Posts tagged temple grandin
Autism Insights: Happy Anniversary…A Celebration Of the Not So Typical Child
Sep 13th
Thank you readers for the stories! Let’s keep sharing the them, It helps diffuse the frustration while it feeds the soul: Thank you Margaret for this one:
Happy Anniversary…A Celebration Of the Not So Typical Child
by Margaret Spielman
If I asked you all where you were on September 11, 2001, I am sure we can all remember EXACTLY what we were doing. However, if I asked you where you were on February 17, 1996 at 6:30pm, I am sure most of you can’t remember and you probably shouldn’t. However, for me that was the day I got the call that my son had a disability.
Tomorrow is our 13 year anniversary of his autism diagnosis. I find it strange to even think about it because usually it’s not really on my mind. This year is different. Maybe it’s because I am a new mom and I worry about how to raise a typical child or maybe it’s because I had to revisit those memories today.
As I sit here, I look back at the girl I was and now the woman he has helped me to become. All the opportunities that have been afforded to me because of his disability and the great strides he has made not because I am his mother, but because of the great team of teachers, doctors, friends, family and community partners that joined me in deciding that pretty good wasn’t enough for him. Everyone has played a part in his success. They have taken the attitude that failure is not an option and that if we expect greatness, he will most certainly give it.
When asked to describe him today I said he is the child that has the faith of a mustard seed, the courage of a lion, and an unconditional love for ALL people! Is he perfect?….NO; difficult at times?…..YES; worth it?……DEFINITELY!!!!
So as I awaken in the morning, I will remember that 13 years ago God revealed to me through my son the beginning of the plans for me that he spoke about in Jeremiah. I will remember that in my brokenness he was able to bring forth in me courage, faith, determination, compassion and love. I will give thanks for all that he has done in my life and Hunter’s and for what he has promised to do.
Last but not least, I will take a moment to give thanks and love to my child for never letting me stay at the pity party too long, for reminding me that life is hard but giving up is not an option, and that any limitations that are put on him were not set by him but by others who saw his disability as a weakness. I will thank him for the joy, unconditional love, courage, determination, faith, compassion and patience that he freely gives to ALL with whom he comes in contact and that he graciously gives to me.
As I close I want to share a story with you. Years ago when I worked at a bank, I would go to the top floor of the parking deck and sit in a corner to eat my lunch. It was quiet there and I could relax and just enjoy the weather without having to entertain anyone. One day while eating I dropped a piece of a crunchy Cheeto on the ground beside me.
I went about eating my lunch and decided to pick it up after I was finished. However, there was an ant that had different plans. I sat there and watched as a small ant came out of a tiny crack in the concrete and picked up that piece of Cheeto. The Cheeto was significantly larger than the ant, but he picked it up and began to take it back to his home.
As he arrived at the entrance he found that the Cheeto was slightly larger than the crack, so he began to work with it. He moved the Cheeto around to different angles until he finally got it in. I thought this was amazing so I told one of my friends. I then asked this question, “How can an itty bitty ant pick up a big ole piece of Cheeto?” Expecting to hear the scientific explanation, I waited.
He replied, “No one ever told him he couldn’t!” I thought about what he said and I knew he was right!! There was no one there who said, “Oh, you are too small; you can’t do that!” or “You need to just leave that there and let the bigger, more experienced ants get it!” He did it because failure was not an option. He did it because he believed that greatness comes when you stop saying that things are impossible and start saying, I’m Possible!!!
To find out more about making best of one’s strengths, see Temple Grandin in Calgary this November 22 & 23 at “Keys to the Treasure Chest“
Temple Grandin on TED; Autism is a Continuum
Jul 16th
Temple Grandin is very specific about how she describes autism, how to foster success in the autistic child, why the world needs people on the autism spectrum.
Autism is a very big continuum, from severe (nonverbal) to brilliant to (scientists). The kids growing up now can be the next great inventors.
There is a fine line between nerd and someone with Asperger’s. Many times, these ‘nerdy’ types or kids that can’t get focused on their assigned lessons in school get pushed aside because teachers just don’t know how to deal with them. They don’t know what to do with them and they don’t have the resources to help them flourish. Temple’s deep concern is expressed “…one of the things that really worries me is where is the younger version of those kids going today? They’re not ending up in Silicon Valley, where they belong!” (Grandin, 2010).
The autistic mind is a ‘specialist’ mind. Some are visual, photo realistic thinkers and are poor at algebra, They see thoughts or words just like “google for pictures”. The autistic brain picks out the details, but the ‘normal’ brain ignores a lot of details. She says if a bridge designer ignores the details, it will crumble and fall!
There are pattern thinkers, who are good at math and often have problems with reading. There are verbal thinkers, which are poor at drawing, but know every fact about everything.
Temple learned very early that she had to sell her work, not herself. Social people sell themselves in a job interview, more so than their work. Temple showed her amazing drawings! She also learned the importance of manners at an early age, through intensive mentoring as a young child.
It’s important to show kids on the spectrum interesting stuff to get them excited about learning whatever their specialty is. A mind can be social or ‘geeky’. The autism mind is less social, to the severity of being non-verbal. To take art, drafting, music out of the schools is a critical mistake, as autistic kids need to have these programs to nurture their ‘fixation’. These kids are really smart, and teachers need to know how to direct these kids.
We need to get these kids ‘turned on’. Take notice on what they fixate. If they can’t get their mind off horses, then center the [math] lesson around horses. Maybe they should skip math altogether, if they aren’t pattern thinkers! Temple cannot emphasize enough the importance of a good mentor for helping a child develop his or her autism special talents
