February 26th, 2010
I haven’t seen the movie yet – as I don’t think I want to have anything interfere with my impression of Temple Grandin.
I saw Temple speak years ago…. before she became a star….. and what sticks in my mind the most was her discussion of how she thinks…. in pictures…. hence her book “thinking in pictures”
She refers to her thought process as going back in her mind, retrieving a video tape from her mind’s library and then playing the proper video to think…. This hit me like a 2×4 across the head….Â
I am mostly an auditory thinker….. so I guess it didn’t dawn on me that this could be so impactful on educating, Now, when I teach my son, I always have visuals. Of course, he was most successful with video, but after years of strictly video, we have been able to branch out into many other inputs including auditory. But the learning is always faster with visual inputs …..Â
What we need to realize is that not all people think alike – and we need to find each child’s talent and teach to that talent….. and in my son’s case, visual is the way to go…
If you have a chance and you think you may know someone who requires visual teaching, watch this clip and read her book.  It really is very moving.
http://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds.html
Posted in Educators, IEP, Special education, Video modeling, developmental delays, video to teach kids with autism, visual aides, visual learner | No Comments »
February 23rd, 2010
Do children all learn the same – of course not!  but when are we going to change our behavior as teachers, parents, mentors?
Children learn by doing, touching, seeing, listening, feeling, tasting, etc….  there are opportunities to learn all day long… society is so wrapped up in the financial end of everything that we are leaving the children behind. We are leaving them behind because we are focusing on the wrong things – teaching to the test, funding issues, best practices, etc…
We need to get our hands dirty and teach children skills, how to use those skills and then let them practice!  Then they will learn when to use the skills, how to use them and what the consequences of the skill are. Take the little opportunities that exist to teach …. I know that my son loved it when we were talking about gravity and I poured a glass of water on the floor!  He won’t forget what gravity is!
Below is a good article on the issue of prompting – and identifying the teaching procedures that work.Â
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/radical-behaviorist/201002/do-all-children-learn-the-same-teaching-procedures
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February 9th, 2010
I am happy to say that more and more I hear people talking about America’s imports from China and the problem it caused for our economy. My daughter is mortified every time she shops with me – as I look at all the tags and can’t buy 9/10 of the items we pick up…. because they are made in China. It seems that people are actually starting to understand that purchasing our imports puts people in the US out of work.  The present situation with China has been in the works since the 1980’s.
The present epidemic of the growing population of children with developmental delays is being handled in a similar manner as our trading practices with China.
We are ignoring the long term effect…. pushing it into the corner and ignoring it.
Importers of product are mostly importing for the cheap price….. stuff can be made in China for a small percentage of what it would cost to make in the US. So – lets make more money ……
Developmentally delayed children – same treatment. Insurance companies and schools can’t possibly pay for the treatments needed ….. it would lower their income or prevent them from balancing the budget.Â
Problem is that some day we are going to have to pay for all of this. Cutting corners results in an inferior product…. Look at Toyota right now.Â
The problems we have now with the epidemic of developmental delays are being pushed into the corner – and eventually they will come back to haunt us….. They always do….
Everyone needs to wake up – we are just creating our next recession for 2030’s…. we are just setting ourselves up for bankrupting America…. not to mention ruining lives!
Debt to China:Â http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt
Cost of raising an autistic child – per CBS broadcast:Â http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/21/eveningnews/main5101691.shtml
Tags: autism, developmental delays, education, Mandate funding, medical treatment, Special education, Special Education budgets
Posted in Special education, developmental delays, education law, medical treatment, special education law | 1 Comment »
February 3rd, 2010
Â
Are vaccines responsible for autism?
Maybe it just causes the complete breakdown of the immune system (which is in the gut – where Dr.Wakefield found the problem)
Maybe the immune system breakdown further aggravates the body causing developmental issues…..
maybe there is more ….. Â
Do they REALLY think that all of these people are making this stuff up – that after the MMR and the complete break down of the immune system is purely coincidental….????????? I still remember the 2 days following the MMR shot with my son…..  it was terrifying….  he got sooooo sick soooooo fast!  and it continued…
The naysayers should walk one day in our shoes ……. or better yet, our children’s shoes!
Tags: autism, developmental delays, immune system, MMR, vaccines
Posted in Parents, Special education, vaccines | No Comments »
February 2nd, 2010
it is that time of the year when all of our special education teachers are sent to meeting after meeting…
Well, here in NY, if the teacher is in meetings, then she isn’t teaching…..  and if the school doesn’t hire a substitute teacher, then they are breaking the law!
So, document when the teacher isn’t there….. hold on to this information and use it when necessary, like when they are trying to decide on services for your child and are arguing with you….
Tags: developmental delays, education, iep and autism, Special education
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January 31st, 2010
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Appropriate education - Where??????
