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Memory is the ongoing process of information retention over time. Because it makes up the very framework through which we make sense of and take action within the present, its importance goes without saying. But how exactly does it work? And how can teachers apply a better understanding of its inner…

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Tips:

-Instead of using student names, let kids choose their own names AND assign them a number so you can track their progress.

-Are students getting a bit too competitive? You can assign a game as opposed to a podium.

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Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!

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Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to 1+ billion players every year at school, at work, and at home.

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Goalbook Toolkit increases teacher capacity throughout the special education process from developing higher quality and standards aligned IEPs through implementing them with more effective specially designed instruction.

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A new school year is about to begin. Are you ready? One of the best ways to get back into the groove is to write your teacher introduction letter to parents. This is a great time to reflect on previous years while setting an intention for the year ahead. Take time to curate the message you want to send, but don't stress over it. We've put together some tips and examples to help you get started.

Tips for Writing a Teacher Introduction Letter to Parents

Make a friendly introduction

Set the tone for your letter (and the school year!) by using a warm and friendly voice to introduce yourself to parents and students. Personalize this section by including the student's name and class information. This is also helpful for parents who may have more than one child at the school.

Give them your background

Take a moment to highlight your education, experience, and skills to give them a better idea of your professional background and qualifications. Be sure to share any special training or certifications you've received as well as any goals you've set for the year.

Tell them why you are a teacher

There are many reasons why parents might find it harder and harder to leave their children in a classroom. Showcase your passion, teaching philosophy, and love for being a teacher, and let them know you are open and available to discuss any of their concerns during the school year.

Teacher Introduction Letter to Parents Examples

Starting school for the first time can be intimidating. Welcoming preschoolers to an adventure can help reframe the experience and make it more exciting.

Use your teacher introduction letter to parents to let them know that you want to be a team. Build a rapport and encourage them to share all of the things they love about their child.

It's important to give parents important information about your educational and professional background, but you can also use this space to share some personal details to help them get to know you better.

While it's essential to send out teacher introduction letters, why not ask for one in return? Invite parents to share anything and everything they want you to know at the beginning of the school year so you can get on the same page.

Let parents know that they are part of an extended family based in your classroom. Welcome them to be involved, set "family rules," and make it clear that they have a seat at the table.

With your teacher introduction letter, consider including a one-sheet reference of important information about things like classroom rules, communication, volunteering, and the class website.

Consider including a personal image of your family in your letter at the beginning of the year. Whether it's you and your partner, your kids, or fur babies, this can help you make an immediate connection with parents.

After the long summer break, back to school can be a stressful time. Help students and their families stay on track by including a helpful checklist with your teacher introduction letter.

Want to take your efforts to the next level? Add a QR code that parents can scan. This will open a recording of you reading the letter to your students!

Don't want to get overly personal or technical? That's OK! You can still write a great teacher introduction letter that gives students and parents the information they need while respecting your privacy.

Here's another example of a customizable letter using technology to offer additional information without having to overstuff your letter or print out unnecessary pages. The QR code keeps things sleek and simple.

In some situations, less is more. If you want to keep your teacher introduction letter to parents short, this customizable minimalist design might be perfect for you.

This fun teacher introduction letter template is easy to personalize and has just enough space (no pun intended) for the essentials. You can easily add more information or keep it short and sweet.

This groovy design has a retro feel and a clean design. The bullets are a great way to share a lot of information without cluttering up your letter.

We love the blocks used in this editable teacher introduction letter to parents. It looks clean and tidy, but the colors keep it fun and fresh.

Do you have more great teacher introduction letter examples? Share in the comments below!

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15 Brilliant Examples of Teacher Introduction Letters to Parents

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Get ready and set the tone for the new school year with these great teacher introduction letter to parents examples.

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Teach Kids to Manage Big Feelings Through Effective Social Emotional Learning

Over 80% of U.S. public schools reported in 2022 on the negative impact of the pandemic on child well-being and self-regulation. Kids are:

Struggling to manage their feelings and mental health

More disruptive in the classroom

Needing additional social, emotional, and behavioral support

(source: National Center for Education Statistics)

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The Zones of Regulation is a complete social-emotional learning curriculum, created to teach children self-regulation and emotional control.

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Rethinking Schools is a nonprofit publisher and advocacy organization dedicated to sustaining and strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism.

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Zaretta Hammond - 4 Myths about Culturally Relevant Pedagogy 

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Zaretta Hammond - 4 Myths about Culturally Relevant Pedagogy 

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: 4 Misconceptions | Cult of Pedagogy

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In some cases, teachers think they’re practicing culturally responsive teaching, when in fact, they’re kind of not. Zaretta Hammond helps clear things up.

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The Work of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Specialists

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Understanding Culturally Responsive Teaching 

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Understanding Culturally Responsive Teaching 

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An analysis of teaching standards in all 50 states to better understand whether states incorporate culturally responsive teaching.

