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Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts

December 21, 2012

Developing long-term relationships between school and parents

Melissa Dubie


The process involved in establishing a student’s individualized education program (IEP) can nurture a climate of trust if certain steps are followed. Ideally, the annual case conference is a systematic process that ultimately leads to effective programming for students on the autism spectrum. In order for the case conference to run smoothly, certain preliminary steps should be taken that involves setting up the meeting, gaining input from all involved, and creating meeting cultures that promote collaboration.

Let’s start by setting up the annual case conference meeting. The annual case conference must be set up at a “mutually agreed upon time.” This means the school can suggest times. However, parents have the right to say when they can attend if the stated time does not work for them. Each party needs to be reasonable about their request. Attempt to meet during lunch hour, before school, or after school. Give sufficient notice for parents to make arrangements with their employers to get off of work. If a parent does not respond, it is essential to keep trying to meet with them for the conference. Offer to provide transportation to and from school for the parent. If there are extreme health or other circumstances, school staff may need to consider meeting parents at their home. If these attempts don’t work, then conduct the meeting over the phone. School districts must make three attempts to contact parents for a case conference meeting. Be sure these attempts are sensitive and responsive to events surrounding the family member’s life. Parents are an essential member of their son or daughter’s educational team. Also, be sure to let the parent know they can bring a friend, an advocate, or anyone else they feel comfortable with. Being outnumbered by the numerous professionals that typically attend these meetings can be overwhelming to some parents.

Read more >

December 11, 2012

Advice on autism and teens from an adult on the autism spectrum

Lisa Jo Rudy


School is a tough place for teens with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In junior and senior high school, conformity is valued. But for people with autism, social conformity is extraordinarily difficult to achieve. Junior and senior high school also require tremendous flexibility, as students move from space to space, subject to subject, teacher to teacher. Since people with autism tend to prefer consistency to change, this, too, can be difficult to manage.

Robyn Steward is a young adult with Asperger syndrome. She lives in London, and is a trainer and mentor working with teens and parents who are coping with autism spectrum disorders. Robyn's experience may be both helpful and inspiring to parents and to teens with Asperger syndrome.

Here's how Robyn describes her own teen and young adult experiences:
I was essentially asked politely to leave school, because I spent so much time out of classes since I refused to be called names by the other children. I had no real friends at school apart from the IT teacher and no friends at home. I just assumed I'd never have friends or get anywhere because I felt that was what the teachers were saying. and because I got bad grades and struggled being organized.

Read more >

October 25, 2012

Boosting Students' Communication through Physical Presence

Michelle Garcia Winner

Caleb is a 23-year-old "bright" young man with Asperger's Syndrome who is particularly gifted in math. He recently participated in a social thinking assessment at our clinic. Caleb recognized and acknowledged he has never been able to figure out how to be perceived as "friendly" when around others, but he sincerely desires to have friends to hang out with and learn what he can do to bring this about.

As part of the assessment I asked Caleb to get up from the table and move with his father and me to the other side of the room, where we were to stand in a group. He quickly stood to join us, but positioned himself two arms' length away from me. His father was standing the more typical one arm's length away. I pointed out to Caleb that this simple body positioning sent unspoken messages to those around him about how interested he was in them. We discussed that a significant part of face-to-face social interactions involve moving our bodies into the "communication zone" of others and then maintaining a physical presence that demonstrates a desire to communicate with the other people. Caleb looked puzzled and somewhat amazed. Despite his intelligence in other areas, he had never thought about communication and friendship being anything more than sharing ideas through language.

Following along from our last column, in which we discussed the different aspects of physical presence and the nonverbal messages our bodies and faces send to others, in this column we will explore strategies to help our students increase their awareness of the part physical presence plays within human interaction.

Before we offer the how-to, take a moment and hear this:

Avoid assumptions that are all-too-easy to make: 
1) about what our students should "already know" about physical presence
2) that intelligence equates with social understanding in this area 
3) that these strategies are only for younger students. 

September 16, 2012

Helping Autistic Children in Mainstream Classrooms

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by KATHERINE | Autism United

As more and more autistic children are joining the mainstream classroom, teachers are often faced with an interesting situation where they not only have to fulfill the classroom’s objectives but also the autistic child’s educational objectives. If you are a teacher who has an autistic child in your classroom, here are some tips to help you management the situation.

