In honor of World Autism Awareness Day, I thought I'd share a few things that I have learned over the past couple of years from working with these beautiful souls.

1.) I always hear, "It takes a special kind of person to do what you do" when I tell someone where I work. Only just recently did I realize that maybe they were right. It does take a special kind of person. And maybe I do have a special something that allows me to work with them and enjoy it, but they truly are special souls. They are beautiful, smart, adaptable, sweet, and wonderful. I love my students and the other kids that I have worked with. I love them and I say that with all sincerity. They've taught me a lot about myself. So let's continue.

2.) Why is it that I have such a difficult time with being flexible, having my schedule change, having people switch things up on me and I expect my students to handle all of that just fine. We expect a lot of our students sometimes, sometimes even things that are hard for us to handle. How do we get through those situations, well, we turn something on (or off) internally, or we vent to a friend, but our students, my little buddies, they don't even have that switch and they don't vent to a friend. So how do they deal with it, either they just do, it's a part of their life, or sometimes they tantrum. They do what I at times feel on the inside.

3.) Patience. Now, it has been said of me before, "you have the patience of Job"... even when I was working with typically developing children. I admit it, I do have great patience when I am working with my students, but if I am working with my sisters, forget about it. I don't have much patience then. Our students work with so many different people throughout the day and are expected to handle each situation the same, be compliant, do they're work, get through things. However, put me in different situations and I sometimes have a difficult time being patient. If I am supposed to go somewhere and I have to wait on someone else, I just might lose my patience.

4.) Sometimes when I don't understand what is expected of me, I get frustrated. I hold it in, maybe show some signs, but try to get help and get someone to explain to me what I am to do. I have so many different ways to understand. However, some of my students don't have very good picture discrimination skills, or have a hard time attending, or maybe thier receptive language skills still need developing, and so it's really hard for them to always understand what is expected of them. This is one reason why routines are good.... and one reason why I need to refocus sometimes.

5.) Organization and choice-making. Our students work best when they have a routine, when things are organized and when they are allowed to make choices. I can learn a lot from that. Sure sometimes we'll need to be flexible with our routines, but it's good to have one at times... and it's certainly good to be organized. When we're organized, the world seems to go round a little easier. Lastly, I like making choices, but do I need to make all of them? No, of course not. If I like making choices, then certainly my students do as well. Give them choices. Allow others to make choices in my life. I don't always have to be in control.

6.) The way you say things really does matter. People with Autism usually take things very literally. Even in my life, sometimes, I take things quite literally. I've been told all my life that I am gullible. I just believe what people tell me. This also makes me think about how much we should not be sarcastic. Sarcasm really is a tool of the devil anyway.

7.) Be yourself. My students don't care if you think that spinning paper in circles over your head is wierd or that twirling beads on a spoon is odd. They don't care that watching the same part of a movie clip is boring to you or that they like to see the world through spread fingers and that that might seem socially awkward. They don't care about any of that. They see things through a different lense than most of us do most of the time. And they do it anyway... even if it is wierd, odd, boring or socially awkward. They do it because, sometimes they are just in their own world. And sometimes, that can be a good thing.

8.) Reinforcement is important. I work. I am reinforced by my paycheck.... I want a paycheck, so I work. I am also reinforced by chocolate, sometimes tv on a weekend or a good movie. I am reinforced when someone does something nice for me. Our kids are reinforced by beads, tickles, skittles, movies (usually just clips), spins, swings, playgrounds, trampolines, slinkys, trains, music, big exercise balls, etc. They don't really ask for much. But the reinforcers need to be powerful. Sometimes they want the same thing over and over again for a really long time and that's okay. But sometimes they want something different and that's okay too. Again, people need choices and we're allowed to change our minds.

9.) You can show love in lots of different ways; sometimes, with a "love tap", or with a smile, sometimes by asking to be picked up, sometimes just sitting in your lap, sometimes by asking for tickles or asking to spin, sometimes by sharing a favorite toy or snack, sometimes by simply following directions or asking for help, sometimes by wiping the dirt off of you when you fall down, or by pulling you to someplace, or by giving a hug. Sometimes love can be shown by letting you into their world. What does this show? That indeed, actions can speak louder than words (especially when there are no words).

10.) Sometimes you just gotta scream.