Progressive ABA: Practical instruction @ home & school

  "You shouldn't have to squint to see progress" said a parent during the panel at the 2022 annual Autism Partnership Foundation conference. This resonated with me deeply. I completely agree with this statement. As I reflect on my teaching style, beliefs, expectations, and implementation as a new teacher in 2006, I know my students made progress, but how much did I have to squint to see it? How much did the parents squint? At the time, the TEACCH method was the go-to for an autism-specific classroom. Every student had a visual/tangible schedule, and rotations consisted of language arts, math, art, sensory activities, independent work, discrete trials teaching (DTT), calendar/music, and play. This proved to be an easy system to set up and organize. The students fell in line and learned the routine of the days. Individual skill progress was relatively slow, but some progress, as required by law, was made. Did the progress generalize to any location outside of the structur...

Whether you are a new teacher or a veteran, the start of a new school year brings an extensive list of preparations. Here, I will share some top tips to kickstart success! Before I dive into the list, I want to preface this information by acknowledging that the list may seem like common sense. So why would I take the time to share this information when most teachers are already considering many of these items? When I was working on my bachelor's degree in sociology, one of my professors posed the question, "How is a candy bar violent?" At the time, he also stated, "None of you will understand this concept now. However, ten years down the road, you will recall this lesson and understand." He was right. We continued to listen as he asked questions and explained the violence that ensues to produce something so simplistic. A simple joy that we indulge in so effortlessly, without regard, and before you know it, the candy bar is gone, consumed and never considered aga...