1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: What if everything you thought you knew about autism and 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: mental health wasn't the full story. Today's conversation might change 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: the way you see it. This is why not me 4 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: embracing autism and mental health worldwide, Real conversations about autism, 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: mental health and the stories that shape our lives. I'm 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: Tony Mantor. This is where understanding begins. If this kind 7 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: of conversation matters to you, follow the show so you 8 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,639 Speaker 1: don't miss what comes next. Today's guest is on the 9 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: front lines of helping children succeed in school and in life. 10 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: Doctor Christopher Curry is a clinical psychologist and educational diagnotician. 11 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 1: Working directly with students, many on the autism spectrum. He 12 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: helps identify their needs and guides them in the support 13 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: they deserve. Welcome to the show. 14 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 2: Oh, I appreciate you happing me. Thank you. 15 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: Oh it's my pleasure. Happy to have you here. For 16 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: people listening that may not understand this world. Can you 17 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: start by explaining what you do day to day and 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: what inspired you to help these kids? 19 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 2: So what I currently do? So, I'm an educational diagnostician 20 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 2: for a school district. I know not every state has 21 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: an educational diagnostician position, but we identify students with disabilities 22 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 2: and we help run their IEP meetings and make sure 23 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 2: they have the right programming. You know, we're kind of 24 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 2: in charge of the schools that we're assigned at to 25 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 2: make sure that we're following all ferderal, state and local 26 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: laws and procedures. Basically just kind of just making sure 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 2: that our students that are in the special education department 28 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: are within our special ed program that they need. 29 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: Are you a clinician or are you a doctor as well? 30 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 2: Yes, I got my PhD in educational psychology with a 31 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: focus in special education. 32 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: You're on the front lines with these kids. So when 33 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: you hear the official definitions of autism, serious mental illness, 34 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: et cetera, what makes you think in the back of 35 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: your mind, they've got part of it right. But that's 36 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: not the whole picture. 37 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: Well, as far as how we identify students with autism, 38 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 2: So there's certain criteria that they have to meet. It's 39 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: not just like called how the school identifies students with 40 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: autism different than how they're identified on the outside. So 41 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: in the school we have to get our licensed psychologists 42 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 2: involved and there's different elements that they assess and they 43 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 2: do the bulk of that for our students with autism, 44 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: So it's gonna be they do behavior skills, they do 45 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: social skills, they look at, you know, their functional skills. 46 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: My primary would be I look at their cognitive ability 47 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 2: and their academic achievement, and then we kind of all 48 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 2: kind of collaborate together. It also kind of looks a 49 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: little different if you're looking at the younger kiddos versus 50 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 2: the older kiddos. But of course, by the time they 51 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: get a little bit older, they're already identified. As far 52 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,839 Speaker 2: as getting it wrong, I don't know if they get 53 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 2: it wrong. Our students' autism are so unique. I fell 54 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 2: in love with them. The more I work with our 55 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 2: students that assess them is the more the more fascinating. 56 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: I got what age group do you primarily work with? 57 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 2: Well, I mostly work with secondary so middle school, high school. 58 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,679 Speaker 2: Oh okay, I have done assessments and work in elementaries. 59 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 2: I love working with elementary kiddos. That's just not my forte. 60 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. Got it. When you talk about working with students 61 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 1: across elementary, middle and high school levels, what does that 62 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: really look like in practice? What are you working on 63 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: with them and for students on the autism spectrum. How 64 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: involved are you directly? Are you meeting with them one 65 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: on one helping guide them or is your role more 66 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: focused on evaluation and shaping the support they receive. Can 67 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: you give us a little insight on that. 68 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,959 Speaker 2: So, as far as working directly with them with services, 69 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 2: I don't provide those services. So they'll have a speech 70 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 2: service if they need a behavior specialist to kind of 71 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 2: help the times where you know they're feeling like they 72 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: need to express themselves because they don't know how. So 73 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: there's different other related services what I do as far 74 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 2: as working with the students, and there's been a few 75 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 2: that I kind of kind of gravitate towards, communicate with them, 76 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 2: kind of keep an eye on them just in general. 