The middle school years, when nothing seems more important or more impossible than fitting in, are rough for nearly everyone. But they are particularly brutal for preteens such as Will Gilbertsen, whose mild autism makes him stand out.
Less than two months into sixth grade at Arlington County’s Kenmore Middle School this fall, the freckle-faced 11-year-old with a passion for skateboarding had gained a reputation for racewalking through the halls between classes. “That’s so I can’t hear the teasing,” he told his mother.
As the number of children with autism has ballooned nationwide, so has the population of children who, like Will, are capable of grade-level academics but bewildered by the social code that governs every interaction from the classroom to the cafeteria. Not so profoundly disabled that they belong in a self-contained classroom but lacking the social and emotional skills they need to negotiate school on their own, they often spend the bulk of their day in mainstream classes supported with a suite of special education services including life-skills groups and one-on-one aides.
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The MMSD has traditionally done a nice job of serving children with mild forms of autism, providing a lot of one on one assistance as needed and being very receptive to individualizing both academic and social support. It’s always been interesting, from my perspective, how different parents handle this disability. Some insist on as much real world experience as possible, no matter how difficult. Others choose a more conservative path for their kids. The only consistent truth about autism is that no two children are symptomatically alike, so the more options, the better.