tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post8697696611018360863..comments2023-06-10T08:43:07.245-07:00Comments on One Dad's Opinion: On Job OpportunitiesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-77524954330923467482007-06-16T14:48:00.000-07:002007-06-16T14:48:00.000-07:00Larry said: "(if you believe psychology at all tha...Larry said: "(if you believe psychology at all that is because it is all subject to the same observer bias and give this whole discussion something of the terrible Goedel incompleteness quandary)"<BR/><BR/>YES! I'm glad you said that. My dad always taught me that psychology was quackery. I didn't get it until Adam and I were subjugated to psychologists for the purposes of getting dx and "services." It's exactly this bias that I could see immediately and lead us on a different course.<BR/><BR/>Steve, I really believe that there are so many opportunities for our kids. It's a matter of attitude, access and helping to make it available for our children.Estee Klar-Wolfondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04075904929829751057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-79216667975362785082007-06-15T22:00:00.000-07:002007-06-15T22:00:00.000-07:00You're welcome, Terry. If my optimism comes throu...You're welcome, Terry. If my optimism comes through, it is only becuase I have been blessed with 3 great kids.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10831843534657098189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-62110567753641093052007-06-15T11:05:00.000-07:002007-06-15T11:05:00.000-07:00Steve,the message I read in your article was simpl...Steve,<BR/>the message I read in your article was simple, unwavering optimism regarding your son's future. I needed that today, as I struggle to figure out which program is appropriate for my son next year. Summer always brings more stress, with another year behind us, changes in services and changes in school programs. Thanks.<BR/>Terry H.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-61498345082744744472007-06-12T17:52:00.000-07:002007-06-12T17:52:00.000-07:00Okay, Steve, I think I see where you're coming fro...Okay, Steve, I think I see where you're coming from now.<BR/><BR/>I guess I was thinking on the whole global sales development thing, where you're looking at this from more of a day to day operations thing.<BR/><BR/>I can see where such global standardization would make it easier for those who are technically adept to flower. :)Club 166https://www.blogger.com/profile/01816977079856902634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-6694170205528062132007-06-12T15:51:00.000-07:002007-06-12T15:51:00.000-07:00Larry - I, like you, am probably smart enough to t...Larry - <BR/>I, like you, am probably smart enough to teach, but I lack the skills to do it effectively. I don't seem to have the ability to anticipate what "gaps" of knowledge in a student/trainee must be filled before the next level of information is able to be effectively absorbed. I move too fast through subject material, and my expectations are too high. Ah well, as long as I recognize my (many) shortcomings, it is easier to navigate around them :)Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10831843534657098189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-42480504737930770522007-06-12T15:43:00.000-07:002007-06-12T15:43:00.000-07:00I am doing a City and Guilds 7302 course in delive...I am doing a City and Guilds 7302 course in delivering adult learning. It is doing me a power of good in terms of translating my skills into the ability not so much to teach them , but how to structure courses and write lesson plans, so much I would not have thought of before.<BR/><BR/>I guess I am ideally qualified to teach video, photography and semiotics.<BR/><BR/>There is a world of difference it seems between the ability to make presentations and lectures and the ability to interactively and responsively teach. Clearly no one within the autism enclave of the school of Education at Birmingham University has the first idea of how to practically teach what they preach is what I have learned so far :)Larry Arnold PhD FRSAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05074432718592268750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-65785899712914897432007-06-12T15:24:00.000-07:002007-06-12T15:24:00.000-07:00Interesting, Larry. I think that may play into th...Interesting, Larry. I think that may play into the MN system somewhere, but as you say, when it comes to real-life, who cares? It is what it is, I guess. Are you earning teaching credentials? If so, what subject do you plan to teach? <BR/>Joe - <BR/>I agree that is a concern, but more for day-to-day interactions. I am referring more to business platforms. for example, I work in the fresh cut flower industry. Last week, a group got together in Miami to explore use of GTIN technology. This new terchnology defines a "language" to which all cut flower growers must conform when labelling their boxes. Right now, it is a challenge to retain good salespeople for us due to the mental agility required to switch terminology based on product origins - we import from Mexico, Canada, Holland, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Each country has their own ways of itemizing product (by stem, by bunch, etc.) and ways of referring to colors (is it pink? hot pink? fuchsia? Light Red? Mauve? Lavender?) which is complicated even more by language (I speak in two languages every day, about a 70/30 split). If the GTIN initiative goes through, colors and units of measure, as well as qty's per box, length, and other considerations will be universally established. So, if I am ordering from Israel, I may be doing so via EDI interface, in the universal flower language, via internet, in a tightly encapsulated format. The skills I currently used will be less important (for example, bilinguality), and others will gain importance (for example, typing speed, mathematical calculations, etc.). This is one specific example of how I see skillset values changing.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10831843534657098189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-36281192048471405022007-06-12T14:03:00.000-07:002007-06-12T14:03:00.000-07:00In terms of technology and opportunities, I think ...In terms of technology and opportunities, I think we are in a golden age for those who have difficulties in social interactions in F2F (face to face) interactions.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, this age may rapidly pass as e-mail interactions go by the wayside, pushed out of the way by instant two way video conferencing. Bandwith, computer speed, and cheaper memory (as well as better codecs) are making this option much more viable all the time. I am afraid that the visual impression one makes (with instant video 2 way interaction) will bring us back to the visual cues becoming more important than the message.