Misunderstand Intervention

CONCLUSION Some people view disabilities from a medical perspective to help them understand or deal with them better. When being told that your child has been diagnosed with autism or some other sort of developmental delay, many emotions can follow such as denial, shock, grief, or even sometimes anger. However, we must view these exceptionalities not as illnesses, but as a part of the child’s life and an opportunity rather than a burden. When dealing with autism, it is helpful/necessary to gather any and all information that make up the individual as a whole, rather than just seeing them as an autistic child. Parish (2008) advised, “Find the connecting thread that can link the strength, skill or gift to areas of employment, leisure, or basic

You must have a lot of patience….Working with children in autism spectrum has very little to do with summoning magical super powers or even patience. Don’t misunderstand: patience is an important characteristic for an educator to possess. But it’s simply a very small piece of the ultimate puzzle. My decade-plus of experience, both in the classroom and from my current administrative vantage point, has shown me that gifted teachers make connections with their student- all of their students. Even those who are nonverbal, avoid eye contact, are physically aggressive or disrespectful- the list goes on and on. These extraordinary teachers break through all barriers (sometimes in spurts) and form trusting relationships with each and every child. They enable a child to feel confident enough to express who he is and who he is capable of becoming within a safe, encouraging atmosphere. They are able to see each child as a unique individual who deserves the opportunity to convey his true self in a nonjudgmental environment. They allow the child to be their teacher, allowing continuous growth and development. All of this can be done by simply making a connection with a child. (Parish, 2008,

Full inclusion is encouraged as often and in as many situations as possible and appropriate, but is should not be forced at the expense of the child. Educators should never allow happiness or appropriateness to be put on the line to seek a cloud of “normal”. As the case is with all children and the way they learn, one child may thrive when educated according to the DIR/Floortime Model and another student could improve leaps and bounds because of ABA. Whether it is a fully inclusive or self-contained classroom in which strategies are employed along with a number of interventions used, it is the teacher’s responsibility (along with a team of advocates for the child) to delve into the different realms of possibilities and seek potential options that would positively influence the child. Together, this team must attempt to determine not only what will expand the child’s world to the fullest potential, but also what will allow the child the opportunity to successfully experience a whole and happy