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articles
 children
diagnosed with autism
emotional
illiteracy
Children
Diagnosed with Autism
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Strategies for a Successful School Experience
By Susan Miller M.Ed.C.C.C.
Autism Communication Specialist
With one in every 166 children being diagnosed with Autism,
there has been plenty of theory and attention given to this
topic. We have pages of information and strategies to try,
however very few adults have looked through the eyes of Autism
to design their theory or reach their conclusions. What is
it like to experience Autism? What does it feel like to actually
move through life with a neurological structure that functions
so differently than what has been considered typical. What
are the goals that an Autistic individual has for themselves?
How do they define a successful school experience? One of
the main issues that we have in acquiring this type of information
is obvious. Many children diagnosed with Autism are nonverbal.
They are unable to verbally communicate their experience,
another less obvious dilemma is that even when they have verbal
language, much of their experiences and levels of awareness
do not fit into the structured vocabulary of a typical classroom
experience.
We
have plenty of information about what will theoretically work
in the classroom, yet how can we know when we have negated
the broader aspects of their experience. Below is an observation
that was done in an actual preschool classroom in Phoenix
Arizona.
Each
one of us in our wholeness functions as a spectrum of awareness.
Depending on where our focus is in any given moment, we can
access those various levels of awareness and thus gain new
perceptions. As I watch a child with Autism play in a room,
from one vantage point that child is disorganized in their
play, unable to communicate and simply not present to her
environment. If I broaden the scope of my awareness, I may
see that this same child is paying more attention to the buzz
of the florescent lights, the emotional climate of the room,
and the smell of cookies radiating from down the hall. If
I broaden my awareness even further, I may see that the same
child is not only sensing the emotional energy in the room,
but is some how a part of that energy, the lights are not
only being heard but sensed on a level that causes a disruption
within the sensory system and causes that child to feel agitated.
At this level, I may also see that the child is having the
bodily reaction of hunger from the smell of cookies. If I
broaden my view a little more, I may see that in another part
of the world a hurricane is brewing and the energetic pattern
of that hurricane is causing a subtle atmospheric change in
the very room where that child is standing. The child is registering
that change and attentive to it. If I go out a little further
in my scope of awareness. I see that the child standing out
of touch to his physical environment is conversing nonverbally
with a number of other children all interconnected at some
level of consciousness. Further still, my vantage point takes
me to awareness that this same child is not only connected
internally to other children but other places. From this vantage
point I may also see that very subtle levels within the child's
body are reacting to the interactions that they are participating
in.
This
is all the same child. She is still standing in the center
of the classroom and still appearing to be out of touch with
her physical reality. Is she really? At what level is she
participating or not participating? Depending on the vantage
point that we have, we would call this child handicapped,
emotional, in need of sensory integration services, sensitive,
highly aware, spiritually gifted, and connected to a broader
experience, an experience that many adults have never experienced
and thus could not possibly understand or have language for.
We
are each going to see this child from the vantage point that
we see ourselves. If we have evolved to see ourselves beyond
the physical, then we will see the child beyond physical limitation.
If we have evolved in our own awareness, beyond an emotional
reference of self, we will see the child that way. We each
have the capacity to see from a broader perspective. We each
have the potential to experience more of ourselves, but we
have to first let go of the concept that our current perception
is the TRUTH.
When
we broaden our scope of awareness, we see that the neurological
makeup of children diagnosed with Autism, allows them to perceive
the world from a very different vantage point. Their physiology
allows them to perceive much more subtle levels of awareness.
For instance, a child with Autism would be much more cued
into the way you feel, than the way you look or the item you
may be showing them. They register emotional energy. Let's
take that information and reflect it into a typical classroom
self contained or not. If the child diagnosed with Autism,
perceives the emotional climate of the classroom and has no
reference for that energy, it is very likely that he will
be overwhelmed. He may scream, retreat to a corner, rock to
calm himself or any other technique that calms his system.
If we knew this information before we put him in a classroom
to begin with, we may make different choices. If we were aware
of this one fact alone, the educational system would probably
not choose to frustrate the child or the teacher by placing
the child in a highly emotionally charged situation. They
might choose instead to place them is a calming environment,
with a group of typical but fairly even tempered students
or with a teacher that is comfortable with herself and only
minimally effected by her workload. This teacher would also
have the capacity to demonstrate care for her students that
supersedes verbal praise.
