Re: Our we failing our geniuses?

October 18, 2007

,

I am so glad you are home schooling your son. I tried to home school my son in

the second

grade and we both liked it. My (ex)husband would not let me do it again though.

My son was

so bored in the third grade that he literaly refused to do ANYTHING. He did not

do one single

assignment the whole year. And the teacher did not tell me till the school open

house at the

end of the year. He had to repeat the third grade. He goes to adult school now

because the

high school he was going to kicked him out because he is 18 and was not showing

that he

could do the work. California schools are so, so bad. They never challenged him.

He's very

smart.

One day we were visiting a neighbor who had a piano when he was seven. My son

had never

seen one & asked what it was and how to play it, he thought it was a game. I

told him how

and a few minutes later while the neighbor and I were in a different room we

starting hearing

this beautiful music. My son was playing the piano. And now I'm crying tears of

joy again,

that happens every time I tell anyone he played the piano. He was so good.

Kellie

October 18, 2007

I am looking at and thinking about ways to work with people on the

autism spectrum (and wanting to make sure I would have anything to

offer before I do!) I have thought of teaching but I would *have* to

be " out " and I wonder if I would even make it through a teaching

program or be dropped from the program by NTs who didn't understand.

I just saw a post on some list I am on, maybe this one, I can't

remember, about " autistic friendly colleges " so at some point I'll

see what kind of teaching programs some of them might have.

I am looking into home schooling my son. I think he is NT but he is

the quirky type and I can't imagine him sitting still in a

kindergarten room next year. And getting only 20 minutes recess.

People always mention socialization, and I was worried because I am

hardly the one to socialize someone. But he's naturally outgoing and

has made friends of every age, and is actually being " socialized " by

meeting and learning to interact with real people in real situations.

He actually has helped to socialize *me,* by always going up to

people and meeting them and asking them how they are doing etc. Since

I have to monitor him, I end up having to talk to people he meets.

This is probably " good for me. " Tee hee.

I am " out " with my employer at my part-time job, but not with

everyone there. That will come later, like when my local paper runs a

cure-oriented article and I have to write a response. I have figured

out how to do it without telling everyone on the newpspaer subscriber

list that I am on the spectrum, but I think that will give those that

know me the " aha! I knew it! " moment.

Rhonda

October 19, 2007

I am not too sure-- you would be surprised just how much an NT can assume

something, and then stick to it in the face of new, conflicting data. remember

the statement about first impressions' being hard to overcome? They know you as

NT, and I think they will continue to assume it, until you actually say

otherwise.

rhndroberts wrote:

I am " out " with my employer at my part-time job, but not with

everyone there. That will come later, like when my local paper runs a

cure-oriented article and I have to write a response. I have figured

out how to do it without telling everyone on the newpspaer subscriber

list that I am on the spectrum, but I think that will give those that

know me the " aha! I knew it! " moment.

Rhonda

__________________________________________________

October 19, 2007

,

This is so true! I have often felt that a certain percentage of my college

friends were ASpie, and after reading your post, I am thinking that if I ever

come out, I should write my alumni association newspaper, and challenge my

classmates to check it out. Of course, many are NT as well. I had run my high

school out of mathematics years earlier, and it was such a relief to enter

college, and find that there was mathematics I could take and leran there- and

plenty of it! I felt like crying for joy! In addition, there were many

students who were abandoning the " social " rules they had been taught, so i could

act like the ASpie I am, and just appear to be stylish. I sensed that it was a

place and a season, but for the first time in my life, I fit in a significant

amount of the time. Not always! I made some incredible blunders, and really

got teased, but a lot lf the time, I did fit in. I hope you get to go back to

college and find more spectrumites, and cousins. Let

me know how it turns out. What will your field be?

