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Tantrums and techniques
Sister Elizabeth WitinHow do you handle a disruptive child who continues to throw sand?Thatâs a teacherâs plea at a Q & A session at Bhakti Luhur Catholic institution in Malang led by former AWA intern Sister Elizabeth Witin
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Sister Elizabeth Witin
How do you handle a disruptive child who continues to throw sand?
That's a teacher's plea at a Q & A session at Bhakti Luhur Catholic institution in Malang led by former AWA intern Sister Elizabeth Witin.
'Imagine this: You're in a foreign airport; no-one speaks your language and you can't understand the signs. That's the world of an autistic child,' said McKenna Kerr of the Autism Association of Western Australia (AWA).
'You're in a room with 20 TV sets each on a different channel. That's why they retreat to routine. We know this from empirical research.'
She said autistic children can't read situations or people well ' they want to escape from environments they find overwhelming.
'They'd rather not be challenging. Saying 'no' does nothing ' teach to their strengths,' she said.
All children, she said, are different.
'Structure the day, stick to routines. Teach the child to calm himself. Use color codes and pictures that can be understood, though it takes time to realize an image is a symbol for the real thing,' Kerr said.
'We publish practical tips for teachers and parents. Work on the building blocks of learning. It's not easy, it takes time, but it can be done. We need to commit ourselves to the child's needs.'
- Duncan Graham
