All About Autism

As a member of the PNC Grow Up Great Advisory Board, I had the opportunity to work with the very creative people at “Sesame Street” in the development of Julia, a character with autism. They also designed a website, “Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children.”

Five years later, researchers posed the question: Would this information change attitudes of parents of typical children and parents of children with autism?

473 parents of children on the autism spectrum and 707 parents of typical children participated in the study. The study found that parents of children with autism had less bias toward children on the autism spectrum than the other parents before looking at the website. After reviewing the materials, bias was reduced among parents of typical children and the two groups of parents had comparable levels.  Also, parents of children with autism showed better attitudes and more knowledge about the disorder after spending time on the website.

These findings demonstrate that a website can serve as a quick and easy way to reduce bias and increase knowledge. The article can be found at https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2020/09/08/sesame-street-changing-attitudes-autism/28902/.

Check out “Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children.” It is amazing!

Today is the first day of inservice for the Elizabeth Lee Black School staff. I thought that I’d share my opening remarks with you as this week’s blog.

Maureen

Good morning and welcome!

So here we are today, at a GoToMeeting instead of the Forum, in our classrooms with our Teams instead of with the entire school, but we are excited to have you back.

We have been looking forward to your return and the students return since March 12. Who would have guessed that we would be out of school for five months? Certainly not I! We have spent these months planning the safe return of Barber National Institute staff, students and adults. We have been reading and rereading the Guidelines as they change so frequently from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health. We have developed a Health and Safety plan that ensures that our students and staff are safe to the maximum extent possible while maintaining the wonderful, nurturing environment that resonates the spirit of the Elizabeth Lee Black School to everyone who enters our building. Our Health and Safety plan is already in its second draft, reflecting these ongoing changes. You should have a copy in your classroom and can access it on the BNI web page.

We know that there are some conveniences to virtual learning, but we also know that our students learn best when they are in the same room with our expert teachers, therapists, and para educators… with you! Students with special needs present additional unique challenges which makes virtual learning in many cases not successful. But, our children get so much more than academics at school. They also learn social and emotional skills, get healthy meals, exercise, mental health and behavioral support, and many other services that cannot be replicated online. It is with this knowledge and within the parameters of our plan that we have made the determination to return to school full time and to offer families the opportunity to attend remotely, should they wish. We have about 50 children attending remotely or via a hybrid schedule.

As we move ahead, it is critical that we all work together, be patient, and flexible. We know that the situation is very fluid with regulations changing frequently so we will be asking for your support. Working together, I know that we are up for the challenges ahead.

The real heroes of the world are the men and women who take the time to make a difference in the life of a child. That is each and every one of you.

Thank you for all you do for our children. We are so fortunate to have you part of the Barber National Institute family!

All of us are struggling with wearing a mask, but it is a unique challenge for teachers, para educators (assistants), and therapists who work directly with our children. They are engaged with our students for six hours per day and must wear a mask for the entire duration. So, I thought I would share some ideas on how to help each of us and our students adjust to this new expectation:

• Get the student’s attention before speaking by first making eye contact. You may also want to provide written and verbal instructions.
• Talk louder. Don’t shout, but speak slower. Remember your voice may sound muffled.
• Convey to your students positive reinforcement through your body language since they cannot see your face. As an example, use a “thumbs up.”
• Ask your students if they understood your instructions. You could also ask students to repeat the instructions.
• Talk to the student’s parent(s) and IEP Team to determine the best communication methods for each student before the start of the school year.
• Some face coverings may be uncomfortable for a student. Discuss the challenges the student is experiencing with a Behavior therapist, Occupational therapist, and other team members to determine as to how best to desensitize the child to wearing a mask.

There are face shields as well as clear face coverings that might be a consideration if the child is experiencing difficulty with the mask, or if you are challenged in teaching.

Unfortunately, I do believe that current “best practice” tells us that we will be wearing masks for many, many months.

Have you ever heard of the term, “smizing?” It means smiling with your eyes. It involves bringing life to your eyes since the rest of your face is behind a mask, and therefore neutral.

Give it a try!

Dr. Gertrude Barber was selected by the Erie Times News as Erie’s Woman of the Century this weekend!

I think back to 1952 when children with disabilities were not eligible to attend school. Dr. Barber, as a psychologist for the Erie School District, was the person responsible for telling parents that their child could not enroll in the district. There were two options: institutionalization or stay at home.

I am sure that she did not want to deliver to parents this ominous judgement, but there were no other choices available.  So she began her life work, ensuring that all children and adults with disabilities had every opportunity to reach their full potential.   The first step was creating a class taught by volunteers in space that was donated to her.

Soon there were programs for adults, group homes so that families had options other than institutional placement, and extensive family support programs. Her reach extended to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Visitors came from around the world to learn about the Barber model. Before she left on her vacation in 2000, she met with me to share some “new” projects she wanted me to work on while she was gone.  That was my last conversation with her as she died on her way to Florida.

With the overwhelming support of our staff and community, Dr. Barber’s vision lives on today.  We continue to “Make Dreams Come True” for our children and adults.  Her mission continues.

You can read the full article, here:

https://www.goerie.com/news/20200816/gertrude-barber-named-eriersquos-woman-of-century

As you are sitting outdoors enjoying this beautiful weather, I thought that you might enjoy reading these two research articles that I found very interesting.

• Autism genes may play key role in development of amygdala 
• Infants’ brain waves may foretell autism traits 

We are in the midst of planning our students return as we will be implementing in-school, remote and hybrid models.

