Purse Designed by Student With Autism Becomes International Sensation

Dinosaur Purse1 copyEven if you don’t care about the world of fashion or keep a scorecard on the various diplomats who visit the White House, chances are you’ll still be interested in this story. This past week, when the Prime Minister of Singapore visited President Obama, his wife Lee Ho Ching was photographed carrying a simple and fun dinosaur clutch bag designed not by a famous designer, but by a 20-year-old man with autism.

It turns out that Mrs. Lee is an advisor to the Pathlight School, the first autism-focused school in Singapore. The school has an Artist Development Programme (ADP) and the items designed by ADP students are featured at its Art Faculty, to “promote the special talents of people with autism and related challenges.” Mrs. Lee brought three purses designed by ADP students to the U.S. for her visit, deciding at the last minute to use the blue dinosaur bag designed by Sheng Jie.

While Sheng Jie’s parents were amazed that their son’s design made it into the international spotlight, his father said that his son doesn’t realize the impact that his design made. He explained: “He is just happy when we tell him someone likes what he’s made.”

Sheng Jie makes dinosaur designs right from his head, without relying on any pictures or photos. His parents said he became obsessed with dinosaurs after watching the Disney movie “Dinosaur” when he was just 3 years old. It was the first movie he’d ever sat still for, and he was soon sculpting clay dinosaurs. He went on to create his own dinosaur encyclopedia, featuring his artwork as well as descriptions of each dinosaur. Although Sheng Jie doesn’t talk much, he loves to name all of the dinosaurs from A to Z.

Dinosaur Purse2 copy

In 2011, after teachers noticed his artistic abilities, Sheng Jie became one of the first students in Pathlight’s Artist Development Programme. Professional artists work with the ADP students to help them develop their talent. When possible, the work of the students is turned into merchandise to benefit both the program and the students, who earn royalties on every sale. Sheng Jie’s dinosaur drawings are featured on pouches such as the one that Mrs. Lee carried, as well as notebooks and notecards. The specific pouch showcased by Mrs. Lee sold out within 24 hours.

Linda Kho, Pathlight’s principal, told the BBC, “We were pleasantly surprised and honoured that she chose to bring this bag on her official visit. It gave such a great mileage for the artist on our Artist Development Programme (ADP).”

Mrs. Lee also gifted Mrs. Obama a set of mugs and cups featuring the artwork of another ADP student. We know it’s unlikely, but we think it would be great if they became a permanent White House installation!

His First Time at the Theatre

Child Theatre1My son Ethan has fallen in love with the Gruffalo series. It is safe to say that, at times, our house has been taken over by the Gruffalo and the big bad mouse. From reading the books to watching the DVDs, making our very own Gruffalo teddy bear and pom-pom figures, and even taking a walk through a real-life Gruffalo trail. You name it, we have done it.

When I saw that The Gruffalo’s Child was being shown at our local theatre, I was quick off the mark to make sure we had tickets. If ever a new experience arises that Ethan has never done before, I try to make sure that we put our names down for it.

Activites such as going to the cinema or to the theatre can be a no-go for families who have children with autism or other special needs. There is such a huge level of planning ahead required: running through what will happen, how you’ll get there, etc. Then, by the time you get to the place, your child might be too overwhelmed by the environment to actually stay and enjoy the movie or play.

The day finally arrived for us to go and see Ethan’s first theatre show; it is always interesting to see what Ethan’s reaction will be. We prepared him for two days, telling him what we were going to see, where the show would be held, and who we would see once we were there. It helps Ethan cope a bit better when he knows what will be happening ahead of time.

We got to the theatre and there were a lot of excited children captivated by the thought of what they were about to see. There were also pictures of The Gruffalo Child on sticks; we got Ethan a stick that he immediately fell in love with and held proudly.

Stepping into the theatre, I looked around for our seats, and then realised that the tickets I had ordered were for seats located one row from the front. One part of me was really pleased with the fact that we were up-close and personal with the characters, while the other part of me thought, “How will Ethan deal with the proximity of our chairs to the stage?”

