Reflection Paper On Autism

Autism in 2015

I have a personal connection to autism. I have been a paraprofessional in an autism program for 3 years in Littleton Public Schools and the Cherry Creek School District. A paraprofessional is a district employee who provides various levels of individualized support for the special needs population within a school. At the beginning of my adventure in Littleton, I became nervous working with children and young adults. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought to myself, “How do I talk to them or act towards them?” After training I felt a little more confident. I connected with them and had many fun times together. I then transferred to Cherry Creek, where I began at Campus Middle School. There, I have learned how to work with middle school students with autism. For example, each student requires different support on working through crisis and alternative ways to learn. I’ve realized that children with autism have many similarities to students who don’t have autism. They have the same feelings and can express them in similar ways. When they get frustrated; they cry and try avoid their work. But they eventually come back to the work, which most of us do. These kids may look different and not be

With this employment I hope to extend my knowledge and experience with students who have special needs. I enjoy working with these students every day. I’ve been told “it takes a special person to interact with these children.” This kind of person would look like a very patient, kid friendly and adaptive to different situations. A person needs to be understanding of these children and learn what’s best for them, making this kind of person a fast learner. I’m thankful I get the opportunity to do what I have a huge passion for. To understand Autism, we need to understand the communication difficulties, behaviors, symptoms, treatments, and what it is like to live with