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On TED.com there is a speaker whose talk was recently published with a focus on education of children.  His name is Sugata Mitra and he has devoted a greater part of his life to education research.

In 1999, he and his colleagues developed an experiment where children were left unsupervised and he noted how they were able to teach each other and others.  This was started in New Delhi and replicated in other parts of rural and urban India.

Of course we are not advocating that teachers be removed from the classroom but rather reflect on the marvel of kids and the some of the ways they are able to learn and teach others.  Quite thought provoking isn’t it?

Michael Savage, a radio talk show host, made a fool of himself on air last week, claiming that autism is a fraud. He stated that in “99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out”. Is this man insane? It has taken me a few days to gather myself and write this article because I was so overwhelmed with anger.

Autism is a neuro-developmental medical condition that effects many. Some characteristics of autistm include language difficulties, self destructive and repetitive behaviors and sensory difficulties. I have been teaching preschool special education for four years now and I have already begun to see the numbers of children who display characteristics of autism increase. I am a strong advocate of early intervention and believe with all of my heart that these children need this program to learn coping strategies, communication and social skills.

Savage also stated that autism is due to a lack of parental discipline. It pains me to even type this. There has never been a moment in my teaching career that I have felt that these children are “brats” who have not been taught how to “act” appropriately. Never once have I felt as if it was the parents fault. Some of the best parents that I have ever met have been those of autistic children. Parenting an autistic child is an extremely challenging job. Many of you have spent sleepless nights researching autism, specialists who can help your child, resources in the area and parenting techniques. Some of you have even sold your house or drastically cut back on daily expenses in order to help your child. I am consistently amazed by your love, patience and determination. You have taught me so much and it is my hope that one day I will be just as an incredible parent as you are.

Many lashed out after Savage’s show aired. In fact, several Mississippi based talk radio shows owned by Telesouth Communications dropped his program. His remarks are being talked about and bashed in blogs, newspaper articles and talk shows. Savage came back to say that “too many people are being misdiagnosed and that the real cases need our sympathy and support”. It is possible that there are cases of misdiagnoses but he cannot take back the blame that he has placed on parents. His remarks were crude and out of line.  All of the children I have taught who have an eligibility of autism are autistic and have greatly benefited from early intervention.

I hope that all of you who have an autistic child feel supported and respected by the community and are benefiting from the available resources. You have made a difference in the autism community and more importantly in your child’s life.

Having a child who is about to enter Kindergarten is a very exciting experience.  Your child is growing up and will be starting one of the most important and memorable years of their life. I am sure that you might also be anxious.  Your child will be going to a new school, will have a different daily routine than previous years, and will be in a classroom with lots of kids. Don’t worry, you are not the only one feeling anxious! Many other parents and children are feeling the same way. Help your child adjust and plan for the upcoming year by creating a Kindergarten social story.

Take your child to their new school and walk around. Play on the playground, walk around the building and down the halls. Show your child the cafeteria, gym and music room. You might also be able to peak in their new classroom. At every juncture, take a picture. Put the pictures in a book, possibly on index cards and write captions on each page. Have your child create the book with you. Read your child the book every night before bed. Most children are visual learners. Providing your child with a picture book about the upcoming year will give them confidence, make them feel excited and help them adjust.

Don’t forget to take pictures of your child on their first day. You will want to remember this forever!

hildren who have an articulation delay have difficulty pronouncing age appropriate sounds. Listed below are a few easy and successful suggestions that you can do at home. In class, I have found my students have fun with these activities and do not realize that I am actually working with them on something that is challenging.

1) Buy small plastic trinkets that start with the letter you are trying to address. For example, if you are targeting the letter “B” you should buy items such as a ball, bat, bear, bike, and bee. Often, the dollar store has an array of these items. I would buy 7 or more of these items. Put the items in a bag and have your child reach in and feel around. Have them guess what they are feeling. When they pull the item out, help them identify the object and produce the targeted beginning sound. Your child might have difficulty. Make sure to give gentle reminders and repeat the sound twice per object.

2) Place pictures that start with the targeted sound on the ground. Spread them out and have your child throw a bean bag onto each card. Have them identify each picture and assist them in producing the sound. This is a good language and gross motor activity.

3) Place cards that begin with the targeted sound on blocks. Give your child a ball and have them bowl to knock down each block and produce the sound.

Summer is almost over! Are you looking for another camp? You still have time. The Young Athletes Sports Camp starts next weekend. The camp specializes in instructing children with special needs and their siblings, ages 3-7, in sports including soccer, basketball, baseball, bowling, putt putt and kickball. The camp also provides sensory activities including jumping on trampolines, ball pits and deep pressure techniques. The goal of the program is to provide an environment that accommodates the needs of the children and to provide a family centered approach. Parents are welcome to stay and cheer their children on or volunteer.

The camp meets on:

July 26th from 9-11

August 2nd from 9-11:45

August 9th from 9-11:45

August 16th from 9-11:45

August 23rd from 9-11:45

August 30th from 9-11:45

Place:
The Northern Virginia Training Center
9901 Braddock Rd
Fairfax, VA 22032-1941

Please contact:
Beth Frank at 703.359.4301 to register