By this point, I had Ethan in my arms–he was unsure about the lighting in the room, the number of people, and the level of noise being given off. When we’re home, depending on where Ethan is in the house, he usually has to have every light on before he can walk around confidently. The sound of people chatting and laughing is something that I can filter out for the most part, but for Ethan it can be unbearable for him as he struggles to process sounds.

After finding our seats, we tried to put Ethan in the middle seat to stop him from wandering off mid-play. However, he refused to leave my lap, clinging onto me for dear life. With his hands over his ears, he sat on my lap, repeating the words, “don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me,” over and over again. He felt safe and comforted in this position.

Sure, other people saw Ethan, his body language, and his size  (he’s very tall for his age), and likely wondered why he was acting this way. I didn’t care–my main thought was whether Ethan would be able to enjoy the story that he had come to love, or whether he would have a complete meltdown before it even began. I hugged him tightly, rubbing his hand to calm him, and told him about the book to familiarise him with what he was about to see. The lights dimmed; everyone fell silent.

Ethan spent the first five minutes with his hands over his face, and no amount of coersion was able to get him to take his hands away. I was just happy that he was still sitting. If it meant he had to watch the whole play through his fingers, so be it.

As the play went on, he slowly but surely let his hands down. He became engrossed in the characters, the storytelling, and the singing and dancing. He wasn’t so keen for me or his daddy to sing along with the story or get him involved. It was very much on his own terms or not at all.

As his mum, I was so happy that he was enjoying this new experience. He adapted so well to the environment, going from being completely overwhelmed to clapping along, laughing his little socks off, and generally interacting with the characters. It was such a heartwarming thing to experience with him: I couldn’t help but smile proudly, with a little happy tear in my eye,  to see him so happy and enjoying something that he relates to in such a huge way.

Ethan seems to adjust really well to new situations, so that will continue to drive me to put him outside of his comfort zone. It will be small baby steps–nothing too extreme–but things that I know he will enjoy and love. I guess skydiving is a few years away yet!!

 

{The original version of this post appeared first on Mummy Logs.}

Finding the Laughter in Autism

aspiecomic1You’ve likely heard the expression, “Laughter is the best medicine,” more times than you can count. When it comes to his performances, 20-year-old Canadian Michael McCreary is counting on the fact that comedy really does make a lot of things better.

Michael is known as the “Aspie Comic,” and he’s been doing stand-up comedy routines since he was 14. In a profession that relies on a quick wit and making connections with strangers in a crowd, Asperger’s may seem like an improbable fit. However, Michael says that his autism provides the fuel for his comedy. “Comedy is one of the only mediums that turns failure into a strength — turns it into a weapon that you can use to entertain people.”

During tough times in grades 7 and 8, his parents encouraged him to write out his feelings in a journal. The journal soon gave way to any piece of paper he could find, and the venting soon turned into punchlines. As so many comics before him have also discovered, Michael realized that when he made fun of himself onstage, he could get the last laugh.

Michael describes himself as an extrovert, and compares some social situations to drowning, attesting that it’s hard to be surrounded by so many people every day and be unable to form a connection with any of them. His comedy helps him form that connection through laughter. While some may say the laughter is coming at his own expense, as he makes jokes out of some of his life experiences, Michael is only too happy to do it. “It’s less like a comedy show and more like group therapy,” he said.

Of his performance, his mother says, “I love the way…the audience responds to it… There’s a lot of people who follow him that are also on the spectrum…and it helps teach them how to manage it, how to laugh at yourself, how to laugh at other people or laugh at people who laugh at you.”

Michael has performed more than 150 times, mainly at autism conferences, but is working on going more mainstream; to reach more people in his quest to redefine “normal.”

As for his audience, Michael says: “I’m hoping that they laugh first, and learn second. I’m hoping they have a good time, but retain that we can also laugh…we also have a sense of humor…we can belong as well.” When asked to define “we,” he clarifies, “People with Asperger’s, autism, on the spectrum, you know? We also have a sense of humor.”

Recipe for Success: Young Chef With Autism Gets His Dream Job

Autistic Chef1

Photo: Kate Geraghty

Every story about somebody successfully pursuing their dream is a story worth telling. When that person has to overcome more than the usual roadblocks to pursue that dream, their success becomes even more heartwarming. Such is the case with Jack Studholme, a 20 year-old living in Australia.