77 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: But as far as directly working with them, the most 78 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 2: important thing I do is during their IEP meetings. IEP 79 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: meetings to me are like a puzzle, constantly working to 80 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 2: make sure that they're getting the right services, the right accommodations, 81 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: the right combination that's going to help this student reach 82 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 2: his potential or her max potential. And so I work 83 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 2: kind of closely with parents on that end to see 84 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 2: what they're seeing at home and their thoughts on how 85 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 2: they're doing in the school setting, and then we come 86 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 2: up with a plan and I kind of orchestrate that 87 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: plan and work with the teachers to try to get 88 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 2: that right combination. 89 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: Okay, is that combination more neurodiverse or is it more 90 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: neurotypical or is it a blend of both neurotypical and neurodiverse. 91 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 2: So it's on the individual student. So yes, one of 92 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 2: the things is neurodiversity. This is kind of one of 93 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 2: the things that where I really kind of connect with 94 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 2: our students with autism is I had to learn in 95 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: a different way. I couldn't read reading comprehension disability, So 96 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 2: I've never been able to read books. I've always had 97 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 2: to think outside the box. I've always had to learn 98 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 2: in a different way. And a lot of our students 99 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 2: with autism that's the same with them, and you just 100 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: have to figure out what that student needs, what's going 101 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 2: to you know, help them be successful. So it's kind 102 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 2: of a combination of both, I would say, but really 103 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 2: thinking outside the box. 104 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: Now, are you autistic as well? 105 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 2: No, sir. 106 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: The reason I asked this question is where you said 107 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: you couldn't read, I had an autistic teenager come on 108 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: my podcast and he could not read either. Yet he 109 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: was a tremendous artist that did so many great things. 110 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 1: It was just totally unbelievable. So it shows that it 111 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: doesn't matter, you can still do great things. 112 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 2: It's just amazing to me. What I've learned from the 113 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 2: students that I've worked with, and I've remained close with 114 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 2: several of them even after high school, is that we 115 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: all have this quality about there's something about all of us. 116 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: I don't believe that we have everybody's ordinary. I believe 117 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 2: everybody is extraordinary, and not everybody gets to show that 118 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 2: extraordinary because they don't have people to help them find it. 119 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 2: We can all do something extraordinary, and you know, of 120 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,719 Speaker 2: course it looks different depending on different levels of functioning, 121 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 2: but no matter who you are, I mean, where you 122 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 2: are in the spectrum, you can provide them there's an 123 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: extord e quality. And like you said, you know, it's 124 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: just trying to find what that is and working with 125 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 2: these students. Once they find it, it's like such a 126 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: great feeling, especially working with the parents. 127 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: Now, how long have you been doing this? 128 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 2: So I worked in public schools for over twenty years, Okay, 129 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 2: I also work at a university, so I work training 130 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: special education teachers in the master's program at Walden University. 131 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: All right. 132 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: I have a nonprofit organizations, Next Genuine Champion Sports Foundation 133 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: offered opportunities for our speaking on preg disadvantage and underrepresented 134 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 2: youth to participate in sports. You know, you've learned so 135 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 2: many valuable lessons through sports, and I have in their 136 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 2: education where I do consulting and working with other parents. 137 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 1: Okay, now you've been doing this for quite a long time. 138 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: Now I'm interested. How do you find the school system 139 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: and how they operate now with autistic children compared to 140 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: what they used to do with autistic children years ago. 141 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 2: The school system is completely different than what it was. 142 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 2: I think there's been a big effort to try to 143 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 2: understand neurouy verse learners. I think there's been a big push. 144 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 2: It's been a big chain. I hate labels. It's great 145 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 2: to be identified and it's good to know if a 146 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 2: student has autism, you know you have to label it. 147 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 2: But what I've seen progress through the years is that 148 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: label doesn't just become a label. It's not just oh, 149 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 2: autism boom. The student can only do X y Z. 150 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 2: Now it's become more accepted, and I've seen a lot 151 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: of teachers learn more about working with students with autism. 