well there's a #WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
sounds like a good opportunity to discuss some of the awful things I've witnessed as an autistic substitute teacher working in alternative schools that practice ABA
sounds like a good opportunity to discuss some of the awful things I've witnessed as an autistic substitute teacher working in alternative schools that practice ABA
cn: restraint
one of the most jarring things to witness is of course the restraint
I've seen children wrestled to the ground by multiple adults at once
for "safety"
there was an elementary kid they put in a vest that was sort of like a straitjacket
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
one of the most jarring things to witness is of course the restraint
I've seen children wrestled to the ground by multiple adults at once
for "safety"
there was an elementary kid they put in a vest that was sort of like a straitjacket
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
another thing I've seen a lot is that an autistic child will feel distress-- maybe a classmate is absent, maybe the room is too loud-- and try to communicate the distress nonverbally
this is usually seen as "attention-seeking behavior"
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
another thing I've seen a lot is that an autistic child will feel distress-- maybe a classmate is absent, maybe the room is too loud-- and try to communicate the distress nonverbally
this is usually seen as "attention-seeking behavior"
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
if a child demonstrates behaviors to convey distress, only the behavior is addressed, not the distress
"quiet hands"/"calm voice" are framed as more important than the child's emotions
the goal is not to help the child but to silence them
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
if a child demonstrates behaviors to convey distress, only the behavior is addressed, not the distress
"quiet hands"/"calm voice" are framed as more important than the child's emotions
the goal is not to help the child but to silence them
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
once I saw a student get so upset his stomach hurt and he became nonspeaking
he got a whiteboard for communication and wrote several messages teachers ignored
they wanted him to "use his words"
ultimately he left school early that day
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
once I saw a student get so upset his stomach hurt and he became nonspeaking
he got a whiteboard for communication and wrote several messages teachers ignored
they wanted him to "use his words"
ultimately he left school early that day
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA/seclusion
seclusion, like restraint, tends to target Black students more frequently, I have noticed
a student may be taken to a "time away"-- a room with bare cinderblock walls-- against their will
teachers block the door with padded boards
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
seclusion, like restraint, tends to target Black students more frequently, I have noticed
a student may be taken to a "time away"-- a room with bare cinderblock walls-- against their will
teachers block the door with padded boards
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA/seclusion
one (Black) child I know often gets pulled from class and taken into the hallway, where teachers erect portable folding walls around his desk
he has to work consistently for ten-minute intervals to earn tokens that buy his freedom
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
one (Black) child I know often gets pulled from class and taken into the hallway, where teachers erect portable folding walls around his desk
he has to work consistently for ten-minute intervals to earn tokens that buy his freedom
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
let's talk about tokens
students often have laminated "token boards" with little velcro pads for the tokens they earn
they earn these tokens by being still and quiet, or speaking instead of signing/writing/typing to communicate
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
let's talk about tokens
students often have laminated "token boards" with little velcro pads for the tokens they earn
they earn these tokens by being still and quiet, or speaking instead of signing/writing/typing to communicate
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
what do kids earn with tokens?
the teachers watch the kids, try to find what is *most important* to the kid
maybe a straw they like to spin
maybe a beloved stuffed animal
then the teachers take that item away
a child must "earn" it back
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
what do kids earn with tokens?
the teachers watch the kids, try to find what is *most important* to the kid
maybe a straw they like to spin
maybe a beloved stuffed animal
then the teachers take that item away
a child must "earn" it back
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
there can also be "bad" tokens
if a child earns enough "bad" tokens, guess what happens
...
...
did you guess "seclusion" or "losing a comfort item"?
if so, you are doing a great job of reading
give yourself a token
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
there can also be "bad" tokens
if a child earns enough "bad" tokens, guess what happens
...
