Re: good teaching solutions and examples of triggers

[Guest guest]

For my son, consequences of the day before need to stay in the day it happened. For instance he spit at school, the bus driver heard he was spitting and assumed he was spitting on her bus. So she greeted my son the next day with " im mad at you, get in the back of the bus" Number one we had the video pulled and he didn't spit on the bus, it had nothing to do with her. Number 2 it happened the day before. Number 3 he is 5 years old. Number 4 It broke his routine from sitting in his usual place ( which messed him up for the day) and 5 he is already socially slow and to be ridiculed by a adult that way doesn't make it easier for his peers and him.

Needless to say the next time he spit in school ( which I know is not okay), he refused to ride the bus.

I think the kids need to know every day is a new day, with new chances of being successful.

Sandy

In a message dated 12/2/2010 9:08:35 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, e.c.bernard@... writes:

Pam,

This really helps.

I am hoping that others contribute and I am making a table of triggers and pre-emptive activities to use in my mainstream classroom and to share with other teachers. I was at a conference for world language teachers in November and part of my presentation was on “non-diagnosed Asperger-like†students and over 200 teachers tried to enter the room designed for 100 participants. Many teachers are interested in figuring out how to help these students who don’t come with IEPs as well as those that do.

Teachers who tell me “then he said this – what do I do†are disappointed when I tell them that it all started before school began, they need to set up their classroom right to avoid the situation. I am asking this community for those kinds of ideas and supports for me to include.

Many of the needed activities just come under good teaching for everyone. For example, for years I have been training teachers about #7 from your list. [ 7) Being left out. Letting the kids pick partners is a mess the AS kid is often left out.]

In the beginning of the school year I read “Tacky the Penguin†to my student – about the odd bird saving the day. I tell a few of my own classroom stories of ‘odd bird’ student saving the day. I explain that every Monday students will receive a new partner and it is totally by chance and I give detailed explanations of how to respond to whomever is your partner. I train teachers how to make partner cards – say 31 students are in my class. There are 30 paired index cards (aunt with aunt, uncle with uncle) and the 31st card says you are lucky and can join any group at the end. They choose a card from face down and can’t look at them until I give the command. I line up the bo ys on one side and girls on the other and quickly determine partners – no time for swapping cards.

It works. Everyone works with everyone. Substitute teachers tell me how lucky I am that my students all get along so well.

Maybe it is luck, or probably how I set up the class.

So I am asking the community for more triggers and suggestions on what has worked well to prevent the triggers from having undesirable consequences. Any help on or off list would be appreciated and of course I̵ 7;ll post our solutions for you to share with other teachers.

Thanks,

EC Bernard

www.ecbernard.org

Triggers: 1) Proding the student to transition faster, it is betterto let them start getting ready sooner than the others. Or helpthem get organized.2) Change in routine, you need to talk about the changeahead of time.3) Sustaining focus on boring tasks are very difficultfor AS kids, if you know this is a problem they areusually given breaks (they may want to read alittle, org et up). 4) Sarcastic comments or threats trigger anxiety/anger.For example, do your work or you will lose recess (this is a change in schedule that they will react to).5) Any kind of criticism may trigger an argument. You want to use positive reinforcement strategies.6) Teachers/Parents need to focus on one or two behaviors theywant to work on and that is it. They want to teach the behavior they want and praise any small steps.The problem is often that the expectations forbehavior change are too high. If the kid wasmore typical and could do better, they would not have a DX in the first place. There reasoning skills are often good, butemotional regulation is not. So they overreact very veryquickly. Even if they don't act out they often are very anxious about life in general.7) Being left out. Letting the kids pick partners is a mess the AS kid is often left out. 8) Any work that involves s ocial perspective needsto be explicitly taught. Often there are problems in reading comprehension and writing.9) Organization is a mess, they need help. Pam Dear ne, I am a Spanish Teacher striving to learn how to better serve my diagnosed and non-diagnosed students. I don't have any answers for you although I clearly support your advocating for your son to have the best IEP possible and then to have it followed. (cyber hug to fight the good fight) To make me a better teacher, can you further explain what you wrote below? "They claimed it was but then didn't even know his triggers when I asked. So how could they be implementing it?.....Duri ng the short times that she was there she observed on several occasions where the teacher and the aid clearly argued with my son and literally come down to his 13 year old Asperger/ADHD level." I'd like to know, if you don't mind, what are some of the triggers and what should a teacher do? Again, I'm not a special education teacher, but I do want to better understand and include better strategies in my teaching practice. I am always relieved when a student has an IEP - it means others have figured out what to do and will give me guidelines and information and that there is support in place. However, each year I encounter students who present in a similar fashion as my students with AS but whose parents become very defensive and insist their child isn't different and thus I have no supports to turn to in managing this student. I teach 7th grade and some of these students could cope with one elementary school teacher all day but in middle school, the changing classes spotlights the child's differences. So if I had a few examples of some triggers and how to handle them, it may make it easier for me to use that lens to see triggers in others. I have read The Explosive Child and it opened my eyes, but now I would really appreciate any triggers and suggestions on what a teacher should do when observing the triggers, especially for middle and high school students. If anyone else wants to add to this thread, I'd be most appreciative. Thank you E.C. Bernard www.ecbernard.org