152 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: There's been more support services for students with autism. So 153 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: I've seen a lot of difference in the past twenty years. 154 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: That's good to hear. Now, how has it changed your perspective? 155 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: Many people have this preconceived notion of what they think 156 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: autism is. Then when you meet and start working with 157 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: autistic children versus what the educational book says, it's too 158 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: completely different worlds. So how has it affected you huge? 159 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: You know, I came in working in special education as 160 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: a teacher, and I did it, and again, my focus 161 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: was special education. I got you know, I was working 162 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 2: on my PhD in special education, but my master's in 163 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 2: special ad. When I got my master's, it was, you know, 164 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 2: kind of an overall specific learning disability. And so as 165 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: far as knowing specifically how to work with students with autism, yeah, 166 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 2: it's not like the books. You can't take what's in 167 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 2: a book and apply that to every individual because every 168 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 2: student is so individualized. It's just you can't translate that. 169 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: So getting to know the students throughout the years That's 170 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 2: kind of what I've really learned and kind of perfected 171 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,599 Speaker 2: is knowing that I don't know and I have to 172 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 2: get to know the student. I had to really understand 173 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 2: the parent's point of view, and really not just what 174 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 2: I've learned, it's what we do as a collaborative team 175 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: to help and when that all works out perfectly and 176 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 2: we're all working together, it's just makes such a big difference. 177 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 2: Throughout the years, I just learned more and more about 178 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 2: how important that is, how important that the collaboration between 179 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 2: the school teachers, parents, assessment staff. So it takes a team. 180 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 1: Yes, I totally agree, one hundred percent, it does take 181 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: a team. I want to be fair to teachers here, 182 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: but not all of them come in working with neurodiverse students. 183 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: An example that comes to mind if they have not 184 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: been around autistic children. There's a real difference between managing 185 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 1: typical classroom behavior and understanding neurodivergent responses like meltdowns. So 186 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: for teachers who didn't start with that knowledge, what have 187 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: you seen in terms of how they evolve and adapt 188 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: once they're living it day to day? 189 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 2: So that was a big learning curve. I can tell 190 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 2: you that that was from again when I started, even 191 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 2: from ten years ago to now five years ago to now. 192 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 2: A lot of it comes from the district's pushing to 193 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 2: have specialists that specialized with students with autism so they 194 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 2: can provide support for the teachers. I think a lot 195 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 2: of times in the elementary it's more profound than it is 196 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 2: middle in high school because in elementary it's kind of 197 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 2: new because they're still trying to get identified and and 198 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 2: all that. When they come to middle in high school 199 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 2: and secondary, we already know they have autism. In our meetings, 200 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 2: we have AUTI them selflemans. We have all these supports, 201 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 2: you know, and we have behavior management plans that they 202 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 2: need one to help the teachers understand what things should 203 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 2: be done if a student, you know, with autism reaction 204 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 2: a certain way here, Maybe we should stay away from 205 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 2: these couple of things. And I'll tell you a quick 206 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 2: story about a student that I had with aughts of them. 207 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 2: When I was teaching, I knew very little about students 208 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 2: with It was like maybe my second year teaching, I 209 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 2: was teaching a math class resource math. I had one 210 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 2: stuper with autism and he had a support staff member 211 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 2: with him, brilliant kid. He was nonverbal, and every day 212 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 2: in class he would come in. I talked with his 213 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: uh you know, the sports half member that was with him, 214 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: and we gave a seat where he would feel comfortable 215 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 2: based on you know, her knowledge of them. Would come 216 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 2: in and he would throw a huge tamp potential every 217 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 2: time you come in. And we couldn't figure out why 218 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 2: I did every like, we tried things that happened for 219 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 2: a few weeks. We didn't know why. And then we 220 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 2: saw him one day, came in and he was sitting 221 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 2: in the back row and he pulled the seat maybe 222 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 2: a half inch to an inch back and he was fine. 223 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 2: His desk was touching the back of the seat in 224 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 2: front of it, and he couldn't handle it. And and 225 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 2: that simple thing of just making sure his desk wasn't 226 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 2: touching the seat in the front nothing. He was great. 