What I Want Teachers to Know

Autistics are intelligent.

Maybe we don’t always look or act how some people preconceive we should but we are not here to impress those people.

We need your support to presume competence and learn. Real support makes all the difference. We need to really focus on believing in an autistic’s abilities rather than think assuming a child can’t.

There are so many things autistics can accomplish with the right support. Teachers have an opportunity to make meaningful impact in an autistic student’s life.

First teachers need to learn what it means to presume competence. We hear you, we understand you, but we can’t always show you that. We need you to believe in us and treat us with respect and dignity.

Don’t assume we are a glass half empty. Assume we are a glass half full. I know it may challenge what you have been taught but autistics have always been intelligent. We have just needed to be understood. Secondly we need you to help us communicate as soon as possible.

Autistics need a great way to show their intelligence. Spelling to communicate helps us to show all our smarts.

Autistics keep getting run down by educators who are ignorant of our intelligence. The criticism and pushback about us being smart is worse than someone simply not understanding. A little belief in our capabilities goes a long way.

People feel helpless but there is so much they can do to support us. Giving us time to process information is great. Not jumping to conclusions based on what you observe our bodies do. Helping us learn new skills. Giving us a chance to do things on our own. More physical strengthening. Autistics need water activities.

Do not believe professionals who say non speakers do not understand. Believing these lies force students into a dismal pit of education where they will never progress.

Give good educational opportunities to all students and do not dumb it down. We may not show our understanding in conventional ways, or at all, but continue to wash our brains with knowledge. We will be forever grateful.

~Nick Moran

If they knew (I was smart) they would have tried harder to teach me better

I wanted teachers to know I was smart because if they knew it they would have tried harder to teach me better. 

I think it is abysmal for kids in school who don’t talk. It is not educational. It is not beneficial. Much time is wasted doing stupid things.  The hours wasted could be used to give communication and education that is helpful. 

Nothing will change if they do not see intelligence, so that is first. 

~William Britton

Us non speakers are always listening and we understand what you are saying

I feel good teachers need to know us non speakers are always listening and we understand what you are saying.  

We are smart. We do not need to do days of the week every day when we are no longer in second or third grade. We are smarter than that.

Teachers also need to be patient because sometimes it takes us longer to respond and to get our body to move the way we want it to. Like standing up, handing someone something or when I am typing a response on my iPad I may need additional time.

~Brian Collins

I am very intelligent and have diverse interests

Want to get them (school) to understand that I am bound by autism but I am no longer afraid of never having a good life. I am very intelligent and have diverse interests that occupy my thinking when people think I am thinking of nothing.

Really want you (school) to listen to me because even though you are experts in a school you are not the expert of me. I am really the only expert on me. You only know Alexi the student who acts like she is not intelligent but now you can meet the real me who is more intelligent than you know.

I want to tell them (school) to ignore my nonsense talking and not talk to me about it. My talking is mostly not meaning anything so stop trying to figure out what I mean. I am nervous they won’t believe me.

I want to know if they can understand that kids like me are smart and just because we don’t talk does not mean our brains are not thinking.

I want to tell them (school) I have great respect for them listening to my typing. I want to tell them if they open the mind, just a little bit, they can make great change for everybody.

~Alexi Cioffi

#ExceptionalMinds #WeAreInHere #NonspeakingAutism #NonSpeakingDoesNotEqualNonThinking

#Apraxia