This is the Hill I Will Die On

5/22/2013

I can fully admit before Kate was born I knew little about autism. I was a teacher so I knew the basics.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviour.

I just googled it to see what I would have found if I knew nothing at all and found this to be the first hit: (You can read while I seethe)

au·tism /ˈôˌtizəm/
Noun

A mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships.
A mental condition in which fantasy dominates over reality, as a symptom of schizophrenia and other disorders.

What the hell internet? I am busting my ass to get the word out about the realities of autism and this is what you are offering people? You can reach so many more people than me and it kills me that this garbage might be considered a valid definition. Here is a definition that I approve of. You may have your own:

Autism: Read this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this and this and you might have some idea of what autism is:

Would I have read the googled definition a few years ago and taken it for truth? No. I know better. Right? Hard to say, really, since I just googled "remedies for a week long headache" and found these and I am actually considering trying the second one:

All you need to do is take a nice warm shower and listen to your favorite music. Your headache will slowly fade away.

and this:

Take a tablespoon of vinegar, or get a sour pickle and eat it. Never fails.

It scares me now to think about how little people know about our kids and how little I knew before it became my reality.

I received absolutely zero training regarding autism in my education degree or my Masters degree. (Although the Province of NB is going to change that I am sure). I became a teacher and relied on the internet to teach me about the terms that would appear in the files of my students: ADHD, Autism, Asperger's, Tourette's, Down Syndrome etc. I had textbooks and files galore but they were painfully outdated when I used them so where would I find current information? I chose the internet and looked for definitions and articles. I wish I had found the amazing blogs like Mostly True Stuff and Homestyle Mama with a Side of Autism before I walked into my classroom. For the first few years of my teaching career I feel I was extremely superficial with my knowledge and treatment of these kids. I wish I could go back.

Believe me, I am not saying that you have to experience autism first hand to be a good teacher to these kids, I am just saying that is what it took for me. I will forever try and help people understand our children.

Alex always says: "This is the hill I will die on." He means he will never stop advocating for Kate and kids like her and neither will I.

17 Comments

sandy surette

5/22/2013 09:15:01 am

thank you~`you have said it all !!

Shanell

5/29/2013 05:50:30 am

Lol, does that mean I can stop Sandy. Kidding, I will keep screaming it. ;)

Nicole LeBlanc

5/22/2013 09:28:59 am

Very well put! I can only hope that all of my sons teachers are as caring and wonderful as you are! Even though it does sometimes take having autism as a part of your daily life, we've been extremely blessed with those in Alexandre's life and only hope that our sweet boy inspires many more to find ways to educate these amazing children and many others!

5/29/2013 05:53:27 am

It is me who is lucky to be able to work with your beautiful boy next year. You know we are fighting over him, don't you? Sometimes you feel better after spending time with someone and he is one of those kids.

Nicole

6/3/2013 09:43:56 am

Yes I know you're fighting for him! You are the primary reason that we don't feel so much anxiety over him starting school! I know he will be under caring and watchful eyes everyday:)

Sara

5/22/2013 10:01:11 am

ACK! Really, internet? **REALLY??** Wow, it's shocking to realize how un/misinformed the world can be, not that I profess to be all-knowing, but I know more than the internet, apparently. Scary.

I think that Go Team Kate, along with the other awesome websites/blogs you mention, can help people understand what "real life autism" is all about, thereby allowing them to know that the internet got it wrong.

S XO

5/29/2013 05:54:09 am

Love you Sara. We can tell the internet off together Saturday night ;)

chris

5/22/2013 10:01:46 am

thank you thank you so so much.

5/29/2013 05:54:35 am

You're so so welcome. :)

Julie

5/22/2013 10:02:56 am

Well said girl!

5/29/2013 05:55:07 am

Thanks Julie :). Let's do Boaz over the summer.

mike

5/22/2013 10:07:42 am

Awesome job, Shanell! We're so lucky to have you at our school!! Keep up the great work

5/29/2013 05:55:41 am

I am going to screen capture this so you'll always have to keep me. :)

Elizabeth Brewer

5/22/2013 10:46:36 am

I, like you, was a proud teacher. I, like you, had no formal training in any of the diagnoses that crossed my desk. In the 1980's when the Dr. Roberts Hospital closed, the children who had to be put into the school system and had the most "disabilities" were placed in Prince Charles School where I was teaching. It was trial by fire. I met Adam, who had perfect pitch and a SLIGHTLY untuned piano caused him physical pain and hysteria. There was Matthew, 11, who went into the principal's office, took his keys from his coat pocket and drove Mr. Mac's car to the North End. When stopped it was a difficult situation because he was non-verbal. That was almost 30 years ago. Everything was labelled AUTUISM. Fortunately I learned that the very best resources at my disposal were the parents of my students. They were the ones who knew the stims, the anxiety causers, the root of happiness. ALL of my students were different, but I value the parents who shared their children with me and cared enough to educate me so that I could better serve all of the students in my classroom. The part of the Internet which i find so valuable is the connections I make like this one. The other side is the misinformation of which you speak.

5/29/2013 05:57:42 am

I love that you valued the diversity in your students. It seems like you were well ahead of the game before most. Your students were lucky Elizabeth. Ever think of getting into politics? We could use minds like yours.

Alyssa link

5/24/2013 04:37:32 am

This is the sort of misinformation I find myself fighting too. This same thing you're talking about. It's why I generally do better disclosing to people who know *nothing* than to those who think they know. That's what we need to change.

5/29/2013 05:58:13 am

Oh you said it there Alyssa. That could be an entire post! Thanks

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

I talk about Autism, a lot

This is the Hill I Will Die On

Leave a Reply.

Archives

Author