Jack, who has autism, just landed his dream job as an apprentice chef at Catalina, a very popular restaurant in Sydney. While he always liked to help out his mom in the kitchen, it was the completion of a hospitality certification at a TAFE institution (in Australia, TAFE institutions provide “technical and further education”) that opened the door to his future.

Social media also played a part—Michael McMahon, the owner of Catalina, first saw Jack’s photo on Facebook. Jack was dressed in his chef whites, receiving an award from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance’s (CPA) Transition to Work program, which assists people with various special needs. Next to Jack’s photo was the hashtag #hireme, and the social media plea worked.

Samantha Lawler, Jack’s mom, said that the Facebook photo had many wonderful responses, including McMahon’s. Jack interviewed with the restaurant management and then had a two-day trial, to see whether it was the right environment. It wasn’t easy for Jack at first—he had to overcome sensitivities to heat and noise, as well as the usual pressures of learning new skills and working in a busy restaurant’s kitchen. But he had help from the CPA, and his co-workers.

“We have around 34 kitchen staff here…and they have all taken him under their wing. Everyone loves caring for him and they respect him, which makes me really happy,” explained restaurateur McMahon.

Jack works three days a week at Catalina, under the supervision of the head pastry chef. He has various tasks, including making the daily bread from start to finish, washing salads, and plating. Jack is happy, as his mother explained: “Working at Catalina has definitely changed Jack’s life and has given him real belief in his abilities.”

It Was Never Just a Steak: Date Night as an Adult With Autism

Laura James, a journalist with autism, has learned to navigate the world as best she can. Going out to dinner, she says, “works best when I have a number of rules in place.” These include: knowing the restaurant well, knowing the menu well, and knowing what she’s going to order before she even gets there. But what happens when she and her husband go to a new restaurant?

Watch the video to see how a nice night out can become overwhelming for somebody with autism. Would you cope as well as Laura has learned to?

To the Mom at the Water Park: Your Kids Gave Me Hope

When Stephanie Skaggs took her 5-year-old daughter Baylee to Kentucky Kingdom last Friday, she didn’t plan on talking to another mom there about her kids’ behavior. But before their visit to the water park was done, that’s exactly what she did. And, because Stephanie wasn’t sure she got her point across, she decided to tell the entire story on her Facebook page when she got home.

What awful thing happened that forced one mom to have to talk to another mom about the way her kids had treated her daughter? Well, it’s not what you’d expect.

Baylee has autism, and is mostly non-verbal. Stephanie had been working with Baylee on waiting in line for the water slide as patiently as possible. She had developed a whole routine for her daughter, and her daughter was learning it, and showing more patience, each time they got in the line. Unfortunately, not every child successfully waits their turn, and soon enough, Baylee was getting cut in line. As Stephanie wrote, “for the most part no big deal, except for a kiddo like mine, who really doesn’t mind much that she had to wait longer, but is very upset that the steps of the routine she just learned are now out of whack.”

As parents, grandparents, and teachers know, coping with unexpected changes is not something that comes easily to most kids with autism, and Stephanie braced herself for either Baylee’s reaction or other people’s reaction to Baylee’s reaction. That, Stephanie wrote to the unknown mom, “is when your daughter looked up at me and said ‘she can go ahead of me.’” Baylee hadn’t even had time to get upset, so Stephanie chalked up the girl’s behavior to her just being sweet and well-mannered.

It wasn’t long before Baylee got cut in line again, and again the child in front her—this time a boy—let her go before him. Stephanie again praised a child she didn’t know for his kindness and good manners. She was surprised to find two different children who seemed to intuitively know how to be kind to Baylee. Then she saw them together and figured out they were siblings.

“I told them both how great it was that they looked out for someone who was different.. and the difference that small acts of kindness make even if it doesn’t seem like much. They really touched my heart.”

Then Stephanie asked the boy to point out his mother, so she could praise her for raising two compassionate children:

“When I came to you and told you about my experience with your kids and told you that they were super kids and you are doing a great job, you said ‘I don’t know about that.’”

Most of us are never totally sure that we’re raising our kids as well as we intend to, or that they’ll take our words and turn them into actions. It’s obvious to all of us, except this mom, that she’s doing a fantastic job. We could use more like her.

