inclusion in education: autism |
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WHY ANOTHER SITE ON AUTISM?
Learning to rethink autism:
Google the word autism and 95,400,000 results will pop up. Since working towards becoming a special educator, I (Martha) am almost certain that there are just as many ways of understanding it. What is autism? My research has shown that there is no exact definition, and in the In the tradition of Stuart Murray, author of the book Autism, I find that the more I study the less I seem to know (2012). And that is the beauty of autism - learning to view it through the lens of difference, not disability. As a teacher in NYC I am daily learning to see beyond the socially constructed binaries of normal and abnormal, ability and disability, and instead learning to recalibrate our vision to the spectrum of diversity.
Before I was in education, I first learned about autism, ostensibly through the media - and I'm not speaking about movies. I am referring to news reports from sources I trusted and therefore understood as valid. I thought, and conceptualized of autism as a condition that limits potential and by default access to full participation in education. Instead, it requires thinking carefully about my mindset regarding autism or any sort of difference that decides the inclusion or exclusion in class participation.
What I was exposed to was the stereotyped behavior, and the references to how much time it takes to include someone with autism in society, thereby making it easier to exclude. Media images isolated those with autism as one-dimensional, propagating the idea of deficiency. Now, as a special educator I realize the importance of developing and using a multi-dimensional image of a person who lives with autism, as much as I would for a person living without autism. So, how do I rethink and redefine autism? Instead of thinking of autism as a disorder it is helpful to think of it as a variation in neurology. Autism is a neurological difference in “development that affects essential human behaviors such as social interaction, the ability to communicate ideas and feelings, imagination, and the establishment of relationships with others” (Committee, O. E. I. F. C., & National, R. C. S., 2001).
I believe that as teachers we become by default social scientists. Therefore, it is important for us to understand cognitive differences such as autism, which are labeled as learning disabilities, through a variety of viewpoints. Whether or not you choose to use the word disability to define autism is up to you, as a fellow educator, I ask that the limiting definition of disability does not dictate your allowing a student full access to participation in class. All education is special, because it is an opportunity to build our students capacities while drawing from the well of their capabilities. I hope that you find this website useful in your day-to day teaching practices! - Martha
What I thought when I first heard the word Autism:
Prior to my involvement in development and implementation of an inclusive curriculum, my actual knowledge of various forms of disabilities was limited. Such knowledge was framed by limited interactions with individuals with disabilities and the sometimes inaccurate information gained from portrayal of such individuals in the various visual media forms. When I (Lauren) first heard and thought about the word Autism itself, my mind focused on what I then thought was one practical implication of such, namely that it was a disorder affecting certain individuals which contributed to and allowed them to become savants. Looking back, I thought that all individuals with Autism knew a plethora of information that only those who had Autism were able to remember. I realize that part of this misconception was due to the viewing of the movie Rain Man and the mistaken assumption that all individuals were like him and possessed the exact same traits. It was later that I realized that all people, including those with various disabilities, share some common characteristics, but clearly have their own individual characteristics, traits and personalities. Unfortunately due to my limited experience with disabilities before my student teaching experience in 2011, it was not until I began my full-time teaching experience that my understanding of the area began to truly form and the definition of Autism took a drastic shift. I realized that not all individuals with Autism were savants and that Rain Man was not the "norm" for individuals with Autism. I also realized the need for the entire population to similarly be aware of the danger of stereotypes and the need to truly understand aspects of disabilities in order to ultimately be a truly inclusive society.
Learning to rethink autism:
Google the word autism and 95,400,000 results will pop up. Since working towards becoming a special educator, I (Martha) am almost certain that there are just as many ways of understanding it. What is autism? My research has shown that there is no exact definition, and in the In the tradition of Stuart Murray, author of the book Autism, I find that the more I study the less I seem to know (2012). And that is the beauty of autism - learning to view it through the lens of difference, not disability. As a teacher in NYC I am daily learning to see beyond the socially constructed binaries of normal and abnormal, ability and disability, and instead learning to recalibrate our vision to the spectrum of diversity.
Before I was in education, I first learned about autism, ostensibly through the media - and I'm not speaking about movies. I am referring to news reports from sources I trusted and therefore understood as valid. I thought, and conceptualized of autism as a condition that limits potential and by default access to full participation in education. Instead, it requires thinking carefully about my mindset regarding autism or any sort of difference that decides the inclusion or exclusion in class participation.
What I was exposed to was the stereotyped behavior, and the references to how much time it takes to include someone with autism in society, thereby making it easier to exclude. Media images isolated those with autism as one-dimensional, propagating the idea of deficiency. Now, as a special educator I realize the importance of developing and using a multi-dimensional image of a person who lives with autism, as much as I would for a person living without autism. So, how do I rethink and redefine autism? Instead of thinking of autism as a disorder it is helpful to think of it as a variation in neurology. Autism is a neurological difference in “development that affects essential human behaviors such as social interaction, the ability to communicate ideas and feelings, imagination, and the establishment of relationships with others” (Committee, O. E. I. F. C., & National, R. C. S., 2001).
I believe that as teachers we become by default social scientists. Therefore, it is important for us to understand cognitive differences such as autism, which are labeled as learning disabilities, through a variety of viewpoints. Whether or not you choose to use the word disability to define autism is up to you, as a fellow educator, I ask that the limiting definition of disability does not dictate your allowing a student full access to participation in class. All education is special, because it is an opportunity to build our students capacities while drawing from the well of their capabilities. I hope that you find this website useful in your day-to day teaching practices! - Martha
What I thought when I first heard the word Autism:
Prior to my involvement in development and implementation of an inclusive curriculum, my actual knowledge of various forms of disabilities was limited. Such knowledge was framed by limited interactions with individuals with disabilities and the sometimes inaccurate information gained from portrayal of such individuals in the various visual media forms. When I (Lauren) first heard and thought about the word Autism itself, my mind focused on what I then thought was one practical implication of such, namely that it was a disorder affecting certain individuals which contributed to and allowed them to become savants. Looking back, I thought that all individuals with Autism knew a plethora of information that only those who had Autism were able to remember. I realize that part of this misconception was due to the viewing of the movie Rain Man and the mistaken assumption that all individuals were like him and possessed the exact same traits. It was later that I realized that all people, including those with various disabilities, share some common characteristics, but clearly have their own individual characteristics, traits and personalities. Unfortunately due to my limited experience with disabilities before my student teaching experience in 2011, it was not until I began my full-time teaching experience that my understanding of the area began to truly form and the definition of Autism took a drastic shift. I realized that not all individuals with Autism were savants and that Rain Man was not the "norm" for individuals with Autism. I also realized the need for the entire population to similarly be aware of the danger of stereotypes and the need to truly understand aspects of disabilities in order to ultimately be a truly inclusive society.
#teachthought |
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be influential. open minds. teach thought. |
"All learning begins when our comfortable ideas turn out to be inadequate." - Educational philosopher, John Dewey
