A Tiny Week

Here's the sheet we worked on this week. It is a neat "growing flower." The little images are the directions on how to put the seed, stem, and flower together.

But I have a student who likes to cut out the "baby" one. She has a thing about babies. That was the first tiny thing that happened this week.

Tuesday, in my going-back-to-school stress, I went to Taco Bell for lunch and got this tiny mint.

And today, one of my students' mom brought their tiny dog up at dismissal! Isn't he a cutie. Not my style, but cute nonetheless.

I am centering all these picts in hopes that it will stay in alignment. Thank you whoever said that, I can't remember right now.

Sad

I've been listening to a book on tape (CD) by Portia Iverson called Strange Son. It is about her child with Autism and another mother and son she meets and their plight. I finished listening to it this afternoon while at the skate park. I listened to the majority of it with skepticism, even talking back to it at times. I knew it wasn't going to be a miraculous 'healing' or anything at the end, but it ended rather abruptly and made me very sad and left me with many questions. I may try to read the book as well as the CD said it was abridged for audio.

Also, I found out that one of my best friends from college passed away last year. Another thing that is very sad and has left me with lots of questions.

And, the little dog is sick. Lethargic, not wanting to stand.

In My Email...A Poem

The Misunderstood Child
A poem about children with hidden disabilities
by Kathy Winters

I am the child that looks healthy and fine.
I was born with ten fingers and toes.
But something is different, somewhere in my mind,
And what it is, nobody knows.

I am the child that struggles in school,
Though they say that I'm perfectly smart.
They tell me I'm lazy -- can learn if I try --
But I don't seem to know where to start.

I am the child that won't wear the clothes
Which hurt me or bother my feet.
I dread sudden noises, can't handle most smells,
And tastes -- there are few foods I'll eat.

I am the child that can't catch the ball
And runs with an awkward gait.
I am the one chosen last on the team
And I cringe as I stand there and wait.

I am the child with whom no one will play --
The one that gets bullied and teased.
I try to fit in and I want to be liked,
But nothing I do seems to please.

I am the child that tantrums and freaks
Over things that seem petty and trite.
You'll never know how I panic inside,
When I'm lost in my anger and fright.

I am the child that fidgets and squirms
Though I'm told to sit still and be good.
Do you think that I choose to be out of control?
Don't you know that I would if I could?

I am the child with the broken heart
Though I act like I don't really care.
Perhaps there's a reason God made me this way --
Some message he sent me to share.

For I am the child that needs to be loved
And accepted and valued too.
I am the child that is misunderstood.
I am different - but look just like you.

Dr. Carbone

I am attending an extremely interesting and beneficial workshop this week. Dr. Vincent Carbone is the founder of the Carbone Clinic in New York. He is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The workshop is specifically about shaping difficult behaviors to produce language (spoken words or sign) and promote learning.
About three weeks ago, I wrote on paper some things I would like to get off my chest. Sometimes I want to say these things to parents, but I can't because I am too emotionally involved in the situation and would not be able to remain objective and professional. I debated whether or not to put them here since the subject is quite controversial, but since I have had some time to stew over it, maybe I can write it here as a generality. I was prompted to think about putting it here again listening to Dr. Carbone. This rant was prompted by a well meaning mom who gave me a book called "Ten Things Your Autistic Student Wishes You Knew."

So, here is my response:

