#15 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #15:  Ask the parent bring in a change of comfortable clothes.

Many autistic children have heightened sensitivity.  If they spill a glass of water on their shirt, it may be nearly impossible for them to ignore the water.  A child that is uncomfortable will have a difficult time studying or learning, it will be hard for them to focus on their work.  Let them know that you have a comfortable change of clothes available for them, that they can change into at any time.  Therefore, if a shirt is scratchy, they can change right away rather than trying to wait until they are home.  I would recommend this, no matter the age of the child.

#13 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #13:  Show the child the outline you made of their day at school.

During the Suggestion #9, present to the parent and the child the plan of the child’s day at school that you created for Suggestion #7.  Go through the day that the child will have.  Focus your attention on the child and determine if they show any anxiety from some of the activities.  Ask the parents if they feel the child will have difficulty with any part of the day.  Don’t be fooled if the child showed no outward signs of stress, but the parents still believes a particular activity will be difficult for them.  Autistic children don’t typically display their feelings until they become very overwhelmed by them; but they are feeling a lot, you will just see very little signs of it in their face or demeanor. 

If the parents and the child have no concerns about your plan for their day, give them the plan and ask the parents to review it with the child the nights before the first day of school.

If they do have concerns, take notes of what they have concerns about and determine if you can be proactive and modify the child’s schedule in order to remove the problems before the child’s first day.

#14 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #14: Determine how dependent the child is on the parent to communicate for them.

During Suggestion #9, ask the child a question directly and notice if the parents answer the question for the child rather than waiting for the child to speak.  Many autistic children have difficulty communicating with others; because of this, the child may rely heavily on the parent to communicate their needs for them.  Ask the parents if the child ever becomes distressed when they drop them off at school or daycare, and if so, have they put any practices or therapies in place to help the child with separation anxiety?  Additionally, ask the school therapist or councilor if they have any recommendations on handling separation anxiety. 

#12 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #12:  Show the child their morning routine.

During the meeting in Suggestion #9, walk the child through the morning routine that you have created for them in Suggestion #5.  Exp: Coming into school, setting your back pack there below your desk, getting out your pencil, sharpening your pencil, sitting in your seat.  Ask the parents what they think of the routine.  Ask the child if they have any questions.  Remember, the morning routine should be relaxing for the child after transitioning off of the bus.  Because autistic children have difficulty communicating with others, they often find comfort in knowing exactly what they need to do and this routine will calm them.  However, if the routine includes any less preferred activities, simply knowing what they need to do will not help.  Based on the feedback from the parents and child, alter the morning routine if necessary.

#11 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #11:  Review list of school rules with the child.

During the meeting in Suggestion #9, bring out the list of School Rules that you modified in Suggestion #4 and show them to the parent and the child.  Ask the parent if they already reviewed the rules with the child.  Ask the child if they have any questions.  If you are able to retain the child’s attention, read out loud any rules that the child will need to know before they enter the classroom (like safety rules on the bus ride, or items that they will not be able to bring into the classroom).

#10 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #10:  Review with parent the questions that you have about the child.

During the meeting in Suggestion #9, review the questions that you sent to the parents from Suggestion #8.  Focus especially on the child’s likes and dislikes.  If you are not able to set up a meeting, call the parent and review the questions over the phone.  If many of the likes of the child are outdoor activities, perhaps swimming, then ask the parents for more likes and dislikes about indoor activities, especially activities (like drawing or reading) that may take place in the classroom.  Also find out likes that you may be able to tie to learning activities.  Example, if the child likes animals, this may help them with studying science or biology.  If the child is interested in dinosaurs, you could find some stories with dinosaurs for Language Arts.

#9 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #9:  Schedule a meeting with the child and parent.

Set up a meeting with the child and one or both of their parents (or primary care givers).  Try to arrange it so that this meeting will take place in the child’s primary classroom and try to allow for about an hour of time.  During the meeting, observe how the child reacts to the classroom, how long either you or the parents are able to maintain the child’s interest, and the overall activity level of the child.  Note if there is anything in the classroom that the child gravitates toward or they find fascinating.

#8 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #8:  Write down questions you have for the parent.

Prepare a list of questions for the child’s parents that will help you know the child better; make the list taking into consideration the information that you have already gathered in Suggestion #2 and #3.  Contact the psychologist in your school to see if they have a list of questions or literature that would aid you in making your list of question.  Ensure that your questions include the child’s likes and dislikes.

 

#7 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #7:  Prepare a visual presentation of the child's day at school to present to the parent and child.

Modify your outline of the child’s day at school in a way that you can present it to the parent and child.  Children with autism may be sensitive and very aware of certain sensory input.  Take this into consideration when preparing your presentation and try to use visual aids, including pictures of yourself, the teacher’s assistant, the classroom, the child’s desk.  Perhaps make a recording of the TA’s voice and of your voice saying hello to the child, say your name and what the child should call you.

#6 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #6:  Make a complete outline of the child's day at school.

Write down all of the activities that the child will be doing for the day, as well as the time that those activities will start.  Be as detailed as possible, including whom the child will be with, where the child will be sitting during the activity, and what is expected of the child during this time.  Taking into consideration what you have already learned about the child in Suggestion #2, #3 and #4, highlight any areas that may cause difficulties for the child.

#5 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

These suggestions are to help the teacher with autistic children in their classroom.

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #5:  Make a morning routine for the child.