The first thing you need to do is to review the child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). Doing this will give you an idea of the child’s educational goals. Take note of the child’s goals and determine whether the classroom’s learning objectives meet the child’s needs. And depending on the child’s educational goals and your classroom’s learning objectives, you may need to make certain changes to the classroom lessons or to the classroom setting and environment to be able to address the child’s needs, ability level and educational goals.

It is also best that you speak with the special education teacher or aide assigned to the child to discuss about the child’s Individual Education Plan as well as the classroom’s learning objective so that she is aware not just of the child’s educational goals but also of the direction that you wish to take with the child. READ MORE >>


  
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September 15, 2012

5 Tips for Creating the Ideal Classroom for Autistic Children

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by KATHERINE | Autism United

When autistic children join the typical classroom setting, it is ideal that you make certain arrangements to make the autistic child comfortable in the traditional classroom. You should be aware that many items which are considered stimulating to typical children may be considered a distraction to an autistic child.

Here are some tips to help you create an ideal learning environment for autistic students:

1. Simple is always better
We all know that some autistic children can easily get overloaded when there are a lot of sensory stimulants present in the environment. To avoid this, it would be best to keep your classroom as simple as possible. Try to do away with colorful posters which surround the classroom walls as well as the various school materials and toys which are not needed as of yet. The simpler, the better. A busy classroom with lots of sensory stimulants will only make your autistic student feel stressed.

2. Reduce distractions
Some autistic children are easily distracted by anything that catches their fancy. To avoid this, it would be best that you cover all windows so that the child will not get distracted every time someone passes by the classroom. If it is possible to block out the sounds coming from outside the classroom, it would be a good idea to do that too. Blocking out all the outside distractions will encourage the child to focus on what is going on in the classroom.

3. Safe-proof your classroom
Compared to typical children, autistic children have a greater tendency to have temper tantrums or seizures. With this in mind, it is a good idea to safe-proof the classroom. Pay special attention to objects which could potentially be dangerous to a child having a tantrum or seizure. Keep the room spacious and free of any sharp edges. It would be a good idea to use rubber mats on the floor and to cover any sharp edges with cushions or rubber.

4. Create learning centers
It is also a good idea to create learning centers that would focus on certain subjects such as reading and math. Having these centers will allow the child to learn in a more comfortable and stress-free environment.

5. Create a visual schedule
Autistic children are more relaxed and comfortable when they can anticipate what will happen next. They do not like the uncertainty of not knowing what they will do next. To avoid this, it is a good idea to create a visual schedule of the activities that are scheduled for the day. This way, they will know exactly what will happen and how long the activity will be.

  
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September 6, 2012

Consequences and Autism in the Classroom

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Steve Buckmann

Any discussion about teaching students with autism spectrum disorders in school settings will invariably turn to a discussion about the role of consequences in managing inappropriate behavior. Usually the discussion takes the form of this question: What do I do when "Johnny" does . . .?

Few educators would contest that consequence interventions have long dominated the lion's share of our behavior management efforts. The result is that consequences have become narrowly linked with managing inappropriate behavior, and it is the misguided use of consequences for inappropriate behavior that is of concern. Fortunately, as our efforts shift toward prevention of challenging behavior, questions about consequences should no longer monopolize our efforts and energies. Nonetheless, for the present, it represents a valid question which warrants discussion and some ideas about direction. The discussion begins by addressing the purpose of consequences, followed by an examination of how consequences are misused, and, finally, some ways to use them more effectively.


What is the purpose of consequences?

Consequences have three purposes when used to manage student behavior: (1) reinforcement to strengthen behavior; (2) punishment to weaken undesirable behavior; and (3) neutralization of behavior in a crisis. Too often our focus lies on the second of these three purposes, using consequences solely to eliminate behavior.


Why do negative consequence interventions still dominate our efforts?