[Guest guest]

EC Bernard,One behavior that I'm now working on my dd is voice control with the techniques from the Book called "Incredible 5 Point Scale". It's a slow process, but she is responding to it. I explained to her what each number point meant, (ex. 1=no talking,

2= whisper, 3=talking, 4=yelling, 5=screaming), so when she's yelling or screaming, I just hold up my fingers (3), I don't say anything, unless I have to get her attention to look at me and she will adjust her volume. The book explains that you can use this with other issues, managing their anger, and describing their moods. The book also talks about using a color chart with the numbers on it that you could pull out and point to the number. Right now just by holding up my fingers it seems to work with her volume control. There were reviews written by teachers who use this with all of their students not

just the ones with AS.-From: E.C. <e.c.bernard@...>Subject: ( ) good teaching solutions and examples of triggers Date: Thursday, December 2, 2010, 6:01 AM

Pam,This really helps. I am hoping that others contribute and I am making a table of triggers and pre-emptive activities to use in my mainstream classroom and to share with other teachers. I was at a conference for world language teachers in November and part of my presentation was on “non-diagnosed Asperger-like†students and over 200 teachers tried to enter the room designed for 100 participants. Many teachers are interested in figuring out how to help these students who don’t come with IEPs as

well as those that do. Teachers who tell me “then he said this – what do I do†are disappointed when I tell them that it all started before school began, they need to set up their classroom right to avoid the situation. I am asking this community for those kinds of ideas and supports for me to include. Many of the needed activities just come under good teaching for everyone. For example, for years I have been training teachers about #7 from your list. [ 7) Being left

out. Letting the kids pick partners is a mess the AS kid is often left out.] In the beginning of the school year I read “Tacky the Penguin†to my student – about the odd bird saving the day. I tell a few of my own classroom stories of ‘odd bird’ student saving the day. I explain that every Monday students will receive a new partner and it is totally by chance and I give detailed explanations of how to respond to whomever is your partner. I train teachers how to make partner cards – say 31 students are in my class. There are 30 paired index cards (aunt with aunt, uncle with uncle) and the 31st card says you are lucky and can join any group at the end. They

choose a card from face down and can’t look at them until I give the command. I line up the boys on one side and girls on the other and quickly determine partners – no time for swapping cards. It works. Everyone works with everyone. Substitute teachers tell me how lucky I am that my students all get along so well.Maybe it is luck, or probably how I set up the class. So I am asking the community for more triggers and suggestions on

what has worked well to prevent the triggers from having undesirable consequences. Any help on or off list would be appreciated and of course I’ll post our solutions for you to share with other teachers. Thanks,EC Bernardwww.ecbernard.orgTriggers: 1) Proding the student to transition faster, it is betterto let them start getting ready sooner than the others. Or helpthem get organized.2) Change in

routine, you need to talk about the changeahead of time.3) Sustaining focus on boring tasks are very difficultfor AS kids, if you know this is a problem they areusually given breaks (they may want to read alittle, orget up). 4) Sarcastic comments or threats trigger anxiety/anger.For example, do your work or you will lose recess (this is a change in schedule that they will react to).5) Any kind of criticism may trigger an argument. You want to use positive reinforcement strategies.6) Teachers/Parents need to focus on one or two behaviors theywant to work on and that is it. They want to teach the behavior they want and praise any small steps.The problem is often that the expectations forbehavior change are too high. If the kid wasmore typical and could do better, they would not have a DX in the first place. There reasoning skills are often good, butemotional regulation is

not. So they overreact very veryquickly. Even if they don't act out they often are very anxious about life in general.7) Being left out. Letting the kids pick partners is a mess the AS kid is often left out. 8) Any work that involves social perspective needsto be explicitly taught. Often there are problems in reading comprehension and writing.9) Organization is a mess, they need help. Pam Dear ne, I am a Spanish Teacher striving to learn how to better serve my diagnosed and non-diagnosed students. I don't have any answers for you although I clearly support your advocating for your son to have