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Pear Deck is on a mission to help teachers create powerful learning moments for every student, every day - using the tools you already know and love.

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Abolitionist Teaching Network | Education Without Limits

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Develops and supports the struggle for educational liberation through instructional resources, podcasts, teaching tools, and direct action. Abolitionist Teaching Network uses inclusive language throughout its resources. ATN’s Guide for Racial Justice and Abolitionist Social & Emotional Learning is a starting point for abolitionist teaching and learning.

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The tribal courts both incorporate traditional values and hold up an example to the nation about the possibilities of alternative dispute resolution. [They] have much to offer to the tribal communities, and much to teach the other court systems operating in the United States.
- The Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, former Supreme Court Justice

Two Native American judges reach back to traditional concepts of justice in order to reduce incarceration rates, foster greater safety for their communities, and create a more positive future for their youth. By addressing the root causes of crime, they are providing models of restorative justice that are working. Mainstream courts across the country are taking notice.

Click on the links below for:

|

Meet our featured judges and the people whose cases we followed
in the film in this brand new trailer, less than five minutes long.
(Press above to view full screen)

SOCIAL JUSTICE
AWARD

GRAND PRIX
RIGOBERTA-MENCHÚ

BEST DIRECTOR

BEST DOCUMENTARY

NOMINEE
BEST DOCUMENTARY

AUDIENCE AWARD

The Honorable Abby Abinanti
Abby Abinanti, Chief Judge of the Yurok Tribe on the North Coast of California, is the first Native American woman to pass the California bar exam. She established the first tribal-run clean slate program in the country to help members expunge criminal records, and focuses on keeping young people out of jail, in school and with their people. She has also served as Appellate Judge for the Colorado River Indian Tribe; Judge for the Hopi Tribal Court and Shoeshone-Bonnock Tribal Court; Chief Magistrate on the Court of Indian Offenses for the Hoopa Valley Tribal Court; and Tribal Courts Evaluator for the Indian Justice Center and the American Indian Justice Center.

Yurok Judge Abby Abinanti with
Judge Christopher Wilson of Humboldt County

The Honorable Claudette White
Judge White has served as Chief Judge for the Quechan Tribal Court since 2005. She also rides circuit, serving in tribal courts throughout Southern Arizona and California, including the Fort McDowell Indian Community, Ak-Chin Indian Community, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community and Tonto Apache Tribal Courts. She is President of the Arizona Indian Judges Association, and is a member of the Arizona Tribal, State and Federal Court Forum and the newly formed California Tribal Court/State Court Forum. She works closely with families, state court judges, probation officers and social workers to ensure the best outcomes for families and children.

Quechan Judge Claudette White & Judge Juan
Ulloa of Imperial County

FILMING TRIBAL JUSTICE:
A SLIDESHOW

Tribal Justice Credits
Producer/Director: Anne Makepeace
Executive Producer: Ruth Cowan
Production Consultant: Jennifer Walter
Co-Producer: Daniel Golding (Quechan)
Production Consultant: Lori Nesbitt (Yurok)

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The tribal courts both incorporate traditional values and hold up an example to the nation about the possibilities of alternative dispute resolution. [They] have much to offer to the tribal communities, and much to teach the other court systems operating in the United States.

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Our programs for grades 5-12 are medically accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive. Our newest curriculum, Teen Talk Adapted for All Abilities , is uniquely designed for students with special needs. to learn more!

Our suite of programs for parents and guardians helps adults gain comfort and confidence in talking with their young person, while building community amongst other parents.

Want the latest news in sexuality? Interested in tips to talk with your kids about sex and relationships? Sign up for our newsletter!

A decade of sexual health education experience in California.

What does "inclusive" mean when it comes to sex ed? Learn how our staff are working towards expanding on this ever important topic, institutionally and in the classroom.

Immigrant Youth Deserve Equal Access to Quality Sex Ed

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Our programs for grades 5-12 are medically accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive. Our newest curriculum, Teen Talk Adapted for All Abilities , is uniquely designed for students with special needs. to learn more! Our suite of programs for parents and guardians helps adults gain comfort and confidence in talking with their young person, while building community amongst other parents.

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PBIS World | A Complete Tier 1 Through Tier 3 Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports System

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PBIS World is in no way affiliated, associated, or connected with any other website, entity, organization, or federal, state, local, or other government agency, department, program, policy, organization, or initiative.

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​Shawn Ginwright is a university professor, author, activist, and youth program leader. He is also a leading voice in the expanded learning field, deepening our understanding of new concepts and frameworks by bringing in the importance of context, culture, and race.

Dr. Ginwright recently authored an article entitled Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement. Below we offer a few excerpts from his article and urge everyone to read it in its entirety.

