Temple Grandin's "The Way I See It"

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I recently picked Temple Grandin's "The Way I See It" up for an upcoming book club discussion about the writings of Temple Grandin at my church. I found myself in agreement with a number of her concepts, such as teaching those on the spectrum manners and the idea of getting people involved in activities that the child with autsim/AS enjoys. Like most literature about the autism spectrum, she focuses too much on non verbal autism and the physiology of the disorder.

Has anyone ever read this book? I would love to hear some thoughts, insights and criticism if you have.

Yeah, I read it. It didn't exactly blow me away, but then, I wasn't reading it from the perspective of a non-Autistic trying to understand the disorder, so a lot of it was redundant or overly simplistic to me. I think that a kid who grew up with enough resources to have the benefit of a full-time nanny might not be the best person to decide what's possible or not for the rest of the Autistic community. On the other hand, if it gives someone enough hope to keep them from lying around on the couch their entire life whining "I caaaaaann't - I have Autismmm", then it's served a good purpose.

As far as teaching manners, that's a bit of a hot-button for me - I don't think anyone should get a pass on learning to behave like a civilized human being. The very idea that Autistic folk cannot or shouldn't be expected to behave properly is just nonsense, and the kind of idea that only contributes to the myth that we're all potentially violent cauldrons of homicidal meltdown waiting to happen. If you're that far beyond help, then I'm sorry to say, you probably need to be institutionalized for your own good and the welfare of society.

That having been said...recognizing that a person has problems fitting in and communicating and may need to approach the learning process in a different manner than the neurotypical, can go a long way toward preventing emotional outbursts of frustration and exasperation. I think if my own condition had been recognized and compensated for in those ways, it might have helped prevent or at least lessen the feelings of depression and hopeless failure that came from being expected to function just like everyone around me, and knowing only that I couldn't.

As far as participating in activities the Autistic person enjoys - well, that sounds good on the surface, but...the thing this Autistic kid has always enjoyed most is being left the hell alone.

I've read it and I really liked it, as well as some of her other books. I'm NT, so I prefer to read books written by autistic people to better understand what it's like to be autistic. I don't know that I could critique much because I'm not autistic so I don't have a "personal" reference to judge that aspect, however, I have found in her books (I've read most of them so they all kind of run together) some validation for what I am doing with my son which makes me feel as though I am doing some of the right things. When I read her books, I do take into consideration most of what she says is the way "she" see's it, and I have learned from reading this website how different autistic people are, so I take what I think relates to my son, and just read out of a general interest the things that don't really pertain to him necessarily. She has given me a lot of insight into my childs point of view and I am very thankful to her for that.

I also don't mind about reading they physiology of autism, or different variations. I have always had a casual interest in the brain in general, so I find some of that stuff facinating. I'm sure it would be helpful for those who want to know why their child has autism. I personally don't care about why...he is who he is and knowing why doesn't change any of that, not that I want to change him anyway...he's perfect the way he is.

I have a great deal of respect for her and I thoroughly enjoy what she writes. She has overcome a lot and is willing to put herself out there to help people. I don't know that I could do that.

I don't know that I answered your question about that specific book, but I will say after reading several of her books that she overlaps a lot. If you read her books on autism, you won't hear anything new if you see her speak. I do love her though, nevertheless.

I'd like to purchase that book. If I can keep a handle on my finances for the next 4 months, than I'll buy that book, as one of my rewards.

She more or less hits the nail right on the head, I found. Really poignant points about always raising the bar so your autistic child can get somewhere desirable professionally; only being able to think in images, and how in some cases the underdiagnosable child can turn out having more problems as an adult due to not getting any intervening support compared the more diagnosable ones who did.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn_9f5x0f1Q[/youtube]

Thank you for pasting! This picture inspired me:



I'm Type 2, no doubt, and I have to show you my patterns soon
And I make a Great Plan of my presentation about My Thinkway for school or sth.

He should have drawn that as a Venn diagram. I fit somewhere between 1 and 2.

I read it cover to cover and agree. Many parents let their kids get away with anything becuase they have autism. My mother has sheltered me and tried to keep me in a bubble most of my life and is still trying to keep me neatly contained in a little box. My dad has always been like, "You want to do such and such, go do it. No one is stoping you." I've never been into drugs or achohol or hung around with a bad croud yet because I am autistic I do not get the same privlegaes of my NT siblings. I personaly can't stand Temple Grandin anymore because people are always comparing me to her. I admit to being an autistic elitist but that's only part of me. Temple and I have NOTHING in common aside from the fact are autistic. We might as well be from diffrent planets. I have a visual mind and I excel at algebra. I think most visual thinkers are not really true visual thinkers or perhaps they are being taught the wrong way.

