Please do not watch this unless you promise to watch the ENTIRE video. It is 8 minutes long. It moves me to tears.
“My language is not about designing words or visual symbols for people to interpret. It is about being in a constant conversation with every aspect of my environment.”
7 responses so far ↓
Laura W // April 24, 2008 at 3:11 pm
OK, I watched the entire thing as you requested and I feel that I must respond and I feel entirely inadequate to do so. This is so powerful. People’s response to those with “disabilities” has changed so much in the last 50 years or so, but we still have so far to go. We need to treat all people with respect and dignity, and when faced with a person that is differrent from us, we so often do not. We are afraid or we pity them or we ignore them because we simply do not know what to do, where to look, what to say. Because of the increase in the numbers of people with autism and the ways that technology can make a way for them to communicate with us in a way that we can understand, I imagine that things must change in coming years. I sure hope so.
writerlulu // April 24, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I totally meant to thank zeldafitzgerald for sharing this video with me on another post. Gotta love collaborative education. THANKS!
Laura, I saw that ignorance play out at Jake’s school today. His reading teacher grabbed him on the arm, forced him to look her in the eye, and pointed at him…all the while telling him that he is a great reader but needs to catch up on his book. I was ready to punch her.
As it is, I will be certain to provide some feedback to those who need to hear it—including her. I’m sure she has NO clue about either Autism or Asperger’s. B****.
Laura W // April 24, 2008 at 5:01 pm
OK, I’ll be there with ya…B****! (I figure anyone that hurts our kids is open to a little name calling amongst friends…
Any plans to address the issue? Maybe she would watch this video? Maybe a list of things NOT to do, along with a list of ways that are effective in communicating with Jake. But seriously, grabbing and pointing don’t seem to be effective methods regardless of the student…
writerlulu // April 24, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Yeah, and she’s younger than me, so I’m really fired up. I was right there!!!
Brian Dreiling // April 24, 2008 at 6:59 pm
‘Pita, I’d like to be there with you to address Miss Ding-a-ling. This video was powerful and it reminded me of that kid who is the son of the director for the musical featured on “Autism: The Musical.” There is so much going on in the heads of autistic people that just because they can’t communicate it “properly”, the way most people do, doesn’t mean they are idiots or simple-minded. When that little Russian boy, was able to communicate with his mom for the first time and he used well thought out phrasing and words and concepts, it blew my own mind. And that’s when I understood the part about communication. It sure is easier to just say something to someone and have them understand you, but some people need to or have to “say” it differently. You know how much easier it is for ME to write things down rather than speak them.
Kelly // April 24, 2008 at 7:48 pm
As I first started watching this video, I will admit that I was uncomfortable. I felt fear, almost like I was watching a scary movie. Then I found myself feeling pity for this person, and being sad at the way he was acting.(It is a “he”, right? I hope so, or I just biffed big time!) A little light came on in my small brain, though, when I saw him with the piece of paper in his hand, waving it just like the flag in the background. I think I started to realize right then that he’s not being tortured by his feelings…he’s just ultra-observant to things going on around him and copying or interacting with them. I admit that I am afraid of people who don’t interact the same way we do…not afraid of them like they’re going to bite me or something…just afraid to say or do something wrong to them. I have never felt that way around Jake, I do know that much, but there are “different” people in our church and I’ll admit that I have avoided them in the past. I think, though, that knowing that Jake has Asperger’s has helped me open up and be almost excited about being around them more. I don’t avoid them now like they’re ugly people. I want to learn from them. I want to open up and be there for them. I don’t want to be one of the ones talked about in this video of treating them differently for their differences. It’s a learning process, though…a sort of un-training. I believe that all disorders, or whatever they should be called, should be handled as opportunities for learning, rather than an illness. I’m being perfectly candid in this post and I hope that’s okay. I love Jake and I would just like to slap anyone…miss B included…who would hurt him. I would HATE to be that person in another’s life. She better check up…and I hope you make her understand. Everyone has their “bubble”, you know? I wish I could hug Jake right now…and Ju-Ju too! All of you! thank you, Linda, for another post to help us all learn more of these brilliant minds. I have always known that Jake has WAY more to teach me than I do him!
writerlulu // April 25, 2008 at 9:52 am
Kelly, thank you for being so transparent. I think you’re right—we have to unlearn a lot of things in this life. With greater strides in understanding about disability or simply how other people think, we need to be diligent to remain enlightened. People deserve it—Jake deserves it!
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