"Practitioners and policy stakeholders have recognized the impact of trauma on learning, and healthy development. Trauma informed care broadly refers to a set of principles that guide and direct how we view the impact of severe harm on young people's mental, physical and emotional health. Trauma informed care encourages support and treatment to the whole person, rather than focus on only treating individual symptoms or specific behaviors.

While trauma informed care offers an important lens to support young people who have been harmed and emotionally injured, it also has its limitations. For me, I realized the term slipped into the murky water of deficit based, rather than asset driven strategies to support young people who have been harmed. Without careful consideration of the terms we use, we can create blind spots in our efforts to support young people."

He goes on to explain how current formulations of trauma informed care presumes that the trauma is an individual experience, rather than a collective one:

"To illustrate this point, researchers have shown that children in high violence neighborhoods all display behavioral and psychological elements of trauma...

Second, trauma informed care requires that we treat trauma in people but provides very little insight into how we might address the root causes of trauma in neighborhoods, families, and schools. If trauma is collectively experienced, this means that we also have to consider the environmental context that caused the harm in the first place. By only treating the individual we only address half of the equation leaving the toxic systems, policies and practices neatly intact.
Third, the term trauma informed care runs the risk of focusing on the treatment of pathology (trauma), rather than fostering the possibility (well-being). What is needed is an approach that allows practitioners to approach trauma with a fresh lens which promotes a holistic view of healing from traumatic experiences and environments. One approach is called healing centered, as opposed to trauma informed. A healing centered approach is holistic involving culture, spirituality, civic action and collective healing. A healing centered approach views trauma not simply as an individual isolated experience, but rather highlights the ways in which trauma and healing are experienced collectively."

Dr. Ginwright goes on to offer some thoughts on practice and policy: "Shifting from trauma informed care or treatment to healing centered engagement requires youth development stakeholders to expand from a treatment based model which views trauma and harm as an isolated experience, to an engagement model which supports collective well-being. Here are a few notes to consider in building healing centered engagement.
​ Healing centered engagement begins by building empathy with young people who experience trauma... However, building empathy is critical to healing centered engagement. To create this empathy, I encourage adult staff to share their story first, and take an emotional risk by being more vulnerable, honest and open to young people.

Fostering empathy allows for young people to feel safe sharing their experiences and emotions. The process ultimately restores their sense of well-being because they have the power name and respond to their emotional states.
​

Encourage young people to dream and imagine!
An important ingredient in healing centered engagement is the ability to acknowledge the harm and injury, but not be defined by it. Perhaps one of the greatest tools available to us is the ability to see beyond the condition, event or situation that caused the trauma in the first place.
Research shows that the ability to dream and imagine is an important factor to foster hopefulness, and optimism both of which contributes to overall well-being. Daily survival and ongoing crisis management in young people's lives make it difficult to see beyond the present. The greatest casualty of trauma is not only depression and emotional scares, but also the loss of the ability to dream and imagine another way of living.

By creating activities and opportunities for young people to play, reimagine, design and envision their lives this process strengthens their future goal orientation. These are practices of possibility that encourage young people to envision what they want to become, and who they want to be.

Build critical reflection and take loving action.
Healing and well-being are fundamentally political not clinical. This means that we have to consider the ways in which the policies and practice and political decisions harm young people. Healing in this context also means that young people develop an analysis of these practices and policies that facilitated the trauma in the first place. Without an analysis of these issues, young people often internalize, and blame themselves for lack of confidence. Critical reflection provides a lens by which to filter, examine, and consider analytical and spiritual responses to trauma.
The other key component, is taking loving action, by collectively responding to political decisions and practices that can exacerbate trauma. By taking action, (e.g. school walkouts, organizing peace march, or promoting access to healthy foods) it builds a sense of power and control over their lives. Research has demonstrated that building this sense of power and control among traumatized groups is perhaps one of the most significant features in restoring holistic well-being."

Dr. Ginwright has spoken at three of our How Kids Learn conferences. You can view his presentations here:

HKL 1, HKL 1, Dr. Shawn Ginwright is Associate Professor of Education, and African American Studies at San Francisco State University and the author of part 1
part 2

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Hope and Healing in Urban Education: How Activists are Reclaiming Matters of the Heart.

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Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement

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​Shawn Ginwright is a university professor, author, activist, and youth program leader. He is also a leading voice in the expanded learning field, deepening our understanding of new concepts and frameworks by bringing in the importance of context, culture, and race. Dr. Ginwright recently authored an article entitled Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement .

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Social-Emotional Learning Programs | Second Step

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Discover Second Step, an evidence-based social-emotional learning curriculum that fosters students’ emotional intelligence, empathy, and problem-solving skills.