Montague wrote:

,

I'm so glad you teach college. I have AS and college was the first

place I felt happy and challenged. Looking back, I found a small group

of AS students and teachers to be friends with-- the first time I ever

found so many people like myself. I think that college often attracts

people on the spectrum because many people on the spectrum love

academic pursuits. I am having my second child right now and am

homebound; but I can't wait to go back to college for my PhD, where I

have a good chance of finding some local spectrumites to hang with:)

__________________________________________________

October 19, 2007

Fran(que),

This is funny! If you asked for the first three letters, there would only be

two! I am not dyslexic, but I have a story like this one: As a fifth grader, I

needed to spell the word " shot " , and could not remember how. I asked my teacher

for the first four letters, because I mixed it up with " shout " . Eventually, my

teacher ruefully gave in, and I never had to look it up!

frank oldroyd wrote:

Hi,

Regarding asking for the first three letters which would aid me in spelling

words correctly;

a quick story. I was 14 and in my English class. We had to write about the book

chapter we had just read. So I began. About 10 mins in I could not remember how

to spell a word. I knew it was an easy one and that I did know how to spell it.

With all that I was too embaraced to ask. So I clocked onto the fact that if I

began to re-read the chapter it would pop up somewhere. I eventually came across

it : us! I was so relieved and found it quite funny.

Thanks for the advice,

(que)

__,_.._,___

__________________________________________________________

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October 19, 2007

Kellie

< My son was so bored in the third grade that he literaly refused to

do ANYTHING. He did not do one single assignment the whole year.>

I've heard that many smart people on the spectrum react with

withdrawel at school. I've been known to do this from time to time.

My dad who was autistic basically flunked out of school (he would get

A's on his tests, but wouldn't do homework or sometimes wouldn't show

up for class). He barely graduated and ended up starting a business

and buying a house at 17.

<One day we were visiting a neighbor who had a piano when he was

seven. My son had never seen one & asked what it was and how to play

it, he thought it was a game. I told him how and a few minutes later

while the neighbor and I were in a different room we starting hearing

this beautiful music. My son was playing the piano. And now I'm

crying tears of joy again, that happens every time I tell anyone he

played the piano. He was so good.>

Did he ever keep up with the piano? He sounds very muscially-

talented. I love to play the piano and have one at home. My 4 year

old likes to play too.

October 19, 2007

Rhonda

<I am looking at and thinking about ways to work with people on the

autism spectrum (and wanting to make sure I would have anything to

offer before I do!)>

Please work with people on the spectrum. There are so few people

that understand autism that are working in the field. If you are on

the spectrum yourself, you will understand people on the spectrum

naturally. Our little spectrumites need people like you!

<I am looking into home schooling my son. I think he is NT but he is

the quirky type and I can't imagine him sitting still in a

kindergarten room next year.>

I would just play it by ear. If your son likes other people and is

social, he may enjoy kindergarten. My son is best described as

socially-indifferent and perhaps a bit anti-social. Social

situations are really draining for him, so after a year of preschool

(and daily crying), he asked to stay at home. I wasn't sure what to

do at first, but it became clear pretty quickly.

You sound like a good mom. Wishing you the best.

October 19, 2007

I teach at Capital U. in the Education dept. in Columbus Ohio.? We have an

excellent adult ed program (getting adults into college) and an excellent

program for preparing students to be teachers.? If you want a spectrum friendly

place, here I am!!?

Carolyn

P.S., Thanks Kellie for responding to my blog.? It was so exciting to have a

comment!!!!

________________________________________________________________________

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October 20, 2007

,

Wow! your son bought a house at 17!? That's amazing. My son only played the

piano a few

more times but I did make sure both my kids had keyboards. From the time he was

3 he

could watch a Disney movie once and later on he would recite the whole movie

from

beginning to end. He didn't just recite it word for word but he would act out

each part. He

is very theatrical and I did my best to get him into programs that would foster

his intrests

and talent. Unfortunatly in California there wasn't anything and or he and I

were prevented

from doing what he wanted. So once again we did it at home. We didn't have the

money to

get him into Hollywood, which wasn't far away. I'm sure he would have loved

that. But now

that he's 18 he can do what he want's.

