Why is this officer pulling over one of our TGS students? What has gone wrong? Nothing, actually. In fact, something is very right – and unique – in this scenario. Every Friday at TGS, we hold our Plus One classes. These classes are our equivalent of electives, courses in which...
How TGS Helps Neurodiverse Students Identify Their Next Steps in Life
When parents inquire about Temple Grandin School, many have the same question in mind: “Will my student ever be independent?” At TGS, we place a high value on enhancing our students’ life skills and preparing them for whatever comes after graduation. Mary Kay Braccio, PhD, NCSP directs our Transitions Program....
Traveling with Neurodiversity – Our Latest Power of 10 Video!
Planning some travel for the fall or upcoming holidays? If you want to travel but find it challenging with your neurodiversity, then check out our latest Power of 10 video: “10 Trip Tips for a ‘Stress Less’ Vacation” with Temple Grandin School alumni Justin Owens and his mom Christine Keaten....
We Are Better Together
The stoplight on my way to the school is still flashing red, indicating that power is out somewhere nearby. A reminder that, though snow has fallen, dousing the fires that consumed nearly 1,000 houses, just over one week later, life has not returned to normal. And it won’t, not for...
Word of the Week: Relationships
From Temple Grandin School Co-Founder and Executive Director, Jen Wilger: Since its beginning, TGS has been about relationships. Among the many environmental accommodations provided to neurodiverse students at TGS and elsewhere, “small classes with caring teachers” tops the list. Unless this commitment is in place, other interventions fall short. Our...
First Week of School – Our New Normal
Our first week of school is in the books, and we are settling into our routine. We’ve experienced lots of newness this week. At the end of last year, we said goodbye to five seniors who graduated and two students who chose to pursue other educational horizons. This year, we...
Thank You, Teachers!
“Education is the one field that makes all others possible. Every one of us has been shaped by someone who inspired our curiosity and helped us find our confidence, who guided us to think more clearly and pushed us to strive for better.” — President Joe Biden, April 30, 2021...
Autism Acceptance Month & Earth Day 2021
Autism…we get it, we live it, we love it! We love many things about our neurodiverse students. Among those things are their passion for a better world and their intelligence and creativity that can lead to solutions. Every quarter at Temple Grandin School, we have two concurrent days we call...
If Autism Were Ice Cream…A Reflection on 10 Years of Serving the ASD Community
A lot has changed in ten years. When we first opened our doors in 2011, Asperger’s was still a diagnosis, distinct from autism in the DSM-IV. (Asperger’s actually shared a diagnostic code, 299.80, with the elusive PDD-NOS – Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified.) Books on Asperger’s could fit (mostly)...
April is Autism…Understanding Month
Here at Temple Grandin School, one of the core values we live by is Understanding: “…we understand the nuances of Asperger’s and other neurocognitive differences. We look beyond behavior to understand our students’ concerns and motivations. We respect their learning styles, and through our socio-academic curriculum, we help them develop...