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Group 2

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Summer 2020 - Special Education  Eligibility GROUP 2

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Group 1

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Summer 2020 - Special Education  Eligibility GROUP 2

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The Evolution of Inclusion: The past and future of education

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Academic Success for All Students: A Multi-Tiered Approach

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Response to intervention (RTI) is a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavioral problems. With RTI, schools use data to identify students at risk of poor learning outcomes, monitor student progress, provide and adjust evidence-based interventions when needed, and identify students with learning disabilities or other disabilities. In this video, Dia Jackson describes the importance of implementing RTI with fidelity and how she provides RTI coaching and professional development to schools so that they see gains in student achievement.

Supporting Students Through Response to Intervention from American Institutes for Research on Vimeo.

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Supporting Students Through Response to Intervention

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Response to intervention (RTI) is a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavioral problems. Dia Jackson describes the importance of implementing RTI with fidelity and how she provides coaching and professional development to schools so that they see gains in student achievement.

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Independence

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Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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In my last , I talked about call and response as the first tool in our instructional CR toolkit.

Whether you use call and response for academic review or to promote thinking, it is important to understand the neuroscience behind the tool so that it doesn't seem so mysterious or magical.

Instead, it can help you understand how to use it with more creativity and flexibility. It sounds nerdy, but the science behind cultural responsiveness is really important because it gives us insight into how culture wires our brain for learning.

Why does a technique like call and response work for children of color? It has to do with the fact that their cultural roots are deeply connected to the primary ways learning happened in an oral culture. Our forefathers and foremothers knew how the brain worked without calling it "brain-based learning." They understood the need to make sure children remembered what was told to them.

Over thousands of years, most indigenous oral cultures perfected these methods to ensure cultural information was transmitted from generation to generation. Today, these methods are deeply ingrained in the way learning happens at home for many children of color, even if most adults aren't always conscious of it. If asked about it, they'd probably say "That's just the way we did it when I was a kid." Add to tradition, the socio-political contexts that made it illegal or difficult for some to learn to read during and after slavery. Or the limited access early immigrants had to formal education. Many margnalized racial groups had to continue to rely on their oral traditions for everyday learning.

So, let's break down the neuroscience of call and response to better understand how it works. It draws on three aspects of brain's learning process: attention activation, firing and wiring, and mirror neurons.
Attention Activation
Attention is the first step in learning. We cannot learn, remember, or understand what we don't first give our attention to. The "call" from the teacher that begins the process alerts the student's brain that something is about to happen. The brain becomes curious and begins to pay attention in a different way. The "call" part of call and response triggers the student's Reticular Activating System or RAS for short.

The RAS is that part of our brain that controls our ability to become mentally alert and focused, among other things. What gets the RAS really going is novelty (something new,surprising or puzzling), physical sensation, and high personal relevance - in that order.

Activating the RAS is critical in a culture structured around an oral tradition where you transmit information from one person to another.

It's located in our older, emotional brain and doesn't respond well to words or verbal commands. That's why you can't simply tell a student to pay attention. You have to entice the brain with something that makes it curious or emotional (in a positive way).

This is why call and response is done in an lively, energetic way. It activates our RAS and helps us generate mental energy and focus.

The take away here is to ritualize how you activate students' RAS to turn on their attention. Start a round of call and response with a physical signal - a flip of the light switch, a specific number of hand claps, a chime, or a train whistle to activate their RAS and let them know it's time to pay attention.
Firing and Wiring Together
Remembering is the next critical part of the learning process. Call and response is designed to help the brain remember. Remembering seems like something we do that's effortless, right? But, in reality, remembering is more complicated and fragile than we imagine. Call and response helps strengthen a student's ability to retrieve important information that has been learned earlier.

Every time a student engages in call and response, the information reviewed is driven deeper into his long term memory. This makes it easier for him to retrieve this information whenever he wants. When processing information, brain cells called neurons communicate with each other through a cascade of electro-chemical reactions. This is referred to as "firing" because of the electrical current involved. If you give enough focus and concentration on something, the brain will start to fire neurons in new patterns. This new pattern is called a neural pathway and is the beginning of a new memory.

When call and response is connected with rhythm or chanting, it helps neurons fire and "wire together," meaning the rhythm gets permanently associated and connected to the information being remembered, making it easier to retrieve. It's the same reason we remember the ABC song or those catchy School House Rock episodes. The music or catchy jingle is wired together permanently with the information the creators wanted us to learn.
Mirror Neurons
We are social creatures who are hardwired for connecting. That's why there's wisdom in call and response as a communal learning activity. But there's science behind it as well. The human brain contains a special class of cells, called mirror neurons , that fire when a person sees or hears a relevant or emotionally charged action being carried out by others.

Mirror neurons seem to be an extension of socio-cultural learning theory that says people learn most effectively in a social context.

