![]() My hope is that this website/blog will help others understand and see children with Autism as talented unique thinkers who can and will contribute to our world and anyone who knows them in positive ways. My sanctuary, place of reflection and daily sitting practice. I begin my 26th year of teaching this year! I teach in the Bay Area and live in the beautiful redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. I want to share what I have learned that allows these beautiful children to grow & sometimes thrive in my class. ![]() These young people have touched me deeply and have made me a better teacher & hopefully person. Have the students draw pictures of themselves being a flexible thinker and hang the pictures up.įor additional information on Flexible Thinking please refer to Michelle Garcia's book Thinking About You, Thinking About Me.I am passionate, a little bit quirky ( some may say a little bit more) and dedicated to serving children with Autism. Throughout the student's day, use the terminology of "flexible thinker" and "rock thinker." If a problem arises and the student is being a "rock thinker," ask the student what they could do to be a "flexible thinker." You may also ask periodically if students are being "flexible" or "rock" thinkers. She left her book at home and becomes very upset that she doesn't have her book. Joe is disappointed, but he thinks, "I can have pizza another day" and takes the corn dog. When he gets there, he is told that they just ran out and now only have corn dogs. Joe doesn't like Brandon and so he gets upset and yells, "I don't want to work with him!" Joe and Brandon are asked to work together on a project.Penny pushes Lilly out of the way and takes her place. Lilly gets there first and Penny gets mad because she wanted to be first. Lilly and Penny are supposed to line up to go to lunch.Lilly asks Penny if she could please pass the crayons. Lilly decides she wants to use the color red but the crayons are on the other side of Penny. Lilly and Penny are coloring a picture.Brandon wants to play so he takes the ball away from Joe. The students can then see the consequences that choice has and you can point out how that solution doesn't seem to be working. If the students come up with an idea that you know will not work, it is OK to try it anyway. The puppet should go through the situation again while trying out the student's ideas. If the puppet was a rock thinker, have the students help the puppet be a flexible thinker by giving some alternate solutions to the problem. As you act out the situation, ask the students to tell you if the puppet was being a flexible thinker or a rock thinker. Use puppets to act out the following situations or create your own.(Just like a rock thinker can easily hurt other's feelings). This is a social story to teach kids about being flexible thinkers instead of stuck thinkers when dealing with change or when things don't. The rock would not be good for these things because if it is tossed to someone it might hurt that person. If needed, point out that you can play games with the flexible object such as tossing it, playing hot potato, or use as a fidget. Ask the students which item would be more fun to play with.They only think of themselves and are not good social thinkers. ![]()
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