<BR/><BR/>JoeClub 166https://www.blogger.com/profile/01816977079856902634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-37063223991285082082007-06-12T14:01:00.000-07:002007-06-12T14:01:00.000-07:00Mirror neurones be damned, what brought things hom...Mirror neurones be damned, what brought things home to me today about my own autism was during the teaching course I am doing, when the talk was of observing the body language of students, with photographic illustrations. I might well have gone through SBC's software course but it still seemed like Greek to me in a real life situation. <BR/><BR/>I think I could make a good teacher, but there are certain things I am going to have to bluff my way through to survive.Larry Arnold PhD FRSAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05074432718592268750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-66026748399888078332007-06-11T20:45:00.000-07:002007-06-11T20:45:00.000-07:00Interesting, VAB. I wish I knew enough on this to...Interesting, VAB. I wish I knew enough on this topic to confirm or deny that your son's behavior resulted from MN's, but I don't. <BR/><BR/>My understanding, though, is that the existence of MN's is pretty well established. Their functioning is not. There is a fair amount of research relating them to autism, some of which looks pretty interesting. Certainly not the whole picture, but I think it may shed some light on some things. In the research studies I read, samples were very small, but control groups were closely matched. Not enough solid info to draw serious conclusions, but enough to warrant further invesitgation in my view.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10831843534657098189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-25577139105149532862007-06-11T18:27:00.000-07:002007-06-11T18:27:00.000-07:00On the MN thing, I think it is interesting that ou...On the MN thing, I think it is interesting that our guy has a problem when younger that could conceivably be caused by over function of MNs. When he saw things happening to another person, he would claim they were happening to him. And, for example, if he saw someone fall off a bike when he was riding a bike, he would fall off too. <BR/><BR/>But I definitely agree with Larry.VABhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06652301858477760996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-51120252007247832102007-06-11T18:19:00.000-07:002007-06-11T18:19:00.000-07:00Really interesting this and about time people had...Really interesting this and about time people had a good objective look at what makes the social world go round, because absent that, we don't know how best to mentor out autistic offspring. Well that's my theory anyway:)Alyrichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13293946886969452901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-15314905403474318532007-06-11T18:01:00.000-07:002007-06-11T18:01:00.000-07:00Larry - I absolutely agree. I do not claim to kno...Larry - <BR/>I absolutely agree. I do not claim to know the cause of autism, nor do I say so in this post. What I am saying is that numerous items of research have found that Mirror Neurons may function differently in ASD individuals than in NT individuals. I am not making any statements about causation - simply scientific observation.<BR/>If indeed Mirror Neurons do function differently in some ASD individuals, it is not known exactly what result this would have. I am speculating here that one real-world potential application of this observation is that autistic persons face more impediment to successfully navigating social-based commercial interactions. Not due to their "deficits", mind you, but instead due to the differences in communication expectations that may occur between autistic persons and NT persons.<BR/>I agree with your assessment of observer bias and carefully avoid any statements about causation for that same reason. Not I nor anyone else knows what causes autism, despite claims to the contrary.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10831843534657098189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-8708444482434565742007-06-11T16:11:00.000-07:002007-06-11T16:11:00.000-07:00The problem is that when someone reads a popular t...The problem is that when someone reads a popular theory as to what causes autism, they then begin to cast every observance they make in that mould whilst unconsciously rejecting any counter evidence. A well known phenomenon in psychology (if you believe psychology at all that is because it is all subject to the same observer bias and give this whole discussion something of the terrible Goedel incompleteness quandary)<BR/><BR/>Anyway, if you think autism is about lack of central coherence, that is what you will see; if you think it is about lack of theory of mind' that is the evidence you will find and if you think autism is about mercury poisoning again you will see the evidence you expect to find.<BR/><BR/>The truth is that nobody knows for sure and skepticism goes out the window when it comes to any theory that has a modicum of authority or "science" behind it.Larry Arnold PhD FRSAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05074432718592268750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-65413255906899633132007-06-11T15:26:00.000-07:002007-06-11T15:26:00.000-07:00My son is much the same way, AAM. Swimming, for e...My son is much the same way, AAM. Swimming, for example. We worked for a whole summer wo get him to swim "overhand", but his method was to sink to the bottom of the pool, then push himself forward. So he kind of "jumps" across the pool. <BR/>Then, a couple of weeks ago, his little brother was in a floatie and wanted to race him. He was falling behind, and immediately switched - for the first time - to the overhand way of swimming. Instant motivation, just add little brother :)<BR/>I do feel, though, that things will become more and more complicated as he grows up in terms of expectations, especially on the social side.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10831843534657098189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202467949945153658.post-28707351806581318842007-06-11T14:57:00.000-07:002007-06-11T14:57:00.000-07:00My autistic child seems to be able to do anything ...My autistic child seems to be able to do anything - anything he WANTS to do, that is. He has great motor skills, and is able to imitate gestures, drawings (amazing ability for that by the way) and words. But I notice that he doesn't do things if he's not motivated, when he doesn't see the point... For instance, he knows how to pedal a bike, but he'd rather scoot with his feet, and he doesn't care if we tell him that's wrong, or that big boys pedal. <BR/><BR/>He might have trouble with authority in the future, but then again so did I when I was younger - got fired a couple of times for being too much of a rebel.Another Autism Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15068526422102642426noreply@blogger.com