the best IEP possible and then to have it followed. (cyber hug to fight the good fight) To make me a better teacher, can you further explain what you wrote below? "They claimed it was but then didn't even know his triggers when I asked. So how could they be implementing it?.....During the short times that she was there she observed on several occasions where the teacher and the aid clearly argued with my son and literally come down to his 13 year old Asperger/ADHD level." I'd like to know, if you don't mind, what are some of the triggers and what should a teacher do? Again, I'm not a special education teacher, but I do want to better understand and include better strategies in my teaching practice. I am always relieved when a student has an IEP - it means others have

figured out what to do and will give me guidelines and information and that there is support in place. However, each year I encounter students who present in a similar fashion as my students with AS but whose parents become very defensive and insist their child isn't different and thus I have no supports to turn to in managing this student. I teach 7th grade and some of these students could cope with one elementary school teacher all day but in middle school, the changing classes spotlights the child's differences. So if I had a few examples of some triggers and how to handle them, it may make it easier for me to use that lens to see triggers in others. I have read The Explosive Child and it opened my eyes, but now I would really appreciate any triggers and suggestions on what a teacher

should do when observing the triggers, especially for middle and high school students. If anyone else wants to add to this thread, I'd be most appreciative. Thank you E.C. Bernard www.ecbernard.org

[Guest guest]

It makes me very happy to hear when people not affected by Aspergers want to

learn about it and how it affects our families and children! I really believe

that if teacher's had a little more knowledge then our children would have

better days in school and be even more sucessful. If my child has something

going on with him at home, in the am before leaving for school I will notify the

nurse and or teacher, this helps give them insight to behaviors they might see

(did this more in elementary and middle school than HS). We had an incident

with my son when he was in 4th grade that clearly had to do with the teacher not

understanding the black and white, literal thoughts of a child with Aspergers.

My son went to reading lab. The reading lab teacher held him back after the

class and told him that because he was " daydreaming " (this was prior to him

being diagnosed) and wasn't paying attention he had to stay with her. She had

another student from the group go back to the classroom and tell the teacher

that he would be staying. The student returned with Math work for my son to

complete while he was in READING lab (math, the one subject he struggles in

terribly!). When he was allowed to go back to the classroom the teacher asked

him where he was, he says " at reading lab " , then she asked why he was there so

long? Of course my child says to her " I was doing my math " . She accused him of

lying because she didn't get the answer she thought he should give so she sent

him out into the hall to do work. In the mean time the rest of the class is

making valentines day holders for all the cards they would get the next day. He

was not allowed to participate in making the card holder! OK, that was 4th

grade and he's in 10th! Can you tell this still bother's me? We made our own

holder at home and he brought that into school the next day!

I just feel that so many times our children are misunderstood because of the way

questions are asked of our children. I feel that if a child is " in trouble " or

did something wrong that they need an advocate with them (ie: me) to help them

understand what is being said and or asked until more teacher's and

administrators gain knowledge of Asperger's.

Bottom line, a trigger for my son is being misunderstood and communication

difficulties due to literal/black and white thinking.

Thanks for taking an interest and sharing this knowledge with other's. You will

be making a HUGE impact on families lives where there is someone living with

aspergers!!

---- Ohmit <mohmit66@...> wrote:

> EC Bernard,

> One behavior that I'm now working on my dd is voice control with the

techniques from the Book called " Incredible 5 Point Scale " . It's a slow process,

but she is responding to it.  I explained to her what each number point meant,

(ex. 1=no talking, 2= whisper, 3=talking, 4=yelling, 5=screaming), so when

she's yelling or screaming, I just hold up my fingers (3), I don't say anything,

unless I have to get her attention to look at me and she will adjust

her volume. The book explains that you can use this with other issues, managing

their anger, and describing their moods. The book also talks about using a color

chart with the numbers on it that you could pull out and point to the number.

 Right now just by holding up my fingers it seems to work with her volume

control.  There were reviews written by teachers who use this with all of their

students not just the ones with AS.

