Education from a Neurodiverse Lens: A Personal and Professional Approach

1. Education from a Neurodiverse Lens: A Personal and Professional Approach Matthew Caillet February 26, 2019 Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children SuperConference 38

3. Outcomes From this presentation, it is my hope that you will • See how the world of education impacted me as a product of me and me as a product • Be able to see ways to reach out to students who are neurodiverse (ASD and other exceptionalities)in different educational settings.

4. Who am I? • Matthew D. Caillet • Age 32 • Native and lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, LA • Educated at Louisiana State University (BA, BS, MA, MAT) • Have worked in the education environment for 7 years, certified in secondary education social studies and math in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Texas • Technology Chair of Louisiana Council for Exceptional Children since 2014 (joined CEC in late 2012)

5. How did I get here? The 1980s and early 1990s • I am the son of a special education (mild/moderate, “learning disabled,” “mentally retarded,” elementary grades)-certified teacher. I am the nephew (paternal) of someone born with Down Syndrome who was nonverbal and had profound intellectual disabilities, or, as worded from the era “profound mental retardation.” I am the paternal grandson of a long-term member and past president of the St. Charles Parish ARC Chapter. • My interests were not considered mainstream—keys, air conditioners, air cleaners/dehumidifiers/”air fresheners,” records, fans, and other “indoor ‘preacademic’ activities,” dates, numbers, math, etc. Learned to program a VCR at age 4 and a microwave around the same time. • Attended a Mother’s Day Out preschool program at a suburban Catholic School in Baton Rouge where concerns about behavior, anxiety, and general disinterestedness with coloring, cutting with scissors, art, etc., raised red flags. • Received an IEP in 1991 with exceptionality “noncategorical preschool handicapped” and received weekly speech therapy (Mondays), homebased social skills (Tuesdays), and adaptive physical education (Wednesdays) through 1992 for fine motor skills. • Known for whispering to myself, lack of rapport with strangers and peers • Sensory issues with noises and smells and other matters

6. Early Years—K-16 education, mid 1990s-2000s • I was still quite shy with anxieties throughout the 90s, although I attempted to open up socially in high school with mixed results. • Generally overcame speech issues with age; Nintendo helped me improve fine motor skills • I did not receive SPED services in elementary, middle, or high school but was still “different” with very few friends and a disconnect to many trends and interests during the era • Academically was ok but with issues with reading (Accelerated Reader) and penmanship (never tested nor diagnosed with dysgraphia but often “written up” for handwriting issues). Memorization was my tool to get through assessments • While I engaged in various extracurriculars, there was still a disconnect with the social part. • Some issues in high school with terms, slang, items • Anxiety/Obsessive Compulsive Disorder diagnosis in late 2005

7. Graduate school and teacher prep • I initially pursued a master of arts in history focusing on modern history but had issues with forming arguments and using the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy • Some problems with beliefs, agreements, disagreements • Replacement behaviors—the grade was more important than the learning process. • I decided to go into secondary education, entering the Holmes Teaching Program at LSU, which was a fast track, one year teacher prep program designed to earn both certification and a MAT in that time frame. • Some better collaboration among my peers, etc.

8. Finding the “Self” and the “Ism” and my place • The field of autism has grown tremendously in my lifetime and in yours; therefore, the science of diagnosis and the tools available have become more precise and broad at the same time • Earliest experiences with “autism” came in the mid 2000s during volunteer church work, working as a day camp counselor, and witnessing work done by my sister as a personal care assistant • Finding my place came by accident or by coincidence?

9. First teaching job and entry into CEC (2012-2014) • Upon graduating and getting certified in 2012, I answered a job post online via craigslist for a secondary math teacher at a small private school • This particular school I found very interesting but was unsure if my certifications and qualifications were appropriate for that setting. • After interviewing and seeing the environment, I spotted a special place and decided to work there. • I also joined Council for Exceptional Children in late 2012 and presented at the 2013 and 2014 conferences (and 2016).

10. Finding the “Self” and the “Ism” and my place (part 2) • Upon working with my cohort of students, I began to notice numerous trends—interests, tics, behaviors—that seemed coincidental to ones I displayed in the past and present—environment of surrealism • During my time in this job, I was diagnosed with Asperger’s, although this was around the time the DSM-V was released • I discovered ways to advocate and assist others with exceptionalities—anecdotes, speaking that they matter, catering to their needs and occasionally wants • I found my niche with integrating technology into teaching, which was difficult due to a dearth of space and funds but successful with grants and own pocket

11. Shifting into Virtual Education • Quote from professor at LSU: “I appreciate that by labeling you as on the spectrum the school is able to deal with your differences in a way that has some inherent virtue; relocating to a more ‘normal’ situation would put you at risk of being found unsatisfactory or of being victimized, or both. Still, the virtue that attends to understanding you as on the spectrum is not absolute. If you were a student at the school labeled as autistic, you would be treated in a virtuous way according to professional standards. But there really is no rule book for how one treats an employee who is labeled.” • When is it time to express yourself? When is it time to reinvent yourself? • I became interested in virtual education as my father taught part time for University of Phoenix (and now Grand Canyon University) on the collegiate level and I worked with a teacher whose daughter was enrolled at one of the virtual charter schools in Louisiana. I had interviewed at the other virtual charter school in 2012 prior to accepting my job

12. Initial concerns about virtual education and the shift • How will I build a relationship with my students without seeing them everyday or every other day? • How will exceptional students fit into the virtual education mold (if they can)? • What about my students I leave behind in my previous job, especially those facing bullying and discrimination? • Am I a teacher, a facilitator of learning, an office worker/bureaucrat, or something else?

13. What I found • Very hard working special education and guidance departments who sought to ensure all students, regardless of exceptionality or issue, could learn and be successful. • One of my former coworkers from the special education department, Katie Corkern, will be today’s keynote speaker • While communication is perhaps the most important asset and tool needed in any educational situation, it is the sine qua non in a virtual environment—speaking on phone, e-mail, face-to-face events, etc., can be the sink or swim to student and teacher success. • Virtual school is not for everyone—requires plenty of self discipline and concentration on the student, and, for the teacher, patience, persistence, tenacity, communication (of course). • Virtual school can be the niche for the right exceptional student or underserved student who has an exceptionality, medical problems, wants to engage in demanding sports/activities/extracurriculars, endured bullying or poor peer relations, etc.

14. Is it right to identify or not? • The short answer is: “idk” • Pros: serve as an example as someone neurodiverse, a beacon to those who may need more information about your exceptionality, asset for diversity • Cons: can be ostracized by those who have limited knowledge, target of stereotyped behaviors, margination based on exceptionality or traits attributed therein (ie. Good Doctor episode from last night). • Served as a “phone a friend” or “plus 1” (depending on which iteration of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”) to those needing advice or parents/relatives/loved ones of those with ASD tendencies

15. Conclusions • When you meet one person on the autism spectrum, you’ve met one • What may work for person A may not work for person B • The story and information shared here is unique to me and will undoubtedly change for others and for me as the future progresses • What constitutes autism? How is it identified? Will there be more or less identifiers in the future?