Balancing the Tray, an article for all

[Guest guest]

This is awesome--and what is sad is that I see vacancies every year in the autistic class. It must be hard for the children to get used to new people over and over too.

Purrs & Kisses,

Kristal of Digi Kitty

The Kitty who loves Digi!

Designer for the VDBC "More" Team - you can see my designs HERE!!!

From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@...>Subject: ( ) Balancing the Tray, an article for all Date: Friday, June 4, 2010, 10:49 AM

BALANCING THE TRAYby Lenore Gerould (1996)Those of us who have daily contact with children with autism sometimes have trouble explaining to regular education teachers or administrators the ‘hooks' of autism; especially the kinds of support they need. You're always trying to explain the basics, ‘no, moving the pencil sharpener's location in the classroom is not what upset him. You have to understand that...'. Then I came up with this analogy. Perhaps it will help others to visualize the support needed.Try to imagine the child balancing a large serving tray on one upturned hand. Every distress for that child is like a liquid-filled glass you are putting on this tray. The ‘distress glasses' are unique to each kid; but generally include things like auditory or visual over-stimulation, social interaction, 'surprises' or unexpected changes in the schedule, lack of clear leadership, the

number of people in the room; whatever is sensitive for that child. (Don't forget the ability to read the body English and anxiety of the adults around them!) The size and weight of the 'glass' for that child varies; just like the 'distress glasses' vary for each kid. Some things are merely shot glass size, while others can be a two liter jug. At some point the tray is going to start to wobble - the liquid will start spilling out of the glasses on the tray. The cues that this is happening will vary kid to kid: just as the cause and size of a 'glass' varies kid to kid, but generally include regressive behavior, avoidance or shutting down, giggling or minor acting out to get attention.Hopefully, someone will help the kid rebalance the tray, or remove some glasses. Perhaps taking a break, or allowing time to refocus or process will work; again, techniques are unique to each kid. If there's no

intervention, the addition of one more glass will topple the tray to the floor. The cause is not the most recent 'glass' you added, but the fact that the tray was full or too heavy (the latter is why the child seems so unpredictable to some people.) Our efforts should be that the kid learns to hold a bigger tray, or to do minor correction of the tray's balance somewhat independently, but they will always carry that wobbling tray. Ignoring cues can be disastrous, from classroom disruptions to a major regression. When an autistic kid's tray crashes to the floor, it is always a major event. That's why, if I hear my son got highly upset over a moved pencil sharpener and acted out, I do not want to hear that he has to learn to accept change. The sharpener is immaterial, if I learn that day he'd dealt with a substitute teacher, a fire drill just as Reading was starting, dead calculator batteries halfway

through Math, a 'crashed' computer in the middle of English, a late bus so that he missed part of home room and some florescent lights in the class are half out - his tray was already full.All of the distresses are unavoidable and he'd dealt with them without a hitch; but each was another glass on this tray. Autistic kids need someone around who is familiar with them; to sense how full the tray is getting and read the cues, so there's intervention before that wobbling tray topples to the floor. That is why the type of support for these kids is critical, not just a 'hot body' nearby - but the 'right hot body' whom they can trust will help balance and who knows the 'hooks'.For all of us, life is a balancing act, but for autistic kids the glasses generally break when they hit the floor and it takes a whole lot longer to clean up the mess and get a new tray.RoxannaWhenever I feel blue, I

start breathing again.

[Guest guest]

I love this

I will keep climbing the mountain.

Sent from Kel's iPhone

[Guest guest]

I'm glad you like it! I used this article MANY MANY Times in meetings,

especially with my older ds (who is now 21 yo!) He did not speak up

for himself ever. And I don't know how often they would take what he

was doing personally. It used to really upset me that they took it

personally - that he was doing things just to annoy them. The more

angry and upset that they got with him, the more he would spin things

or make noises. It was just a fast ride downhill from there!!!!

Don't be too hard on yourself either! It can be so hard to always be

there and be supportive. We are only human. So just do your best and

hang in there!!!

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

( ) Balancing the Tray, an article for all

 

BALANCING THE TRAY

by Lenore Gerould (1996)

Those of us who have daily contact with children with autism sometimes

have trouble explaining to regular education teachers or administrators

the ‘hooks' of autism; especially the kinds of support they need.

You're always trying to explain the basics, ‘no, moving the pencil

sharpener's location in the classroom is not what upset him. You have

to understand that...'. Then I came up with this analogy. Perhaps it

will help others to visualize the support needed.

Try to imagine the child balancing a large serving tray on one upturned

hand. Every distress for that child is like a liquid-filled glass you

are putting on this tray. The ‘distress glasses' are unique to each

kid; but generally include things like auditory or visual

over-stimulation, social interaction, 'surprises' or unexpected changes

in the schedule, lack of clear leadership, the number of people in the

room; whatever is sensitive for that child. (Don't forget the ability

to read the body English and anxiety of the adults around them!) The

size and weight of the 'glass' for that child varies; just like the

'distress glasses' vary for each kid. Some things are merely shot glass

size, while others can be a two liter jug. At some point the tray is

going to start to wobble - the liquid will start spilling out of the

glasses on the tray. The cues that this is happening will vary kid to

kid: just as the cause and size of a 'glass' varies kid to kid, but

generally include regressive behavior, avoidance or shutting down,

giggling or minor acting out to get attention.