Ten Things Your Autistic Child's Teacher Wishes You Knew:
1. I love your child.
2. I have been teaching for 14 years. My Bachelor's degree is in Speech Language Pathology and my Master's degree is in Elementary Education with a specialization in Special Education. I have worked with at least 17 Autistic kids (that's about 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, 180 days a year in most cases) and have been to at least five in depth workshops dealing with Autism, including one that was 7 days long. The team of professionals that is working with your child (usually including a regular education teacher, special ed. teacher, Speech Therapist, and Occupational therapist) have many more total years experience than I do. We have a pretty good working knowledge of children with Autism.
3. I go above and beyond on a daily basis to find what works best for your child.
4. Advocacy groups make me angry. I wish we could all work together for the good of your child. Unfortunately it is about more than your child.
5. When you start throwing around the "L" word (lawyer), I shut down. I might have been extremely friendly with you and confided in you previously, but now I will be guarded and very careful about what I say to you, especially if we are one-on-one.
6. I know it is easier to give in to your child's tantrums/whining/etc. than it is to stick to your guns, but we do stick to our guns at school, and we would appreciate you following through rather than tearing down all our hard work. And please don't ask us to do things at school that we know good and well you don't do at home.
7. There is no 'cure' for Autism. Special glasses, chellation therapy, bariatric chambers, gluten/casein free diets, sensory integration therapy, etc. don't work. If they were proven effective for all children, we would all know it (and have more data proving it so) and someone would have a Nobel Prize. Some of those things work for some children, but take ALL advice and choose what is best for your family and your child. Please don't believe everything you read online.
8. We don't have to do all the crazy things your Doctor (who may be an expert on diagnosing but not working with), outside OT, PT, and Speech tells us to do. These are recommendations. These people are not part of the IEP team, and we as a team are making your child functional in the educational setting. We are not a rehabilitation setting. It would be nice if we could do everything, but we can't. Schools don't have unlimited funds, so in the end you as a taxpayer are paying for all your demands. If you don't like the Free Appropriate Public Education we can provide, there are some great private schools and services for you to explore.
9. I agree that we need to raise money and research and find the best practices and find long term solutions and preventions. But we all need to keep our focus and work together, not stir the pot, make trouble, and point fingers.
10. I still love your child.

Head Ick

That's what my son used to call a headache. I have head icks. Migraines. I vividly remember my first migraine, almost 20 years ago. It was excruciating, I was even sick to my stomach and eventually threw up. I felt much better after that. Luckily, I have some good drugs now. Maxalt. It really helps the pain. Initially it makes me very sleepy, so I was in bed by 8:30 last night. The bad part is, a few hours later, I can't sleep. Last night, I vacillated between fitful bouts of sleep dreaming about a selvage quilt, and untold minutes of staring at the ceiling listening to my dog's stomach growl and hoping the air conditioner would come on. Then the next day it either starts all over, which is infrequent, or I have what I've dubbed a medicine hangover. Unfortunately today may be one of those infrequent days, I have a little niggle behind my right eye.
Tons O' Fun!

Maybe Vince McMahon will call me tonight and say that I have won! My luck it would be the $2.00 prize!

Update on the Autism Walk: Over 4,500 people were there and we raised $168,373! Ya-hoo!

Autism Walk

Today was the annual Walk for Autism. I attended last year, as well, but this year's was much bigger! There were at least twice as many people this year. Most people make teams to represent their loved ones or students, so it's kind of neat seeing all the team t-shirts. This year it was held at our local ballpark. I saw current and former students and friends. It was a great time. I hope they raised lots of money!

I so look like my mom in this picture! Hi Momma!! :)

Breathing Clearly?

I am an official ADOS administrator!
I have been in training for two days. Very interesting, and I'm ready to try it out. Any volunteers?




I've also have a nice Spring cold or maybe just allergies. My friend says "Oh! You've got to try the Neti Pot!" OK, can I tell you friends, I have heard about this thing before, and I just cannot get past the fact that you pour water in your nose. I mean, I am a special educator, so I can do most bodily functions: throwing up, diapers, poor salivary management, but I don't do what one of my aids called "green snakes~" aka, snot. For my sanity, she always walked around armed with a pocket full of tissues.
My father-in-law uses the neti pot, he even mixes his own solution. People swear by it.
My friend gave me two packets of this stuff, and I finally mustered up the courage to try it. I figured if I threw up, then at least I would know, and the next time someone suggested it I could politely decline. Once I got over the panicked feeling that I was about to drown and willed my body to relax, it was bearable. I'm still congested, but it may take more than one round since I am already sick.
Has any one tried this? What do you think!?

Autism

This beautiful little girl's name is Claudia.

www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214