Read Samples from "Get Out, Explore, Have Fun!"

Curious what's inside Get Out, Explore, Have Fun?  I'm pleased to say that I've placed samples from the book on my website.  But if you want a taste right now, here's just one of the three excerpts I've posted:

Exploring Your Options (Yes, you have options!)

Today, the YMCA, Boy and Girl Scouts, museums, and an incredible range of community and private programs are very aware of the huge rise in kids with “special needs.” Fewer and fewer program directors are likely to say “We can’t help you” when you mention a developmental delay or even an autism diagnosis. And more community groups than you’d expect have actually gone out of their way to learn about and provide supports for kids with autism, ADHD, and similar developmental differences.

The problem is that too few parents, teachers, therapists, and support groups are aware of how things have changed—not only for our kids with special needs but for families overall. There’s much more openness to special needs families, if for no other reason than the fact that we now make up some 15 percent of the family market overall.

And it’s also much more acceptable than ever before for parents to take an active role in their child’s informal learning experiences. Parents hang out and take part in arts programs; they attend every athletic practice; they camp out along with their young Boy and Girl Scouts; they attend every meeting of YMCA Adventure Guides. As the parent of a child on the autism spectrum, who needs you by his side, you’re not as unusual as you may feel.

Teaching Kids with Autism: Words are Not Enough

Chances are, if you have a child on the autism spectrum, he or she learns in many different ways.  She may learn visually or aurally.  He may learn through hands-on experience, through music or through nature.  But the fact is, most kids with autism do NOT learn well through conversation, lecture, or reading aloud. 

There's a simple reason for this: autism, by definition, involves language and communication deficits.  Even people with Asperger syndrome can have a tough time interpreting the underlying meaning of words, stories and tone of voice.  People with moderate autism take a longer time than most to interpret and respond to spoken or written words, and may find it challenging indeed to make sense of implied or symbolic meaning.  Of course, people with no spoken language at all will find it nearly impossible to learn entirely through words.

Unfortunately for our kids, schools (after preschool and kindergarten) teach almost exclusively through the use of the spoken and written word.  Children with autism, when they're included in general education classrooms, must grasp teachers' directions instantly, and respond within seconds.  If they don't they're quickly left behind.  Even with an aide, kids simply can't process and respond to verbal cues as rapidly as their typically developing peers.

Fortunately for our kids, however, schools aren't the only place where our kids can learn.  In fact, throughout history, verbal skills have only been a small part of the picture.  All around the world, kids learn by watching, imitating, trying and doing.  They learn through apprenticing, modeling, and direct instruction.  Whether they're learning to care for critters, use a paintbrush, zip their pants or hammer a nail, words are only a very small part of the teaching and learning equation.

How does your child with autism learn?  Where might he find instructors who teach as he learns?  Think outside the box of school, and consider the wide world of informal education.  Might your child learn best with whole-body experiences - through athletics, dance, martial arts or tumbling?  Through hands-on experiences - through exploring a nature center, fishing off a pier, or sculpting with clay?

The world is a very big place, and the possibilities are endless.  School and word-based learning are not enough.

In the photo: Tom Cook meets Peter the Rabbit at the Greenbriar Nature Center in Sandwich, MA.  Following this class, our family became volunteers at the center.  All four of us (sometimes with friends) fed and exercised the tortoises, turtles, hedgehog, guinea pig and rabbits once a month for two years!).

Autism and the Children's Museum

If you think getting your child with autism through the grocery store is tough, why would even consider taking your child to the children's museum?  In fact, you may discover that your local children's museum is a fabulous place for a child with autism.  Not only are there wonderful opportunities for your child to experiment, run, learn and have fun - but there are also rich possibilities for verbal and non-verbal play with other children or with you.

