With autism in today's national and even international spotlight, more and more people know what it is. Unfortunately, so many tend to focus on the negative traits of autism and overlook the positive. Dr. Temple Grandin, arguably the most well-known person in America with autism, recently spoke at a keynote address in Wisconsin. She advocated for building on strengths no matter what the disability label. She explained that if a child is fixated on a certain topic, build a lesson around that topic to keep the child interested and learning. "You can't take a geek out of a geek, but you can teach them to be polite geeks."
In celebration of Autism Awareness month, let's highlight some of the strengths that are inherent in our kids with autism.
- Good understanding of concrete concepts
- Visual thinkers
- Detail-oriented and precise
- Great memory for rote materials
- Honesty (no liars in this group!)
- Geniune, with absolutely no pretense
- Focus and attention for what they enjoy
- Help us to learn and think outside our box
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