Turd Maker Alert

My seat belt began to shred in two places last week. The dealership refused to order a new one until I took the car to them for a look-see. So I took the car to them. Took a couple of days to get a new belt - and almost $200.

The new belt began to shred, just like the old one, in exactly the same two places.

We've determined that there is a MOUSE in my vehicle, eating the plastic guide that the belt flows INto, and chewing on the belt itself.
I spent all afternoon cleaning the vehicle. I'm PooPed.

We have mouse traps ready to go.

That little turd-maker is going down.

Convention Planning

I'm registered to attend a homeschool convention this month. A big one. My third homeschool convention. My second big one that also happens to be far enough away that I must stay in a hotel. I like biomedical conferences on treating autism, too. I learn a lot, there.

I take conventions seriously. I go to learn. Biomedical conferences about treating autism tend to be very expensive - I don't want to waste my time and money. I began to realize I needed a game plan at the grandaddy of autism conferences, Autism One. I apply the same strategies to homeschool conventions, which tend to be inexpensive in terms of registration, yet, travel expenses send my out-of-pocket costs rising. Autism is usually a priority for me, even at homeschool conventions.

Here is a list of homeschool conventions:
http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/conventions/index.html

Penny's Tips:

Take the time to read the list of speakers and their topics in the weeks prior to the convention. The presenter list for the homeschool convention I'm attending is 36 pages long. I've taken the time to google many of the speakers, and I've been able to rule out some folks that I thought were "must sees" and I've discovered some new-to-me presenters whom I want to see. Checking presenter web sites guides me, too. YouTube and Google Video are two places to research convention speakers. The internet is a wealth of free audio presentations if you spend a little time looking. If a presentation is available free on-line, I can cross that one off my convention list and attend a different presentation during that session. I also cross-referenced this weekend's convention against the presenters for the Schoolhouse Expo - a few presenations are duplicates - so that I can maximize my time at each opportunity.

Take the time to look over the list of exhibitors in the weeks prior to the convention. Sometimes, vendor names don't give me an idea of what the vendor actually sells. I have found several new-to-me vendors with products that are potentially useful for a child on the autism spectrum by browsing a homeschool convention exhibitor list. (These web pages are useful when you're not attending the convention, too, if you're looking for a new resource to help at home.)

Know the prices of resources you're considering. Convention exhibit halls are often THE place to get a sale, but not always. If you're seriously considering the purchase of a resource or curriculum, know the pricing before you go. Sometimes, a company will offer a bigger percent off through an e-newsletter than at a convention - doing your homework can save you $$$.

Know which presenters are also vendors. Knowing which vendors are also presenters is important for a couple of reasons. Sometimes, vendor presentations are a blatant sales pitch. Sometimes, they're informational without adding pressure to buy their product. If you're considering the purchase of a pricey product or curriculum, you can learn a lot by attending a vendor presentation. You need to be aware that attending a vendor session may cause you to spend more money, because you may have the desire to make a beeline for the vendor booth and purchase the item demonstrated in the presentation.

Have a game plan in terms of session attendance. My 7-page list of sessions is already a mess of circles and strike-throughs. I've figured out which sessions are duplicates, which are one-time onlies, and I've begun to mark which sessions I hope to purchase on audio CD because there are too many presentations in one time-slot that I'd like to attend. If I can maximize my attendance, I can minimize my audio-CD purchases. (I figure my list will change when I arrive at the venue. I'm not sure which session time I'll sacrifice so that I can spend a chunk of time in the vendor hall, and that will upset my game plan a little.)

Sit by the exit. Have you ever been torn between two presentations within the same timeframe? And consequently realized in the opening moments of the session you chose that this is not what you thought it was? If you are seated by an exit, you can slip out and dash to the second choice in time to hear most of it. If you're in the front and/or center, leaving one presentation to attend another is more difficult.

Take a *large* suitcase. Leave yourself room for vendor hall purchases in the suitcase as you pack for the conference.

Yogurt drinks are an easy snack or meal. Freeze them and take them along - by mid-day, they are thawed enough to drink if you don't want to stop to eat.

Stay in the hotel attached to the convention center. Having your hotel room nearby is handy if you purchase more than pencils in the exhibit hall. Taking heavy or bulky purchases back to the hotel room without missing the next session is doable when you're staying close to the convention. You can pack snacks and sneak to the room for a snack break if you're close. (Convention food purchases can be pricey.)

