If I was in charge of my sons education ? What would I do ?
The education system in this , or any other country , for that matter , is by no means perfect . And as far as educating children on the autistic spectrum who attend main stream school . Well I would venture it is still in its infancy . There is more to be learned about how autistic children learn . My son watches and listens intently at first before he actually does anything , which really confuses some teachers . but once he has assimilated what he feels is enough information , he takes part .
This , I don't think is the way all autistic children learn , but I am sure there are a lot who do. He has a photographic memory and is able to store information in his mind unlike the majority of the population . When he wants he can find the information , It was explained to me once that he learns in steps , first on a flat bit , then a steep climb , then on a flat bit again . The flat bit is the assimilating part , the climb is the learning . Which he does voraciously .
Would I have classrooms full of only autistic children ? No
Would I have autistic children integrated ? Most definitely .
Would I single out those children . Separate their learning from non autistic children ? Not in secondary school .
Would I adapt the syllabus in order to teach the class as a whole . !00% yes .
Because that is real life . As I know you have heard many times , it takes all sorts to make a world ,
I don't actually know if my son's classes are adapted to accommodate his autism , I do know that he receives support . Which to a teenage boy ( or girl ) autistic or not , could prove to be embarrassing . I must ask more questions when I am invited to his educational meetings . But it seems to be coming clear to me now , that the teachers are on a learning curve as far as educating children on the spectrum,
I don't expect them to admit to that , why would they , it would come across as unprofessional . It can be frustrating though , as parents of autistic children are by the nature of their experiences , the experts. But so far to date we are not involved collectively in the structuring of the curriculum .
I have attended forums , organised to improve the holiday playscheme's of autistic children but not forums on their education . Forums such as this , I think could go a long way to help better educate our autistic teenagers .
