I got a new primary class at the beginning of the year. I love teaching primary. It is great.
This year my class consists of about 7, 8-10 yr. olds. Three of which happen to be autistic.
One of which is my dear Seth. The other two are adorable twin girls that I of course immediately fell in love with.
The trouble is...
Keeping their attention.
Today in class. Seth spent the majority of his time under the table feeling around for glue, except for the times that I would have him come out to read a scripture, stick a picture on the poster board, or read a game piece.
The girls, were about the same as Seth and I kept them occupied on the floor with a book of Dinosaurs (that Seth had brought) along with a magnet fidget.
As I pondered how to keep them involved in the class a little bit more during Sacrament meeting. I thought maybe I could compile a binder for each of them filled with various pictures pertaining to that weeks lesson. I also thought that it may be wise to have a tote filled with fidgets to busy their hands for particularly "hard" days ~ because I know they happen.
If anyone else has any ideas on what I can use/ do. PLEASE speak up. Each child with Autism can be so different... I would be a liar if I didn't say I felt a tad bit overwhelmed.
One Happy Bunch
5 years ago
at the risk of being callously offensive, i admit that i often wonder how real are these autism diagnoses? it seems to me like it's the disability de jour. Every kid who has an attention deficit is labeled autistic. Sounds to me like a kid being a kid! Susan, come back me up on this one!
ReplyDeleteAhhh, Under the Milky Way playing while I type. Love it! :)
I was once a primary teaher. Loved it!
oh, i was 1st!
ReplyDeleteand now 2nd!
All I can say is who better to teach those three precious ones than you. My only advice is to love them and pray, Heavenly Father will help you know how to reach them and keep them involved in the lesson. Good luck to you.
ReplyDeleteJen, you are a real trooper! I bet Seth is quite happy to have you there. You are a great mom and I'm not surprised to find that you are a teacher who really tries to get to know each child and what is best for them. I hope the Primary Pres knows how lucky she is to have you on her team!
ReplyDeleteyes, autisum is real. Sit in a room with them for any given amount of time and you will be able to see the diffrence from a kid beging a kid and autism.
ReplyDeleteMom in uTAH
I am not at all offended by Davids comment. I am always up for a good debate. I know ALOT about autism. Especially aspergers. I agree that it has been widely diagnosed over the last several years. Mainly in part because of the wide spectrum that Autism can cover and also in part because it sometimes serves as a catch all when a child doesn't fit anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, I would LOVE to say that Seth is just a kid being a kid~ but the obessesive tendencies, the anxiety, the hair pulling,the meltdowns, etc. only lead down one avenue.
I haven't known the girls too terribly long. At first I watched them from a distance but like Susan said it doesn't take a mother of an autistic child very long to be able to point one out.
The reason that most children with an ADHD/ADD diagnosis are also given another diagnosis of Autism is that Autism very rarely is seen without ADHD/ADD. Seth was diagnosed with ADHD two years before we had a diagnosis of Aspergers.
and that is all I have to say about that :)
I think your idea sounds great.....and I'll let you know if I think up anything else!
ReplyDeleteAre you teaching the class alone? Or do you have a co-teacher?
oh no~ I am completely alone!! lol Which is tricky because the girls have a tendency to want to bolt if they get bored.
ReplyDeleteI am in the primary presidency in our ward and we have a class with 3 boys who are all on the autism spectrum. And one boy who has been diagnosed but clearly is on some part of the spectrum. If you were to sit in the class with them, you would realize that it isn't simply a matter of too much energy. Because we have kids that also have too much energy. The intensity level is completely different.
ReplyDeleteI wish that I had good ideas for you, Jen, but I don't. I can say that your best defense is a lot of praying. Only the Spirit can guide you to the resources that you need or to give you direction to help the kids.
I do know that parents of autistic kids pray and hope for good teachers to love and teach their kids.
BTW Jen, are you still doing gluten-free diet with Seth. I know Emily and Cathy mentioned it this summer and I was wondering if you continued with it. If so, has it helped? We knew a lot of people with celiac disease in Sweden. A staggering amount actually. I would love to hear about your experience.
Sorry, I meant that one of the boys in the class has NOT been diagnosed, but clearly has some serious issues that most likely fall within the autism spectrum.
ReplyDeleteSo you have four boys in the class with serious issues. . . and three other rambunctious boys. This is a class that we worry about constantly. And teacher choices are prayerfully considered and agonized over.
We tried a gluten free diet the entire summer. I didn't notice spectacular results. He did seem to sleep better but that was the only thing of note. I thought about continuing it further but it just didn't seem fair to Seth to make him stand out even more at school because of his diet without there being a drastic change. I also have a friend with celiac disease who clued me into the gluten free diet in the first place.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of Seth's diagnosis, Seth is an amazing little man who will grow up to be a spectacular adult! He has been able to accomplish so much already. I feel priveledged to be his mother.