Let's Talk About Autism.

They view the world in a different way to most of us. The complexities and brilliance of the way they live their lives is admirable, and I am so appreciative to be able to work with them every day. Autism does not define, but it does illuminate; it illuminates the fact that the world needs different kinds of minds to work together to progress and learn more human relationships and the world in which we live.

Here’s a few things I have learnt from working with young people with autism:     

• About the senses: Sensory overload is something I often see when dealing with my students. When they experience too much sensory stimulation, like being in a crowd, or hearing a lot of chatter in the classroom, they sometimes get very anxious and stressed. Some ways to prevent this is to take the student for a walk or to a room with little noise to calm them down, or even just to provide a little pair of earmuffs to block out most of the sound. Allowing students with autism to have a ‘sensory break’ of sorts can work wonders when they have reached a point of sensory overload.

• About visual schedules: 'showing' rather than 'telling' when working with young people with autism is usually the best way to approach them. This ensures that they aren't overloaded with information and know exactly what needs to be done. Visual schedules, such as colour-coded timetables that match up to colour-coded folders, or writing check-box schedules in class for students so they can tick off when they have completed tasks lowers their anxiety levels and gives them more order, which makes them feel more comfortable and at ease when entering unpredictable situations, such as a new day's class with new information. Even using visual stimuli can be a fantastic tool - when the students I work with have 'break times' where teachers are explaining new information, they can get quite fidgety, so having something like a little beanie bag or a balloon filled with flour can stimulate their senses just enough for them to stay focused on their teacher and not get bored or distracted by other things in the classroom.

• About the future: In some ways, we have a detrimental impact on their future. At school, we help youth with autism connect with their society; we help equip them with the skills that they will need when they leave school. Whether this is teaching them how to count money, to read and understand how to catch a train and read train schedules, or to simply have a pleasant conversation with the person they are seated next to, it is important to allow them to gain these skills that will become important to them when they enter the ‘real world’. They are skills that most of us take for granted, but these skills are what allow people with autism to live the most typical lifestyle possible when they leave school.

I still wake up every single morning looking forward to the workday ahead, regardless of how unpredictable each student’s mood or behaviours may be when I walk through the door. I am there, wholeheartedly, to aid in each students’ social, emotional and cognitive wellbeing and development as best I can, but I cannot overlook just how much they have all taught me, too.

Here’s a few things I have learnt from working with young people with autism:  

• Honesty: The kids I work with are the most authentic and truthful humans I have ever met. They have taught me the value of being completely honest with people and how speaking out is a feat of strength. I have come into work some days to the very sweet “you have a beautiful smile”, to the ruthless “you look very tired today!” (this is often on Mondays when the coffee shop I go to isn’t open. Darn.). I appreciate their honesty so much, and it is refreshing to watch these students being unapologetically their complete selves, without fear of judgement – you don’t see that often in teenagers (or people in general) because they are often worried about what other people will think.

• Rational thinking: Removing emotion and external influences from decision making is something I have learned from working with the students I work with. Thinking logically about things and wanting to gain different perspectives on situations is something I have been more aware of recently. It is the quality of being open-minded enough to disagree with people but still value their views on things and understand that they have been through different things that may alter their perception on things.   

• Individuality: The quirks that each student has are the things I love most about them. One student, a thirteen-year-old bookworm with a ‘thing’ for numbers, is the brightest young person I have ever met. He is curious about everything and poses some of the most interesting questions that even get me thinking. Another boy, a sixteen-year-old with a love for Jersey Boys, comes in every morning to do karaoke and have a dance to Sherry, and it is the highlight of my morning. Just like everyone else, these students have distinct character traits, strengths and interests that I hope will be recognised by people in society when they enter the ‘real world’. They are the most incredible individuals, and they all have qualities that make them worthy to live a fulfilling life just like anybody else. 

• Love and appreciation: Due to the very literal and straightforward way that young people with autism interpret the world, it is sometimes hard to read their emotions and feelings. Additionally, it is hard for them to read our emotions and feelings. However, when you have a ‘little win’ with one of the students you will know. Whether it be gaining the trust of the students who have shut everyone else out, or by receiving a very little smile when you say something to them, or by them coming to visit your office every morning just to say hello, these moments are special. I say this because showing genuine love and appreciation is hard for anyone, and young people with autism find socialising with people even harder than the rest of us. So, for them to gain the courage to give a little bit of themselves to others is a massive deal. They have taught me that love can be expressed in even the smallest of gestures – you just need to open your eyes to the people in your life and what they do for you that little bit more.

Young people with autism have so much to offer. They hold the skills and the heart to make as much impact – if not more of an impact – as anyone else, and I hope the larger world embraces their differences and sees them how I see them – as remarkable people with different perspectives that have the power to change the world. They are the most amazing people I have ever welcomed into my life and I am so grateful for them.

“Autists are the ultimate square pegs, and the problem with pounding a square peg into a round hole is not that the hammering is hard work. It’s that you’re destroying the peg" - Paul Collins.

-Nicole