Trials & Tribulations (Part 4)

After careful thought and deliberation, I thought others would find this interesting about our battle with Asperger Syndrome. If anyone would like to post about their trials and tribulations, please leave a link so we can read your story. :)

This is written in the third person.


What is MONK up to now?

M continues to do very well in high school and is in all regular classes (none are co-taught). He is always on the Honor Roll (GPA 3.5) and has never missed a day of school during the whole time he has been at high school (4 years). He learned how to tie his shoes during the summer of 9th grade and continues to be more independent. He can wash and dry clothes, fold, hang them up, and/or put them away, and cook simple meals (scramble eggs, hamburgers, pizza, hot dogs, spaghetti, brownies, etc.).

Extensive transition planning was done again for M before school started for 10th grade (this is done every year throughout high school). M was orientated to his new school by his parents (Transition checklist attached and was added to IEP by parents).

At the beginning of 10th grade, M’s high school received an Autism Specialist. M’s mother met with the Autism Specialist and gave her the booklets for M’s teachers for the in-service. The Autism Specialist talked with each of M’s teachers about him and AS and gave them each a copy of the booklet. This seems to be working well and the Autism Specialist continues to inform the teachers about M and AS the same way each year. M now eats lunch in the Autism Specialist’s office, but is still isolated from other students.

All the accommodations and modifications in his IEP are specified to use as needed and M does not use any of them except having a dial barrel type lock on his locker (provided by parents) and sitting behind the bus driver.

During the summer of 10th grade to help reduce his OCD tendencies, M went to comprehensive therapy in Silver Spring, MD. His OCD behaviors stopped with their interventions and when school resumed, so did his therapy due to it being a 2 hour drive one way. Since then, when his OCD at times becomes apparent, he refers back to the techniques that he learned and makes adjustments. So far it is working, but this will probably be a life long struggle that he will face from day to day.

Also during the summer of 10th grade, M volunteered at the local city library shelving books for 2 hours per week.

During 11th grade, M participated in the County Science Fair. He set up his project at the center and presented it to various visitors and judges. It was an all day event, but M said he enjoyed doing the project and participating in the Fair.

Two years of foreign language is needed for entrance to most colleges and universities and M chose Spanish for the requirement. He started off well, then problems started during second semester and he was given a low C on his report card. M then obtained help from a tutor (student from a local college that volunteered his time for free) once a week after school. During 12th grade no Spanish tutors were available so M received help from his mother and he brought his Spanish grade up to a B during the second grading period.

In the summer of 11th grade, M enrolled at the local junior college for driving lessons. He did well and is currently practicing his driving skills and plans on taking his driving test in June 2009.

In 12th grade M has 2 other AS students to eat with during lunch and they all receive Speech together in the Autism Specialist’s office. During Speech they work on eye contact, idioms, pragmatics, literal interpretation, and verbal fluency. M has made progress in these areas, but will still need to work on them through out adulthood.

The AS students do not spend any time with each other outside of school, but M has also declared no interest in this. M still does not have any friends.

On Senior Award Day M was the ONLY student that was awarded the following:

* For Having Maintained Perfect Attendance for Four Years of High School

* Recognition of Achievement in Web Design (computers)

And the last award, it was announced to all: This student has worked diligently throughout the past four years in his history classes and he has averaged an A for the past four years. He is always enthusiastic, regardless of the topic that day. He works hard to make a personal and real life connection to the material. He asks intelligent questions so that he can have a deeper understanding of the information. This student is incredibly deserving of this award because he is a model of sincere and genuine interest in learning. The Department of Social Studies is proud to recognize M with the Four Years of Social Studies Excellence Achievement Award.

M is still active at his church and has been the teen helper in his father’s 6th grade Sunday School class for 3 years. M is also planning to join the Knights of Columbus with his father sometime soon.

M has passed all Maryland HSA tests and has taken the PSAT and SAT. M has done very well in school and will graduate with honors. He has already been accepted at the local junior college that is 20 minutes from his home and plans on starting second summer session after graduating from high school. His mother has already met with various advisors and with the Disability Support Services (DSS) at the junior college. The plan for M is to have a light class load at junior college (one class during each of the summer sessions and only 12 hours for each semester). M and his parents have also decided not to receive any help from DSS due to M not needing any of the accommodations that are presently available through them. If M finds that he requires accommodations he will apply for help each semester as specified by DSS procedures.

M plans on majoring in Engineering and transferring to a state college. He later hopes to obtain a job at the military base in town using his degree.