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I have 2 younger cousins who are autistic and an older family member who has down syndrome. For this project, I will be learning about how to properly teach and assist kids with autism. I plan to foreshadow and be hands on with students who have autism.

Personally, this project will benefit me because it will help me get a better understanding of what it is really like working with students and kids with different levels of autism but it will also benefit the children and the families of the children with autism. I love teaching them new things and words and teaching them how to play. I also teach my other cousins how to play and get along with them.

I have been working with kids and adults who have learning disabilities since for about 4 or 5 years. I want to set them up to be successful in life. I want to help them adapt learning skills and help them control their emotions. Most autistic kids do not know how to control their emotions, some have anger issues like my cousin Eric, and others are non-verbal like my cousin Iker. The best time to teach them to control their emotions is when they are younger.

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January 6th, 2020
I have gathered some information and a phone number to call and ask if I can if I can sit in on some classes to see how some teachers work with kids and how they learn certain information. If i sit in on my cousins classroom, I have to go in and get a background check and see if I fit the requirements. Most parents would not want a random student in class with their child because it can throw their day off. My tia said if they ask her if I can sit in class with her son she said she will say yes that it is fine. Kids are very well protected at the school my cousins and siblings attend so I have to go in a few times before I can actually be in a class and watch how teachers do stuff. If I don't not have time to go to the school and work with kids, I will work with my cousin at home who is Autistic.

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January 25th, 2020
I Have been working with Iker, my cousin, at home. I am to busy to go to his school to help out because I am constantly busy at school and I have to turn 18 before I start working with the kids. I don't turn 18 until February 24th which would not leave me with enough time to finish my project. It is easier for me to work with him on the weekends. Iker has a been of a stutter still and still has trouble using words when he is feeling some type of way.  We have to tell him “Looking eyes” and ask him “who hurt your feelings?” or “who did it?” because he can not find the words too use when he is crying or scared. Even when he hears someone yelling or if he knows they are mad, he will get scared and go to the person and say, “I love you” and give you a kiss on the cheek

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February 6, 2020
My cousin Eric has been attending therapies for about a year now. He's levels were very low when he started, his brain development was at the same stage as a 1 year old when he was 5. He is now six and has moved up to a 4 year old level. Eric used to get upset when his tablet would die and he would throw it on the ground or he would hit it and crack the screen. Over the summer, I taught him when the battery sign is red to get his charger and plug it in or tell his oldest sister, Jailyn. I was also teaching him how to swim and how to pour himself cereal when I was visiting during the summer. Eric would tell my grandparents or his brothers and sisters if they can pour him some cereal. When I stayed at his house for the summer, I would wake up at 6:45 everyday, drop off his sisters at summer camp and when I came back home, he would ask me to pour him cereal. So i figured, It wouldn't hurt if he knew how to pour his cereal himself. It took a couple tries before he actually got the hang of it. He does still tell someone when he is getting cereal so if he makes a mess someone will help him clean it up.

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March 3rd - 28th
Iker was bullied at school and got milk poured on him while in class and one kid had been picking on him for a few days. It set him back down to a 3 year old when he was at a 5 year old level. Little things such as someone yelling or him getting into trouble set him back really easily.
Eric ,on the other hand, has made big improvements. He does not scream and throw himself back when he gets angry. He does still make faces but he will put his hand out and say, for example, "Issac stop, I don't like that" . Issac is one of his older brothers and Issac tends to make Eric mad the most because he gets after him the most. I have a few pictures of Eric, but he hates taking pictures.

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November 9th, Eric's birthday. We video called my grandparents so sing happy birthday and he won't put his tablet down. So in order for us to get a Picture, his tablet had to be in the picture.

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Whenever we try to take pictures, this is his his first pose

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After a long day of therapy, we decided to play some games outside my grandparents house. Gianni, Eric's oldest sibling, tied his wagon to our grandparent's scooter and took him for a ride around the block.

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Iker's school gave him tickets to go to the farm by our house. He loved the goats.

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If Eric does not have his table, his takes someones phone. As you can see, it was a super hot day so he is not having it.