My Sister Emma

Let's take a step back, and rather than looking at things from our student's perspective, let's think about ourselves. Imagine working with an autistic colleague in whatever job setting you are currently in. What does it look like?
Working with a neurodiverse coworker can present unique challenges and obstacles. But to create a truly inclusive society, learning to work around these challenges and approach situations with empathy, understanding, patience, and an open mind is essential. To effectively function in a workplace and contribute to the company's productivity, a person must operate in their optimal and regulated brain space. This is true for both autistic and neurotypicals.
Creating support and accommodations in the workplace will make inclusivity possible. It is unrealistic any other way. Providing reasonable accommodations, flexible work arrangements, opportunities for breaks, and extra time off can help alleviate some of the challenges that will arise from working with overstimulated and fatigued neurodiverse individuals. The work culture must provide a supportive and understanding environment. Promoting awareness and understanding along with offering training can among coworkers and management lead to a more empathetic and accommodating workplace among coworkers, management, and clients/students/consumers.
Neurodiverse individuals can provide a great deal to our society. They often offer fresh, honest perspectives, creativity, unique problem-solving skills, and usually a keen eye for detail or information. We must recognize and address the unique needs of neurodiverse individuals and foster an environment where they can thrive and contribute. It is difficult to understand and show grace to those with struggles we don't understand; therefore, prompting education and listening to the plight of others help us to gain perspective and practicing open communication, flexibility, and sensitivity in the workplace, we can create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. It is a messy process, not easy, and can be exhausting. So, what is your end goal for your student(s)?

Teachers, as we prepare for another school year, I recommend exploring and reflecting on your vision of what it means for our neurodiverse students to be contributing members of society and the workforce.

Did you know an article from Forbes states, "Studies estimate a staggering 50-75% of the 5.6 million autistic adults in the U.S. are unemployed or underemployed. Nearly 50% of 25-year-olds with autism have never held a paying job, despite having the skill sets and expertise to excel in the workplace." While in the U.K., another study shows that only 16% of autistic adults are in full-time employment, while 32% are in some kind of paid work.

Why aren't more autistics in the workforce?

As uncomfortable as it can be, it's in everyone's best interest, to be honest, if we genuinely want to create an inclusive society.

· Is working a realistic goal? Why or why not?

· Do you agree that autistic should enter the workforce? Why, or why not?

· What is your end goal for your student(s)?

· What kind of jobs might our students hold?

· What can they bring to the table?

· What responsibilities can they manage?

· How will they contribute?

· What does it look like?

· Do the positives outweigh the negatives? Why, or why not?

· What are some challenges they will face working full-time?

· What struggles might they face that are directly related to their neurodiverse makeup?

· What accommodations would need to be made?

· Why is it important for neurodiverse individuals to participate in society?

Working with a neurodiverse coworker can present unique challenges and obstacles. But to create a truly inclusive society, learning to work around these challenges and approach situations with empathy, understanding, patience, and an open mind is essential. Education, awareness, and acceptance are some strategies to provide an inclusive workplace. To effectively function in a workplace and contribute to the company's productivity, a person must operate in their optimal and regulated brain space. This is true for both autistic and neurotypicals.

Let's take a step back, and rather than looking at things from our student's perspective, let's think about ourselves. Imagine working with an autistic colleague in whatever job setting you are currently in. What does it look like?

A few obstacles may arise from working with a neurodiverse coworker.

1. Communication Difficulty: Neurodiverse individuals may have various communication styles. No person is the same. Some may be hesitant to speak, waiting until after the conversation ends and they've had time to process and interpret the conversation before sharing their thoughts with others. A discussion with little input from the other person can be uncomfortable. Likewise, others might have so much to say there is little room for the other person's input in the conversation. This, too, can leave people feeling uneasy. Some may stumble over their words, appearing to be less competent. Others might say seemingly random thoughts connecting them only within their own mind. Other times people might be very enthusiastic about their contributions, while other times, they may appear burnout and unusually tired. Complex and misunderstood communication can leave someone hesitant or slow to contribute or leave others overwhelmed and confused.

2. Sensory Sensitivities: Most neurodivergent individuals experience a highly sensitive sensory system. This includes all five senses: touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste. They may be sensitive to lights, odors, or noise, confusing others who do not experience this. Prolonged exposure to such sensory triggers in the workplace can lead to sensory overload and exhaustion, affecting their comfort and productivity.

3. Social Interactions: Teamwork and social relationships are other challenges that might arise. Often this ties back to communication obstacles, but either way, navigating team dynamics and collaboration are also potential areas of difficulty. For some neurodivergent individuals, social interactions in the workplace can be draining, especially if they struggle with social cues, communication, or understanding non-verbal cues.

4. Executive Functioning: Time management, organization, and taking directives are skills imperative to the workplace. Neurodiverse individuals may have various cognitive processing styles, impacting how they process information and navigate tasks. This can affect a neurodiverse coworker's ability to handle specific jobs. This can be a frustrating experience for neurotypicals. This is difficult for people to understand and have patience with people who need help completing or engaging in an activity that seems like second nature to others.