Sociocultural theory grew from the work of seminal psychologist Lev Vygotsky. According to Vygotsky, "Every function in the child's cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation of concepts. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals."

Kendra Cherry author of the Everything Psychology Book

You might be tempted to think that call and response provides kids who don't know the material a chance to hide in the crowd. But when we remember the presence of mirror neurons, it's easy to reframe call and response as an opportunity for those students to learn from their peers in the moment. The brain is firing and wiring as they hear the right responses from others.

When planning your units and daily lessons, ask yourself how are you making the most of the RAS system or mirror neurons. Remember that getting students actively involved in the learning traditions of their culture help develop strong neural pathways that become the framework for deep background knowledge and understanding.

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The Neuroscience of Call and Response - Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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In my last , I talked about call and response as the first tool in our instructional CR toolkit. Whether you use call and response for academic review or to promote thinking, it is important to understand the neuroscience behind the tool so that it doesn't seem so mysterious or magical.

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Don't mistake your ADHD strengths for symptoms! They are unique traits and abilities that make you more creative, spontaneous, caring, and energetic than anyone you know. Here are a few of our favorites benefits of ADHD.

Young girl with ADHD with headphones in urban background

1 of 19

A scientist with ADHD uses hyperfocus to examine a sample under a microscope.

2 of 19

Family with ADHD walking up a grassy hill together.

3 of 19

Two brothers with ADHD sharing a popsicle.

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Girl with ADHD embracing boy with ADHD on footbridge over stream

7 of 19

Young Couple with ADHD in Off-Road Vehicle

9 of 19

A father with ADHD and his son with ADHD looking at each other

10 of 19

A happy couple with ADHD sits on a couch.

12 of 19

Girl with ADHD is drawing

15 of 19

A boy with ADHD gives a thumbs up.

19 of 19

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Don't mistake your ADHD strengths for symptoms! They are unique traits and abilities that make you more creative, spontaneous, caring, and energetic than anyone you know. Here are a few of our favorites benefits of ADHD.

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People with autism have advantages, in some ways, over people without the condition, and scientists need to stop viewing the traits of autism as flaws that need to be corrected, one autism researcher argues.

By seeing autism's differences as defects, researchers may fail to fully understand the condition, said Dr. Laurent Mottron, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.

"Recent data and my own personal experience suggest it's time to start thinking of autism as an advantage in some spheres, not a cross to bear," Mottron wrote in a commentary published today (Nov. 2) in the journal Nature.

For instance, when researchers see activation in regions of autistic people's brains that differ from others' brains, they report these differences as deficits, "rather than evidence simply of their alternative, yet sometimes successful, brain organization," Mottron said.

By emphasizing the strengths of people with autism, deciphering how people with autism learn and avoiding language that frames autism as a defect, researchers can shape the discussion of autism in society, Mottron said.
Autism's advantages
Mottron said he does not want to minimize the challenges of autism. "One out of 10 autistics cannot speak, nine out of 10 have no regular job and four out of five autistic adults are still dependent on their parents," Mottron said.

But people with autism can make significant contributions to society in the right environment, he said.

The research setting is one of those environments. Several people with autism work in Mottron's lab, and one researcher in particular, Michelle Dawson, has made major contributions to the lab's understanding of the condition through her work and insight.

People with autism often have exceptional memories, and can remember information they read weeks ago. They are also less likely to misremember something, which comes in handy in a science lab. Dawson can instantly recall the methods used to study face-perception in autism, Mottron said.

Recent research has shown people with autism often outperform others in auditory and visual tasks, and also do better on non-verbal tests of intelligence. In one study by Mottron, on a test that involved completing a visual pattern, people with autism finished 40 percent faster than those without the condition.

In fact, intellectual disability may be over-estimated among people with autism, because researchers use inappropriate tests, Mottron said. "In measuring the intelligence of a person with a hearing impairment, we wouldn't hesitate to eliminate components of the test that can't be explained using sign language; why shouldn't we do the same for autistics?" Mottron said.

"I no longer believe that intellectual disability is intrinsic to autism," Mottron said. "To estimate the true rate, scientists should use only those tests that require no verbal explanation."
Still a disorder
Rajesh Kana, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, agreed that researchers shouldn't solely focus on the deficits of autism. However, autism should still be thought of as a disorder, and not merely a difference, Kana said.

People with severe autism have problems functioning in their day-to-day lives, and even people with less severe autism can fall victim to deception, because of their limited abilityto understand when someone is lying. Proper interventions can improve the lives of these people.

"A comprehensive account of autism should take into consideration the strengths and weaknesses" of the condition, Kana said.

While it may have been true in the past that researchers concentrated mainly on deficits in autism, the field is now taking a broader and deeper view of the disorder.

Understanding autism's strengths is important for providing support for those with the condition, Kana said. For instance, if a child has minimal verbal ability, then you probablywant to find a visual routeto help him.

