you will get where you need to be. Do not forget to take pride in your child’s achievements no matter how small or great!

For more information you may want to start here:

Inspirational Message

Talking to Your Child About Their Disability

    One of the hardest questions I have to discuss with parents is “does your child knows about their disability?”  Most parents are at a loss for how to discuss this with their child.  They have many different reasons for not wanting to discuss it.  Some parents do not want their children to think of themselves as any different as other members of the family or class. Others do not want their child to use it as a crutch or excuse. Yet others are still in denial themselves over the reality of their child’s future. For whatever reason, they look at me and ask, is that really necessary? 

     It is necessary for a child with any kind of disability, be it sensory, ADHD, Down’s Syndrome, Autism, or any of a plethora of others to understand why they are having more difficulty than those around them.  It is essential for their self-esteem and for them to understand why they are getting the services they are getting. This understanding allows them to work with and not against their service providers. A couple examples I like to give parents are these: If your child were blind, would you let them think everyone in the world around them was blind as well and they were just bad at it? No, you would explain that others could see and thus traverse the world more easily.  If your child is lactose intolerant, do you tell your child they will get sick from the milk products because their body is missing something, or do you just tell them you are being mean and won’t let them have chocolate milk and ice-cream? Everyone has a right to know so they can take ownership and work with their disability instead of working against it.

  How and what you tell your child are going to be the complicated parts.  It is a similar scenario to adoption.  The longer you wait, the messier it gets.  I have found in my experience that the students who have been raised knowing all along have the healthiest attitudes.  It is just a part of who they are no big deal.  If it is too late for that, talk with teachers and support staff who know the child to come up with a plan that suits your child’s needs.

  How does a child knowing about their disability help in the classroom?  When manifestations of the disability occur, a teacher can explain to the student, “This is because of xxx ( fill in the disability), let’s think: how can we find a way to make this work for you?” It can take some of the pressure off of the child. Another example: Let’s say you have a child with autism who is getting very upset over a change in the schedule that came unexpectedly.   You can calm him by saying “this is your autism making you upset, take a deep breath, are you going to win or is the autism?”  Of course this will not work for everyone on the spectrum, but it can be effective for many.  It can also work for student with Down ’s Syndrome or ADHD. Giving the child some control over their disability can be very empowering.

  There are not many books out there to help you discuss a child’s disability with them.  I have written one book, Let's Talk About Being in Special Ed that discusses special education, but not a specific disability.  I am currently working on a book to help explain Autism to children on the spectrum.  The important thing to remember is that it is just a part of them that they can learn to define rather than have it define them.  Remember you have a support team with your teachers and school staff: use them to help give you advice that is specific to your child and talk with your child.  Once you do that, it will take one more pressure off of you.

For more information you may want to start here:

-Should You Tel lYour Child They Have ADHD

Getting Started: Introducing Your Child to His or Her Diagnosis of Autism or Asperger Syndrom

Explaining_Learning_Disabilities_to_Your_Child

Our Kids are Not the Only Ones Who Need to Keep Learning

 Educating yourself should never stop.  If you are working with children with special needs there are multitudes of ways to educate yourself.  Reading blogs like mine and participating in on-line discussions are ways to keep current with popular conversations in the field.  There are conferences, workshops, on-line classes and books to read that can also teach you about current practices and philosophies. The important thing to understand is that the research in this area is just really starting, and it is important to stay on top of it.

    This past weekend, I attended an Autism Conference at The University of North Texas.  There were two keynote speakers and then 4 breakout sessions where attendees could choose from a variety of topic for either professionals or parents.  The information provided ranged from how to interpret data to creating social stories and the importance of play.  I am looking forward to sharing some of what I learned in my future blogs.  What I want you to get from my blog today is that this information is out there and accessible. It did not take me weeks, but rather only a Saturday afternoon with friends to really improve my knowledge base and help me become a better teacher. 

    Future  Horizons is one company through which Temple Grandin works.   I attended one of their conferences in the past and hope to attend one again later this year.  The format there is a bit different.  There is usually only one to three speakers, but again well worth the time as you will come away with a wealth of knowledge.  This is where I learned about fear being the primary response emotion for children on the spectrum.  That one bit of information is probably the most valuable piece of knowledge I have gained and applied while working with children on the spectrum.  Had I not gone to a conference, I would not have the success I have with my students.

