Gender

Female

Location

Fort Worth, TX

Organization

Neurodiverse Spectrum Services

Title / Role

Assistant teacher (I help the owner of the business)

Subject(s) I Teach or Learning Interest Area

IDD and/or Autistic young adults language (if nonverbal) Social skills Independent living skills Job or college readiness Safety on the job / in the community For women: how to stay SAFE in COED situations at college. This is how to recognize dangerous situations and give them a plan to know what they are supposed to do when certain steps happen: remove themselves from the situation, call a trusted friend for a ride, etc Those situations are PREDICTABLE to us, but most of these young women (and men) can be taken advantage of sexually, just as easily as fake friends can talk them out of their money, only with much larger consequences. When I taught this 2 hour class, one father wanted to sit in. I told him it might be difficult. While we don't discuss the mechanics of sex, many find this subject particularly difficult to broach. Especially since the young adults we work with NEED us to be blunt. We can't speak in a way that hints at what we are trying to say, or "best around the bush," bc this just leaves them in danger. Neither do we want to give them graphic details. It's a challenging balance, but we pulled it off.... Oh, About this young lady's father... I've never seen a grown man sweat and squirm for two hours before. Poor guy! But he made it. And so did she! I saw her some time later. She had completed her 6 month special needs adapted course, and the school was using her as a leader at the next orientation. She was so proud as were we all. When asked if she was able to put the info I taught her into use her dad piped up and told me about a night out she had where she was put in potential danger by her friend. She was tempted to "just go along with it" to fit in, but since she had been told the steps of what to do in that exact situation, she followed thru and got home safely.

Personal Interests and Passions

I love the variety of learning new hands-on things, such as arts and crafts. I enjoy baking. My passion is helping others find their independence, agency and self advocacy

More About Me

Found my passion later in life, after I married a man with aspergers at 40 years of age. His mother teaches people with autism and I feel in love with the people. I have some anxiety when put on the spot, and I like it when everyone gets along ( which rarely happens :)