As Stephanie went on in her Facebook post:

“Sure your children’s kindness helped in that moment to avoid a meltdown, and that is kind of a big deal for kids on the spectrum, but I will tell you what is an even bigger deal though, and that is that it gave me some HOPE! When I looked at those sweet little faces, filled with pride as I praised them, it made me happy to know that more moms are raising their children the way you are! So I just wanted to take the opportunity again to thank you and let you know you are doing a really really good job!”

We heartily agree!

Apple Store Field Trips: Apples, Smiles, and Superman

Apple Store Visit

As an Apple Distinguished Educator and the head of Instructional Technology at Wildwood School in New York State—a comprehensive educational program for students with autism spectrum disorders, neurological impairments, and complex learning disabilities—I am thrilled with the opportunity to set up multiple trips to our local Apple store. I work closely with our educators and the store’s educational team to provide a fun and meaningful learning experience for our students with autism and developmental disabilities.

Recently, some students from every level, along with some of the adults in our Day Hab program, went to the Apple store at Crossgates Mall in Albany. We had already decided on the general topic, and students would be creating digital memory books using iPads and the app Comic Life 3. During past field trips, we used iMovie, Keynote, and several other creation tools.  To prepare for this specific trip, I had asked the staff to familiarize themselves with Comic Life 3 and have the students do some pre-planning so they could focus on the experience when they were in the Apple store.

The beauty of these trips is that all students have the opportunity to share their voice. With the support of the educational store team and our staff, students become creators, authors, communicators, and collaborators. No matter the device, students can create and share their voice by whatever means works for them. Whether they use built-in accessibility features to communicate in pictures, voice, text, or a combination of two or three, every single person creates a product that represents who they are and the memories that are meaningful to them. Every single individual has a voice and has the opportunity to share that with others.

These trips are about far more than simply creating—they’re more about the process than the product. They allow students to work on important and essential skills, and the Apple store educators understand and embrace this. For some students, it’s about walking and navigating a mall/store safely. For others, it’s about seeking out a staff person and asking for help. Some students practice waiting skills, and others practice collaboration and cooperation skills. There are endless opportunities for skills practice and generalization.

With the support of everyone involved, and a fun and engaging project as the foundation, every student finds success, shares their voice, and leaves with a smile. Thanks to the Apple store, they also leave with a t-shirt and a USB bracelet with their project on it (or something similar), so they can share it with their families, their peers, and school staff. I have witnessed students hurry back into the school after a field trip, and immediately ask to share their work with others. The ability to see their products on the large screen is amazing, but pales in comparison to the look of pride on their faces. Then to see their educational team extend these lessons, sometimes through the entire year, is really something special.

For some pictures, samples, and smiles from this specific trip, please see the pinned post on my Educational Technology for All Learners Page. I would love if you join in this community with me and share your related stories and experiences as well.

I encourage you to reach out to your local Apple Store and learn more about what they offer for field trips and other group trips. The focus is on the individual; ensuring they have a memorable and meaningful learning experience. The impact the Apple store staff has on their community is great and often goes unnoticed. They are more than a retail store: They are educators and advocates with a passion to create positive change in the lives of those around them. One of the educational creative team members at Apple Crossgates recently reminded me of a memory she cherishes from our first trip to the store years ago. “The first year you brought students to the store when I was here, there was a young man who wrote an alphabet book in Keynote,” she shared. “At the end he said, ‘I wrote a book! I’m like Superman!’ It inspires me regularly and reminds me of how important your work is and Wildwood’s work is, as well as the small contributions we can make from this store.”

Let’s give all of our students and children the opportunity to share their voice with the world, in whatever way possible. Let’s keep creating, collaborating, communicating … and proudly smiling.

In the words of Steve Jobs: “What is Apple, after all? Apple is about people who think ‘outside the box,’ people who want to use computers to help them change the world, to help them create things that make a difference, and not just to get a job done.”

Not Your Typical Therapy Pets

Pygmy Goats4Pygmy Goats
Thanks to his mom, Alicia, 16-year-old Jackson Seaton is the happy owner of not just one, but two pygmy goats. Though they don’t live with him at his home, Jackson and Alicia visit the goats—named Jasper and Zephyr—often, at a farm in Folsom, California. Alicia got the goats after hearing other success stories about children with autism using therapy goats, and hoped they’d help Jackson out, too.