...
did you guess "seclusion" or "losing a comfort item"?
if so, you are doing a great job of reading
give yourself a token
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
a kid may become distressed as they earn "bad" tokens
they may express that distress with their mouths
(calm voice, please)
they may express that distress with their bodies
(where are your calm hands?)
more "bad" tokens for that distress
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
a kid may become distressed as they earn "bad" tokens
they may express that distress with their mouths
(calm voice, please)
they may express that distress with their bodies
(where are your calm hands?)
more "bad" tokens for that distress
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
sometimes students earn candy
you've done a good thing? here's a Skittle
sometimes students earn a walk down the hallway
or a chance to say hello to a favorite staff member
everything is about rewards
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
sometimes students earn candy
you've done a good thing? here's a Skittle
sometimes students earn a walk down the hallway
or a chance to say hello to a favorite staff member
everything is about rewards
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
there's this one kid who had a stuffed bunny he loved
he was forbidden to bring this bunny from home because the school did not want him to have something he loved unless he earned it
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
there's this one kid who had a stuffed bunny he loved
he was forbidden to bring this bunny from home because the school did not want him to have something he loved unless he earned it
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA/seclusion/abuse
I've heard children screaming, beating on the walls of seclusion rooms
school staff sometimes get in trouble for being overtly abusive
last winter, a teacher was fired because he broke a student's nose
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
I've heard children screaming, beating on the walls of seclusion rooms
school staff sometimes get in trouble for being overtly abusive
last winter, a teacher was fired because he broke a student's nose
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
this is all done to "help" students, to teach them how to fit in outside of the school
but how does it help to condition a child not to enter a room without permission?
how does it help for a child to be trained their emotions don't count?
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
this is all done to "help" students, to teach them how to fit in outside of the school
but how does it help to condition a child not to enter a room without permission?
how does it help for a child to be trained their emotions don't count?
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
working in these schools is very hard for me as an autistic person
I choose to work there, though
the kids trust me
when they have a whiteboard or AAC device, I use that to communicate with them
I try to keep them from being hurt
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
working in these schools is very hard for me as an autistic person
I choose to work there, though
the kids trust me
when they have a whiteboard or AAC device, I use that to communicate with them
I try to keep them from being hurt
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
autistic children are being treated like animals, every day, all over the world
they are kept from growing and becoming the best versions of themselves-- because their best selves are not quiet enough, not calm enough
so happy #WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay I guess
autistic children are being treated like animals, every day, all over the world
they are kept from growing and becoming the best versions of themselves-- because their best selves are not quiet enough, not calm enough
so happy #WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay I guess
cn: ABA
if you are someone who practices ABA, and you are actually listening to my perspective as an autistic person
congratulations
you get a token
can you go back to your colleagues and "use your words" to tell them what you learned?
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
if you are someone who practices ABA, and you are actually listening to my perspective as an autistic person
congratulations
you get a token
can you go back to your colleagues and "use your words" to tell them what you learned?
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
having seen some BCBA folks Tweeting about #WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay, I want to add some context about BCBAs specifically
the practices I describe in my thread are mostly enacted by teachers and educational assistants, enacting a plan created by a BCBA
having seen some BCBA folks Tweeting about #WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay, I want to add some context about BCBAs specifically
the practices I describe in my thread are mostly enacted by teachers and educational assistants, enacting a plan created by a BCBA
cn: ABA
the BCBA visits classrooms to make sure teachers are following the plan (isolation, tokens, etc.)
often the BCBA will tell the teachers to be stricter
some teachers are reluctant to do these things
some teachers are genuinely upset
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
the BCBA visits classrooms to make sure teachers are following the plan (isolation, tokens, etc.)
often the BCBA will tell the teachers to be stricter
some teachers are reluctant to do these things
some teachers are genuinely upset
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA
but the BCBA assures the teachers that these methods will help
there's a high turnover at these schools
sometimes new employees squirm or wince and I think, "that one won't last long"
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
but the BCBA assures the teachers that these methods will help
there's a high turnover at these schools
sometimes new employees squirm or wince and I think, "that one won't last long"
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA, self-injury
one lady was very nurturing, and they told her to ignore a student who was forcefully striking his ears
"he just wants your attention" they said
and I wondered "what's wrong with him getting attention?"
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
one lady was very nurturing, and they told her to ignore a student who was forcefully striking his ears
"he just wants your attention" they said
and I wondered "what's wrong with him getting attention?"
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
cn: ABA, Autism Speaks
the staff of these schools are treated as "local heroes"
they are told their work is changing the world
a higher calling
and they all wear t-shirts from Autism Speaks
puzzle-piece lanyards
hats
the whole shebang
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
the staff of these schools are treated as "local heroes"
they are told their work is changing the world
a higher calling
and they all wear t-shirts from Autism Speaks
puzzle-piece lanyards
hats
the whole shebang
#WorldBehaviorAnalysisDay
gonna mute this now
remember, I like you just the way you are
remember, I like you just the way you are
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