• Most children's museums include replicas of real-world settings, ranging from grocery stores to boats to doctor's offices.  What better way to practice appropriate behavior and skills than in a not-so-real situation where no one really worries about a child who tosses the cereal box across the room?
• Most children's museum include exhibits that allow children to collaborate on creative construction.  Even if you're only working on basic turn-taking, you and your child (or another little one) can work together to build castles, construct towers and more.
• Many children's museums include hands-on exhibits that allow for non-verbal collaborative experimentation.  Rolling balls down ramps, making bubbles, sailing boats and other activities are fun, require little conversation, but inspire kids to work on sharing, turn-taking, observation, prediction, and many other skills.
• Many children's museums offer opportunities for music and art creation. This may give you a great chance to find out whether your child has an interest or a talent!
• Almost every children's museum has an area where climbing, running, jumping or other types of physical activity are encouraged.  Often, indoor jungle gyms, climbing walls or other structures are built to improve coordination and strength - something most kids with autism need to work on.

Before you take off for the nearest children's museum with your child, though, there are a few issues to bear in mind.  Because your child is autistic, he or she may have more limits than the average child.  Noise levels, frustration, or lack of communication skills can make your visit more challenging.  To make the most of the experience:

• Consider getting a discounted museum pass from your local library.  That way, if you have to leave after a short time, you're not breaking the bank.  A membership can also pay for itself quickly.
• Go to the museum during "down" times (Sunday mornings, late on weekday afternoons, on lovely sunny days, etc.).  Do NOT go during school vacation, on weekday mornings (schools are visiting) or on Saturday afternoons.
• Prepare your child for the visit ahead of time with photos and information about the place you'll be visiting.
• Bring snacks.
• Have a plan for coping with sensory overloads, behavior issues, or meltdowns.
• Consider bringing a digital camera to record favorite exhibits, big smiles, and cooperative moments.  That way you'll be able to relive the experience with your child (and partner, therapists, etc.) - and plan an even better visit next time!

One last hint: many children's museums are now offering special times for special needs visitors.  It can't hurt to ask about such programs; you may find that special evening hours are ideal for you, your child, and the rest of your family.

Band Night

When you have a homeschooled child with autism who plays the clarinet pretty well, it's quite a challenge to find the right place for him to play in an ensemble.  But it's always seemed to us that we should build on Tom's strengths, and if you have a kid who is a solid musician who enjoys the instrument and gets a kick out of playing with an ensemble...  it's seems like a no brainer that he should be a part of a band.

Ordinarily, kids who play in the band are not homeschooled.  And so far as we can tell, kids with autism almost never play in band.  So we're blazing some new ground, and hopefully making things a little easier for the next kid to come along.

No, he's not playing in the "big" band, since that meets during school hours - but for three years now he's been part of the after school "advanced" jazz band. Impressively, with some minimal support from the band leader and the outstanding teaching skills of a terrific clarinet teacher, it's gone quite well indeed.

In these photos, Tom is playing "In the Mood" and "Vehicle" as part of the middle school band (he's the clarinet player next to the girl with the saxophone).  This event was held at the high school, and included bands from the two middle schools and the high school - which meant that people we knew from every part of our lives were in attendance.

It was quite a night. 

Musicians and the Autism Spectrum

Music and autism seem to go together, though the reasons are not completely clear.  In fact, some people surmise that Mozart may have been diagnosable on the autism spectrum.  Quite a few people on the autism spectrum (including our son) have perfect pitch - the ability to identify a tone without any point of reference.  This is a wonderful gift for for any musician!

 

When he was five, Tom got his first music therapy session.  Since he was seven, he's been taking instrumental lessons.  Today, while he's no Benny Goodman, he's a workmanlike clarinet player, capable of playing as part of an ensemble.  Tom's the boy on the right in the plaid shirt; as you can see, he's playing right along with the rest of the band.

I can't say it's been a bed of roses all the way through.  It was tough to find that first teacher.  It's been hard to help Tom learn to read musical notation, attend to the band leader, or count rests and come in with the rest of his section.  But because he has a strong "ear," and can play almost anything he hears, some of it really does come naturally.

Does your child with autism have a musical gift?