"Temple Grandin" the movie, it rocks, and so does the person

Well, I already technically blew it for NaBloPoMo since we had some computer issues today, but hopefully you all (all one of you) will forgive me missing November 2nd, since it's after midnight. Just watched "Temple Grandin" for the first time, courtesy of a DVD just received for my birthday from my dear parents. Lots of very familiar moments and anxiety causing scenes.

For anyone not familiar, Temple Grandin is a famous person in the autism community for, well, having autism, to a pretty significant degree, and managing to be very financially successful and independent in the world, and for being a very vocal advocate for persons with a disability (especially autism).

Temple holds a special place in our hearts, because she also represents hope. Hope is critical to getting through the journey. One day, I hope that won't be so. Hopefully at some point, children will all be assessed for their particular education needs, and an appropriate curriculum will be applied without parents have to battle to the death for it, and without our children having to be so despondent from being forced into an ill fitting cookie mold that the school finally concedes they need specially designed instruction, and without making them endure ridiculous measures under the banner of "special education." Hopefully, someday, the federal government won't just require FAPE from local schools, but will fund it. Hopefully, someday, teachers won't have to worry about their jobs being threatened if they dare suggest that a one size fits all teaching method doesn't work for specific child. Hopefully, we will get rid of money wasted on NCLB, and switch to finding effective practices for all kids, making tests redundant, not taught to. When your child comes home miserable everyday from school, that's intolerable.

But until that day, we have hope. Hope that our significantly delayed, non verbal child WILL learn to speak eventually. Hope that they will develop functional empathy, and be able to navigate around and with other people in the world on their own. Hope that there is some method by which our kids can cope with an environment overwhelming with sensory input, and still thrive. Hope that we can find someone in the universe who sees what's in our children, dying to break out, and helps them be able to do that. Hope that we can harness whatever special interest or talent they have, and turn it into a independence providing, taxpaying job. Temple demonstrates all those things, and so much more.

Temple Grandin, the movie, did not touch on any of the medical issues that so many of our kids have that result in what we now call "autism," but if you are someone unfamiliar with autism, I highly recommend this movie as a good starting place for trying to develop an understanding. It's very entertaining, and for those of us who are already in the community, it's also very validating. I wish to caution the newbies, that there are much more lower degrees of functioning that what Temple displays, within the spectrum, and that autism manifests in as many different ways as there are people that have it. "If you've met one person with autism, then you've met one person with autism," is a familiar refrain to those already neck deep in it. But I think probably the most important aspect of this movie, although it touches very little on Temple's early childhood, is that, as a society, we must all presume intelligence and competence, and never give up on finding the method of learning that works for each individual.

I was very concerned with Temple's lack of friends which went largely unaddressed, as that's still a huge need for kids with autism, but certainly having a meaningful life with purpose is a very good start.