    If you are looking for classes and conferences, they are not that hard to find.  Teachers can find on line classes through their education regions, Teaching Unions and organizations, or school districts. Parents can find classes through state support services, doctor’s and service provider’s offices, and child’s health magazines. Both educators and parents can do searches on the internet as well.

    Thank you for wanting to educate yourself by reading blogs like mine.  I hope you find a local conference or workshop that can inspire you and help you to continue your education so that you can help our kids grow.  They are lucky to have someone like you who takes the time to learn with them.

For more information you can start here:

Future Horizons

2013-National-Autism-Conference

Temple Grandin

Council For Exceptional Children

Making Clothing Choices a Positive Experience with Special Needs Kids

   The clothing debate is something that goes on in every house, special needs or not.  With a special needs child, especially one on the autism spectrum, this can be a very difficult thing to handle.  One thing you have to remember is that you are in charge and there are ways to keep everyone happy. 

   Having your child involved in deciding what to wear is always a good thing.  It gives your child a sense of control over a part of their life. However, there have to be ground rules and they have to be clearly stated and reinforced.  I would suggest sitting down with you child and coming up with the ground rules together, just like we make class rule.  Here are some example rules: clothes have to be clean, have to fit, and cannot have any holes or rips. Once you have rules, there are many different ways you can go about letting your child choose their clothes  depending on your family and child’s abilities.

   Choosing clothes for the day should happen at the same time every day.  Establish it as part of your routine.  Some people do it before they go to bed.  Some do it in the morning.  Whatever works for your family is fine. Talk about what your child will be doing the upcoming day and what the weather will be like. Help them decide on the type of clothing: long sleeves, shorts, a sweater, etc. It might be helpful to have a checklist of the items needed. Some children on the AU spectrum will only wear one particular type of clothing all year.  This is a sensory issue to discuss with your OT. From here picking out outfits can be done many ways: choices can be given, free reign allowed, pictures shown, or your child can give you choices. Whichever way you choose, have a backup to redirect to a better choice if they make a poor choice. If your redirection does not work, your child will not die if they get little hot. They will learn. 

     One way to help in controlling the choices is controlling the clothing they have to choose from. Make sure the clothing they choose from is appropriate to the season.  Teach your child to take non-seasonal clothing and pack it away.  If your child will not do it, you can do it during school and tell your child it was one of your chores.  The same goes for clothing with holes, stains or that is too small. Also make sure their clothing is appropriate for their age.  Our kids can stand out on their own; the last thing they need is to be wearing clothing meant for an elementary school age child when they are in middle or high school. If you are not sure what is age appropriate, ask a friend or watch some kids TV shows. If you let them watch with you and comment they may even want to wear it too.

    When possible, take your child shopping with you.  I know for some this can be very difficult.  Wal-Mart and Target are open late and not crowded in the evenings.  If your child is sensitive to the lights, try sunglasses in the store.  If they feel they are involved in the choices, they will be more likely to wear a variety of clothing. You can also use this as an opportunity to teach shopping life-skills.  If going shopping is not possible, try online shopping together.  The more actively they are involved the better. 

  Now that you have their clothes, do not give up on making them dress themselves.  This includes buttons, zippers, and tying shoes.  These are things that every parent is responsible for teaching.  If you have a child that is having difficulty with these, discuss it with your OT or doctor.  There are many ways to help including button tools, and trying multiple ways to tie shoes.  Do not give up on these important life skills.  It may take longer, but do you want your 20 year old asking for help in these things if there is any way they can possibly do it themselves?

The clothing battle is one every parent deals with.  When you have a special needs child, the battle field is littered with mines.  Use care and you can win this battle.

For more information you may want to start here:

How to tie your shoes the easy cool way

Clothing Ideas for Special Needs Children

christopherreeve.org List of Specialty Clothing

Managing Special Needs Melt-Downs

  Everyone has bad days. Our kids are going to have them too. No matter how hard we try to set up the best environment, things are going to bother them. It’s going to be a full moon, the pollen count is going to be high, a disturbance will make the bus late, or some other unexpected thing will just make the day not go as planned. On these days it is important to recognize the signs of a child beginning a crisis and try to avoid it before it become a full out melt-down.  If you work in a district where they offer training in Non-Violent Crisis Prevention or some other form of intervention, I recommend taking it.  They not only teach strategies for the major breakdowns, but focus mostly on how to avoid these in the first place.  An ounce of prevention goes a long way. 