Next week, I will tell you about the plans for our school.

Have a great weekend and stay safe and healthy!

Erie Gives is tomorrow, August 11^th!

Last week, I shared the videos of the Approved Private School and Preschool virtual tours that highlighted our technology, updated gym, classrooms and other facilities that generous donations have helped to fund.

Now, we’re getting ready to reopen school safely with many changes. Thanks to donors like you, we’re able to provide state-of-the-art technology to our students. This technology has been invaluable in enabling remote learning, and it will be even more essential when out students return to the classroom in a few weeks.

Your donation to Erie Gives will help ensure a brighter future for all of our students as they work to achieve their dreams. We are grateful for donations at any time, but a gift during Erie Gives will make an even greater impact because of the pro-rated match from the Erie Community Foundation.

Please donate now at ErieGives.org or call 814-454-0843.

On behalf of our children and their families, thank you. Your gift will make dreams come true!

Since March 15^th, our school has been closed which has prohibited our “new” families from touring the school. This tour is an integral component to our admissions process, so we have been considering how we can showcase our amazing school – the technology, the state of the art facilities, and most importantly, our staff.

Thanks to Mary Cuneo and Anthony Esposito of External Affairs, I can now invite you on a virtual tour of the Elizabeth Lee Black School, Barber National Institute!

Approved Private School Virtual Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP2Xk6bg2M4

Preschool Virtual Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_p_IlNr-BI

It was July 26, 1990: At the invitation of President George H. Bush, Dr. Getrude Barber had traveled to Washington, DC to witness the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This was a momentous occasion for her because she remembered well the year 1952 when no services were available for people with disabilities and they were relegated to institutions across the country. That year, when she started the first program, she served 15 students. As of today, the Barber National Institute serves 6,000 children, adults and families with special needs!

Over the years, she was a strong advocate for inclusion of persons with disabilities in the community, in schools, and in all aspects of life. She shattered numerous “glass ceilings” in her lifetime, but July 26^th was the pinnacle of her efforts. Little did she know, her great nephew would be born in 1993 with autism. He would become the beneficiary of many programs and services that were developed as a result of her advocacy.  I can’t imagine what Ryan’s life would have been like without these supports.

For me, the anniversary of the ADA signing is also a day that I reminisce about the many outstanding accomplishments of my Aunt Gertrude. I’m continually awed by how much she was able to achieve in a very short period of time. She would be pleased to see Ryan’s many successes as well as the on-going growth and progress of the Barber National Institute!

Our hallways have never been so quiet for so long.

March 13th was the last day our students were at school.

We have been looking forward to when our children will once again disembark the buses while walking, smiling and returning to their classrooms.

So, after five months of planning we will open our doors on August 31st.   As a prerequisite to opening, we have completed our Health and Safety Plan which is a comprehensive review of the numerous measures we are implementing to assure the health and safety of our school community.

This plan includes:

• Students will spend the entire instructional day in their classroom.
• Students and staff will have daily health checks.
• Students will be able to social distance as the class size is small, with six to eight students per room.
• Staff will wear masks/coverings during the day. Students with disabilities will be encouraged to wear masks, but will not be required per IEP team recommendations.
• High touch areas will be cleaned throughout the day and there will be a nightly deep cleaning of all areas.

The entire plan can be viewed here.

We are closely monitoring and following the PA Department of Health, PA Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Should they change their recommendations as to opening, we shall do as well.

However, for now, we are looking forward to the return of our students on August 31st with great anticipation and excitement.

Stay healthy, wear your mask, and maintain social distance. Let’s keep Erie safe!

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog, How do we talk to children about the news?, on talking to children with special needs about the racial unrest, riots and police violence.

I received many comments and questions from parents who were wondering, as I, how to deal with these topics.

First and most importantly, I do want to emphasize that you know your child best and his/her ability to deal with these serious issues.

I would start with your child’s developmental level. If it is within the age range of 3-5, you can begin discussing racial differences in a very positive way and how we truly are fortunate that the world is made up of so many different kinds of people.

With elementary-aged children, you can have a conversation about violence against African American people without being too explicit. As I told Ryan, there were some policemen who made bad choices because of the color of someone’s skin. Most police are community helpers, but these persons were not. This can lead into a discussion of how unfairly people with black and brown skin have been treated throughout our history. People who protest are good people who want everyone to be fair, though unfortunately, some protesters are vandals and are interested in stealing what does not belong to them.

To provide further help to families, I have been investigating books to have in your home library to help you tell the story about race and racism.

I have grouped them by age:

Ages 0-3

• Ezra Jack Keat’s books about Peter
  • “The Snowy Day”
  • “A Letter to Amy”
  • “Hi, Cat!”
  • “Whistle for Willie”

Ages 3-5

• “Saturday,” written and illustrated by Oge Mora
• “hair Love,” by Matthew A. Cherry and illustrated by Vashti Harrison
• “We’re Different, We’re the Same,” by Bobbi Kates

Ages 5-8

• “Each Kindness,” by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis
• “The Youngest Marcher,” by Cynthia Levinson and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton

Ages 9-12

• “Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice,” by Veronica Chambers and illustrated by Paul Ryding
• “Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness,” written and illustrated by Anastasia Higginbotham

Ages 12+

• “All American Boys,” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
• “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” by Jason Reynolds and Imbram X. Kendi

However, I truly believe that books cannot be the end of your child’s education about race and racism. We as parents must be the models for the attitudes, behaviors, and values that we wish to see in our children.

Do you have any resources to recommend?