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I invite you to chime in here and tell me what you think about private “chartered” schools -
Why are they good, why are they bad?   And what exactly is soooooo great about inclusions when every year you have a huge fight and the bottom line is…. there is not enough help in these classrooms and it is only going to get worse. The economy is pushing everyone out of their homes, a possible spending freeze on education from fed….. and in NY state – we are just about bankrupt?
So – where is the hope for inclusion – and why not go private “chartered”?
please send in your comments..
Tags: autism and inclusion, charter school, education, FAPE, IEP, inclusion, learning styles, private school, Public education, Special education, visual learning
Posted in ABA/VB, Educators, IEP, Parents, Special education, education law, functional education, multi-sensory teaching, special education law | No Comments »
January 25th, 2010
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!!!!
If any of you are in the NY area – this is one of my favorites…. they have a special needs program called REACH … one that I don’t think you can beat…. My personal opinion of the staff is rather high – and for anyone who knows me – they know that is no easy achievement!http://hofstra.edu/Academics/CCEPA/SC/spec/spec_reach.html
Camp fun!
Call them at 516-463-CAMP – honestly you will love them
Tags: Hofstra Summer Camp, Hofstra University, Special education, Special Education camp, Summer Camp, teaching children with autism, teaching social skills
Posted in Educators, Hofstra Summer Camp, Special education, Summer Camp, Uncategorized, self-esteem, social skills, teaching kids with autism | No Comments »
January 25th, 2010
New York ACTS – An initiative for Adults and Children on the Spectrum – a partnership of 11 state agencies has launched their website
www.nyacts.org
The goal of this site is to bring relaiable, current information to the public about autism and to assist NY families to easily find state services.
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January 19th, 2010
The Finished Project
Sorry to be repetitive – but I think society needs a 2×4 to get this….  not you…. but the higher ups….. you know .. the ones who make the decisions on how to educate our children ….
The teachers get it … the parents get it… and certainly the children get it!
Here is an example….Â
My son built this airplane today – his first lego project since about 14 months of age (hes 11 now)
And this is how he did it…..
VISUAL instructions
I could have explained to him how to build this lego plane – until  I was blue in the face….. and the plane would never have been finished….
But Lego gets it – so they include visual instructions – to complete a task! Â
Imagine what would happen if we did this in school ….
So – once again, I am promoting visual instructions – in many formats – pictures, video (my favorite), signs, etc….
The science says it works, the children say it works, even the toy companies utilize it!   So, exactly when do you think we will start using it in our schools? I guess I just need to work much faster….
Tags: Special education, teaching, Video modeling, visual learner, visual learning
Posted in Special education, Video modeling, multi-sensory teaching, video to teach kids with autism, visual aides, visual learner | No Comments »
January 6th, 2010
Â
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- Bus to BAND?
                                                   Â
Or READING Comprehension    Â
I simply cannot resist this…..
After long conversations, argueing with school personnel over an “appropriate” education for my son, requests for detail on how our school has spent the federal funds received, and on and on……. the Questions continue unanswered and the abuse just continues.Â
 And of course, I am expected to sit back and say nothing? Right!
Well, I just can’t contain myself anymore. Just this year I had to
- have several meetings with school personnel to agree on Appropriate teaching programs for my son
- Â point out test results to school personnel indicating my son is at a 1% reading comprehension level for his grade
- Â provide information to them on reading programs that would be appropriate (and the data to support)
-  provide information on “appropriate and effective” social skills programming….. (and the scientific data to show them that the present program was useless and ineffective)
- And this was ONLY THIS YEAR!
- There were countless meetings, letters, etc…. for the last 7 years
My requests are always denied on the first request….. ALWAYS!  then we go thru the game and I bring in the data and show them the test results and interpret the law verbally…. then I maybe get what my son needs. Maybe!  I have had to bring in lawyers before – just to write a letter – because my letters when signed don’t have the initials following my name that are necessary to get the answer “yes”.
But….. WE have the Money to pay for BUSSING to EARLY BAND PRACTICE!
YES – we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave….  the land is only free if you are educated enough to defend your rights or pay for a good lawyer…..  home of the brave – yes the few that stand up for what is morally right!Â
So – send your thoughts – would you sit back and take this?
and REMEMBER – FOIL – Freedom of information Law – it comes in quite handy when you want to find out what your school district is paying for or how much they are paying, etc…. I encourage you to use it! (notice the most frequently bolded word above) hmmmm…..
So – BUSSING for BAND ….. or ….. READING INSTRUCTION?
Tags: ARRA funds, edcuation law, Federal Funds, reading comprehension, Reading instruction, Special education
Posted in Special education, education law, reading comprehension, special education law | 1 Comment »
