• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts

The Educators Room logo

  • Start Here
    • Impact Statements: Teacher Expertise
    • Newsletter
  • Browse Topics
    • Content Strategies
      • Literacy
      • Mathematics
      • Social Studies
      • Educational Technology
      • ELL & ESOL
      • Fine Arts
      • Special Education
      • Popular Topics
        • Teacher Self-Care
        • Instructional Coach Files
        • Common Core
        • The Traveling Teacher
        • The Unemployed Teacher
        • The New Teacher Chronicles
        • Book Review
        • Grade Levels
          • Elementary (K-5)
          • Middle (6-8)
          • Adult
          • New Teacher Bootcamp
          • Hot Button Topics
            • Menu Item
              • Principals' Corner
              • Charter Schools
              • Confessions of a Teacher
              • Interviews
              • The State of Education
              • Stellar Educator of the Week
            • Menu
              • How to Fix Education
              • Featured
              • Ask a Teacher
              • Teacher Branding
              • Current Events
  • Podcasts
  • Courses
    • Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout- An 8 Week Course
    • Becoming An Educational Consultant
    • Teacher Branding 101:Teachers are The Experts
    • The Learning Academy
    • Books
    • Shirts
  • Education in Atlanta
  • Teacher Self-Care
  • The Coach's Academy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts
×

May 2, 2014 Current Events in Education

The Other 335 Days of the Year: Autism Awareness

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Cindy Lumpkin, The LD Coach

  • iPhones in the Classroom are Game Changers - November 13, 2014
  • Have You Heard of People First Language? - August 20, 2014
  • 6 Tips for Students with Learning Disabilities Who Plan to Attend College - August 15, 2014
  • Robin Williams Passing Shouldn’t be in Vain - August 12, 2014
  • The Other 335 Days of the Year: Autism Awareness - May 2, 2014
  • Building Self-Esteem: The Secret Ingredient to Reaching Your Learning Disability Student - February 14, 2014
  • October Is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month - September 24, 2013
  • What Every Teacher Should Know About Teaching Students with Disabilities - August 27, 2013
  • Starting the New School Year Ready for Children with Disabilities - August 13, 2013
  • {Opinion Piece} Prayer Back in Schools - August 2, 2013

creativewritingThe month of April in general shines the spotlight on Autism, but what about the other 335 days of the year? Will teachers, parents, principals, doctors, politicians, and organizations continue to spread awareness about Autism? I sure hope so and this article is my way of keeping the blue light shining bright so that we can continue to dispel myths and share hope about “learning differences.” As a part of the, Someone Like MeTM interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bill Wong, an OT (Occupational Therapist) from California. Bill is an example of what can happen when awareness is lacking. He was diagnosed at the age of 25 with Autism. Think this is a problem of the past? Well, it isn’t. There are students still in schools as we speak who have not been appropriately diagnosed. Sadly, students from some of the poorest schools are impacted even more. Bill’s story is an example to us all that we have to remain vigilant about being intentional of bringing awareness to not only Autism, but all disabilities. I was so inspired listening to Bill tell his story. He certainly dispels myths about what people with Autism can grow up to accomplish. He didn’t learn to speak until around age 3, but yet holds graduate degrees and is successfully working in a field where he has to interact with others daily. To think that for the majority of Bill’s schooling he didn’t receive accommodations of any kind is a testament to the spirit in him to want to achieve and to become a productive member of society. Bill proves there is a place for people, for all students, no matter the challenges or labels they carry. Bill is Someone Like MeTM, someone who has overcome the challenges of learning differences, while learning to managing the ones that remain. He is someone who shares his story with the hope that it brings awareness and inspires students with learning differences who all to easily withdraw into their own world because greater society doesn’t understand or respect their difference. Bill is someone who still lives with the impact of having a disability and working in a professional world. I was really able to identify with him as he stated why he does not always share his diagnosis too early and sometimes not at all. I would venture to say that if any person feels uneasy about disclosing about their disability, then it’s just a sign that we have more work to do. We have to do a better job of not focusing on the “difference” or the label, but on the person and their many assets. We have to do a better job as teachers to seek out people like Bill Wong and others with learning differences that are leading successful lives and present them to our students so they will know that they are not alone and that they can dare to become what they envision for themselves. A label does not have to prevent them from becoming productive members of society. Bill is their proof and he is also proof that he can work in an educational setting alongside educators and prepare our students for what lies ahead of them. Ways to spread awareness the other 335 days of the year:

* Watch Bill’s interview  and share it with parents and students, especially someone who has Autism and would find hope in watching and listening to Bill. In fact, make it a part of your lesson. This is a great way to showcase those with disabilities and how they are able to contribute to society in spite of.

* Write a random fact on your board about Autism or about someone who has it.

* Share the Temple Grandin story. It’s one of my all-time favorites.

* Share something on social media. In fact, like Bill @BillWongOT and me @TheLDCoach and retweet the many positive things we share about Autism and learning differences in general. You can also find me on Facebook at Cindy Lumpkin, The LD Coach.

I am sure you can think of even more creative things. The point is let’s not let the conversation end with the month of April. Let’s keep talking, sharing and spreading hope.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailOctober Is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month 8 Surveys For Your Stakeholders This Summer Teachers Pay Teachers - The Greatest Program You're Not Using Default ThumbnailFight! Fight! Illinois Teachers Refuse to Administer ISAT State Test
« Reverse Poetry
Asking vs. Training for Common Core »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

The Educator's Room was launched in 2012 to amplify the voice of educators. To date, we have over 45+ writers from around the world and boast over twelve million page views. Through articles, events, and social media we will advocate for honest dialogue with teachers about how to improve public education. This mission is especially important when reporting on education in our community; therefore, we commit our readers to integrity, accuracy, and independence in education reporting. To join our mailing list, click here.

What we do

At The Educator's Room, we focus on amplifying and honoring the voice of educators as experts in education. To date, we have over 40 staff writers/teachers from around the world.

Popular Posts

  • We Crowdsourced What Teachers Said Can Stop Gun Violence in Schools
  • You Showed Up: Reflections On Another School Shooting
  • No, Teaching Cannot Be Your Only Passion
  • Weird News: Why Are People Asking Quinta Brunson To Do a 'School Shooting' Episode?

Featured On

Buy Our Books/Courses

How to Leave Your Job in Education

Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout

Using Your Teacher Expertise to Become an Educational Consultant

Check out our books on teaching and learning!

The Learning Academy

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

 

Copyright © 2021 The Educator's Room.