Teaching An Autistic Child Who Doesn’t Want To Learn

As an ESE teacher to kids on the Autism Spectrum, the best part of my job are the simple moments of progress. The baby steps that are are actually anything but. In between dealing with kids in crisis and having the lens knocked out of my glasses, I get to see the kids learn and progress. I get to see their confidence grow. And in some cases, I get to see them finally try something that they wouldn’t before.

When They Don’t Want To Learn

I have a student who is non-verbal and not particularly motivated to participate in class. So, it’s really difficult for me to know what he can do versus what he wants to do. When he works on his numbers and letters, he will trace but never write them on his own. Never. He is the cutest little thing (when he’s not sneakily drinking my coffee…) and I would be happy just to hug him all day; but yes, he is a challenge to teach.

One day, his occupational therapist was talking to me about how she can never get him to write anything and we were commiserating over how unfortunate that was.

Trying New Things

Then it was Friday afternoon, he was working on his numbers with me. He finished tracing them. So I asked him to write them. He didn’t respond.

I told him that I would help so I helped him write the first one with my hand over his and then loosened my grip on the second number. I let go for the 3rd one and told him to go ahead and do it on his own.

I didn’t expect him to do it, but he did!

And I freaked out!

He wrote the last three numbers. I was beside myself. He had never made this kind of effort for me before. I don’t know what he was willing to do in previous years but either way, it’s progress this year.

Celebrating Progress

Anyway, I was clapping and telling him what a good job he did. I also excitedly told my para who was appropriately impressed. Usually the kids like it when I celebrate their accomplishments, but this kid might be the exception. Or maybe I was just way too over the top.

Because as I was telling him what a good job he did, he got embarrassed or maybe overwhelmed. I’m not really sure. What I do know is that he put his head down and I may have ruined everything.

I can only hope that I haven’t truly ruined it all. Some time has passed and I haven’t asked him to write anything so hopefully it’s all good. But I need to reign my excitement in next time he does something. In my defense, if my big flaw as a teacher is that I get too excited about my students’ accomplishments, then I think I’m doing ok.

The numbers are hard to see but they are there!