Seeing the world differently
Elementary students’ novel study focuses on autism
Compiled by Linda Singerle and Kathleen E. Conroy

Jesssica Sharp and Amanda Hudsen, two McAlpine students involved in an autism novel study, help an autistic student sort through a nuts-and-bolts toy exercise.

Michelle Ming, another fourth-grader, agreed. “Everybody in Ms. Hogue’s class was really, really smart. … I thought everybody who had autism would be the same, but they’re all different.”

Mission accomplished.

John McDonald, a teacher of accelerated fourth- and fifth-grade students at McAlpine Elementary School decided earlier this year that his students would begin reading the novel “Rules” by Cynthia Lord in March to prepare for Autism Awareness Month in April. The popular fictional book tells how a young girl, Catherine, just wants a “normal” life and how she deals with her feelings about her autistic brother. Soon, the class will have a conference call with the book’s author, Lord, to discuss their studies and will participate with her in an online blog about the 2001 Newbery Honor Book.

But first McDonald wanted his students to meet autistic students. On Friday, April 27, his class divided into three groups. 

Fifth-grader Emilio Felipe assists an autistic child at McAlpine Elementary with a lacing game during occupational therapy time.

After nearly an hour with their new buddies, McDonald’s students returned to their own classroom to share observations about interaction and to debunk any preconceptions.

Fifth-grader Leo Lwin was quick to note, “They’re just like us but learn in slower steps than us.” Annie Ball, a fourth-grade student who worked with second- and third-grade students, said, “Some kids were 9 years old in second grade – when they have autism they take much smaller steps.”

“I worked with a girl who read better than I did in second grade! Even if you have autism, you can be really smart. You just might not be able to show it,” said John Michael Askew, a fifth-grader.

McDonald said his goals with this particular study project were to help his accelerated students strengthen language arts skills while becoming aware of autism.

“With ‘Rules’ I hit the jackpot. Not only is it a book that none of my students have previously read – which is more difficult than you would think – but it introduces a topic that many of my students have heard of but have never had the opportunity to really learn about.”

Fifth-grader Sean Froab summed it up: “Just because you’re autistic doesn’t mean you can’t learn. This was one of the greatest days I’ve had in school in a long time!”