AS Homeschooling

Roger, I haven't. I did just look up an exerpt from one of them though, called "The Paris Match" that describes the character...looks like it would be a good book (I like reading those kinds of books, anyway). Thanks for the suggestion.

Montana -- thanks for the info! I've seen that site and love it -- I agree, that's one of the best places for information online. How long have you homeschooled your son?


You're very welcome :-) I've been home schooling for 3 years.

LibertyD--

This week's Newsweek has a feature on autism slanted to the range between "normal" girls, "normal" boys, AS and autism. The article seems to rely heavily on a book by Simon Baron-Cohen, The Essential Difference emphasizes the range of behavior.

I almost forgot:http://www.msnbc.com/news/958646.asp?

Noddy -- great article! Thanks for passing it along.

I read, recently, another article asking whether AS was simply a psycological explanation of those who are simply "weird." This kind of goes along with Baron-Cohen -- it's a "mental style that people can learn to accomodate."

Looks like that's a book I'm going to have to read.

Dave Spicer's explanation was perfect:

"“The boy didn’t understand social norms, but he spoke the truth. I think society needs us.”"

Two very useful novels which help us "normals" see how AS and Autistic minds are organized.

The first, The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon is science fiction, but Elizabeth Moon is the mother of a bright autistic son, now a teen ager.
He feels that she's done an adequate and accurate job of depicting the autistic mind.

The second, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time was written by Mark Haddon who has worked with autistic children. The novel never mentions the word "autistic" because Haddon wanted to the reader to be aware that there is no pattern autistic (or AS) kid. Like the rest of humanity, every autistic individual is unique.

LibertyD--

You might get some guesses as to how to play to your nephew's strong points and construct lessons where the payoff of intellectual insight is guaranteed.

Hold your dominion.

I'll keep an eye out for The Speed of Dark. Elizabeth Moon is without peer in her particular little corner of the genre.

Roger--

Another Elizabeth Moon fan! Wonderful. Her work is so varied. I start each new book being annoyed that she's not writing an old one again and within 25 pages, I'm enchanted.

Do you suppose we'll ever see the third volume of The Legacy of Gird?

To the best of my knowledge, I've read the entire Paksenarian (whatever) series. Educational as well as well written. She's also co-authored with others, including Ann McCaffery.

Check out: http://scifan.com/writers/mm/MoonElizabeth.asp

The whole site is very useful for f/sf addicts.

Elizabeth Moon has a new book--the first of a new series--coming out.Trading in Danger.

Thanks, again, for the wonderful book references, Noddy. Sounds like Elizabeth Moon is one to look for. Would it be good for the kid to read? He likes science fiction.

I gotta tell you, it's been interesting, the past few weeks. Truely. I've just been introducing him to some new ideas and trying to figure out where he is intellectually with each subject...it's wild how it varies. He's very advanced in everything except math, which is supposed to be the high point for AS kids. But like you said, there is no pattern for these kids. My theory is that it just wasn't explained to him in a way that he understands...let's see how that holds out. I don't know...it seems to be working out okay, though. Today, he actually created his own math problems -- and very difficult ones for a 5th grader, I might add proudly -- AND without my asking. It seems that as long as I explain to him the reason that he needs to know what I'm teaching him, he's okay with the lesson. If I don't explain the significance of the lesson to him in terms that apply to his own everyday life, he's bored and uninterested. So far, it seems as simple as that. Why is it important to know about the Declaration of Independence? That's all he needs to know, and once he knows, he's enthralled.

I can see that this is going to be a real challenge...but a good one.

LibertyD, I wish ALL teachers would provide that info. (Why it's important to know about the Declaration of Independence, and and and...) I had to do something similar with my students in L.A., and one explanation I had was just the fact of using your brain in certain ways -- creative problem solving, critical thinking -- helps you in your real life. So even if you don't actually need to know who lives in the red house, has a goldfish, and likes Mozart, the process of figuring that out is an important one that you can put to many real-life uses.

Sounds like you're doing a great job!!

Waiting on Noddy's answer, too. My own feeling is that the best of Moon would have been very advanced reading for me when in the 5th grade. I would think any of Robert Heinlein's juvenil fiction would be a better choice for most at that grade level, though you may well not care for the social and political viewpoints that work their way in.

