Hi Everyone, haven't been on here for a bit. In my 5/6 class I've got a fantastic boy with some difficulties. He does not have an IEP/IPP but has social issues and some learning difficulties. some would say Asperger's Syndrome in the same sentence when referring about him. Here's what happened and here is where you can help. Yesterday he had 2 meltdowns where he self ejects himself from the class (portable) and finds solitude to cool down and burst into tears. these ejection periods last anywhere from 5-10 minutes so far. And triggers are noise, too much happening at once, and if things are not working as planned (computer can't sign on). He will stomp his feet and get out of the class, making a huge disruption, then when he comes back in, will apologize but is ready to blow again. I want to see him succeed as best as he can, and for his peers to view him as a friend not a fiend. I have not seen him smile yet this year. One thing I want to do is install a card system on his desk so he can let me know his meltdown status. Green - Everything's Good, Yellow - Things are starting to bother me - Red - Help! I can't fix this on my own. I've seen Kelso's Choices, and If there were Kelso for Autism I wouldn't be writing this post. Please if you have any information on a card system for him to communicate his frustration level, it would greatly help. He has full verbal communication, but sometimes cant find the right words to communicate his anger or frustration. Thanks, Mr. Skinner
Your card system sounds like a good idea. Try it out for a few days and see how it goes. Do you have a counselor in your school? Maybe the two of you could get together with your student and work on some coping strategies for him. I wish I could give more specific advice, but I don't have experience with a situation like yours yet.
I'm going to meet with his Mom and the student and discuss things between the three of us. No counselor, but we do have a social worker that comes once every 2 weeks maybe some other people will chip in their two cents. Thanks for your response.
I like your card system idea--does he have enough awareness of his "explosiveness" for that to be effective? I had a couple of students last year who sometimes needed to just get out of the room. With the principal's permission, I created a "Permission to Walk" pass for them. It said, "permission to walk, but not to talk. I'll be back in class in 10 minutes". With the pass they could walk the halls, or sit in the stairwell to "cool down". I added the "not to talk" part so that they wouldn't have to have other teachers confronting them about being out of class and "giving them grief". It worked really quite well. When they felt that they were "losing it", they took the pass from near the door, held it up so that I could see it, and left. Neither took advantage, and both respected that I recognized that sometimes they just needed to be alone to cool down. When they returned to class, we were able to talk through the situation calmly.
Have you talked to any of his past teachers? Maybe they found a strategy that worked for him. That, or maybe his mom has something she does at home to help him with his meltdowns. This may be a stupid idea, but do you think having a stress ball or something like that would help (something to help distract him from the stressful situation)?
Today he had 3 meltdowns in 10 minutes! #1: didn't get his snack before recess, because the french teacher ran out of time (bell rang). After recess, he started unpacking his lunchbag for his snack (green jello). The teacher (i'm an intern in this class btw) said no to snacks after recess (which she has said for 6 schhols days now and is getting tired of it) then he went from fine to Screaming, throwing the waterbottle on his desk at the back of the room and stomping out of the room in 1 second flat. no green - yellow - red. Just Green - Red in 1 sec. 2 minutes later #2: trying to put his agenda and binder in his backpack. they wouldn't fit so again Green to Red in 1 sec. Stomping across the portable to the other door and slamming it. He stayed there for 5 minutes and was sobbing then calmed himself down. 3 minutes later #3: We were meeting with our Grade 1 reading buddies (our class is 5/6) and our class lined up to be matched with the gr 1's. When he was assigned with a peer and the grade 1, the peer was a larger child and a little "slow". Mr. Meltdown, clenched his fists, arched his back and started screamming at the situation, where the peer took the grade 1 away, and Mr. Melt screammed, stomped, swore at some kids as loud as his voice could go (high pitched and short of breath at the end) and then stormed off to his hiding place at the back of our portable. We're setting up a meeting. My teacher, our class Educational Assisstant, and I can't solve this on our own. I'll keep you posted. Mr. Skinner
Hi, I read what you were saying about teaching the mult. facts. Will you please tell me how this works?
I totally sympathize with you. I also have a student who has meltdowns who has been diagnosed with Asperger's. Although I had never heard of the syndrome until a few years ago, it seems like we have at least one student with the syndrome every year. With the majority of these students it has been easy to predict and avoid the triggers in order to prevent a meltdown. With these students your card system would probably be of great benefit. My current student does not fit the standard though. Like most of these students, he is very bright.....In fact, he would most likely be classified as gifted under normal circumstances. Unlike most of these students, he is very extroverted. He wants to control everyone and everything around him. If other students do not bow to his wishes, he has been known to become very violent. He has bitten other children, attempted to choke them, raised a little girl's shirt up over her head, screams and yells, and has attempted to leave the school campus during fits. I should add that our other students are aware of the fact that this child has special needs and go out of their way to be nice to him. I find they are very protective of him. However, I fear for their safety.
