Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Imagination at Play

 

This isn't art work, but it's one of my students using his imagination and playing. This student is 4 years old, on the Autism Spectrum, and he is non-verbal, and is always moving. He loves the two animals shown in the picture, and always carries them with him. One day during class he took the blue toy and his animals to his area and sat down on his own. He sat here and played with the animals by sticking them into the toy and having them climb up it like a mountain. This was the first time since school had been back in session that he went and sat on his own and played. I was so in awe of how he was playing, and everyday I wish I knew what was going on in his mind. 

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6 comments:

  1. Kathleen MontoyaNovember 12, 2020 at 7:54 AM

    It can be 3-d art / a sculpture. Not all art is done with paper and pencil, clay or playdough. He may not like using paper and pencils to create. I think this picture is fantastic. Did He tell you the animals were climbing the mountain? Did he use the word climb? :) Non-verbal children show us what they want by their actions and facial expressions. He may think those animals are him and he is trying to climb this stressful mountain called school.
    "Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing." - Barry Finlay

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    Replies
    1. JesNovember 13, 2020 at 12:16 PM

      No, he didn't say what they were doing it was just my interpretation of how he was moving them from the bottom up and having them hang on. He does communicate by showing us or pointing. This is our first year with this student so we are all learning together!

      Delete
  2. Learning Through Play, Day After DayNovember 13, 2020 at 10:09 AM

    Thank you for sharing this story about this little guy. I LOVED how you said, "I wish I knew what was going on in his mind". I say that all the time with kiddos at work, generally when they are struggling to communicate to us what they need. I think this is one of the most challenging parts of our jobs, BUT also one of the most rewarding when we are able to figure out how to help them!

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    1. JesNovember 13, 2020 at 12:17 PM

      It has absolutely been rewarding with him. He is starting to show us what he wants by leading us and pointing. This is our first year with this student and we have all been learning together. Using pictures has been a huge help!

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  3. the unofficial bookclub.November 15, 2020 at 12:27 PM

    I appreciate this post. Not a lot of people understand children with autism. And because one may not be verbal, doesn't mean they're not aware of their surroundings and what's going on. Each child has their own thought process and their own sense of imagination. As a teacher, I enjoy seeing different versions of children's drawings knowing it's their personal point of view.

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  4. Itze Montejo-HyattDecember 25, 2020 at 10:08 PM

    Hello Jes,
    I just wanted to say a quick thank-you for all your wonderful blog posts. You are a create and hard-working individual. I have enjoyed reading more about your work and what you have learned these past 8 weeks. I hope to continue to read great content from your blog!

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