> -

>

>

>

> From: E.C. <e.c.bernard@...>

> Subject: ( ) good teaching solutions and examples of triggers

>

> Date: Thursday, December 2, 2010, 6:01 AM

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> Pam,This really helps.   I am hoping that others contribute and I am

making a table of triggers and pre-emptive activities to use in my mainstream

classroom and to  share with other teachers.  I was at a conference for world

 language teachers in November and part of my presentation was on

“non-diagnosed Asperger-like†students and over 200 teachers tried to enter

the room designed for 100 participants.  Many teachers are interested in

figuring out how to help these students who don’t come with IEPs as well as

those that do.  Teachers who tell me “then he said this – what do I doâ€

are disappointed when I tell them that it all started before school began, they

need to set up their classroom right to avoid the situation.  I am asking this

community for those kinds of ideas and supports for me to include.  Many of the

needed activities just come under good teaching for everyone.  For example, for

years I have been training

> teachers about #7 from your list. [ 7) Being left out. Letting the kids pick

partners is a mess the AS kid is often left out.]  In the beginning of the

school year I read “Tacky the Penguin†to my student – about the odd bird

saving the day.  I tell a few of my own classroom stories of ‘odd bird’

student saving the day.  I explain that every Monday students will receive a

new partner and it is totally by chance and I give detailed explanations of how

to respond to whomever is your partner.  I train teachers how to make partner

cards – say 31 students are in my class.  There are 30 paired index cards

(aunt with aunt, uncle with uncle) and the 31st card says you are lucky and can

join any group at the end. They choose a card from face down and can’t look at

them until I give the command.   I line up the boys on one side and girls on

the other and quickly determine partners – no time for swapping cards.  It

works.  Everyone works

> with everyone.  Substitute teachers tell me how lucky I am that my students

all get along so well.Maybe it is luck, or probably how I set up the class.  So

I am asking the community for more triggers and suggestions on what has worked

well to prevent the triggers from having undesirable consequences.  Any help on

or off list would be appreciated  and of course I’ll post our solutions for

you to share with other teachers.  Thanks,EC Bernardwww.ecbernard.org

> Triggers:

>

>

> 1) Proding the student to transition faster, it is better

> to let them start getting ready sooner than the others. Or help

> them get organized.

>

> 2) Change in routine, you need to talk about the change

> ahead of time.

>

> 3) Sustaining focus on boring tasks are very difficult

> for AS kids, if you know this is a problem they are

> usually given breaks (they may want to read alittle, or

> get up).

>

> 4) Sarcastic comments or threats trigger anxiety/anger.

> For example, do your work or you will lose recess

> (this is a change in schedule that they will react to).

>

> 5) Any kind of criticism may trigger an argument. You want

> to use positive reinforcement strategies.

>

> 6) Teachers/Parents need to focus on one or two behaviors they

> want to work on and that is it. They want to teach

> the behavior they want and praise any small steps.

> The problem is often that the expectations for

> behavior change are too high. If the kid was

> more typical and could do better, they would not have a DX in the first place.

There reasoning skills are often good, but

> emotional regulation is not. So they overreact very very

> quickly. Even if they don't act out they often are very

> anxious about life in general.

>

> 7) Being left out. Letting the kids pick partners

> is a mess the AS kid is often left out.

>

> 8) Any work that involves social perspective needs

> to be explicitly taught. Often there are problems in

> reading comprehension and writing.

>

> 9) Organization is a mess, they need help.

>

>

>

> Pam

>

>

>

>   Dear ne,

>  

>   I am a Spanish Teacher striving to learn how to better serve my diagnosed

>   and non-diagnosed students. I don't have any answers for you although I

>   clearly support your advocating for your son to have the best IEP possible

>   and then to have it followed. (cyber hug to fight the good fight)

>   

>   To make me a better teacher, can you further explain what you wrote below?

>  

>    " They claimed it was but then didn't even know his triggers when I asked.

So

>   how could they be implementing it?.....During the short times that she was

>   there she observed on several occasions where the teacher and the aid

>   clearly argued with my son and literally come down to his 13 year old

>   Asperger/ADHD level. "

>  

>   I'd like to know, if you don't mind, what are some of the triggers and

what

>   should a teacher do?

>  

>   Again, I'm not a special education teacher, but I do want to better

>   understand and include better strategies in my teaching practice. I am

>   always relieved when a student has an IEP - it means others have figured

out

>   what to do and will give me guidelines and information and that there is

>   support in place.

>   

>   However, each year I encounter students who present in a similar fashion

as

>   my students with AS but whose parents become very defensive and insist

their

>   child isn't different and thus I have no supports to turn to in managing

>   this student. I teach 7th grade and some of these students could cope with

>   one elementary school teacher all day but in middle school, the changing

>   classes spotlights the child's differences.

>   

>   So if I had a few examples of some triggers and how to handle them, it may

>   make it easier for me to use that lens to see triggers in others. I have

>   read The Explosive Child and it opened my eyes, but now I would really

>   appreciate any triggers and suggestions on what a teacher should do when

>  observing the triggers, especially for middle and high school students.

>  

>   If anyone else wants to add to this thread, I'd be most appreciative.

Thank

>   you

>  

>   E.C. Bernard

>  

>   www.ecbernard.org

>  

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