April is National Autism Awareness Month

 

April is Autism Awareness Month...  I work with and have worked with many Autistic children over my 25 years teaching art.   They range from kindergarten to 5th grade and are on the Autistic Spectrum in many varying degrees. 

 

Last week one of my 5th grades was away on a trip, so I made sure to tell the Autism teacher in our 3-5 school to send down the two boys who are mainstreamed into the class for art, even though the rest of the class was away.  I told her the whole class was welcome to come down if she wanted!  Five of my favorite kids showed up for art with their Para-Professionals!  We only had a short time and a couple of the kids were upset because we had changed their routine...

 

Change is very difficult for an Autistic child and the littlest thing can upset them.  One was upset because they passed the door for the lunch room and he thought it was time to eat! Sorry no food!  Just extra art!  :)

I pulled out my painted paper scrap box and had the kids create these beautiful painted paper flowers!  The ladies that work with them drew out the petal shapes and had the kids cut them out and glue them onto their flowers center how ever the child wanted.  They came out beautiful and the teacher hung them in the hallway outside their classroom!  Sometimes the project that is last minute and off the cuff comes out great and these did! 

 

 

 

 

Do the flower's centers look familiar?  We have started to recycle these into other projects!  I love when I can get these guys together for a group lesson!  Each child in the group verbalizes in a different way so there was a lot of chatter and happy working noises in the room!  :)

We are finally on Spring Break!  Yeah!!!  I will be back after vacation with more lessons from my room.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter/Passover! 

Mrs.C  :)