Helping Students on the Spectrum at School, & More

SCHOOL FOR KIDS ON THE SPECTRUM. The Atlantic has published an article on approaches to supporting students who have autism. Here’s the opening paragraph: “A charming, bright 5-year-old stands out in his classroom at Maurice Wollin elementary school, on Staten Island, as an extremely social, kind, and curious child. He remembers more about his peers—names, significant events, likes and dislikes—than almost any other kindergartner at his school does.” Of course, for the purposes of the article he is on the spectrum, and the next paragraph describes a problem he runs into… followed by a description of the unconventional ways his teachers handle the problem and also impart social skills. Find the article.

DEPRESSION, SUICIDE IN YOUNG PEOPLE. The New York Times writes, “As of 2017, statistics show that an alarming number of them are suffering from depression and dying by suicide. In fact, suicide is now the second leading cause of death among young people, surpassed only by accidents.” This is in spite of young people’s generally good physical health and society’s emphasis on mental health. The article explores theories and possible answers to this problem. Find it.

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING. A blog posting at the site of the Sycamore School in Arlington, Virginia, examines how parents can identify and address executive functioning issues in students. It explains the impact on other skills that can come from positively addressing the issues, and also provides a list of common accommodations for the issues. Find the blog posting.

EDUCATORS’ RESOURCE. The Washington Association of Educators of the Talented and Gifted has introduced new “community features” — a community forum, free webinars, and recommended reading. It looks as though the resources are free and available to all. Find the resources.

SCIENCE, MEDICINE, RESEARCH
— Executive function development in adolescents, from Newswise. “The human brain is organized into circuits that develop from childhood through adulthood to support executive function—critical behaviors like self-control, decision making, and complex thought. These circuits are anchored by white matter pathways which coordinate the brain activity necessary for cognition…. Researchers… applied tools from network science to identify how anatomical connections in the brain develop to support neural activity underlying these key areas.” Find the study write-up.
— Facebook peer support for expressions of depression, from Newswise: “When college students post about feelings of depression on Facebook, their friends are unlikely to encourage them to seek help, a small study suggests.” Find the study write-up.

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