Positively Autism

A Welcome Message from the Editor

Welcome to
Positively Autism
and thank you very
much for visiting us!

As a special education teacher, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to teach many students with autism. During the course of my career, and my graduate studies in autism, I have encountered so many articles, books, and news reports that portray autism in a very negative light. Having seen the unique personalities, sheer determination, and of course, great potential in my students, I wanted to create a resource that focused on the positive: students with autism making achievements, going to college, finding careers, experiencing success in school, etc.

Rudolf Dreikurs said, "Whoever alters a person's expectations changes his behavior." I believe that if we don't expect that individuals with autism can learn, have careers, or be successful in life, we are setting them up for failure. Temple Grandin, a college professor and author with autism, shares in her book, Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism, that we "sometimes focus on the deficits in students' lives, and not their abilities. This is a major mistake. Instead, [we] must focus on helping students build on their strengths and work toward goals that will help them become successful."

The focus of our website and eMagazine will be the strengths, gifts, abilities, and accomplishments of individuals with autism, as well as practical tips, strategies and resources. We invite you to share in the exciting challenges, joys, and unique experiences of the world of autism. Thank you again for visiting and I wish you a wonderful day!

Sincerely,


Nicole Caldwell


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