A big THANK YOU to all of our "old" friends who stopped by to see us and WELCOME to all of our new friends! We will send your information packets out on Monday, May 22nd if you gave us your name and address. If you didn't have time to stop by our booth, email us at info@clclinic.com and let us know the learning problems for which you need information.

This was our first Resource Fair and we learned a lot. (For one thing, we learned that homeschoolers LOVE chocolate and red pens!) We had anticipated interest in our programs related to dyslexia and learning disabilities. What we didn't expect was the large number of you who are homeschooling children with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism.

We work with many young children and adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism and we know how difficult it can be to deal with the disorder-related issues like attention, anxiety, disorganization, absentmindedness and constant arguing or negotiating while also dealing with what we call the "content" issues, meaning the actual academic skills that you're trying to teach. Read these next sentences out loud two or three times until it sinks in: "I am a good teacher." "I am a good parent/aunt/grandma." "I am a good homeschooler."

Sara, Leah and I have master's degrees in speech-language pathology and hundreds of hours of continuing ed in the autism spectrum disorders and we want you to know something. It's NOT EVEN REMOTELY EASY to teach a child on the autism spectrum. Kids with AS or HFA have brains that are neurologically wired differently than most of the rest of us and it requires a substantial shift in thinking in order to successfully teach such a child. It's not about more time or more discipline or better materials. It also doesn't have to mean that it's always going to be this hard either, so hang in there!

Having said that, I need to apologize for the sketchy information on our website. Because you were all brave enough or desperate enough to talk with us about the problems you're facing, we will put together a workshop on the basics of Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism and how to change the way you present your lessons so they work. You can use whatever curriculum you are currently using. We just need to show you how to think about it in a different way. When you get your packet, there will be a postcard to send back to us to let us know which dates/times would be the most convenient for you.

Again, thank you all for stopping by. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us. We're pretty busy, so if Ashley says we can't come to the phone, just picture us helping someone else's child learn to learn and we'll get back with you as soon as we can. Sometimes that might mean after 6:30 p.m. when we're done with our last client of the day.