Homeschool and Autism: New Skills for Learning

According to the mythology, kids with autism are absolutely fanatical about legos, K'nex, computers and video games. Not so Tommy. In the past, he'd stuff his legos into his piggy bank until it was so full that nothing could be removed... or build "contraptions" with bits of legos and string, and carry them around in his pockets.

This Christmas, though, he received the K'Nex Roller Coaster - hundreds of tiny pieces, dozens of pages of diagrams, and an amazing payoff: a working electrical roller coaster. Together with Dad, Tom actually built the thing - and it works! It's a huge step forward for him, and may be - in part - a result of working on hands-on collaborative projects with a homeschool resource center.


In addition to building and experimenting, each member of Tom's homeschool group of 9 kids or so learned about and reported on an explorer. Tom picked Hiram Bingham, discoverer of Macchu Pichu (in Peru). In the photo below he is making his presentation to the group!

Our next challenges are biggies. We're taking on executive functioning skills, social interactions, and reading comprehension on a higher level (beyond who, what, where and when - we're now looking at "why," and "what does it all mean?").

Next Steps: Planning for Spring

I'm starting to feel a bit more confident about my planning abilities... though there's still SO MUCH to learn. A few ideas:

Tom's a very concrete thinker, and we need to spend some time on colonial America/Native Americans. These are fairly concrete topics, but a little "heady" so I'm combining the two into one six week program of study. I'm trying to focus on what/where/when content as opposed to "what is religious freedom" content (though getting a little bit in there) :

• maps/geography (from Enchanted Learning),
• readings with comprehension questions and writing prompts (from Edhelper),
• hands-on activities (indian weaving; colonial crafts);
• a few field trips (Plimoth Plantation, and probably Sturbridge Village).
• The plan is to go to the Wampanoag Pow-wow in the summer.

We've already attended a presentation by a Wampanoag educator at the local children's museum (though quite honestly I think Tom got almost nothing out of the experience; I think it was too "talky" and there were too few hands-on opportunities).

For math, we're just continuing with Touchmath, and adding in some hands-on activities and the like that I've picked up from various sources. Right now we're working through the second grade curriculum: word problems and multiplication. I'm also supplementing with pages of add/subtract problems.

Reading will continue with novels of interest; just finished James and the Giant Peach, and we're about to start Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I'm hoping we can do a Laura Ingalls book as well (he doesn't know the story, but it fits in so well with American history!).

For writing, I think it's time to get more serious about organizing thoughts. I've downloaded a trial version of Kidspiration Software (concept mapping), and we'll see if that helps. If not, we can try more basic outlining... need to get him to move from stream of consciousness to the idea of real communication, and that's going to be a real process. If we can get there, though, it'll be WELL worth it!

For arts: continuing with clarinet and piano (I'm looking for simplified versions of sheet music for selections from Little Einsteins -- found Fur Elise, but that's the only one so far!). He and his Dad visited the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and I'm guessing we'll go back for a program. And... we are planning our very own homeschool art show! (wish us luck...)

Science will get serious with units upcoming on The Human Body (also health, of course), and Oceans -- later in the spring.

What do you guys think? Thoughts/suggestions welcome!