Great Article...a Must Read!

Check out this article to learn more about effective schools for kids with high functioning autism....like Alexsander Academy! It is a great article and showcases 3 Atlanta schools and a few other schools from around the country.

A Successful Day...Finally!

It has been a little bit rough at Alexsander Academy the last few weeks because one of students has been having a tough time. This happens sometimes and it isn't always easy to deal with the change and be flexible, but it is part of working with our children. We have been patient and trying to help him get on a more positive track and today, for the first time in a couple of weeks, he has had a great day! With some adjustments to his schedule, lots of positive reinforcement, and several conversations with him, he was able to make today a positive one. I am hopeful that this will continue and make a great a week overall!

Free Movie Ticket for Special Needs Kids!

Studio Movie Grill on Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell, GA is hosting a Special Needs Movie Screening on November 13, 2010 at 11:00AM for the movie Megamind. This special screening is for families raising children with special needs and admission for children with special needs is free. This is a great opportunity for families with special needs children that sometimes avoid going to the movies. I know for many families they worry that their child may have difficulty at the movies, may be disruptive, or others won't understand their child while at the movies, so they just avoid the movies. That is why some movies are offering special days and times so that families can bring their children and not have to worry about these things. If you have time and want to enjoy a movie with your special needs child, check out the Studio Movie Grill on November 13th and 11:00AM!

If you have any questions, e-mail Studio Movie Grill at twist@studiomoviegrill.com.

Flexibility within Structure

As every teacher knows, flexibility is necessary to run a classroom and to work with students. No matter how well you plan your day, plan a lesson, or organize your classroom, flexibility is a MUST. Children are not the same everyday and will not react the same way to things everyday. As a teacher, we have to adjust ourselves to our students and always do things with their best interest in mind. On the other hand, structure is also a key element to the success of our students. They thrive off of the consistency of structure, the ability to know what will happen and how others will react to them. It also teaches our students how to organize their own lives and the power that structure can bring to them. These two elements combined, flexibility and structure, allow for the greatest success of our students. They NEED both. I call this flexible structure. This model allows me, as a teacher, to give my students the structure that they need (and that I need!) and be flexible in those moments or on those days that flexibility is needed to make it through the day. On top of that, it helps children to learn that not everything is predictable and that sometimes they need to be flexible and "go with the flow". Isn't that an important part of life?