Unforgettable Perspectives
So many of my former students with autism shared their unique perspectives on the world in unforgettable ways. Here is one story.
After talking about the library, reading about the library, discussing behavioral norms of the library and more, we took a trip to the local library.
It was just three of us in the library nearest to Jon’s house. Our task for the day was to explore the building, items to check out, and the spaces around the library, ending with an application for a library card at the information desk.
As we walked in, Jon didn’t say much but scanned the lobby left to right and back again stopping just inside the double doors. He said, “Miss Anne, aren’t all of these books really just written with the same words, just all mixed up?” Hmmm. He’s onto something there…
“Well, yes sort of…” So we talked about how sections of books and materials were the same and different as we did our building tour. Ticking the mental boxes, we saw the children’s section, the fiction and nonfiction, the newspapers, magazines and audiobooks.
We secured a library card application as our final task and turned to leave. It was a good and memorable discussion and as we returned to the same double doors we had entered, I asked Jon for his thoughts on the library.
He said, “I like reading Miss Anne, but I don’t know how I am ever going to finish the library.” Hmmm. Onto something again. I hadn’t shared with him that he wasn’t being assigned THE LIBRARY. Many future discussions and activities centered around likes/dislikes and choices.
Jon was only 14, but in transition terms, Jon was FOURTEEN (intentional caps to show urgency—think clock ticking loudly). These exchanges with Jon changed my approach to teaching, supervising, product development and parent conversations—as they should have. Respectful education, instruction, materials, and activities include authentic access and authentic choice as pillars.
Taking this lesson of Jon’s unique perspective, along with many others from my classroom days, we have built a platform for families and individuals with autism that has respectful proven strategies as its foundation.
If you would like to try it, it’s in a free open beta right now. That means of course, that it isn’t perfect, but we think there is value not trading the good for the perfect. Thanks for taking a look at Blue Hope!