Tweets

Interactions with the disability community, you’re in danger. Americans have a staunch belief in social segregation between themselves and disabled folk—what I mean by that is you view us as a “they, then over there” where disability laws and policies don’t apply to you when— Imani Barbarin, MAGC | Crutches&Spice ♿️ (@Imani_Barbarin) June 25, 2022

They absolutely do. “It can’t happen to me because I’m not one of THOSE people.” What a lot people fail to realize is that under systems like conservatorship and guardianship literally anyone can control your life to a degree you are unable to fathom—and that’s mostly— Imani Barbarin, MAGC | Crutches&Spice ♿️ (@Imani_Barbarin) June 25, 2022

After being dxed autistic I read both bio-medical accounts and psycho-social accounts as neither singly explained my life fully. To regain agency, self and autonomy an “exploration of the fundamental entre-deux between science and experience” (Varela, Thompson, Rosch). /— Graham Mead (@twillierod) June 25, 2022

A ‘dialectical synthesis’ (Di Paulo) between my atypical bio-neurological being and the NT world in which I must operate, and from which a measure of authenticity emanates.I’ll be glad when autism research matures and accepts the need for a multi-disciplinary approach.— Graham Mead (@twillierod) June 25, 2022

We don't know what we don't know. Home educating families beg to differ. Luckily @edpsydan picked it up and so we are doing it there. Please share with any psychologists you know. Home educating families deserve understanding and support, not judgement and prejudice. 12/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

What happens when home educating parents meet a psychologist? Often, unfortunately, they meet unfounded assumptions about home education which mean they do not feel heard, and cannot get help. Here are some things parents have told me about. 1/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

One parent waited for years to see a senior psychologist who said (in front of her son) that number one priority was to get him"back to normality and back to school". No time taken to find out about his home education or acknowledge that this is a valid educational option. 2/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

Many have told me that they were told that their autistic children need structure and predictability - and that the only way to do this is to go to school.Again, no understanding of what home education can actually provide, nor how important autonomy is for autistic children.4/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

One of the most damaging things that children& families are told is that a goal will be a return to school. This puts children in an impossible situation.If they start to feel better, then school will be back on the cards, but school is what made them ill in the first place. 6/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

Families spend years re-establishing trust with their children, which includes telling them that they will not be made to go to school against their will, only to have it all destroyed by a psychologist who thinks they know better. 7/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

I didn't know what I didn't know. I had my own children, home educated them, and learnt. Now I am doing a webinar, for people like the psychologist I was. Well-intentioned but misinformed. 10/ https://t.co/xzGRFuwSHe— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

So excited about this.For years I've been asked (nagged) to do a kids course, so working with Nic from Neurobears we've developed one designed to introduce the concept of being Autistic to children and hopefully support them to share their personal experiences. 🐼🐻🐻‍❄️ https://t.co/1HbQJ8WMAt— TheAutisticAdvocate (@KieranRose7) June 23, 2022

What happens when home educating parents meet a psychologist? Often, unfortunately, they meet unfounded assumptions about home education which mean they do not feel heard, and cannot get help. Here are some things parents have told me about. 1/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

One parent waited for years to see a senior psychologist who said (in front of her son) that number one priority was to get him"back to normality and back to school". No time taken to find out about his home education or acknowledge that this is a valid educational option. 2/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

One of the most damaging things that children& families are told is that a goal will be a return to school. This puts children in an impossible situation.If they start to feel better, then school will be back on the cards, but school is what made them ill in the first place. 6/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

Families spend years re-establishing trust with their children, which includes telling them that they will not be made to go to school against their will, only to have it all destroyed by a psychologist who thinks they know better. 7/— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 25, 2022

Take a population that suffers massively from feelings of uncertainty and powerlessness, whose need for self-regulation is best understood as a way of countering that, and put them in the hands of behaviourists who don't understand the purpose of self-regulatory behaviours.Oof.— Oolong 🍉 (@MxOolong) June 25, 2022

Take a population intensely driven by their own interests and highly focused attention... and try to teach them how to behave, using purely external motivators.Then expect them to generalise what they've been forced to 'learn' into day-to-day life.Insist this is 'scientific'.— Oolong 🍉 (@MxOolong) June 25, 2022

I should say, for clarity, that this is not the main focus of the book. She does talk about autism, and neurodiversity, but I haven't got to that bit yet.She's just talking in a more general sense about how behaviourism destroys intrinsic motivation; how essential autonomy is.— Oolong 🍉 (@MxOolong) June 25, 2022

I'm reading @naomicfisher's 'Changing our Minds' and the more I learn about the psychology of motivation, the angrier I get about behaviourism, especially the way it's used with autistic people (for whom autonomy is arguably even more essential to well-being and self-regulation).— Oolong 🍉 (@MxOolong) June 25, 2022

Take a population that suffers massively from feelings of uncertainty and powerlessness, whose need for self-regulation is best understood as a way of countering that, and put them in the hands of behaviourists who don't understand the purpose of self-regulatory behaviours.Oof.— Oolong 🍉 (@MxOolong) June 25, 2022

Take a population intensely driven by their own interests and highly focused attention... and try to teach them how to behave, using purely external motivators.Then expect them to generalise what they've been forced to 'learn' into day-to-day life.Insist this is 'scientific'.— Oolong 🍉 (@MxOolong) June 25, 2022

Evidence shows that home education can work in many different ways, including those which look nothing like school. #unschooling #selfdirectededucation #evidencebasededucation https://t.co/KdlieGlTd7— Naomi Fisher (@naomicfisher) June 24, 2022

I'm reading @naomicfisher's 'Changing our Minds' and the more I learn about the psychology of motivation, the angrier I get about behaviourism, especially the way it's used with autistic people (for whom autonomy is arguably even more essential to well-being and self-regulation).— Oolong 🍉 (@MxOolong) June 25, 2022

Interviews with autistic adults (N=10, age 22-40) about being homeless, free https://t.co/p7W8zhku7X 6 participants "first experienced homelessness in childhood or adolescence. This occurred when participants ran away from chaotic or abusive home environments"— Michelle Dawson (@autismcrisis) June 25, 2022

one recommendation for family foundations:RELEASE YOUR MILLIONSRELEASE YOUR MILLIONSRELEASE YOUR MILLIONSRELEASE YOUR MILLIONSgive away this money immediately. do not ask us for reports. give so that we can become sustainable to our communities. we do not need a middleman.— jenx (@jentrification) June 24, 2022

“findings high-lighted how some participants preferred rough sleeping to hostel environments which aggravated social anxiety and sensory processing difficulties. This tentative finding may explain the high prevalence of autism reported in rough sleeping populations” https://t.co/SvMaAWgYeV— Stimpunks (@stimpunks) June 25, 2022

Interviews with autistic adults (N=10, age 22-40) about being homeless, free https://t.co/p7W8zhku7X 6 participants "first experienced homelessness in childhood or adolescence. This occurred when participants ran away from chaotic or abusive home environments"— Michelle Dawson (@autismcrisis) June 25, 2022

I'm not giving up - ever - on the fight for air conditioner funding for disabled poor people, but in meantime, let's make a thread of some of things that can help (to some degree). I'll start. There is nothing I won't put in fridge or freezer - socks, bandanas, sheets...— Gabrielle Peters: Pauper crip👩🏻‍🦽💚 (@mssinenomine) June 25, 2022