227 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 2: It made me think, like how something like that, you 228 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 2: know it just like again the neurodiversity, how you know 229 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 2: our brains process information different. That really, you know, taught 230 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 2: me something like you know about how important it is 231 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 2: to pay attention and you know to our students with 232 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 2: autism and know that each one's different. You know, other 233 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 2: students I had with autism, wouldn't even care about that, 234 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 2: but it's just so it's so interesting to me, how 235 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 2: unique and to get the best out of them a 236 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 2: simple thing and making sure that his desk wasn't touching 237 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 2: the disk front. 238 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: Let's talk about resources for a minute, because a lot 239 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: of this comes down to what a school system is 240 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: able or willing to invest in. Not every school system 241 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: has what your district has. It has put support in 242 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:24,079 Speaker 1: place for neurodiversity. When you compare schools that have strong 243 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: systems put in place versus those that don't, what differences 244 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: do you see or what differences have you seen? And 245 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: how big is that gap in outcomes between schools that 246 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: prioritize it and those that don't. Have you seen that gap? 247 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 2: Yes? And no, because you know, I don't work with 248 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 2: those other districts, but I do through through other you know, 249 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 2: connections I have with you know, the different groups and 250 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 2: the different families that I work with that I have 251 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 2: currently students of mine that have autisms, and then the 252 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 2: one you know, my students that have moved on that 253 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 2: I still keep in communication with for a stab of community, 254 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 2: and they know other families from other schools, and you know, Yeah, 255 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 2: you can definitely tell a big difference, and it's not 256 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 2: really the school's fall and it's just maybe the funding 257 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 2: or it can do. You can tell those schools that 258 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 2: have put emphasis, especially on early identification, which is you know, 259 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: kind of scary because you have to be really careful. 260 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 2: You don't want to have that autism diagnosis and then 261 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 2: have to come back five years later. Oh wait, no, 262 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 2: there was an autism that was just ADHD. But yeah, 263 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 2: you could tell a big difference. We do have a 264 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 2: lot of in my district. We have a lot of 265 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 2: families that leave their district and come to ours because 266 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 2: we do have a really good sports system. And I'm 267 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 2: not trying to be biased with my school. 268 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 1: No, No, that's totally understandable. That's the way it is 269 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 1: in this country. Depending on what state you're in, what 270 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: town you are, there's just so many differences, and it 271 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: comes down to funding. Many times we were talking earlier 272 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: on how things look on paper, what the books say 273 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,719 Speaker 1: is supposed to do to support autistic children, But when 274 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: you're actually in the classroom working with these kids, how 275 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: often does that line up? How have you had to 276 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: adjust when what the book says just doesn't work in 277 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 1: real life when you're actually working with these kids, where 278 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: do those approaches fall short and what have you learned 279 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: works better in real life? 280 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 2: Well, I've never read a book, Tony. 281 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: Oh, yes, that's right. 282 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've never read a book, so I can only 283 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 2: speak on what other people say is written a book 284 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 2: I've never read. But I know from my personal experience 285 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: that life lessons are are more valuable than what you 286 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 2: learned in the book. I earned a PhD. And I've 287 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 2: never read a book because I learned a different way 288 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 2: to learn and I had to figure that out on 289 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 2: my own. We all have these different you know, there's 290 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 2: always a way to learn without having I guess three. 