This
is just one of many examples of uncommon aware nesses regarding
Autism. Education typically sees Autism as something that
needs remediation. If we have no idea what their true skill
base is, how can we create remediation that really works for
them. If we continually look at what they can not do or are
unable to see the remarkable gifts that they exhibit on a
daily basis, how can we honor them enough to be of any real
help?
There
are those out there that can see the gifts of these children.
We can see just beyond what is obvious. We can see the inherent
gifts within these children because we posses similar gifts.
We can help educators to see not only the gifts within these
children, but also the amazing skills and talents that the
educators can offer. We can help to empower educators, administrators
and parents, but first there has to be a desire to move away
from what was believed to be true and broaden our vision of
what might be possible. There are those of us who can help
with that process. Once eyes are opened, new solutions and
strategies become obvious. Once awareness is expanded we see
everything in a new light and possibilities for success are
everywhere.
There
are some really simple steps to optimize the strengths of
children diagnosed with Autism and when they are applied in
a practical manner, it is easy to change the diagnosis of
Autism to one of Awesome-ism.
Susan Miller M.Ed.C.C.C.
Autism Communication Specialist
Susan
has been a pediatric Speech Language Pathologist over 20 years
specializing in the area of Autism for the last seven years.
She is also gifted with an ability to see beyond the physical
senses in a way that allows her to clearly distinguish the
gifts inherent in so called "handicapping" conditions.
She is able to apply this awareness to daily living and educational
situations. Her company Blue Star Brilliance is dedicated
to expanding the conscious awareness of the unseen gifts of
today's children. She provides workshops, consultations and
private sessions to administrators, educators, therapist and
parents internationally.
Suzy
Email Bluestarsuzy@aol.com
Website
www.bluestarbrilliance.com
Emotional
illiteracy
(a letter to Times Educational Supplement)
Whilst
I am aware that TES is the leading educational publication,
I am not a teacher or regular reader. It may be that the subject
matter of my letter is old news. I am also unsure whether
one has to be in the teaching profession for letters to be
published in your journal. However, I am grateful to you for
giving it your consideration.
On
numerous occasions over the last 4 years, I have been working
with school students on emotional literacy and life skills
and I must say that I am horrified by a system that appears
to be a sausage machine for creating academics. Since 1988,
the National Curriculum has removed most vocational subjects,
subjects in which the less 'academic' could thrive. And about
10 years later we are of course experiencing those pupils
becoming parents and dare I say it teachers!
I'm
also an Adult Ed. parenting tutor and see the struggle parents
are having understanding and managing their own emotions,
and those of their children, first hand. The biggest cry for
help occurs when neither party is respected adequately; how
can one be a role model without the appropriate education?
This,
plus the fact that our children are becoming more right brained,
has created pupils labelled 'badly behaved', when what they
are actually doing is striving to be heard and understood.
Children are fantastic barometers of your mood, whether you
are parent or teacher. They can sense your emotional state
almost before you enter a room. They also have a finely tuned
ability to hit your 'hot buttons' with unerring accuracy,
and they do this at will.
You
only have to look at the increasing number of people living
on their own, the growing divorce rate and horrific teenage
pregnancy rates to know we are not getting any better at managing
our relationships.
I
am aware that some emotional literacy innovations are being
introduced into our educational system but we need to stop
pussyfooting around and put some serious emphasis behind a
coordinated and integrated approach for pupils, parents and
teachers in this vital discipline.
Let us get our act together and unleash the true and full
potential in our kids today. We need a whole new approach.
You will be able to experience the ideas of the world's thought-leaders
at our innovative conference in London on November 11th. Kids
Are Really Different These Days - pioneering an evolutionary
world. Please have a look at http://www.theenergyalliance.com/conference.htm
and join us for what will be an extraordinary conference -
the first of its kind … and the first of many.
From
Alan Wilson
Email
alan@developyourchild.co.uk
Founder
of www.developyourchild.co.uk
and
 www.theenergyalliance.com
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