Pack a hoodie or cardigan and dress in layers. Sometimes convention rooms are cold; sometimes they're stuffy. I can't control the temperature in the presentation rooms, but I can control what I wear.

Wear comfortable shoes. Choose comfort over style. Or take a lot of bandaids.

What are your favorite tips? I'd love to hear from you!

Why Do I Take Vitamins?

Dr. Janelle Love's third book in a series for children with autism is now available:

I got a peek at a photocopy of it last month.
I reviewed the other two books in the series, here.

AMEN!

I have Larnelle Harris's version of "Amen" running through my mind this Easter morning.

And I found a video on YouTube to share with you:

HAPPY EASTER!

autism & alleluias by Kathleen Bolduc

I was pleased when Judson Press contacted me about participating in a blog tour for Bolduc's new book, autism & alleluias.

I was privileged to meet Kathleen Bolduc several years ago at a conference to help religious organizations be more inclusive to individuals with disabilities. She autographed her book, "His Name is Joel," for me. Bolduc taught me, in a big way, that taking not only my praise to God, but also taking my raw pain before His throne, is okay and necessary. I shed a few tears while reading that book.

Being the mom to a child on the autism spectrum is isolating at times. I have experienced times in the last ten years (since we entered early intervention) where I have never.been. more.lonely. I am able to find understanding at conferences and support groups, but in my day-to-day, real life, I'm often an outsider, navigating a very different pathway than that of the parents around us in the neighborhood, at church, and the ones we know through baseball or public school.

I'm ashamed to admit that finding the desire to say an "alleluia" has sometimes been very difficult. I know that God is in control. I know our circumstances are temporary. And yet, the deepest, darkest moments within the challenges of autism are often the most lonely. Sensing God, seeing His hand within the turbulence is sometimes an ugly struggle for me.

I don't like to be told to be thankful. I know I do - I don't need someone to tell me that in holier-than-thou way. Bolduc doesn't preach to me. She leads by example. I like that.

In autism & alleluias, Bolduc uses short chapters, "slice of life vignettes" to share real moments from her life and experience, moments that demonstrate God's hand on her family. Bolduc is, as always, authentic, never sugar-coating the experience of having a child on the autism spectrum. I was uplifted with Mrs. Bolduc as she let me, the reader, inside real moments she has with her son, not all pleasant, and yet she shares with me the intimate moments of gratitude and praise with her Father. She reminds me that I am not alone on this pathway, that there are mothers who helped find the pathway before me, there are mothers on the pathway with me now, and we all have a God who cares deeply about us and what we experience. She reminds me, gently, lovingly, through her own journey and faithfulness, that I need to look for Him in little ways, because He is there, providing, loving. Bolduc begins each chapter with a verse of scripture that sets the stage for the experience to come, and ends each chapter with a short prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

Judson Press is offering an exciting opportunity in the form of a FREE webinar called "A Place Called Acceptance": On April 8 at 2:00 p.m. Kathy Bolduc will be joined by Bill Gaventa, editor of the Journal of Religion, Disability, and Health (I have attended a Bill Gaventa presentation, too - he's *wonderful*) and Ginny Thornburgh, the program director for the Interfaith Initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities, for a webinar on the topic of autism and disability ministries. Register here for this free event.

Judson Press sent me a complimentary copy of autism & alleluias to review on this blog. I am not compensated for this review and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

MSU researchers study education services for Michigan children with autism | MSU News | Michigan State University

"A significant proportion of special education teachers and autism consultants also have low expectations that students with ASD can meet general education achievement standards, according to preliminary findings from a new Michigan State University study."
MSU researchers study education services for Michigan children with autism | MSU News | Michigan State University

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Feeling BLUE

Today is World Autism Awareness Day

We're wearing BLUE for it, today.

Schools for All Kinds of Minds by Barringer, Pohlman, and Robinson

Schools for All Kinds of Minds, Boosting Student Success by Embracing Learning Variation by Mary-Dean Barringer, Craig Pohlman and Michele Robinson is the latest gem from Jossey-Bass.

