By
A. Teacher
Recommended by: Irene Abrahams, librarian, Levittown United Teachers.
Suitable for: Grades 5-12, parents, teachers and staff.
Why I chose this book: Having to explain to students why a classmate is constantly demanding attention, interrupting the teacher and class routines, mixing it up with fellow students — and appearing to get away with it — can indeed be daunting. This funny and yet insightful nonfiction book can help. Through entertaining and sometimes hilarious stories it reveals how shared respect, a sense of humor, and stamina are required by student and teacher in learning about each other. In the process, the stress, pressures and fears that confront this child are exposed.
Some tactics that the teacher uses to mitigate these behaviors are also revealed. The beneficial outcomes enable classmates to accept and enjoy the student for who he/she really is.
How teachers can use it: As an increasing number of students are being diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum of Disorders (ASD) and mainstreamed into regular education classes, teachers need to address this situation. This book presents both the student and teacher's position on the implementation of the curriculum, use of classroom time and the mix of resources and opportunities. It is encased in rich vocabulary, including several relevant Latin idioms. As students read the text closely and participate in engaging conversations, they will come to better understand ASD and hopefully recognize that any person with this syndrome is much more than the possessive descriptive of an "Asperger's kid." April is Autism Awareness month
About the author: A. Teacher taught for more than 37 years in a suburban New York school district. The author wrote under a pseudonym to protect the child's identity.
"Check it Out" features books recommended to teachers and parents by school librarians and other educators. Have a recommendation?
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