Liberty -- I missed it if you said how old he was. I'm wondering if, besides the errands, you could take him on field trips. The planning could be a bit of education in itself and it would get him out among people, yet safely one on one with you. Depending on his age, you could expand the learning, either with material there or by keying off the exhibits. Maybe you could go to musical performances, learning ahead of time about the composer and his era. Around here there is a wealth of home-schooling opportunities. The public schools have to make a classroom available with a teacher, books, and computers. The kids go in with their parents on their own time and don't have a class, just the use of the room. The YMCA has PE programs, there are possibilities at the parks... there are so many options. I hope you can make it fun for yourself and for him. And especially, I hope it doesn't continue to so hard. <fingers crossed>

Sozobe, thanks!

Roger, don't know about the social and political views involved, but as his teacher (gulp) I'd like him to be exposed to as many as possible. I admit that I've caught myself steering him toward a particular point of view, when he asks about current events, but I do think it's important to see all sides and to make up your own mind. Free-thinking allowed in this school!

So in that light, debate might also be a subject worth diving into also, huh? heehee

Piffka -- just saw your post. Great ideas! I never thought about using the public schools as an accessory to homeschooling. I even have a school right up the street from my house. Field trips are definately in the works, but we need to work on the social skills first. He still thinks it's better to fart instead of saying "Hello, nice to meet you." Either that or he goes into this weird gaze, where he hears everything that is said but doesn't acknowledge it. He gets really stressed out when meeting new people, and that's why I'm trying to teach him slowly how to not be afraid of someone being rude or short or of him not being perfect. I know it may sound over-protective, but he's had physical effects from the stress of being out in public (especially with kids his own age) and so I'm going to try to just ease him into guided social skills. Whether it works or not, who knows -- but it's the first try.

Thanks for the good thoughts!

Forgot about that. When you start easing into socialization, I wonder if something like the Big Brother/Big Sister program might not be of some help. I'm over my head here and just tossing out the idea.

LibertyD--

The Color of Dark, has a love interest as well as being all about grownups. On the other hand, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is about a ten year old kid who has much more math ability and many fewer social skills than your nephew.

Reading The Curious Incident... with your nephew might be a useful form of self-exploration, defining individual differences and getting into "real" literature as opposed to the Wholesome Childish Books. Or it might not.

When my football mad son was about 11 he picked up one of my library books, Alphabet Jackson about a football player and read it cover to cover. Then he asked me what I thought of the book. I said I thought there was too much football for my taste. He replied that there was too much sex & drugs for his liking--and not nearly enough football.

You might check out David Eddings: http://scifan.com/writers/ee/EddingsDavid.asp

or some of the early Heinlein:
http://scifan.com/writers/hh/HeinleinRobert.asp

Better yet, make one of your errands a trip to the local library. First, get him a library card of his Very Own (and the consequent responsibilities of taking care of books and keeping back of the due back dates). Second help him confer with the Children's Librarian about what he might like to read.

If you're worried about his social behavior, call ahead and smooth the way. You are a home schooling aunt with an AS kid who needs social skills as much as books right now. For all I know there are books out there for 5th and 6th graders dealing with boyish ineptitude and happy endings.

Hold your dominion.

P.S. Make the library a regular, weekly event. Structure is important. Besides, you can pick up some relaxing reading of your own to set a good example!

Noddy...you're so right about the structure. I've been "going with the flow" so far, and I've found out that definately doesn't work except on "good days." So I talked to him today about having a regular schedule...and I think that library time is a great thing to work in there. I think he would behave okay at the library, and would go nuts over the books too, as he likes to read.

Funny story about your son's football book...I guess you just never know what's going to satisfy their little minds until they try it out

Just thought I would update on this -- Nephew is doing great -- homeschooling is going great -- life is really good with this method!

We're both figuring out how he learns and he is actively participating in it. In fact, he really gets into school now.

With the math, we've discovered that simply writing the problems in a different way makes a difference in his comprehension. So, math really isn't the problem that we thought it was...it was simply the way it was presented visually.

He is *totally* into karate now...so much that he wants to go 3 times a week instead of the required 2 times a week. He is also taking violin lessons...not sure about that yet, but I have a good feeling about it.

And...the "zone outs" are happening less and less. I think that the karate lessons and the fabulous teachers he has has a lot to do with that.

But anyway, thanks a lot for your advice. I really appreciate it and it's helped. This place is great...thanks again and again!!!

I feel good all over. Thanks for the update.