"Your intervention should target the deficits, but work with the strengths," Kana said.
Pass it on: Autistic traits can allow these individuals to excel in certain areas, and should not always be viewed as problems. This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily staff writer Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner. Find us on Facebook.

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Autism Can Be an 'Advantage,' Researcher Says

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People with autism have advantages, in some ways, over people without the condition, and scientists need to stop viewing the traits of autism as flaws that need to be corrected, one autism researcher argues. By seeing autism's differences as defects, researchers may fail to fully understand the condition, said Dr. Laurent Mottron, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.

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Fifteen years ago, Steve Silberman was hot on the investigative trail of a "mysterious rise" in autism diagnoses in California's Silicon Valley. While writing for Wired magazine, he learned that one of Silicon Valley's most famous coders has an autistic child. Months later, he learned that the sister of one of Silicon Valley's most famous entrepreneurs also has an autistic child. Assuming the prevalence of autism was low, Silberman thought he had stumbled onto cause and effect.

Silberman's new book, "Neurotribes, " recounts his quest to understand, as the book's subtitle states, "the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity."Unraveling the legacy consumes the lion's share of the book's 500 pages.

Writing in the style of historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Silberman paints beautiful biographical portraits through prose. Henry Cavendish, Hugo Gernsback (née: Gernsbacher), Hans Asperger, Leo Kanner, Bruno Bettelheim, Bernard Rimland and Lorna Wing each receive chapter-length portraits. Contemporary characters, including Temple Grandin, Jim Sinclair and Leo Rosa, are painted on smaller canvases. But the narrative strokes are just as detailed, reminiscent of the writing of Oliver Sacks, who penned the book's foreword.

Through his 15-year investigation, the fundamental principle Silberman learns is that autism is best viewed "as a lifelong disability that deserves support, rather than as a disease of children that can be cured." Although this perspective seems like "a new and radical idea," Silberman discovers that "it was the oldest idea in autism research. But it had been forgotten."

Silberman also discovers that the Feminine Boy Project, led by O. Ivar Lovaas and George Rekers with the aim of making transgender children indistinguishable from their cisgender peers using Applied Behavioral Analysis, was funded by the Playboy Foundation, as well as the National Institutes of Health. Silberman learns that the original ending for the movie "Rain Man" had Raymond Babbitt leaving the institution to go live happily ever after with his brother.

Perhaps most profoundly, Silberman discovers that the intended conception of the autism spectrum by its founder, autism researcher Lorna Wing, was a bona fide spectrum, not a continuum.

Over time, Lorna lost her taste for the word continuum because it suggested an incremental gradient of severity, from least to most severe, while she was suggesting something more individualized, nuanced, and multidimensional. ... Ultimately she adopted the term autism spectrum. She liked the sound of it, which evoked pleasing images of rainbows.

It is unfortunate that the autism spectrum has come to mean precisely the opposite of what its founder intended. Common vernacular speaks of the autism spectrum as a linear continuum, with a high end that's desirable and a low end that's undesirable. Silberman himself tries to sidestep the stigmatizing terms, 'high functioning' and 'low functioning' (not to mention the equally offensive 'not as high functioning'). Such terms of gradation harken back to the eugenics era, during which, as Silberman notes, disabled persons' disposability was also graded with terms such as 'high-grade' and 'low-grade' imbecile.

It is ironic that when Lorna Wing's concept of the autism spectrum finally made its way into the " Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders " (DSM-5), it did so in exactly the opposite way from how its founder intended. As Silberman's painstaking research and fascinating interviews tell us, Wing wanted to avoid an incremental gradient of severity. Unfortunately, the DSM-5 does just that.

As the example of the origin of the autism spectrum illustrates, Silberman's "Neurotribes" is a historical tour-de-force that anyone interested in unraveling the legacy of autism is sure to enjoy.
Morton Ann Gernsbacher is Vilas Research Professor and the Sir Frederic C. Bartlett Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Book review: "Neurotribes" recovers lost history of autism | Spectrum | Autism Research News

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Fifteen years ago, Steve Silberman was hot on the investigative trail of a "mysterious rise" in autism diagnoses in California's Silicon Valley. While writing for Wired magazine, he learned that one of Silicon Valley's most famous coders has an autistic child.

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Share This:

By Carolyn Cowen

IDA infographics help make complex information easy to digest, remember, and share and are made for a wide audience-both those individuals new to dyslexia and related literacy/learning issues and the experts. Please share our infographics and our fact sheets to raise awareness about dyslexia and to help support the policy and practice changes needed to bring effective instruction (particularly in reading) to every child with dyslexia in every classroom across the nation.
Check out these other great infographics!
Carolyn D. Cowen, Ed.M., is the Digital Media Editor/Strategist for the International Dyslexia Association's Examiner. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Newgrange School, Ann Robinowitz Education Center, and Laurel School and on the Board of Directors for the Research Institute for Learning and Development. Carolyn is especially interested in creative ways nonprofits and movements can "power the mission with the message." Follow her on Twitter @cdcowen .
Copyright © 2017 International Dyslexia Association (IDA). We encourage sharing of Examiner articles. If portions are cited, please make appropriate reference. Articles may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale. Permission to republish this article is available from Info@DyslexiaIDA.org.

