In May 2014, ParaEducate suffered a blog melt down, causing the loss of nearly all their posts. We were able to recover some of the blog, and we were lucky to find our 2013 Flashblog for Autism Positivity. This was written by ParaEducate’s Megan Gross (before she left). Originally posted 4/30/2013
We are thrilled to participate in the 2013 Autism Positivity Flashblog. Over the years we have learned so much from our students with Autism that sometimes it seems they are the teachers. What have your students taught you?
30 Things We’ve Learned from our Ausome students…
1. Verbal communication is not a prerequisite for practical jokes and a sense of humor
2. Disney Channel bands and pop stars are really important and cool if you’re not an adult
3. Baby steps and setbacks can lead to giant leaps and growth
4. Life is not made up solely of discrete trials
5. YouTube is awesome
6. Honesty is the best policy
7. Access to non-fiction text is important for all ages
8. Life is better with cookies in the afternoon
9. Puberty and raging hormones are a fact of life
10. Rallies in the gym are too loud for most students and faculty
11. Good friends (and support staff) help you overcome your fears on your terms
12. Joy
13. Technology is a great equalizer if you’re given access and support to learn how to use it
14. The stuff we’re most passionate about in life can provide opportunities we never imagined
15. Sometimes the photographer has the best view
16. Miscommunications often lead to misperceptions
17. There’s a lot to learn about growing up from Toy Story
18. Down time is important
19. We all like to ‘fidget’ with things
20. The week before a vacation can be exciting and stressful
21. It’s not always easy to get back in the swing of things on a Monday
22. Forgiveness is priceless
23. The same rule can have several interpretations
24. School schedules are not always the most accommodating
25. When told not to shove the popcorn in by the handful, the best solution is to walk out the door and shove it in by the handful.
26. There’s a lot we didn’t know about history, dinosaurs, trains, wooly mammoths, and High School Musical
27. It’s fun to surprise your teachers
28. Sometimes the movie is better than the book
29. Being referred to as ‘Squidward’ is not a compliment
30. Acceptance is not something to take for granted
ParaEducate’s Blog will sign off for the summer on May 28, 2015. Did you enjoy the refresher from memory lane? Are you interested in participating as a Guest Blogger for ParaEducate? Do you have a question for us? ParaEducate just joined Pinterst! Find ParaEducate online here, here, here and here. ParaEducate is company interested in providing materials, information, and strategies for people working in special education inclusion settings for grades K-12. ParaEducate, the blog, is published weekly during the academic school year on Thursdays, unless a holiday. ParaEducate shares their findings at conferences, through their books, and their academic adaptations.