291 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 2: But the real life experiences are to me what matters 292 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 2: the most. And so I don't know what's written exactly 293 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 2: in books. I do know that the students I work 294 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 2: with that have excelled with so no matter the level 295 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 2: that they're on, it's because the parents advocate for their children. 296 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: The school system is going to work with parents and collaborate. 297 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 2: You know, we were constantly tweaking and you know, updating 298 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 2: IEPs to give the student the best support. It's not 299 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 2: one hundred percent, you know, when you create an IEP. 300 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 2: There's always things that need to be tweaked, and so 301 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 2: we're just using those life experiences for the students and 302 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 2: seeing it, you know, live really helps. 303 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I understand that completely. Now, before we move on, 304 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: let's dig a little deeper here. You mentioned earlier you 305 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: never learned how to read, and you struggled in learning 306 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: how to read. I believe you mentioned in the process 307 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: of getting your PhD you had to get very very creative. 308 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: Can you give us the background that you went through? 309 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 2: So in eleventh grade, you know, I was struggling reading 310 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 2: and ask for help in middle school and tenth grade. 311 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: In eleventh grade attention to do school, the teacher got 312 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 2: soap it up with me and I was having I 313 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 2: was struggling big time with reading. The teacher in the 314 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 2: middle of class stopped teaching and in front of everybody, 315 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: told me to go sit in the zero row. And 316 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 2: we all knew the zero row, man, that's the row. 317 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 2: He expected nothing from you. So basically, get out of 318 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 2: my way, go to the zero row. You just kind 319 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 2: of get out, stay out. Not only was that humiliating, 320 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 2: but you know, I had been asking for help. That 321 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 2: was kind of a pivotal point in my life because 322 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 2: that hurt, and it hurt for a long time. And 323 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 2: then I've had evaluations and the teachers, you know, evaluators 324 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 2: will say it was my fault. Now I'm the evaluator. 325 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 2: I got to go scrutinize their evaluations and say, now, look, 326 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 2: you missed this. I'm selling you right there. But as 327 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 2: things progressed, I, you know, without going to all the details, 328 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 2: I kind of started to know and figure out, Okay, 329 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 2: I have learning disability. And there's a defining moment in 330 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 2: that in my mid twenties when I got my teaching 331 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 2: certification and I went back teaching my second year of teaching. 332 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 2: You know, when I was sent to the zero row, 333 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 2: I sat on the far left second seat back. Ten 334 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 2: years later, I was back at that same school. I 335 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 2: taught a co teach class, so we had disabilities and 336 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 2: suits without disabilities, and I taught in that same classroom 337 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 2: and I taught the same subject I taught. I think 338 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,199 Speaker 2: one of the smart students I've ever taught sat in 339 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 2: that far left row, second seatback. Yeah. Coom full circle 340 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 2: from going from the zero row to fighting and fighting 341 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: and inviting and doing everything I can to get back 342 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 2: in that classroom, then get the help I never got. 343 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: So that was what gave you the motivation to do 344 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: what you're doing today. 345 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. That that catapulted me to that diagnostician role. 346 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: Hopefully this will give inspiration to the listeners that you 347 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: actually can do whatever you want to do. I really 348 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: appreciate you sharing that with us. Now, let's change gears. 349 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: When we talk about autism and schools, we always have 350 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: to bring up the issue of bullying. Have you seen 351 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: this and if you have, how have you gone about 352 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: addressing it? 353 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 2: Yes, so that's what I A really close friend of 354 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,360 Speaker 2: mine and I still am in contact with per Son. 355 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 2: So right after COVID, and this will lead into the bullying. 