Negative consequences meant to punish (i.e., decrease) behavior are a familiar entity. Responses to problem behavior, such as verbal reprimands, time out, and response costs (to name only a few), have a long history in school settings. And they often achieve results. For most students, negative consequences work exceedingly well, at least on the surface. They are the behavior management version of a quick fix because they generally require low effort and produce a quick change. Unfortunately, for many individuals, and especially those with an autism spectrum disorder, the fix is short lived, overly simplistic, and tends to suggest that what is needed in the future is merely a stronger negative consequence. It also fosters an elusive and never ending search for the perfect consequence.


How are consequences misused?

Below are some ways consequences for inappropriate behavior are commonly misused in school settings, followed by suggestions for more effective use:


• Consequences are applied continuously and for long periods of time, even when ineffective.
Although negative consequences represent tangible evidence to others (e.g., the principal, other staff, parents, the student) that something is being done about inappropriate behavior, too often they are applied reflexively, without much consideration for their individual effectiveness or how the person perceives them. For many students with autism spectrum disorders, repeated use of negative consequences quickly loses effectiveness as the student becomes immune to their use. For others, consequences simply serve to heighten anxiety levels when the student is doing what is logical to him or her. They also send the message that the people and activities in the settings are worth avoiding.


August 28, 2012

What are Social Thinking Challenges?

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Michelle Garcia Winner 

A classic example of a person with a social thinking challenge is that of my friend Ian who is entering into 4th grade. He has excellent language skills and has amazing abilities to learn information about topics of his interest, such as American History. He enjoys learning topics that are factual in nature and in fact excels in these academic tasks. Regardless of his strong academic abilities in most areas of math and language he struggles considerably focusing his attention in his mainstream classroom, participating as part of a group, explaining his ideas to others in writing and making friends during recess and lunch.

He prefers talking to adults, rather than his peers, since adults will discuss with him his areas of interest. When adults are not available to talk to, he goes to the library to read a book. While his teacher enjoys his knowledge, she is mystified by his difficulties at school given that he scores in the fine to superior on academic testing. It is difficult for his teacher to understand that he does not have a behavior problem; instead he has social thinking challenges, which makes it difficult for him to deal with all aspects of the expectations across his school and home day. His mother describes him as “bright but clueless”

Simply put, social thinking is our innate ability to think through and apply information to succeed in situations that require social knowledge. Social thinking is a form of intelligence that is key to learning concepts and integrating information across a variety of settings; academic, social, home and community. Limited abilities for learning and/or applying socially relevant information can be considered a social thinking learning disability.

August 27, 2012

Seven unexpected ways to increase your child's learning

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Dr. Kari Miller

When most people hear words such as “learning,” “smart,” or “memory,” they automatically think of the brain. In school we teach “to the head” only, asking students to sit in chairs for long periods of time, listening and looking almost exclusively at abstract symbols, even when they are very young.

Very few people think the rest of the body has anything to do with academic success. But surprising results from brain research indicate that learning cannot occur without cooperation between the body and the brain.


Emotions and Stress
Because of the way the brain is wired, emotional states run our lives. Every activity in which your child engages is infused with his emotions. Emotions are constantly changing, and are easily influenced.

Emotions such as joy encourage brain cell development by releasing chemicals such as dopamine. When children are happy and calm, they learn and remember more than when they are anxious, tense or irritated. Your child’s brain releases dopamine in response to pleasurable circumstances such chocolate ice cream. But even more importantly, the brain releases dopamine in response to security, recognition, and success.

Dopamine travels to the front of the brain where it influences skills essential for learning. The frontal lobes of your child’s brain are largely in charge of critical skills such as paying attention, recognizing and discriminating critical features, decision making and judgment, all essential for intelligent behavior and school success.

Unfortunately, fear and threat greatly inhibit intelligent behavior. Circumstances that your child finds unpleasant and out of his control produce a stress state in the body. Chronic stress reactions release chemicals that reduce blood flow to the brain, cause atrophy of nerve cells, and impair memory.

Help your child succeed academically by encouraging him to focus on his strengths, stay positive about his ability to learn, and “dream big” about the future! And most importantly, develop and maintain a strongly supportive relationship between you and your child.


Motivation and Inspiration
Learners respond to challenging tasks, not to tasks that are too hard or too easy. If the work your child brings home is not “challenging,” you must work with her teacher to adjust the difficulty level of the work. This is a key to helping your child discover that she is a strong learner who can succeed in academics.