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Is Dyslexia a Gift? Infographic - International Dyslexia Association

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Share This: By Carolyn Cowen IDA infographics help make complex information easy to digest, remember, and share and are made for a wide audience-both those individuals new to dyslexia and related literacy/learning issues and the experts.

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It's easy for special education teachers to get overwhelmed by all the things that are "wrong" with a student.

We often work with students who have low working memory, poor comprehension, difficulty focusing - and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that are themselves full of holes needing to be plugged.

So when a special educator posted a video of a radical daily ritual - which consists of complimenting his students - the video went positively viral, and positive is indeed the key word. Christopher Ulmer, the special education teacher in the video (he is currently on the road promoting his project Special Books by Special Kids), has discovered firsthand the magic that can happen when you begin your work with the unique qualities that students bring to the classroom - instead of everything they don't.

Ulmer's strategy is a beautiful example of a strengths-based approach to education, which is the identification and development of a student's natural talents in order to educate the whole child. When a teacher comes to work with a picture of the student as a unique human being, the student's weaknesses become opportunities for instruction, rather than the entirety of the education plan. Ulmer reports that his students have become more confident and more positive in their interactions with others. He works from what Paulo Friere would call a " Pedagogy of Hope," using the key components of strengths-based programs: establishing a warm and caring atmosphere; fostering one-on-one relationships with students; using multiple learning strategies; rewarding efforts; recognizing progress; and embodying love, acceptance, and respect.

All children bring unique strengths to school, but they learn to think about themselves in ways that align with how adults talk about them. If children in special education become accustomed to thinking of themselves in terms of their learning disabilities, they become fixed on the idea that they will forever be perceived as "deficient." If this is the case, then the best that child will ever do, even given all of the available special education interventions, is reach the minimum expectations.

In a strengths-based model, children can do more than just survive school; they can actually thrive - and the results are real. In a review of strengths-based research, David Osher explains that programs focusing on talents foster target="_blank">resiliance, confidence, and flexibility in children. Kids show up to school ready to learn and are more engaged with what they are learning. According to data from Gallup, students in strengths-based programs are absent less and have higher GPAs, greater confidence, and more hope. And while "hope" itself seems like a funny thing to measure in school, a child's belief that she can change, grow, learn, and succeed - that is, her level of hope - is absolutely key to educational success. Ultimately, a child will not sustain effort unless she believes it will have a positive effect.

A child's hope comes largely from the hope of the adults around her. A strengths-based model builds social support into the educational community and beyond, a process that creates a natural positive feedback loop. Just as Ulmer observed that his complimented students became more likely to compliment one another, the same is true on a larger scale: When a community focuses on strengths first, it allows both children and adults to see the strengths - rather than the deficits - in one another, even outside of problem-solving situations. And when teachers compliment rather than critique one another, they create a positive work environment, with better productivity and less burnout, according to research by Gallup and by Shane J. Lopez and Michelle C. Louis in their article The Principles of Strengths-Based Education. In fact, the Clifton Institute, where Lopez is research director, created the Clifton StrengthsFinder, a tool for recognizing and developing strengths based on the premise that strength building is relationship building, and vice versa.

Strengths-based teaching, like everything else, comes with a caveat; praise alone does not work. Students must also be taught that hard work leads to results, as Lopez and Louis found in their research:

An ideal strengths-based education model highlights the investment of effort and the creation of strengths as critical components in a developmental process, and invites students to consider how they might formulate new strategies or access previously unutilized resources to aid them in the process of developing their strengths.

A child who is taught that she is talented may assume her talent will be all that she needs to do great things. When talent alone doesn't deliver, the child is likely to quit. Pairing positivity with rewards for effort gives children the hope for growth, as well as the tools to achieve it.

Children will do well if they possibly can. (This is the driving theory behind Ross Greene's work with behaviorally challenged children). And children also seek love and acceptance. Operating from a child's strengths does not deny that there are deficits (as is the case for every one of us), but rather uses those strengths to catalyze and accelerate learning. Like adults, children want the opportunity to do what they do best on a daily basis. Giving students that opportunity is an investment in education, social-emotional well-being and, ultimately, hope.

Read the latest updates and opinions on education-related news, and ask schools near you about whether their instructors employ a strengths-based approach to teaching.