356 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 2: Right from COVID, we had, you know, of course, some 357 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 2: schools were starting to open, some school so we had 358 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 2: on you know, online learning at home and we had 359 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 2: in class and we had a student in Branden and 360 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,479 Speaker 2: his mom won't mind me saying his name, Nicole has 361 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,879 Speaker 2: been absolutely fantastic and this is one of my favorite kids. 362 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 2: He was coming in as a freshman and they didn't 363 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 2: have a great experience in early childhood and elementary. You know, 364 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 2: he was nonverbal, he was supposed to ever speak, and 365 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 2: his mom could speak more on all the different things 366 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 2: that the school and freshmans were telling her what his 367 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 2: limits would be. She didn't accept that, and she kept fighting, 368 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 2: fighting and fighting and fighting. But then, you know, when 369 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 2: it came to going into high school, she was super nervous. 370 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 2: She didn't have a good experience in middle school and 371 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,879 Speaker 2: elementary with the bullying and then on top of that 372 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 2: the whole you know, coming back with COVID. So the 373 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 2: district reached out and they said, hey, can you reach 374 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 2: out to Nicole and you know, kind of talk her, 375 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 2: you know, talk to her in former relationship, find out 376 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 2: what it is that she needed, mit sure that you 377 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 2: know that Brady's been taken care of, and let's see 378 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 2: if we can get them on campus. And I think 379 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 2: the push was Braid and really wanted to be on campus. 380 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,160 Speaker 2: He wanted to be like all the other kids. So 381 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 2: we were finally able to get them on campus. And 382 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 2: bullying was one of her concerns and you could see it. 383 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 2: There were times where you know, you could see the 384 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 2: other kids that when he first started would kind of 385 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 2: encourage them to do and say things that you know 386 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,679 Speaker 2: that he just thought he was a part of the group, 387 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 2: and he didn't think much about it. Very literal, you know, hey, 388 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 2: do this okay? You know, so that that happened, but 389 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 2: really not a whole lot because bullying has changed so much. 390 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 2: Like protecting our kids. You know, these times where we 391 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 2: would kind of see things starting to happen and we 392 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 2: would have teachers immediately on it. Anytime you started to 393 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 2: see something, yeah, we would pretty much nix it pretty quick. 394 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that is just so good. Now, if 395 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 1: a teacher is listening, what do you think is very 396 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 1: important that they come away from this with so they 397 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: know how to help the autistic commune. 398 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 2: Keep an open mind, do not let that label define 399 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 2: that child. You know, think outside the box and always 400 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 2: think that you know, again, there's nobody that's ordinary. Everybody 401 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 2: is extraordinary. They don't have that person sometimes to help 402 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 2: them find their extraordinary. Teachers can help that child find 403 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 2: that their extraordinary. And regardless of the label, you always 404 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:23,920 Speaker 2: have to think this kid, you know, this kid could 405 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 2: be anything. He just or she just needs that person. 406 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: And I would highly highly the biggest thing is stops 407 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 2: looking at a label and saying this is the label, okay, 408 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 2: ab CD, that's not how it works, not how it works. 409 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: If we sit down five years from now, what do 410 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: you hope autism looks like in the school system moving forward? 411 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 2: Oh? Wow, the more we learn, the support I guess 412 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 2: in five years. For me, I wouldn't want to see 413 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,400 Speaker 2: any difference between a student, you know, with autism that 414 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 2: is capable of, you know, what has the functions to 415 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 2: be in the general ed setting. I wouldn't want to 416 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 2: see a difference. I wouldn't want to know which you 417 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 2: know has autism and who doesn't. Now, that's not always 418 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 2: gonna be the case, because you know, there are these 419 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 2: social skills and and things like that. I want to 420 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 2: see less of a divide. Keep learning, and we keep 421 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 2: implemitting new strategies, keep doing research and the university level 422 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 2: and implementing those research based strategies in the classroom. Research 423 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 2: and knowledge, Research and knowledge is continued. In my dream world, 424 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 2: I would love to walk into the classroom one day 425 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 2: and not know which students have autism or had been 426 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 2: identified with autism, and which students are you know, don't 427 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 2: have autism. That would be the dream world right there. 428 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: I think that's a great thought. What would you like 429 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: to tell a parent that feels like they're constantly fighting 430 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: the system. They feel lost, invisible, and just want help 431 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: for their kids. 432 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 2: Contact me. Don't ever give up. Don't ever give up. 433 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 2: A lot of times parents are the student's biggest advocate. 