Light It Up Blue!!!
Look for blue lights on buildings around the globe to help shine a light on World Autism Awareness! More information can be found at Light It Up Blue
Look for blue lights on buildings around the globe to help shine a light on World Autism Awareness! More information can be found at Light It Up Blue
Today is World Autism Awareness Day and tons of people are taking action, including our friends at Sesame Street. Check out this article: “Sesame Workshop joins forces with Autism Speaks to Develop Autism Initiative” from the Autism Speaks website. See the website (here) for more stories of people coming together for World Autism Awareness Day!
Here at the Yale Center for British Art, the Education Department does as much as possible to provide a comfortable environment for children on the autism spectrum. As part of this effort, we keep a Sensory Box in our Docent Room at all times. Our Sensory Box consists of various tactile toys which are made available to any child at any point during their visit to the museum. If situations become too overwhelming, a sensory toy may help to soothe and comfort a child. The Box especially comes in handy during our Exploring Artism programs. To get an idea of the types of toys we put in our Sensory Box, here is the Amazon link to many of the items that the Education Department keeps. Sensory toys can also be found at craft stores or in toy departments at chain stores. Check out the pictures of some of our Sensory Box items to find inspiration for your own Sensory Box.
The Education Department at the YCBA uses many resources to better understand how to approach our Exploring Artism program. We suggest these books:
Reaching and Teaching: Students with Special Needs Through Art by Beverly Levett Gerber and Doris M. Guay.
Understanding Students with Autism Through Art by Beverly Levett Gerber and Julia Kellman.
1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism or Asperger’s by Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk.
A Practical Guide to Autism: What Every Parent, Family Member, and Teacher Needs to Know by Fred R. Volkmar and Lisa A. Wiesner.
“You’re Going to Love this Kid!” Teaching Students with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom by Paula Kluth.
What books do you suggest?