Learning to be Social

06/10/2023

05/09/2023

Why I prefer texting instead of talking - Autistic Edition:
-
If you have tried to call me on the phone more often than not I won’t answer. Not because I don’t want to speak to you, but because I can become overwhelmed and can’t anticipate how the conversation will go.
-
I find text communication easier to navigate and often I find myself more able to order my thoughts so I can communicate what I want to say.
-
Understanding I am autistic,means I feel empowered now to say how I communicate best and what I find difficult. So I advocate and say “can you email me that information- if it’s for work or if it’s for my little ones /myself I will often ask for individuals to give me text notice before they call.
-
All forms of autistic communicate are valid 💜
-

09/23/2022

NASCAR's first driver to discuss his Autism diagnosis publicly is revving up awareness and acceptance on and off the track.

08/31/2022

Today's A Mighty Girl Community Pick is in honor of Dr. Temple Grandin's 75th Birthday: "The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin" by Julia Finley Mosca. Doctors told Temple Grandin's mother that she'd never speak, let alone have a productive life. But her mother refused to believe it: she saw potential in her observant and creative child. As Temple grew, she learned to articulate how her mind worked: her astounding visual memory allowed her to draw whole blueprints from just one tour through a facility, and her empathy with animals helped her develop methods to improve their treatment at farms around the globe! Today a professor, she has made groundbreaking contributions to science and become a powerful voice for autistic people.

This captivating picture book biography, told in rhyming text, is an inspiring introduction to a pioneering scientist and advocate who persevered against tremendous odds. Mosca captures Grandin's unique way of thinking and how she turned her talents into a successful career, encouraging young readers to see how differences can be a source of strength. Vibrant cartoon illustrations by Daniel Rieley draw kids into Grandin's world. The book also includes a colorful timeline of events and a note from Grandin herself urging children to "keep learning, especially from your mistakes." Highly recommended for ages 5 to 9.

"The Girl Who Thought In Pictures" is available at https://www.amightygirl.com/the-girl-who-thought-in-pictures

For an excellent biography about Dr. Grandin for older children, we also recommend “Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World” for ages 9 to 14 at https://www.amightygirl.com/temple-grandin-1

Dr. Grandin is also the author of several books, including "The Autistic Brain: Helping Different Kinds of Minds Succeed" (http://amzn.to/1MgWGWK) and "The Loving Push: How Parents and Professionals Can Help Spectrum Kids Become Successful Adults" (https://amzn.to/3wFYzge)

For books and guides for both kids and their parents about girls with autism, check out our blog post, "A Different Way of Thinking: 30 Books About Autistic Mighty Girls" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14948

And, for more books in this empowering series, check out "The Astronaut With A Song For The Stars" (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-astronaut-with-a-song-for-the-stars), "The Girl With A Mind For Math" (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-girl-with-a-mind-for-math), and "The Doctor With An Eye For Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath" (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-doctor-with-an-eye-for-eyes)

04/27/2022

I find a lot of truth in this, and was wondering what others thought…

12/10/2021

12/09/2021

I LOVE doing this with my older students, especially! 😍⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
Here's an example:⁠ ⬇️⁠⠀⁠
A student, let's call her Shannon 😉, loves art and drawing. She comes to speech therapy to work on her vocabulary skills. ⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
Before we start working on vocabulary, I love talking about how we get better at skills in general. I always use something my students are already good at as as example. ⁠

For example, I might ask, "How did you get so good at drawing?" or "How often do you practice?", "How do you feel if you make a mistake in your art?", or "What things do you think about when you're drawing?". ⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
To me, this is similar to growth mindset but instead of encouraging students to see what's possible for them, you're encouraging them to see what is already part of them, things that make them awesome already. ⁠🤯⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
While I love the idea of growth mindset, it can be harmful when it's presented in a way that is just *another thing* our students are doing wrong or another thing that they need to work on or another thing that they need to fix. ⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
When I need to make a change that's hard, nothing motivates me more than thinking about things I've conquered already, or things that I rock at that I wasn't always good at. ⁠✅⁠⠀⁠
⁠⠀⁠
Studying what you're already doing right is a GREAT way to propel yourself towards more of that in the future. ➡️ Same goes for our students!

10/29/2021

There is so much more to behaviour than most people think. Children don’t try to upset us, there is usually something behind it. They are communicating their need through behaviour. If we look behind the behaviour we can see a child who is doing the best they can