Tag Archives: Special Education

Appreciation for my school district and colleagues

Posted on February 13, 2013 by

I have to send a shout-out to my school district and colleagues for their wonderful reception and response to my keynote address for our Student Services Training Day. I love presenting, and do so rather often – but today was … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Autism Positivity, diversity, Documentary, HFASD, inclusion, promote social understanding, Public Education, self-advocacy, Special Education, Teacher, Vectors of Autism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Perspectives on Perspectives… Musings and more…

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

I am presenting at the Student Services Training Day in my own school district this week. I have been given the honour of putting together the keynote address and will open with H’s presentation ‘Dear Teacher: A Letter from H’ … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, ASD, Aspergers, Autism, perspective of others, Space and Pace, Special Education, Speech and Language Therapist, Vectors of Autism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

TASH Conference Keynote and a fortress of chips: H Rocks his Advocacy

Posted on January 28, 2013 by

In front of the entire conference stood a 14-year-old boy. He’d eaten little during lunch – perhaps it was nerves – but more likely it was the lack of anything the least bit palatable or familiar to his tastes. However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Arizona TASH, ASD, Autism, Communicate, inclusion, Laura Nagle, perspective of others, promote social understanding, Purchase Vectors of Autism: Laura Nagle, self-advocacy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A conversation with my Dad: Buffers, Limits, and Approximating Perfection

Posted on December 19, 2012 by

I have at times found myself stretched thin; a brittle husk of stress – somehow hollow and too full at the same time. I have felt this with my work as a special education teacher,  I have felt this as … Continue reading →

Posted in Aspergers, Autism, Father, good enough thinking, self-advocacy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Adding the I to IEP: H is at the table

Posted on November 8, 2012 by

There was another first for our 13-year-old this week. We worked with the wonderful team at H’s Distributed Learning School to update his Individual Education Plan (IEP) and for the first time ever H was there to take part. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Autism, Distance Education, Distributed Learning, Goals, HFASD, IEP, inclusion, scaffolding, self-advocacy, Shame, Special Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Karla Fisher and Mark Robert Waldman on God… Big Ideas… the Brain and the connections to Autism

Posted on November 5, 2012 by

I like Ted Talks… and  I like Karla’s ASD Page on Facebook. When Karla was asking for perspectives on this Ted Talk by Mark Robert Waldman, well – that was a double whammy and much too much to resist! I … Continue reading →

Posted in ASD, Aspergers, Autism, God, Karla Fisher, Mark Robert Waldman, neuromajority, Neurotypical, Ted Talks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Busy… Thinking about Perspectives

Posted on October 22, 2012 by

This past Friday I had the honour of speaking to my colleagues at the BCTELA (BC Teachers of English Language Arts) Provincial Conference. It was exciting to share my presentation entitled:  Perspective-Taking and Social Understanding Through Story: Literature based activities … Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Social cognition, Teacher, connections, Aspergers, ASD, Arizona TASH, self-advocacy, inclusion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

I am so OK with being wrong…

Posted on July 27, 2012 by

I am WRONG… rather often actually; I don’t know – what I don’t know – until I have found out – that I don’t know it… As convoluted as that may sound, it makes sense really. It is a relatively … Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, being wrong, discomfort avoidance, good enough thinking, Handling Change, handling discomfort, Resiliency, Special Education | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Appreciate the Big Things: perhaps my shadow traits are showing

Posted on April 10, 2012 by

This week I am leaving my lovely spring dappled little town on the outskirts of Vancouver, Canada – and heading down to the icy cold of Northern Arizona. Yes! You read that correctly! In my little town, spring is no … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, Arizona, ASD, Aspergers, Autism, Autistic Shadow Traits, Laura Nagle, NAzASA, Neurotypical, promote social understanding, Social cognition, Social Thinking, Teacher | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Defining Normal: Who Says I want to fit in… thinking about perspectives…

Posted on March 17, 2012 by

Defining Normal: Who says I want to fit in… thinking about perspectives Originally Posted on April 17, 2011 – This post has been republished as part of the Define “Normal” Blogging Challenge started by my wonderful blogging friend Renata over at … Continue reading →

Posted in acceptance, aproximating typical, Aspergers, Autism, fitting in, Parent, Positive self-talk, promote social understanding, Social cognition, Special Education, Teacher, the box, ToM (Theory of Mind), Who says I want to fit in? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments