Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Today's Man an Extraordinary film for use in Teacher Training

This film is a portrait of a young man who was diagnosed at age 21 with Asperger's Syndrome, and shows him with incredible strengths and, to him, mystifying challenges.
I have not seen a film thus far that so generously and with gracious love shows the audience both, and also shows how the people around him interact with him in ways that help him be successful.

Run to the website and see when it shows (by now, when it repeats) near you.

Other websites worth checking out about Asperger's:

At Yale Med.
At Mayo Clinic.
Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support

By People with Asperger's Syndrome, their friends and family

Cognitive Karaoke
It feels like a watered-down version of coming out as gay at age 17 (1991) -- while at the time the prospect of coming out might have perversely suggested sordid, unwelcome and unfathomable images into the minds of friends and family, now the only response to the question "Well, what do you *do* as an Asperger person?" is "I try not to get hit / fired / dumped." Not exactly fuel for conversation one way or another.

Wrong Planet
Delightful Reflections
Proudly Autistic (products including the t-shirt "I'm autistic, what's your excuse?")
Smart Software
Natural Variation - an anti-quackery and Pro Neurodiversity Blog
the office supplies blog. (new)

and a great instruction page on how to support/teach kids who fall on the Asperger's end of the autistic spectrum. She identifies challenges kids face, and suggests appropriate and helpful things a teacher can do. ( "Understanding the Student with Asperger Syndrome: Guidelines for Teachers" by Karen Williams, 1995,)

No comments: