Barb Rentenbach Presentation

     Today's presentation on Barb Rentenbach and autism was an extremely inspiring and engaging learning experience. This presentation left me with a different view of autism and how I will consider autistic children in my classroom. I highly recommend that future educators either read her book or look up video clips of excerpts of her book, you will not be disappointed.
     Prior to this presentation, I had a very generalized view of autism that it was a disability that has a range of spectrums. When learning about autism, you don't learn the positive aspects of it nor do you learn the perspectives of people who have it. We assume that because an individual is unable to communicate with us verbally that they must be cognitively slow and therefore we downgrade their value to society limiting them from contributing. However, from this presentation I was able to see that just like there is no standard race or culture there is no standard brain. We are all made uniquely and no one can give you a uniform definition for normal. Every human being on this planet is diverse, but we're all important to this world. I learned that individuals with autism often relate better to objects than individuals, have fresh perspectives on things, make extraordinary writers, can be completely emerged in systems, processes, and orders, and that just like everyone else, they have real strengths. Just because an individual with autism is unable to communicate through expressive language does not mean that they are not receptive and are unable to communicate as a whole. These individuals are brilliant thinkers with a lot to say. They live a contemplative way of life as observers who learn from listening and seeing. They have a beautiful language when given the chance to communicate it and are capable of so much more than we give them credit for.
     With this fresh view of autism in mind, I also have a fresh new perspective of how I will consider autistic children in my classroom. As we have learned, we must remember that each student in our classroom is unique and will learn in different ways. Therefore, it is important that I take the time to find out who my student with autism is as a person and help him/her become the highest version of that. I must start where my students with autism excel and where they are comfortable in their skin and enjoy what they are doing. I must also be open to other forms of communication and provide alternative ways for these students to communicate with myself and their peers. This might involve allowing them to use an Ipad or a computer to type what they are thinking. I don't need to make their assignments less challenging just because they can't verbally communicate. I must remember not to shelter them from the effort intertwined in learning. I will also allow my students with autism substantial time during each day to be inside their autistic self and schedule this at the same time every day. In addition, I will be sure to let them know what to expect in the classroom on a daily basis and give them choices and decision making power especially regarding their schedule. Most importantly, I must keep an open mind with these students and remember that just as they are learning from me, I can also learn from them. Most importantly, I must consider these students with patience. Establishing a communication system may take time, but everything is in a walking distance if you have the time.