Re: sheltering, I agree. Everybody I know in real life with AS, autism or any number of other disorders is guided through life by their parents until a pretty ripe age. I'm the only exception I know of (too independent minded and functional). It tends to have some negative effects:

- Naievity. This is the most obvious. They take longer to lose the veil that separates them from everybody else's agenda, which is already a problem for most with AS. When they finally do, they will be dealing with a $30,000 credit card debt instead of their baseball card collection, or they will be dating someone who cheats on them.

- Lack of accountability. This is pretty obvious too. They're able to accept and take from others without feeling any obligation to give back in kind, because their parents gave them so much without asking anything. This too tends to be a bit of a problem with a lot of AS people I know - flame me if you will - to get ahead once you leave home, you pretty much have to pour everything out. You have to be prepared to do that. And it helps not to piss other people off when you already suffer from a disorder that causes them not to cut you any slack. Politicians and salesmen can get away with murder - the typical Aspie cannot. I can sometimes, but only using what I've learned about people in a logical way.

- Lack of practical skills. This makes it harder to find a job. Despite what the world seems to think, employers don't give a **** about your education unless it's a Wall Street hedge fund or a university. Well that's a slight exaggeration but... They're hiring you to turn a profit with your time, and they want to know they can do that. Even for the significant portion of us who have unique talents, you can be unprofitable if you don't apply them in a certain way. Plus personal finance is a job unto itself these days. Anyway, it's embarrassing to get caught on the side of the road with a flat tire and not know how to change it.

- Lack of social skills. Any gain in social skill would be worth its weight in gold, if it had any weight, to the typical Aspie. To make those gains, you gotta be thrown into the fray with everyone else. Parents of kids with AS tend to avoid exposing their kids to the free-market social economy that sucks so much but is so important.

Sorry guys, this doesn't mean all of y'all.

Manners, TRUE manners were invented so people would feel comfortable. Chewing with mouth closed, not interrupting, etc. are true manners. No one wants to see chewed up food and no one wants to be interrupted when they are speaking. That said, basic manners do not include not wearing white after Labor Day or calling a hostess the next morning thanking her for a lovely dinner party.

To make sure NT people are comfortable around you is a responsibility AND NT's should be responsible to making sure YOU are comfortable.

How do you know? The best way to figure this out is to SCAN. If you carefully watch other people you will know what to do. This is very hard and takes a lot of effort, make sure you give yourself breaks in social situations.

Temple Grandin's The Way I See It book is the way Temple Grandin sees her autism. It's like Jack Dreyfus's the way he sees it - Remarkable Medicine - (epilepsy) book and C. Thomas Wild's the way he sees it - How To (understand) book about ADHD Inattentive, and Claudia Osborn's the way she sees it book - Over My Head about brain injury. All four writers are giving their own inside views on the topic.

Recall seeing an art exhibit in Kansas City, Missouri, featuring Temple Grandin's sketches about a cattle processing plant (she had the ability to draw clearly and with simplicity) as well as an artist's version - a Squeeze Chair - based on her squeeze box.

Temple Grandin had made the mention of autism easier - autism awareness - and that is a very good thing.

I haven't read this, I read thinking in pictures and even though some chapters were interesing the rest I found really boring because it was always *cows this cattle shutes that* and that book isn't even about cows.

Thank you, Willard.

There are many class issues associated with people's well-intentioned advice about what to do for your autistic child. When I met Temple, she advised me to get a relative or "a nice old lady from church" to spend time with my son. Nice advice. No relatives nearby and we aren't Christian. I know she meant well, but the assumptions people make get tiresome.

setting up play dates that you practice for and limiting the time and having every moment planned works as well as a little church lady, but, oh how much energy it takes!

i have to think i'm the only person who has seen the bbc documentary 'the woman who thinks like a cow'. the hbo film was ok but does not give you real insight into t.g. you really need the visual aspect of actually seeing her at work, and driving a car. reading her books does not convey what she is . she is amazing with crowds. don't really believe she is the person to ask about kids. not unless the person has a. s. exactly like hers. very doubtful.