When I opened the package and saw the names of the authors, my confidence that this book is going to be packed with information applicable to my homeschooled (asd) child soared - Craig Pohlman is one of the authors, and he has impressed me in the past with his way of describing learning challenges and learning styles and what to do about them. (Disclosure: Jossey Bass gave me a copy of this book to review. I am not paid for reviews and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.)

I have had many years of experience with professionals who work with pre-schoolers and students through middle school. I have seen behavior misinterpreted, usually negatively, in educational settings, even in my own home in the behavioral intervention we used (and eventually abandoned) in our early years of autism intervention.

Because of my history, Chapter 4 of "Schools for All Kinds of Minds," is one of my favorites, because it teaches readers the pieces about learning that I wish I'd known from my early autism intervention days.

"Being an effective kid watcher requires suspending judgment and interpretation of the events and instead focusing on describing the phenomenon that you see." from chapter 4, "Digging Deeper, Knowing Students as Learners".

I wonder how many times have children with disabilities been labeled "avoidant" and "non-compliant" and "manipulative" when, in fact, those doing the observing and labeling were missing the real reason for a behavior. I've seen swishing saliva and spitting viewed as a bid for attention when children had strep throat, unable to recognize the pain and/or relate it to a parent or teacher. I've seen teachers mistake rote memorization for reading comprehension, assuming a student is comprehending far more than he actually is capable of comprehending. I could go on and on.

I am impressed with the way the authors walk readers through determining a neurodevelopmental profile for a student. Look at the factors they consider:

From Exhibit 4.1 Sample Neurodevelopmental Profile, page 72:

Attention: Mental Energy
Attention: Processing
Attention: Production
Memory: Short-term
Memory: Active working
Memory: Long-term
Language: Receptive
Language: Expressive
Temporal-sequential ordering
Spatial ordering
Neuromotor functions: Fine motor
Neuromotor functions: Graphomotor
Higher-order cognition
Social cognition: Verbal pragmatics
Social cognition: Social behaviors

Later chapters tease apart these neurodevelopmental pieces even more, helping guide the parent or teacher in determining the strengths and weaknesses of a student and how to use strengths and grow areas that are weak within a positive environment.

The definitions, descriptions, charts and worksheets are clear and allow parents and teachers to thoughtfully assess the behavior of a student through a neurodevelopmental lens and address challenges in a neurodevelopmentally appropriate sequence and approach.

Schools for All Kinds of Minds is another book that I'd recommend to teachers of homeschoolers and school-building schoolers alike. don't let the name fool you into thinking this one is only for school-building schoolers. I suspect this is one parents will like to highlight in yellow and take to IEPs or team meetings about a student's FBA and BIP.

The table of contents is located here. Chapter 1 is available here. The Schools for All Kinds of Minds newsletter archives is here.

"Schools for All Kinds of Minds," ($27.95) is published by Jossey-Bass, an Imprint of Wiley.

Beautiful Day At The Park

The park was swarming with pre-schoolers this afternoon. With highs in the upper 70's, a lot of folks came out to play. I sat and watched. My homeschooled princess loves the sand pit, and as she entered the area, one older little boy put my girl to work in more than one way. She slid in alongside him, joining him in his activity, and chatting with him, mostly answering his questions. She shared attention, shifted attention, multi-tasked, and had a great time! Seeing her play WITH another child is new - and finding the right child that will give her experience is challenging. I never figured out who that boy's parents are - if I had, I'd have invited him for a playdate. She needs peers at her developmental level to practice with - and the park is a good place for that.

I hope your day has been this sunny and warm, too!

No Thanks

From the production manager of a business trying to promote it's subscription service for parents:

I just came across your blog, and I wondered if you would like to post something about a short video series our company just produced for Autism Awareness Month as a part of our Weekly Tips Series.

He left this comment on a post that has nothing to do with autism (because I have no contact info on my blog).

And he obviously spent no time on my blog.

What's interesting is the first video shows the differences between a typically developing child and a child with autism, spotlighting (but not properly identifying) non-verbal referencing and joint attention. The last video shows the child with autism, several months into ABA therapy, demonstrating "progress", except the child is still not referencing or displaying joint attention. He's *compliant* and has memorized some commands - something very different from referencing for meaning and early prototypes of joint attention.

They want me to post a link to these videos of all the things we did wrong in our beginning, all the things we have had to work so hard to undo and redo. And they hope to get busine$$ that way.

No thanks.