Autism

A Reality of the 21st Century Classroom

By Ingrid Sherwood

Perhaps the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder covers more disorders today than it did in the past. Perhaps children are more frequently diagnosed as autistic, or perhaps more children with autism are readily mainstreamed.

Nevertheless, I have taught for nearly 40 years and have never taught students exhibiting the characteristics of autism or communication disorders before. Today I teach two such children, each of whom requires a constant one-on-one adult assistant while at school.

My inclination is to chronicle my experiences with each child. In the spirit of confidentiality, however, I will generalize a few behaviors which I heretofore had not observed in my classroom. One student does not respond to his/her own name, make eye contact, or reply to remarks made by others. The student cries, screams, or kicks in response to variation in routine; has articulation deficits and/or deficits in conversational skills; echoes words immediately after hearing them or at later, inappropriate times; reads at a level far exceeding that which might be expected.

As a Montessori regular education teacher in a public school, I have resources in the form of many specialists: special education teacher, speech pathologist, occupational therapist, and even an autism cadre. I have support from administrators and the assistance of our classroom assistant and two one-on-one assistants. Each of them has informed and modeled for me.

Who has taught me the most? As Montessori said, “It was the children.”

I have learned that children with autism or communication disorders often need visual prompts, sensory intervention and dependable routines. Visual prompts may be pictures from a computer program, digital pictures of familiar objects, or social stories specifically written and tailored to a child’s individual needs. Sensory interventions include apparatuses, such as air seats and squeezy balls, or they include strategies, such as applying deep, reassuring pressure. It is desirable to give a child with autism or communication disorder lots of advance warning of changes in routine, although this may prove difficult, depending upon the degree of the child’s receptive language.

One of my colleagues, Katie Nehring, coordinated a four-day Autism workshop in Frederick, MD, on February 16. Approximately one hundred parents, teachers and other interested persons were fortunate enough to attend this first presentation in the United States by Michelle Lane, founder and owner of the Toronto Montessori School for Autism. Michelle’s is the first program in the world to combine the Montessori curriculum with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). While Michelle’s school is more a clinic setting than a classroom, I believe that, with the help of one-on-one assistants, it is possible to replicate her program while including children with autism in the typical 3-6 classroom.

I had seen the manual that she published (Autism: A Montessori Approach, Program Tracking Manual and Curriculum Guide For Children with Autism and Other Communication Disorders) at the 2006 AMS conference. I viewed it as superfluous to my Montessori training manuals until I attended Michelle’s training and learned how to implement codes in relation to ABA.

Michelle merges ABA with Montessori by using the Montessori materials, but not giving traditional Montessori presentations to children who don’t attend them. Michelle carries these children through the Montessori sequences by employing various levels of prompts. The beauty of the marriage of Montessori and ABA is the inherent logic and sequence of the Montessori curriculum and the rigor of ABA.

My life has been enriched by the inclusion of my special needs students and the collaboration of colleagues. If you are a Montessori teacher and haven’t yet taught a child with autism or communication disorders, I’m guessing that you will do so in the near future. I’m guessing that your life, too, will be enriched. And I’m hoping that, like me, you will feel abundantly blessed to be braced with the materials and methodology of Dr. Maria Montessori.

Ingrid Sherwood teaches at Monocacy Valley Charter School in Frederick, MN.

Reported Autism Rates