Learners with special needs have experienced much more failure and disappointment than other learners. They often suffer from learned helplessness—a disempowering belief that they are “stupid” and “can’t learn.” When your child repeatedly views her behavior as flawed, her future success is stifled.

August 23, 2012

Developing long-term relationships between school and parents

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Melissa Dubie
The process involved in establishing a student’s individualized education program (IEP) can nurture a climate of trust if certain steps are followed. Ideally, the annual case conference is a systematic process that ultimately leads to effective programming for students on the autism spectrum. In order for the case conference to run smoothly, certain preliminary steps should be taken that involves setting up the meeting, gaining input from all involved, and creating meeting cultures that promote collaboration.

Let’s start by setting up the annual case conference meeting. The annual case conference must be set up at a “mutually agreed upon time.” This means the school can suggest times. However, parents have the right to say when they can attend if the stated time does not work for them. Each party needs to be reasonable about their request. Attempt to meet during lunch hour, before school, or after school. Give sufficient notice for parents to make arrangements with their employers to get off of work. If a parent does not respond, it is essential to keep trying to meet with them for the conference. Offer to provide transportation to and from school for the parent. If there are extreme health or other circumstances, school staff may need to consider meeting parents at their home. If these attempts don’t work, then conduct the meeting over the phone. School districts must make three attempts to contact parents for a case conference meeting. Be sure these attempts are sensitive and responsive to events surrounding the family member’s life. Parents are an essential member of their son or daughter’s educational team. Also, be sure to let the parent know they can bring a friend, an advocate, or anyone else they feel comfortable with. Being outnumbered by the numerous professionals that typically attend these meetings can be overwhelming to some parents.

Prior to the case conference meeting, provide parents with relevant reports and gather their input concerning their child’s instructional program. Being blindsided with reports and goals during a meeting is not the best way in which to establish the ground work for an ongoing working relationship. Providing family members with information ahead of time can create a climate of trust and collaboration. It can also assist families with being able to more effectively participate in the process.

As a case conference coordinator, it is imperative to consider where to sit during the meeting. Perhaps the optimal location is at the foot of the table to be able to see everyone’s body language, facial expressions, and how all members are responding. Another spot to strategically sit would be in the middle of the table to show support for both family members and school staff. Think about this decision and arrive to the meeting early to set up.

At the beginning of the meeting, one should plan for a minimum of 15 minutes for each person who attends. At an annual case conference (ACC), if there are four people (e.g., general educator, special education teacher, one parent, and speech clinician) attending, then the meeting will be approximately one hour in length. Sufficient time should be allotted. At times, case conferences can last a longer period of time. In this case, it may be better to reconvene at a later date to conclude the meeting. All parties involved should be sensitive to other demands on staff’s and family member’s time.

During the meeting, everyone should be expected and encouraged to share information. After all, each person took time out of their busy life to attend this conference. No one person should monopolize the discussion. Important decisions are being made that will impact a child’s programming for the year, and create expectations for all involved. If anyone disagrees with the decisions being made, their voice needs to be heard during the meeting. Once a meeting is over, it is the responsibility of all involved to respect any of the team decisions. Sabotaging an established program because of personal belief systems is simply unacceptable and can unravel a student’s program.

Before the parent is expected to sign the IEP, the case conference coordinator needs to be sure the parent/legal guardian is comfortable with everything that was discussed at the conference. Remember the parent/legal guardian has the right to take paperwork home to view, discuss with a friend, or simply think about. Do not pressure parents to sign paperwork associated with an IEP. It is more important to build a trusting relationship with the parent than to worry about getting the program in place immediately. If the parent/legal guardian needs additional time after the meeting to talk about everything that was discussed, make time for this to occur. Some case conference coordinators allow for an hour after a meeting to explain any points the parents are unclear about.

Think of the annual case conference meeting as an important process in establishing a long term relationship. If a student is placed into special education services at the age of three, school staff and parents will be working together for the next 19 years. Let’s both try our best to give a good faith effort in this partnership.