She bought them from Kathy Griffith of Griffith’s Pygmies in Meadow Vista. Kathy has two daughters with learning disabilities, and she’s happy to have been able to help out several families with autism. “Being able to give back to these kids, where others may not take the time to do so” she explains, “just means the world to me.” In addition to training some of the pygmies to be therapy goats, Kathy also breeds and shows them. The goats can be smarter than dogs, and research has shown that they’re entirely capable of building emotional relationships with humans.

Pygmy Goats2

Jackson cares for the two goats, not just feeding them, but also talking to them and learning to love them. His mom watches as Jackson reads to a goat; its head cradled in his lap. She considers it a success just to get him out of the house, off electronics, and into the fresh air, but also says that he’s becoming more vocal because of his interaction with the goats. Even his speech teacher has noticed the improvement, as Jackson tells her stories about the goats.

Jackson’s mom says the goats make him feel just like everybody else. “I love them,” he stated.

His Laughter Is Contagious

Justin Sellers, the photographer for Jackson, Mississippi’s Clarion Ledger, recently attempted to interview his younger brother, Jack, about a summer camp for children with autism spectrum disorders that Jack attends.

Center Ridge Outpost was built and is run by Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi. The organization hosts both children and adults with autism, with the goal of giving them the quintessential camp experience of friendships and activities, and even a little independence. It also aims to improve campers’ social skills.

As Jack was explaining to his brother in the interview, “It has a zipline, and archery and you can have dinner and go swimming. And I made a lot of new friends.”

However, Center Ridge Outpost is relatively rural, and while Justin was interviewing Jack, cows started mooing. The result is pure gold: Jack in a fit of giggles.

To learn more about Center Ridge Outpost and see the entire video, click here.

The Moments That Take Our Breath Away

Angela
Parenting a child with autism is exhausting. It leaves parents with much bigger challenges than we ever thought we would have to endure in our parenting years.  It comes with heartache and I can tell you multiple stories on that subject alone. However, it also comes with pure joy. Yes, that’s right, I said joy! Now don’t get me wrong; I have had my days and nights where I have cried countless tears and guess what? Five years on this journey and I am still crying. I don’t cry every day, nor do I cry every week, but the heartache and tears are still there and they are not going away. It’s just part of the journey.

But, there is lots of joy on this rollercoaster ride. The joy that we experience is taken to a level that most parents of typical children know nothing about and that’s because of the heartache we experience before the joy.

As special needs parents, we know the heartache of watching our children live a life full of challenges–challenges that range anywhere from cognitive, physical, social impairment, and sensory processing challenges to speech impairments and much more. Nonetheless, we go throughout our day experiencing those challenges firsthand. We get so accustomed to those challenges that we don’t even realize the heartache we experience because of them, until the moment comes that takes all our sorrow and tears away.

It could be hearing your child say your name for the first time in months. It might be watching your child take his first steps after years of hard work. Honestly, it could even be watching your child enter a store without a meltdown for the first time. Those moments are the moments we live for as special needs parents. Those are the moments that take our breath away and make us appreciate the joys that come along with special needs parenting.

I am all too familiar with how easily the joy can be forgotten when the struggles take over. I know how frustrating it can be when you know your child can do something but his disability just simply won’t let him that day. I know! I understand! I walk that walk with your every single day. Nonetheless, let’s not forget how we feel in that moment when our child makes the tiniest milestone feels like the biggest accomplishment ever!

That heartache that you’ve been experiencing is not fun, to say the least. However, it makes that joyful moment feel that much better! It makes all the hours of therapy… all the sleepless nights… all the tears… all the heartache worth it. It humbles us. It softens our hearts. It makes us a better person.

If I can leave you with anything from this, it is to remember that there are others out there just like you. There are countless other families who cry those same tears every day. They, too, reach that same emotional peak when that small milestone is reached. If anyone understands that feeling, it is you and me. We are special needs parents. We take the good along with the bad and make the most of it. It is, after all, all that we can do.