I’m typing this newsletter from a dimly lit motel room in the snowy hills of Vermont. We’re here for the family orientation weekend at a small college for kids with autism, ADHD, and other learning disabilities. Ian is about to do his first full semester in a dorm, away from home.
It’s taken us four years to get Ian ready for this challenge. He had to heal from epilepsy and the damage done during school closures. There were so many gaps in his education that had to be filled.
He tippy toed into college, while also attending a transition program and taking private social skill classes. He started with one online class, which had taped lectures and no live class discussion. During that semester, we waded into college norms and lingos. I taught him how to read a syllabus, navigate the online portals, and write an appropriate email to a professor.
DON’T WRITE TO YOUR PROFESSOR IN ALL CAPS!!!!!
Over three years, we slowly increased the challenges. After he nailed the online async class, he took one live online class. Then he did two online classes. After that, he had one in-person class. Each semester, I added one new challenge.
Read more at Apt. 11D, the newsletter
Apt. 11d 
Yay! just yay. Congrats to you and Steve and Ian.
I am delighted, on this day when all my financially struggling working-class/middle class students are panicking about whether they will be able to finish their degrees, because of the asinine manuvers of our Billionaire Republican Overlords, to hear a great success story like this. I so hope it all works out but this is tremendous progress no matter what.
af
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Awww! I wish bj was here for this!
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That was amyp.
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That’s a lovely thought, Amy. I think about her sometimes too. And you know she would be cheering. -af
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I miss bj a lot.
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