First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support! CJ and I are on a mission and it gives us so much strength and joy to know that people are backing us up! So, thank you!
Now.........I have an idea. Everyday, I have been asking CJ 5 questions. Questions that work on his comprehension and questions that force him to "think" for himself , outside of the fact box. I am trying a different approach because I use to teach him proper responses. But, this hasn't worked out so well. Every time you ask him, "CJ, why are you sad?", He would say..."Because I'm hurt" because that was the response he was taught. He wasn't thinking for himself. He was just giving the response he had been taught.
So, I ask him 5 easy questions like, What is the weather today? or What is your favorite color? etc.
Here comes the fun part! I am asking if you can send him an email with 1 question! Make it a question that requires 1 sentence for the answer or a single response. We will answer 5 emails a day to fill my 5 question quota! CJ is VERY good on the computer so I want to see how he will respond. If you can include a picture of yourself, that would be a bonus so that he can actually "see" who is asking the question. But if not, just your question would be so helpful!
Here is his email address----------> 2CJArmstrong@gmail.com
I'm looking forward to see how this goes!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
And The Rest Is History
Me: "CJ, WHO is this?" ( I hold up a picture of Alexander Graham Bell)
CJ: (A puzzled look on his face)
Me: "This is Alexander Graham Bell! CJ, WHO is this? Say Alexander Graham Bell!"
CJ: "Alexander Grrrrrayam Bell".
Me: "Good CJ! Now, WHAT is this?" (I hold up a picture of a telephone)
CJ: "Phone".
Me: "YES CJ! VERY good! It is a telephone! Let's sing "Hello, How are you?"! "
(Singing with phone gestures of course)
So then I held up both pictures emphasizing on which was which while saying, "Alexander Graham Bell (picture) invented the telephone (picture)! He MADE the telephone CJ!"
Me: "Alexander Graham Bell invented the..............................telephone."
CJ: "Telephone"
Me: "Good! Alexander Graham Bell invented the......................."
CJ: "Telephone."
Me: "YES!!!!!!!! CJ, say the whole thing!"
CJ: "Alexander Grrrrrrrrayam Bell innnnnvented the telephone."
Me: "YES!!!!!! He did invent the telephone!!!! Great job CJ!!!"
Of course so that he understands what he is saying, we will follow this by crafts and activities and videos. There is an awesome series of history videos that I learned about (thanks to an introduction from our wonderful co-op) called "Animated Hero Classics" By NEST Entertainment. This is perfect since CJ is a visual learner.
I decided to start history because who says an autistic child can't learn some facts? Why aren't they exposed to things like "The Pledge Of Allegiance"? Just because it seems like they are not listening or they can't say it doesn't mean that they aren't capable of understanding. Appearances can be deceiving. And I have learned over the years that CJ truly is paying attention when I think he is not. I have learned this through his sneakiness!
So yes, we continue his therapy. (Which he has been in since before he turned 3.) That is all well and good and even necessary. But, I believe there is SO much more potential than that! Remember, each child is different but don't underestimate their potential! With autism, we always say "Think outside of the box." But, sometimes you have to think outside of the therapy box and expose them to things that a typical child would learn. They just may surprise you!!
So for now, in addition to therapy, life skills, math, reading, and language......the rest will be history. Hellooooo Abe Lincoln and "I pledge allegiance... to the flag......".
Oh yes....and I have to add....I would not be able to do what I do if it wasn't "Under God."
CJ: (A puzzled look on his face)
Me: "This is Alexander Graham Bell! CJ, WHO is this? Say Alexander Graham Bell!"
CJ: "Alexander Grrrrrayam Bell".
Me: "Good CJ! Now, WHAT is this?" (I hold up a picture of a telephone)
CJ: "Phone".
Me: "YES CJ! VERY good! It is a telephone! Let's sing "Hello, How are you?"! "
(Singing with phone gestures of course)
So then I held up both pictures emphasizing on which was which while saying, "Alexander Graham Bell (picture) invented the telephone (picture)! He MADE the telephone CJ!"
Me: "Alexander Graham Bell invented the..............................telephone."
CJ: "Telephone"
Me: "Good! Alexander Graham Bell invented the......................."
CJ: "Telephone."
Me: "YES!!!!!!!! CJ, say the whole thing!"
CJ: "Alexander Grrrrrrrrayam Bell innnnnvented the telephone."