5. Task Switching and Transitions: Teachers consider transitioning so much in school settings. They work hard to figure out patterns, set timers, create routines, and post visuals for autistic students, but I have never seen this type of support in the workplace. Frequent task switching or transitioning between different activities can be challenging for neurodiverse individuals who may require more time to adjust and refocus, leading to mental fatigue, dysregulation, and lowered productivity and self-esteem.

6. Masking and Camouflaging: In some cases, neurodiverse individuals may need to mask or camouflage their differences to fit into social norms. This can lead to extreme bouts of fatigue, dysregulation, and inefficiency. Being aware of this can harbor patience in neurotypical employees.

Creating support and accommodations in the workplace will make inclusivity possible. It is unrealistic any other way. Providing reasonable accommodations, flexible work arrangements, opportunities for breaks, and extra time off can help alleviate some of the challenges that will arise from working with overstimulated and fatigued neurodiverse individuals. The work culture must provide a supportive and understanding environment. Promoting awareness and understanding along with offering training can among coworkers and management lead to a more empathetic and accommodating workplace among coworkers, management, and clients/students/consumers.

· What might our neurodiverse coworkers have to compromise on?

· What will we have to compromise on?

· What adjustments or adaptions would you need to make?

Neurodiverse individuals can provide a great deal to our society. They often offer fresh, honest perspectives, creativity, unique problem-solving skills, and usually a keen eye for detail or information. We must recognize and address the unique needs of neurodiverse individuals and foster an environment where they can thrive and contribute. It is difficult to understand and show grace to those with struggles we don't understand; therefore, prompting education and listening to the plight of others help us to gain perspective and practicing open communication, flexibility, and sensitivity in the workplace, we can create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. It is a messy process, not easy, and can be exhausting. So, what is your end goal for your student(s)?

Strategies:

Also, neurotypical individuals usually include a lot of flowery language; being honest and upfront with your wants and needs with autistics is imperative to effective communication. Being upfront can make people feel uneasy and awkward. Still, when neurotypicals don't say things out loud, their actions show the truth of their intentions, and neurodiverse individuals pick it up on it every time.

Strategies:

Staying aware of yourself, the environment, and the body language of others in a situation is so important. We must be mindful of the environment people are stepping into and our emotions; people's body language will help ensure everyone is regulated and well-balanced.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferpalumbo/2021/04/27/why-autism-speaks-is-encouraging-companies-to-hire-those-on-the-autistic-spectrum/?sh=2b2a381252a2

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/autism/autism-and-the-workforce?amp

Autism and the Workforce Individuals with autism can face substantial challenges navigating the workforce. Recent research suggests that 20 percent of adults with autism are unemployed, while other estimates are much higher.

Teachers, as we prepare for another school year, I recommend exploring and reflecting on your vision of what it means for our neurodiverse students to be contributing members of society and the workforce.

Did you know an article from Forbes states, "Studies estimate a staggering 50-75% of the 5.6 million autistic adults in the U.S. are unemployed or underemployed. Nearly 50% of 25-year-olds with autism have never held a paying job, despite having the skill sets and expertise to excel in the workplace." While in the U.K., another study shows that only 16% of autistic adults are in full-time employment, while 32% are in some kind of paid work.

Why aren't more autistics in the workforce?

As uncomfortable as it can be, it's in everyone's best interest, to be honest, if we genuinely want to create an inclusive society.
· Is working a realistic goal? Why or why not?
· Do you agree that autistic should enter the workforce? Why, or why not?
· What is your end goal for your student(s)?
· What kind of jobs might our students hold?
· What can they bring to the table?
· What responsibilities can they manage?
· How will they contribute?
· What does it look like?
· Do the positives outweigh the negatives? Why, or why not?
· What are some challenges they will face working full-time?
· What struggles might they face that are directly related to their neurodiverse makeup?
· What accommodations would need to be mad?
· Why is it important for neurodiverse individuals to participate in society?

The one time our author tried to do the artwork for another picture book childrensbooks

We 💕

Happy Earth Day 🌎 everyone!!

Plant a flower, hug a tree, pick up some litter it all sounds good to me ✌🏽🤍

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Check out our Irish themed lessons this March!
@ MySisterEmma.com

Here is a link to a detailed review on the book, along with a classroom activity! Check out Kelly's site at

https://www.kellysclassroomonline.com/2020/11/my-sister-emma-by-gina-conger.html?fbclid=IwAR2HHJWEaoDxItdi-1E2CmW8wIYEbZVe3ZkR2X1SZP6_diwkHnqrsfHocZQ

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Where we have numerous lessons including lessons on many different holidays, music, recreational activities, Bigfoot, Mexican, Ancient Egypt, Titanic, Billy the Kid, Gilbert Charles Stuart, Disney’s Togo, Route 66 as well a “history of” series.

Check out the store All of our lessons are $5 https://www.mysisteremma.com/shop Where we have numerous lessons including lessons on many different holidays, music, recreational activities, Bigfoot, Mexican, Ancient Egypt, Titanic, Billy the Kid, Gilbert Charles Stuart, Disney’s Togo, Route 66 as well a “history of” series.