EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

This year I only have one student with Autism (6 last year) but he was in my class last year so I know him pretty well, which helps a lot. He's almost 6 and will probably be in specialized programming all his life because he is completely non-verbal, among other things.

This is his third year in the program and we've been trying to get him to verbalize or use sign language the whole time. He does point at what he wants, he also uses a picture communication system, but has never, ever signed or verbalized in a purposeful way.

He LOVES to spin and today I caught him sitting on my office chair (he's not allowed behind my desk). So I sat on the floor in front of him and spun him around on the chair. He loved it.

So I kept spinning him. I would spin him around once, stop, get in his face and sign & verbalize "More" over and over. Then I would wait for awhile, and spin him again.

We did this a few times until one time he signed more. HE ACTUALLY SIGNED "MORE"!!! I screamed and praised him and spun him like crazy (which he loved).

Then he did it again! And again!!

THREE TIMES he did it!

I was screaming like a mad woman I was so excited. Everyone thought I had gone crazy cuz no one could see what we were doing behind the desk.

I told his mom and she was shocked. I told some of his former staff and they were shocked.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

THIS is why I do this job!