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Dubie, M. (2007). Developing long term relationships between school and parents. The Reporter, 12(2), 12-13
Courtesy of IIDC
Source: Autism Support Network 
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

August 22, 2012

How to be sensory smart in sending your child back to school - Meet author Lindsey Biel


AutismHangout


Sensory Processing Issues are present in 80% of children with autism. Diets, noises, smells, clothing material and lighting are only a few of the experiences that can cause issues. But many other children without autism can also be challenged by life's daily exposures.

In this interview, author Lindsey Biel ("Raising a Sensory Smart Child" - Penguin Books) returns to discuss new learnings about Sensory Processing Disorder. And she presents a helpful, sensory-smart plan to prepare your child for a low-stress return to school. Thanks, Lindsey!


More information at: www.sensorysmarts.com
Courtesy of Autism Hangout


Read more: http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/how-be-sensory-smart-sending-your-child-back-school-autism-meet-author-lindsey-biel-22827322#ixzz22z9oPgqy

What do I need to know about a student with autism?

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It would be a challenge to find a school anywhere that does not have a student in it with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most teachers will have a student with ASD in their classroom at some point in their career. Because the symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe, a teacher may not recognize new students in their classroom with an ASD from year to year.
Autism is a nonprogressive neurologically based developmental disorder that typically appears before the age of 3. There are five disorders under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) also known as the autism spectrum: Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), Rett Disorder which affects only females, and PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability with an estimated statistic of 1 in 88 people having an ASD according to the new figures released in 2012 from the Center for Disease Control in the USA.

ASD often presents with other conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Hyperactivity Disorder, dysgraphia (difficulty putting thoughts into writing), dyslexia (difficulty decoding single words), nonverbal learning disorder (disorders that don’t affect speech), Tourette Syndrome (characterized by vocal, motor, unusual noises tics or involuntary sayings) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Although students with an ASD will vary widely in ability and behavior, there are four main points they share: impaired social interaction, communication difficulties, lack of imagination, and sensory issues. So what do these students look like in the classroom?
Socially, you will see these students do not fit in. They don't understand that other people have thoughts, ideas, and ways of thinking that are different from theirs. Interaction with others is often one-sided and inappropriate. The ASD child will often be absorbed in certain subjects and will only want to talk about those subjects. Reciprocal play is absent such as turn taking or adding on ideas to play scenarios. You may see the child engaging in parallel play rather than direct interaction with other children; they don't know how to join in.

These children often lack empathy because they do not interpret the emotions of other accurately. Children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) are known for their honesty and will tell you exactly what they think and can be perceived as rude. They are rule-based and are quick to point out who isn’t following the rules. Breaking the rules can cause them anxiety. These traits make them susceptible to bullying and teasing from other students. The ASD student often doesn’t get the joke or becomes highly anxious when routines are changed. They often prefer to be alone. They do not follow the social customs of society that most of us learn simply through observation. Some great resources to learn more about AS in the classroom are Asperger Syndrome - Practical Strategies for the Classroom: A Teacher's Guide, and Asperger Syndrome - What Teachers Need to Know.

August 21, 2012

Back to School — Autism Speaks Edition CONT'D

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Getting Ready for School: Transition Tips for Students - Autism Speaks
"For many learners with autism, transitions are the toughest part of schooling. Moving from classroom to classroom or teacher to teacher can be stressful enough, but moving from building to building is almost always a process filled with anxiety and trepidation. These four strategies are designed to prepare the learner with autism for a new school or a new schooling experience and can be used days or months before the student arrives as well as throughout the school year."
Click here to read Paula Kluth's article. Visit her website Paula Kluth: Toward Inclusive Classrooms and Communities at www.paulakluth.com for lots of helpful resources and tips for students with autism and their families.


Tips for Reducing the Stress Associated with Back to School
by Dr. Peter Faustino, School Psychologist

"The summer can be an opportunity to recharge and break from school routines, which is why September is often viewed as a mixed blessing. Parents of children with ASD are always trying to plan and prepare ahead of time. Unfortunately, we can’t account for every detail but here are a few tips for reducing the stress associated with back to school."
Click here to read Dr. Faustino's tips.


Topic of the Week: Preparing for Back to School...We Can Help!

