Starting the School Year Well and What to Do If Things Go Awry : An Autistic Student-centered Approach to All-year Success

Help Children Help Themselves!

Most students thrive on consistency and it’s especially important for autistic students. Without it, teachers can expect them to experience higher levels of anxiety and more meltdowns. Because of their neurology, autistic students learn best when they know exactly what they are going to do, when they are going to do it, and with whom they will do it.

Despite knowledge and well-intended efforts, educational systems often create a lack of predictability for students when they transition from year to year. Teachers certainly try. They’ve read last year’s IEP, took part in creating a new one, and have read all the information in the student’s file. But they still don’t know details, such as what the student’s mini schedule looks like and what prompts are needed to support social interaction. Until now.

Starting the School Year Well provides a simple way for teachers to learn from past educators through the completion of three simple-to-use instruments:

• Transition Checklist
• Comprehensive Autism Planning System
• Learner Snapshot

These tools allow educators to immediately implement effective strategies instead of spending time engaged in trial-and-error instruction. These instruments create a smoother transition that enhances learning. Also included is an extensive approach to behavior challenges that results in real change! If behavior challenges occur, use this student-and-teacher-friendly approach to teach new behaviors and provide support.

By eliminating guesswork as you get to know a student at the beginning of the year, you can get right to work teaching them new skills that match how they learn.

Brenda Smith Myles, PhD, formerly a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas, is the recipient of the Autism Society of America’s Outstanding Professional Award, the Princeton Fellowship Award, American Academy of Pediatrics Autism Champion, and two-time recipient of the Council for Exceptional Children Burton Blatt Humanitarian Award.