BTW I like your name. Thats my daughters name, same spelling too.

Kellie

> Did he ever keep up with the piano? He sounds very muscially-

> talented. I love to play the piano and have one at home. My 4 year

> old likes to play too.

>

October 28, 2007

Hi

I am new here , but have had 1st hand experience of how NT brains work . - or

don't ]

They have set pictures in their heads - at 5 years , in 1952 , I had a hearing

test , i passed

totally as hearing . My Mum insisted that they turn me away [ duh ! ] and I

could not

respond at all .

Yet nothing was done , just put me in front of the class - hence decades of

falling behind

/ stupid / not listening / lazy etc .

Recently , a test confirmed '' severe high frequeny loss - commensurate with my

age ''

Immediate assumption that it was new , not something I have ever suffered .

But this is NOT true for me . It's accurate only by average standards . I

actually suffer from

MUCH LOUDER LOW SOUNDS - 'cos I can't lose the high sounds , if i never had them

!!!

But the imbalance causes the hurting low sounds - including '' shouting men's

voices '' -

like turning down the treble on the HI Fi .

WHY ? 10 years ago I went to Mental Health people with child bullying stuff

from my

father , and at school - clearly telling ''Them '' about ASd type lostness , and

being bullied

'cos I was bewildered and wierd .

Yet they now have it in their heads that all my dee-ficulyies stem FROM bullying

.. Others

have said the same - never tell Them about anty abuse , 'cos they close their

ears from

that point .

I had assumed , for ever , that They know best , are infallible , that I am the

odd one , but

the more I observe how NT brains ignore , or overide '' input '' which does not

suit their

picture , The more amazed I am . It's a function of the NT brain to average oit

all out - this

works fine , most of the time , but NOT when dealing with alternative ways or

seeing the

world .

I now try to find MY logic , and i find that momentarily , my friends can follow

it , but

quickly drop back into the DOMINANT REALITY .

thanks dee

> I am " out " with my employer at my part-time job, but not with

> everyone there. That will come later, like when my local paper runs a

> cure-oriented article and I have to write a response. I have figured

> out how to do it without telling everyone on the newpspaer subscriber

> list that I am on the spectrum, but I think that will give those that

> know me the " aha! I knew it! " moment.

>

> Rhonda

>

> __________________________________________________

>

October 28, 2007

----- Original Message -----

>

> Recently , a test confirmed '' severe high frequeny loss - commensurate

> with my age ''

> Immediate assumption that it was new , not something I have ever suffered

> .

That's interesting.

>

> But this is NOT true for me . It's accurate only by average standards . I

> actually suffer from

> MUCH LOUDER LOW SOUNDS - 'cos I can't lose the high sounds , if i never

> had them !!!

> But the imbalance causes the hurting low sounds - including '' shouting

> men's voices '' -

> like turning down the treble on the HI Fi .

I can't stand a lot of bass. On my stereo the bass is turned all the way

down and the treble all the way up. I also *hate* sub-woofers. Can't see how

people can listen to them; ditto for surround sound, one of the reasons I

don't go to the movies unless there's one I really want to see. Another

thing that bothers me a great deal is people, both men and women, who talk

too loud.

>

> WHY ? 10 years ago I went to Mental Health people with child bullying

> stuff from my

> father , and at school - clearly telling ''Them '' about ASd type lostness

> , and being bullied

> 'cos I was bewildered and wierd .

>

> Yet they now have it in their heads that all my dee-ficulyies stem FROM

> bullying . Others

> have said the same - never tell Them about anty abuse , 'cos they close

> their ears from

> that point .

It's frustrating.

>

> I had assumed , for ever , that They know best , are infallible , that I

> am the odd one , but

> the more I observe how NT brains ignore , or overide '' input '' which

> does not suit their

> picture , The more amazed I am . It's a function of the NT brain to

> average oit all out - this

> works fine , most of the time , but NOT when dealing with alternative ways

> or seeing the

> world .

I can relate.

D.

October 28, 2007