Hopefully, someone will help the kid rebalance the tray, or remove some

glasses. Perhaps taking a break, or allowing time to refocus or process

will work; again, techniques are unique to each kid. If there's no

intervention, the addition of one more glass will topple the tray to

the floor. The cause is not the most recent 'glass' you added, but the

fact that the tray was full or too heavy (the latter is why the child

seems so unpredictable to some people.) Our efforts should be that the

kid learns to hold a bigger tray, or to do minor correction of the

tray's balance somewhat independently, but they will always carry that

wobbling tray. Ignoring cues can be disastrous, from classroom

disruptions to a major regression. When an autistic kid's tray crashes

to the floor, it is always a major event. That's why, if I hear my son

got highly upset over a moved pencil sharpener and acted out, I do not

want to hear that he has to learn to accept change. The sharpener is

immaterial, if I learn that day he'd dealt with a substitute teacher, a

fire drill just as Reading was starting, dead calculator batteries

halfway through Math, a 'crashed' computer in the middle of English, a

late bus so that he missed part of home room and some florescent lights

in the class are half out - his tray was already full.

All of the distresses are unavoidable and he'd dealt with them without

a hitch; but each was another glass on this tray. Autistic kids need

someone around who is familiar with them; to sense how full the tray is

getting and read the cues, so there's intervention before that wobbling

tray topples to the floor. That is why the type of support for these

kids is critical, not just a 'hot body' nearby - but the 'right hot

body' whom they can trust will help balance and who knows the 'hooks'.

For all of us, life is a balancing act, but for autistic kids the

glasses generally break when they hit the floor and it takes a whole

lot longer to clean up the mess and get a new tray.

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

[Guest guest]

, let me know if you can't find a book and maybe I can help you

locate them.

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

( ) Balancing the Tray, an article for all

Date: Friday, June 4, 2010, 7:49 AM

 

BALANCING THE TRAY

by Lenore Gerould (1996)

Those of us who have daily contact with children with autism sometimes

have trouble explaining to regular education teachers or administrators

the ‘hooks' of autism; especially the kinds of support they need.

You're always trying to explain the basics, ‘no, moving the pencil

sharpener's location in the classroom is not what upset him. You have

to understand that...'. Then I came up with this analogy. Perhaps it

will help others to visualize the support needed.

Try to imagine the child balancing a large serving tray on one upturned

hand. Every distress for that child is like a liquid-filled glass you

are putting on this tray. The ‘distress glasses' are unique to each

kid; but generally include things like auditory or visual

over-stimulation, social interaction, 'surprises' or unexpected changes

in the schedule, lack of clear leadership, the number of people in the

room; whatever is sensitive for that child. (Don't forget the ability

to read the body English and anxiety of the adults around them!) The

size and weight of the 'glass' for that child varies; just like the

'distress glasses' vary for each kid. Some things are merely shot glass

size, while others can be a two liter jug. At some point the tray is

going to start to wobble - the liquid will start spilling out of the

glasses on the tray. The cues that this is happening will vary kid to

kid: just as the cause and size of a 'glass' varies kid to kid, but

generally include regressive behavior, avoidance or shutting down,

giggling or minor acting out to get attention.

Hopefully, someone will help the kid rebalance the tray, or remove some

glasses. Perhaps taking a break, or allowing time to refocus or process

will work; again, techniques are unique to each kid. If there's no

intervention, the addition of one more glass will topple the tray to

the floor. The cause is not the most recent 'glass' you added, but the

fact that the tray was full or too heavy (the latter is why the child

seems so unpredictable to some people.) Our efforts should be that the

kid learns to hold a bigger tray, or to do minor correction of the

tray's balance somewhat independently, but they will always carry that

wobbling tray. Ignoring cues can be disastrous, from classroom

disruptions to a major regression. When an autistic kid's tray crashes

to the floor, it is always a major event. That's why, if I hear my son

got highly upset over a moved pencil sharpener and acted out, I do not

want to hear that he has to learn to accept change. The sharpener is

immaterial, if I learn that day he'd dealt with a substitute teacher, a

fire drill just as Reading was starting, dead calculator batteries

halfway through Math, a 'crashed' computer in the middle of English, a

late bus so that he missed part of home room and some florescent lights

in the class are half out - his tray was already full.

All of the distresses are unavoidable and he'd dealt with them without

a hitch; but each was another glass on this tray. Autistic kids need

someone around who is familiar with them; to sense how full the tray is

getting and read the cues, so there's intervention before that wobbling

tray topples to the floor. That is why the type of support for these

kids is critical, not just a 'hot body' nearby - but the 'right hot

body' whom they can trust will help balance and who knows the 'hooks'.

For all of us, life is a balancing act, but for autistic kids the

glasses generally break when they hit the floor and it takes a whole

lot longer to clean up the mess and get a new tray.

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.