434 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,199 Speaker 2: It's kind of a catchwain too, because a lot of 435 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 2: parents trust the schools and school something I don't make 436 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 2: the right decisions, but the parents don't know. But the 437 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,719 Speaker 2: parents that are frustrated, don't give up because a lot 438 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 2: of times schools may be feeling that child, but they 439 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 2: don't realize they're feeling that child. They don't understand because 440 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 2: they don't have the no. But don't stop, because you're 441 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 2: going to be the one. The parents are going to 442 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 2: be the ones going to drive the success of that student. 443 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:20,200 Speaker 2: They're going to raise the bar for their child. 444 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: Yes, that's great advice. What is something that you've seen 445 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: or you've heard in the classroom, then after you walked 446 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:31,960 Speaker 1: away from it, you just have this good feeling that 447 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: things were going to get better. 448 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 2: The past maybe four or five years, I've seen a 449 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 2: lot of you know, different teaching strategies and styles. So 450 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 2: walk into a classroom and you can see there's different 451 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 2: levels or not differently levels, but there's different types of activities, 452 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: and I've seen a lot of teachers that implement the 453 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 2: accommodations and modify where they need to, and they're really 454 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 2: changing their lessons to where it's not like one lesson here, 455 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 2: Let's try these different things. And the bottom line is 456 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 2: you want all the students, you know, have the same 457 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 2: learning outcomes. I've seen a lot of diversity in how 458 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,360 Speaker 2: our teachers are teaching in the same classroom to get 459 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 2: that end the outcome, you know, in learning outcomes. So 460 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 2: that's always promising. You can see when you see different groups, 461 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 2: it's not like all these students have autism. We're approval 462 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 2: over here. Now. They're all mixed in. They all have 463 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 2: their role and those teachers who take the time to 464 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 2: learn every student and kind of learn their needs very 465 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 2: encouraging and fun to watch. 466 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's great to hear because we all want what's 467 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: best for our kids. In closing, what would you like 468 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: to tell the listeners that you think is very important 469 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: about what you do and what the schools are doing 470 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: together to help our kids. 471 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 2: We're ongoing. We're constantly learning and implementing new research based strategies. 472 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 2: We don't ever stop. We're constantly learning new strategies. We're 473 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 2: constantly teaching our teachers' new strategies. Teachers are becoming more 474 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 2: open and welcoming and accepting having neuro divergent foods in 475 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 2: the classroom, and so been a lot of progress. But 476 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:07,479 Speaker 2: we know that it's not going to stop. We're going 477 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 2: to continue. I feel that that's very promising. And then 478 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 2: you know, of course we have all these leaders like 479 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 2: Forrea Ash with her foundation. We're starting at to see 480 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 2: different parents start advocating. You know, they've lived it, they've 481 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,160 Speaker 2: seen it, and they're helping other parents. That's another thing. 482 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 2: Seeing these groups of parents that have had children with 483 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 2: autism work together. It's great and it just keeps evolving. 484 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 2: I mean, at our district, we have Family Resource Center 485 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 2: where parents they have certain events to educate parents from 486 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 2: primary to singing dary on how to help your child 487 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 2: at home. We have all these seminars that we offer parents, 488 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 2: and then we have these social events for our students 489 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 2: to teach outside the classroom, to teach those social skills. 490 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 2: There's so many different things that are happening now that 491 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 2: weren't happening before. 492 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: And the beauty of that, it is just so good 493 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: for our kids. Well, this has been a great conversation. 494 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: I've really enjoyed this. Thanks for joining us today. 495 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:04,959 Speaker 2: Well, thank you. I appreciate having me on. 496 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,719 Speaker 1: It's been my pleasure. Thanks again, a sincere thank you 497 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,959 Speaker 1: to our guest for sharing their journey. If today's conversation 498 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: helped you see the world a little differently, then we're 499 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: doing exactly what we hope to do. Until next time, 500 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: keep believing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep asking yourself, 501 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 1: why not me?