When planning the autistic child’s day, or any other activity for the child, take into consideration the traits that many autistic children have.  Remember that many autistic children like routines and have difficulty with transitioning.  Imagine yourself having those same qualities and what you would need when going into a school environment.  When the child is coming into school in the morning, this could be a difficult time for them because of the transition. Try to make a morning routine for them so that they always know what they are supposed to do when they first arrive.  This will help ease some of the stress caused by the transition.

#4 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Hello!

Please find below the forth method a teacher of an autistic child could use to help prepare a child for their first day of school.

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #4:  Review your classroom rules with the parent, then modify them to suit the child.

Call the parent and review the rules that you sent to the parents for Suggestion #1.  Ask the parents, on a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult they believe that any of the rules will be for the child and take notes on what they say.  After the discussion with the parents is over, determine if there is any way that the rules that are particularly difficult for the child could be modified.  Example, if one of your rules is “no blankets” and the parents tell you that the child has an emotional breakdown whenever the blanket is taken from him, consider how important that rule really is and if it is within your power to change it.  If the child is extremely attached to this blanket, you may spend several weeks with tears and crying every time the child comes into the classroom.  It may be that the school psychologist has made the determination that it is unhealthy for children at this particular age to be attached to blankets.  Ask them to weigh their belief against the very real anxiety that taking the blanket from the child will cause.  Furthermore, the child will associate this anxiety with the school.  This will cause added frustration and fear for the child whenever they walk into the classroom.

Remember, autistic children’s brains are wired differently than an atypical person’s brain, and they react differently than an atypical child.  I find these differences will cause those in charge of autistic children to constantly have to rethink our preconceived notions on how to best raise and teach children.  But one thing that I have noticed that is the same for atypical and autistic children is that they DO realize what they need to do to have their needs met, and if that includes throwing temper tantrums, then they will throw temper tantrums. 

If you don’t alter the rules that will cause incredible amounts of stress to the child up front, you may end up having to alter the rule later because the child becomes completely dysfunctional.  And now you may have taught the child that having breakdowns will get them what they want. 

NOW, before the child even knows that it is a rule, NOW is your chance to prevent that from happening!  Will the world end if you let the child bring in their blanket?  Because they will feel that their world is ending if they cannot, and they will react as if it is.  All of this could be prevented if you are a little flexible up front.  Finally, it will make it easier for you to “stick to your guns” and enforce the other rules, especially rules like “no hitting” that you cannot compromise on.  As far as the autistic mind is concerned, if she threw a fit and got her blanket, maybe she can throw a fit and hit that boy who is making noises she doesn’t like, after all – you already modified that blanket rule for her …

So, now that you understand how important it was to modify a couple of the rules, send the new list of rules to the parents and ask them to review them with the child.

#3 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Hello!

This is day three of my project to create a list of 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism in the Classroom.  At first, I wasn’t certain that I would be able to come up with over one hundred suggestions … but I already have 30 ideas for suggestions and I haven’t even covered everything the teacher could do before or during the child’s first day of school! 

But one suggestion at a time, so please read my third suggestion for the teacher of an autistic child.

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #3:  Request that a functional behavior analysis is done for the child.

Contact the schools therapist or psychologist to see if a functional behavior analysis has already been done for the child.  If one has not been done, and you came across any indication during Suggestion #2 that the child sometimes reacts strongly or emotionally in the classroom environment, request that one be done as soon as possible.

#2 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Hello again!

On Friday, I started a list of 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism in the Classroom.  As I stated in that post, this list is to help assist the teacher in working with the children in their classroom.  Please read my second suggestion!!

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion#2:  Review the information you have on the child before you meet them.

Review any information that has already been gathered by your school on the child.  Look for any information on how the child conducts themselves in the classroom.  While reviewing this information, make a list of all the items that the child has difficulty with that may affect their day at school (i.e. transitioning from one room to next, listening to multi step directions, etc). 

#1 101 Ways a Teacher Could Help a Child with Autism

Hello!

I have been frustrated with some of the care that my son has received from the school system over the years … I always wonder why the teachers don’t do X, Y, and Z that would make life so much better for my son, make him so much calmer, less anxious and in turn, make the classroom more peaceful. 

So, I decide to take all of that frustrated energy and start to compile, in one place, all of the different ways in which the classroom could change to make it more comfortable, interesting, and safe for autistic children. 

These suggestions are written for the teacher and I hope some of these ideas will help you with the children in your classroom!!

Category: Before the Child’s first day in the classroom

Suggestion #1: Compile a list of all of the "rules of the classroom"

There are many things that can be done to help make the child more comfortable in your classroom that are best to be taken care of before their first day.  One important thing to do is to compile a list of all of the “rules of the classroom.”  Try to think of all the rules that the child will need to know in the general course of the day.  Communicating with an autistic child can be very difficult.  Having these rules written down and given to the parents to explain to the child before they come in will make it easier for you to reinforce them.  Remember, many of these rules may not be enforced in the home (say if one of your rules is no gum) or may not have been enforced in the previous classroom.  This will be very confusing to the child, confusion that may be reduced by reviewing these rules beforehand.

Also, don't think of this list as the Parent Handout Book, or a list of the school rules put together by the principle's office.  Althoug it may be good to use the Parents Handout Book as a reference to find out what items the child cannot bring into school, etc - but the purpose of this list is for you to communicate your rules.  Think of all the things that you have to tell children, like please raise your hand before you leave to go to the bathroom.

I have many more (about a hundred) and my goal is to post one a day!  Until tomorrow!At first, only give the list to the parent to review.  Please follow suggestion #4 before reviewing the rules with the child.

~Michelle