Questions or feedback? Write to us at news@noodle.com, or leave a comment below.

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Strengths-Based Approach to Teaching Gives Special Education Students Hope

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It's easy for special education teachers to get overwhelmed by all the things that are "wrong" with a student. We often work with students who have low working memory, poor comprehension, difficulty focusing - and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that are themselves full of holes needing to be plugged.

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

The benefits of movement in the classroom aren't limited to younger students. Pairing new words and concepts with gestures or dance moves locks in understanding-and active brain breaks prime students to learn even more.

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A free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education.

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http://www.ldonline.org/

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LD OnLine | All About Learning Disabilities and ADHD

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LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate information, advise, and shared personal experiences about learning disabilities and ADHD.

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How can we help?

I want help with behaviors , learning , and everyday skills

We are Understood.
We are the lifelong guide for those who learn and think differently. In the past year, we've helped more than 20 million people discover their potentials, take control of their lives, and stay on positive paths.

We support the 1 in 5 Americans who learn and think differently.

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Discover what's possible when you're understood.

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Helpful guidance from Understood

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Are you wondering why your child is struggling?

We're here to help if you're feeling overwhelmed. Take N.O.T.E. (Notice. Observe. Talk. Engage.) is a simple step-by-step tool that can help you figure out if the struggles you're seeing might be signs of a learning and thinking difference.

"I have a hard time focusing, mostly in school. When I do my homework, I kind of feel stressed out because it feels like so much even though it's not too much."

Emperor Kaioyus, Grade 4

Copyright © Understood for All, Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2014-2023 Understood For All Inc.

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

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Understood.org is the resource that helps the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences anticipate the challenges, barriers, or opportunities in life and confidently reach their potential.

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We believe in media that inspires and entertains families of all kinds. In technology that protects privacy and supports communities. In learning tools that prepare students and teachers for success in a connected world. Discover how we're working to make the digital world better for kids and families.

Discover our media ratings and reviews at Common Sense Media

Find our curriculum and classroom resources at Common Sense Education

See our most recent researchon the impact of media on kids

Explore our advocacy efforts around digital equity and tech accountability

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Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to make the digital world healthier, safer, accessible, and engaging for kids and families.

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We believe in media that inspires and entertains families of all kinds. In technology that protects privacy and supports communities. In learning tools that prepare students and teachers for success in a connected world. Discover how we're working to make the digital world better for kids and families.

Discover our media ratings and reviews at Common Sense Media

Find our curriculum and classroom resources at Common Sense Education

See our most recent researchon the impact of media on kids

Explore our advocacy efforts around digital equity and tech accountability

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Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to make the digital world healthier, safer, accessible, and engaging for kids and families.

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https://littlekotoscloset.wixsite.com/mysite/post/classroom-circles-of-care-slides

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Make a Copy

This is also a great tool to determine advanced supports for a student.

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Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.

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e-mail chendrickson@usfca.edu to be added as a collaborator for this form.

To be filled out by grad 6-12 students.
CREATE one form for EACH child
Add parents as collaborators so parents get survey results each week.

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For parents who are interested in engaging more deeply with their kids’ teachers and school communities.

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Use these to build class culture.

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We Are Teachers - Ideas and inspiration for reaching the next generation

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We Are Teachers is a proud community of K-12 educators, sharing ideas, resources, and awesome freebies and giveaways.

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

The benefits of movement in the classroom aren't limited to younger students. Pairing new words and concepts with gestures or dance moves locks in understanding-and active brain breaks prime students to learn even more.

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A free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education.

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Here is on video that teaches relaxation techniques... click on the side for more videos.

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Let's Unwind | Flow | Meditation For Kids | GoNoodle

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"Through child's eyes"

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What does it feel like to learn and think differently? Watch these videos to see the world through your child's eyes. Kids of different ages talk about how it feels to learn and think differently - and what helps them thrive.

Hear how hard it is to complete a task when you have trouble focusing. Or how frustrating it is when your hand won't write what your brain is telling it to write.

Reading challenges: Videos of kids

Hear from kids about what it feels like to struggle with reading - and get insights from expert Julie Washington on how to help.

Math challenges: Videos of kids

Hear from kids about what it feels like to struggle with math - and get insights from expert Michèle Mazzocco on how to help.

Writing challenges: Videos of kids

Hear from kids about what it feels like to struggle with writing - and get expert insights on how to help.

Attention challenges: Videos of kids

Hear from kids about what it feels like to struggle with focus - and get insights from expert Ned Hallowell on how to help.

Organization challenges: Videos of kids

Hear from kids about what it feels like to struggle with organization - and get expert insights on how to help.

What causes these challenges, and how can you help if your child is struggling? Choose from the following skills to learn more:

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Through Your Child's Eyes tool from Understood: Interactive media to understand what your child with a learning disability or attention issue goes through.