   A child who begins a meltdown goes through a progression and does not just jump into the full throws of being out of control.  The sooner you can get the child back to their normal demeanor, the better. Remember to respect the child’s space and watch your body language. Keep and open non-threatening stance when addressing the child.  Be aware of your voice. Watch your tone, volume and the speed at which you speak.  The first sign is the child questioning you. If the child is questioning directions or content, answer the question simply and calmly.  Do not engage in a power struggle even if you know the child knows the information. If the child is questioning about other things redirect to the task at hand. The next step in the escalation is refusal.  If the child refuses, set limits: use if then statements or give a time limit and consequences, but make them clear, reasonable, and enforceable. If the child begins to escalate farther that is when the meltdown will start, but know you have tried to avoid it.  This is a summary from The Non-violent Crisis Prevention Program which I recommend¹.  They go into more of the mindset of both the caregiver and the student.

   These are great guidelines to follow, but each child you work with will be unique.  You will learn to see the signs for each of what will trigger a melt-down and what can redirect them.  I have found that with some of my students on the Autism spectrum, once they are in a meltdown they have trouble allowing themselves to break the cycle.  Sometimes, they just need the release from all the pent up anxiety and pressure, but once it has started it builds and builds and they cannot stop it on their own. In a school setting always have a second person with you who can get help if needed and assist you.  What I have found to work with these students is to redirect them to an activity and hold the demand to them.  I know they are ready for this when they can follow three simple directions such as touch your nose, touch your head, touch your shoulders.  If they can stop and follow that then I try them on a work related task.  I give them something very simple that does not take much thought, but is almost automatic: simple addition, writing the alphabet, something of that nature.  They may start and then resume some of the negative behavior, but keep with the single demand phrased the same each time ( i.e. “Do your math”) until they focus on the work. Give praise while the work is being done.  Do not grade, correct, or criticize the work.  This is just an exercise on refocusing and regaining composure. Do not try to find out the cause of the meltdown, just focus on redirection and praise of the task. It may take a few tasks to become fully calm.  A meltdown is exhausting for a child, so you might want to offer a drink and restroom break once the occurrence is over. This is hard on you as well, remember to take a minute for yourself to rest and refocus. Have the child help get the room back in order if anything was disturbed. Then decide if it is a good time to talk about what happened, or if it is better to let the child know that it was not OK to do that, but you will talk about it later when they are feeling better.  Then try to get back to your regular activities.

     Taking time to go over the events is an important part of the process for the child and for the caregivers.  The child needs help processing what caused them to break down so they can have tools to avoid it in the future, while the caregivers need to process it so they can discuss how they handled the situation, decide what worked and what didn't, and improve for the future.  When talking to the child, assist the child in determining the emotions they were feeling. Using emotion cards and pictures can help. Role playing better ways of coping with these feelings is a wonderful way to teach dealing with emotions. I feel _____ because________I want ____________________is a great tool.  Giving a consequence for a meltdown is something necessary as well.  They need to know that if they do not follow directions and use their words and therefore disrupt others there will be consequences.  Make the consequences reasonable and immediate.  Being grounded from recess for a week will not affect them because by the end of the week they do not know why they are missing recess. I use not sitting with friends at lunch or ice-cream at lunch quite a bit. Then we move on. Make sure to explain that a consequence is given so that the next time they stop and think, “I didn't like missing my ice-cream. Do I want to miss ice-cream again? Should I stop?” You need to model this thought process each time or consequences will not work.  Remember, give consequences when you are calm, not upset, they are to teach the child not punish.

    It may not be possible to avoid every meltdown, but with time and patience they can be made a little easier to handle.  Everyone has bad days.  We need to remember our kids have them too and they have fewer skills at handling them.  It is our job to coach them through it.

1.   1.    http://www.crisisprevention.com/Specialties/Nonviolent-Crisis-Intervention