This is the last entry of my 15 day series on supporting students with autism who escalate. If you missed out on some here are the links to the previous 14 days:
- Day 1: The Urgency Factor
- Day 2: What to do When…
- Day 3: Getting Needs Met
- Day 4: Tricks for Triggers
- Day 5: Know the Cycle
- Day 6: Tantrum vs. Escalation
- Day 7: Empower the Learner
- Day 8: The Heart of the Matter
- Day 9: Detours Around Behavior
- Day 10: The Moment of Truth
- Day 11: The Perfect Consequence
- Day 12: Resources for Communication
- Day 13: Know the Learner
- Day 14: Escalation Takeaways
I truly hope that you continue this conversation with the staff in your building. You will not always have all of the answers, but so long as you strive to perfect your practice kids will always be getting the most out of your support. There is so much more to be said, learned, and shared in this arena. For today though I want to leave you with one last message, and that is to not miss out.
Don’t miss out on the chance to help a child stay safe. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn what makes them tick. Don’t miss out on the trainings and books that are out there on de-escalation. Don’t miss out helping your learner make those small gains. Don’t miss out on celebrating to families their success. And don’t miss out on being someone incredible for someone else, you never know the long term impact you will have.
To exemplify this I want to share with you the story of two escalations. Both are the beginnings of very similar tales. Both individuals shown struggled with channeling their sensory systems, both had a hard time making friends, and both were alienated for being who they were. Initially both seemed to not be made for this world.
Both were saved by the passion, structure, and direction that the adults around them provided. Both were able to find their purpose, their superpower, and ended up changing the world. The former is from the story of Temple Grandin, a woman with autism who defied the odds and went from being told she belonged in an institution to teaching in one. The latter is from movie “Man of Steel”, the story of Superman.
All struggling leaners have an undiscovered super power, work through the escalations and help your learner find theirs.