Me: "YES!!!!!! He did invent the telephone!!!! Great job CJ!!!"
Of course so that he understands what he is saying, we will follow this by crafts and activities and videos. There is an awesome series of history videos that I learned about (thanks to an introduction from our wonderful co-op) called "Animated Hero Classics" By NEST Entertainment. This is perfect since CJ is a visual learner.
I decided to start history because who says an autistic child can't learn some facts? Why aren't they exposed to things like "The Pledge Of Allegiance"? Just because it seems like they are not listening or they can't say it doesn't mean that they aren't capable of understanding. Appearances can be deceiving. And I have learned over the years that CJ truly is paying attention when I think he is not. I have learned this through his sneakiness!
So yes, we continue his therapy. (Which he has been in since before he turned 3.) That is all well and good and even necessary. But, I believe there is SO much more potential than that! Remember, each child is different but don't underestimate their potential! With autism, we always say "Think outside of the box." But, sometimes you have to think outside of the therapy box and expose them to things that a typical child would learn. They just may surprise you!!
So for now, in addition to therapy, life skills, math, reading, and language......the rest will be history. Hellooooo Abe Lincoln and "I pledge allegiance... to the flag......".
Oh yes....and I have to add....I would not be able to do what I do if it wasn't "Under God."
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I Wrote A Poem Today...
My Son Has Autism
By Lisa Armstrong
I know that you’re still in there,
I feel it in my breath.
When I speak your name,
Even though it seems you have left.
Your gaze is so far away,
But, I take your hands and plea.
That soon you’ll find me,
You’ll find me and you'll see.
I play our conversations,
In the car and in your room.
The ones I’ve dreamed we’d have,
When you were in the womb.
The spelling bees you’ve aced,
The girls that you have chased.
All of those times I’ve begged you,
To not live life in haste.
The football games,
And oh yes, the driving test.
The $5.00 for every “A”
The way you’d smile at me when I’d come to watch you play.
Then you squeeze my hands,
And your eyes smile at me…
And I see…
Your right there whispering underneath…
Always Undertstand That I’m Still Me.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Do You Hear Yourself?
*Update!- C.J. now understands the meaning of you, I and we!! How did we accomplish this? When I asked C.J., "What are YOU doing?", I took his hand, emphasized him pointing to himself and gave him the correct response. "I am standing up!" We practiced this until he was able to give me the correct response without my prompting or hand over hand signals. Hooray C.J.!!
I have found an interesting discovery in one of my favorite books about autism. The book is called, "Strange Son" by Portia Iverson and I highly recommend it for anyone who is about to enter the world of autism. Whether it be thorough life or profession.
In this book, they find that Tito (an amazing poet with autism), cannot see and hear at the same time. (huh, I'll come back to that) They even found that he was not able to hear his own voice when he spoke. (another huh)
As you can imagine, I have become more keen on observing C.J.'s seeing and hearing senses while teaching. I have even witnessed him putting his hand directly in front of his mouth while he spoke at times. Wow. He has figured out a way to hear his own voice! When he talks with his hand in front of his mouth, the sound bounces back to him and the vibrations give him awareness of his intonation, pronunciation and speed. Aha!
So, today we are going to work on hearing his own voice by recording him while he describes a picture in a sentence. Then playing it back! Oh, we can have fun with this! Yes, what kind of mother/teacher would I be if I didn't get silly with this one? Let's just say that by the end of our session, all manners will be out the window!
I have found an interesting discovery in one of my favorite books about autism. The book is called, "Strange Son" by Portia Iverson and I highly recommend it for anyone who is about to enter the world of autism. Whether it be thorough life or profession.
In this book, they find that Tito (an amazing poet with autism), cannot see and hear at the same time. (huh, I'll come back to that) They even found that he was not able to hear his own voice when he spoke. (another huh)
As you can imagine, I have become more keen on observing C.J.'s seeing and hearing senses while teaching. I have even witnessed him putting his hand directly in front of his mouth while he spoke at times. Wow. He has figured out a way to hear his own voice! When he talks with his hand in front of his mouth, the sound bounces back to him and the vibrations give him awareness of his intonation, pronunciation and speed. Aha!
So, today we are going to work on hearing his own voice by recording him while he describes a picture in a sentence. Then playing it back! Oh, we can have fun with this! Yes, what kind of mother/teacher would I be if I didn't get silly with this one? Let's just say that by the end of our session, all manners will be out the window!
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