We asked families including students, teachers and siblings about what they did to make the transition back to school go as smoothly as possible. Below are some valuable suggestions from our participants!
To ease the transition, I asked his new school if I could come a few times and walk around the building with him, which they said was fine. I also asked if we could meet the teachers ahead of time, which is working out also. I am writing up a little list for them of things that came up with him during his last preschool year, and the solutions the teachers and I found together.” - Oma (grandma of 5-year-old boy with autism)

The more proactive you are the better. I would ask to speak with the teacher(s) before school begins. It may be helpful to meet the teacher(s) and tour the school without all the normal chaos in order for him to orient to the new surroundings. If you are able to do this, take a camera and take pictures of his classroom, the bathroom, the cafeteria, and any other place he may go. Even take photos of the principal, the nurse, and the teacher(s).” - Melissa

My daughter and I put together a little trifold “getting to know ___(Me)__” brochure for the teachers and other staff members which she would give them on meet the teacher days before school started. This included a short intro, things she liked and didn’t like, what strategies worked and didn’t work in the classroom.” As she grew older, she put together the entire thing on her own. It was a short and sweet introduction and the teachers seemed to take it to heart more because it came from her heart. Teachers would also include it with their substitute lesson plans so subs would be aware of her needs as well.” - Helen
Click here to read other comments.


Resources:

The IEP from A to Z: How to Create Meaningful and Measurable Goals and Objectives
by Diane Twatchman-Cullen and Jennifer Twatchtman-Bassett




Autism Speaks - Peer Mentoring Program

The Peer Mentoring program is a collaborative effort from the New York Center for Autism that brings typically developing students together with children with autism. This program is designed to help provide an understanding of autism and what children with autism need in order to learn, and also to teach some basic skills to help parents, teachers and peers interact, teach and play with children with autism.
Click here to view the Peer Mentoring Program Student Handbook.
Click here to view the Peer Mentoring Program Trainer Manual.


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Back to School: "School Zone" image courtesy of anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

August 17, 2012

Back to School — Autism Speaks Edition

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Back to School Resources
We have provided some specific resources from the Autism Speaks School Community Tool Kit to help you navigate these issues:



For Students with Autism

Student Initiatives at Autism Speaks

Student Initiatives at Autism Speaks are open to students of any age who want to join together to make a difference in the global health crisis of autism, regardless of their personal connection. Our goal is to create a community that is educated about autism by empowering students to pave the way for acceptance and understanding.
Click here to find out more information about starting a group or finding a group in your local area.
Click here to search our Resource Guide in your local area for schools, after-school programs, community activities, social skills groups and more!

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SourceAutismSpeaks.org
Photo credits
Top photo (Back to School): "School Zone" image courtesy of anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Back View of School Boy Sitting" image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Asian Kid Doing Homework" image courtesy of poonsap / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

August 15, 2012

Back to School — August 15th Edition


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Back to School Survey by AutismSpeaks™

The Autism Speaks Family Services team conducted a survey to help us better understand and support the challenges families face with the transition back to school.
More than 800 people responded to our online survey. 26% of the respondents had children between ages 2 and 6, 62% had children between 6 and 16, and the remainder had children over 16. Of our respondents, 58% had children in a public school inclusion environment, 23% in a public special day class, 12% in a private or special school, and 3.5% had their children home-schooled.
Some tips families recommended to help ease the back to school process included: touring the school building ahead of time, meeting the new teacher before the first day of school, and going on the bus route in advance.

The respondents shared insights into the greatest challenges they face as school begins. We reviewed the responses and all of the additional comments. The top issues reported were:

1. Your child's reaction to the transition
2. Educating teachers and staff about how to meet your child's educational needs
3. Bullying situations at school
4. Peer acceptance
5. Meeting curriculum needs for students with autism.



Tips from Dr. Peter Faustino, School Psychologist
Dr. Peter Faustino is President of the New York Association of School Psychologists, which serves children, their families, and the school community by promoting psychological well-being, excellence in education, and sensitivity to diversity through best practices in school psychology.

Click here (FREE PDF) for Dr. Faustino's Tips for Reducing the Stress Associated with Back to School.

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"School Zone" image courtesy of anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"A Schoolboy And His Teacher" image courtesy of Paul Gooddy / FreeDigitalPhotos.net