Journey into the autistic world.

Article on coping with autism adolescence

2011-08-21T17:56:00.000+08:00

Dear everyone:

I am finally putting up a new article after a four-month hiatus. After continuously reworking my article, "The Season of Adolescence", in response to the volatile situation with Sebastien, my autistic adolescent, I have finally decided to send it out to the world. In this article, I highlight the challenges, identify a few sensory strategies, and offer a few insights about raising an autistic adolescent.

I had hoped that things would improve dramatically with the passage of time, but alas, progress has been painstakingly slow and difficult. The caregiving journey is tough, thankless, and heart-breaking. Though I had hoped to have found the answers to making it a more pleasant journey, I can only say that I am still searching. While I had entertained the option of abandoning this article completely, I ultimately believe that some of you might still be able to glean some value from it.

Below is an excerpt of this article:

Sebastien’s Season of Adolescence: Puberty Unleashed
by CHOO Kah Ying
Sebastien's season of adolescence can be described, to borrow the brilliant lines of Charles Dickens, as “the best of times”..., and unfortunately, the “worst of times”.
On the one hand, my 15-year-old has turned into a young man with the initiative to perform many household chores: preparing his own meals, washing the dishes, sweeping and mopping the floor, and taking care of the laundry, etc...
On the other hand, the competent and creative Sebastien also has a dark side. Fuelled by his raging hormones, Sebastien is engulfed in a sea of heightened sensory cravings, impulses, compulsions, and obsessions. With his heightened sensory perceptions, Sebastien has become obsessed with the dramatic transformation of his body, an addictive wonderland that offers endless hours of exploration...
As you are beginning to sense, the list of Sebastien's unpleasant, disturbing, or troubling behaviours could go on ad nauseum. There is not one aberrant behaviour that truly takes centrestage; rather, it is a full panoply of them blending into one another in a nightmarish carnival of deviant behaviours...

To read the rest of this article, please click here: http://www.awakeningminds.com.sg/articles_sebs_season_of_adolescence.html

This will be my swansong article, at least for several months, as I have decided to revamp my website, and put up affordable informative booklets (on designing learning and writing activities) and worksheet templates, which can be used for learners with moderate to severe learning difficulties. These booklets and worksheets templates would be the culmination of my homeschooling life, workshops and the learning materials and worksheets that I have been designing for Sebastien, my students and families. By putting them online, I hope to reach out to a far wider audience than the families who have sought my consultation services, the participants of my workshops in Singapore, the students I teach. I look forward to unveiling my new booklets and worksheets templates in the not-too-distant future.

In the meantime, I hope to continue with the once-a-month support group in September (in Singapore). I will provide an update in the middle of next month.

Best regards,

Kah Ying

Support group for caregivers (autism) in Singapore

2011-07-08T09:53:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

It has been a very busy two months... Unfortunately, much as I would like to put up a new article on my latest efforts in dealing with the challenges of Sebastien, my autistic adolescent, I still have not completed it. However, I would still highlight a few things for the coming July:

1. Support Group for Caregivers of children with autism: I am dedicating the last Sunday of every month to a support group for CAREGIVERS of children with autism (7:30 - 9 p.m.). Caregiving can feel like such an isolated journey that caregivers need to come together in a supportive space where they can share with others what they have learnt or what they are going through. There will be some light refreshments. Participants can also bring stuff if they like. There are no obligations or membership requirements.

For this month, the meeting will be held on Sunday, July 31st, 7:30 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Please RSVP me with the number of people coming by Thursday (July 28th) and contact information (mobile number and email). If I do not have at least 3 participants (including myself), I will cancel the meeting.

I am happy to host the meeting (Orchard; address will be given to those who have confirmed their participation), though I am open to us having rotating locations...

* Caregivers refer to individuals who are responsible for caring for autistic individuals. This support group is LIMITED to CAREGIVERS only in order to ensure that caregivers feel free to share their thoughts and feelings.

2. Sebastien's paintings
Thanks to the encouragement of friends who have viewed Sebastien's paintings, I am pleased to announce that we are entering Sebastien in a UOB painting competition this year and thinking about organising an exhibition of Sebastien's paintings. At this juncture, I am looking for help from people with the knowledge and connections to make such an event possible. Areas to cover include:

- exhibition spaces
- framing costs
- PR and marketing for such an event
- sponsorships/donations
- helpful contacts

I would be grateful for a brainstorm of ideas and feedback.

3. Highlights of my Website:

Books: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/books.html: my published books on autism, manic depression and a storywriting template and workbook.

Workshops (My proposed topics): http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html: my self-formulated workshops covering autism, caregiving, educational strategies, behavioural management and creative writing.

http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html: my workshops on mental wellness and caregiving.

Workshops conducted: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/past_events.html: a comprehensive listing of all talks and workshops I have conducted.

Consultations: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html, http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html: my private, home-based consultations for families and institutions.

Learning Materials: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/learning_materials.html: Learning materials designed for children with learning difficulties.

Articles: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles.html: Articles on autism, special needs, mental wellness and parenting by me, as well as articles featuring me and Sebastien, written by journalists.

Please feel free to share this email with others who may be interested.

Regards,

Kah Ying

Article on surviving the stress of caring for autistic adolescent and other news

2011-04-20T14:29:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

As I will be caught up with the preparations for a workshop on designing and implementing a differentiated lesson for students with autism in the coming weeks, I am sending you my latest article in this email update. Here are the highlights:

1. My article, "Sanity Under Siege": For those who have known of my challenges with Sebastien, my autistic adolescent son, I am grateful and pleased to say that we have emerged from our battles with tremendous love and appreciation for one another. With the pain and unhappiness of our conflict still fresh in our minds, we are cherishing one another in what I would consider a "honeymoon" phase. This nice breather has enabled me to compose this article that integrates the twin themes of my Website: mental wellness and autism. This article offers insight into the stress of raising an autistic adolescent; the importance of self-care strategies; and the constant reflections we should do on our parenting and caregiver approaches.

Sanity Under Siege
By Choo Kah Ying

Those who have read my book, Five Little White Pills: My Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery, would know that Sebastien, my autistic son, and my challenging journey of raising him, was the impetus behind my recovery. Little would I know that, just two years after the book’s publication, Sebastien, in his throes of adolescence, would be pushing me to the precipice of insanity...
Initially, I had gamely sought to address his inappropriate behaviours with behavioural management strategies. While some behaviours improved, others went away only to return with no permanent end in sight. But what was even more challenging was the relentless onslaught of wave after wave of inappropriate behaviours. I had barely extinguished or regulated one behaviour before another, even more outlandish and socially unacceptable, materialised to take its place...

To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.com.sg/articles_sanity_under_siege.html

2. My friend, Roger, a fantastic massage therapist, is in town: Roger (from Australia) has done great massages on me and Sebastien, my autistic son. I have since recommended him to many caregivers and their children. With his loving and healing touch, as well as his willingness to share his knowledge with others, Roger is a tremendous resource. He will only in Singapore from May 12th to June 1st. If there is sufficient interest, he would also be able to conduct workshops on wellness techniques ($100 per person, up to 15 people). For more info, please go to www.janrog.com; or email him at rog@janrog.com.

3. Sebastien's challenging phase of adolescence has a silver lining: he is producing more diverse paintings. Check them out at this public link (you don't have to be a Facebook member to see them). For those who have seen this link, there are two additional paintings.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=350116&id=720254922&l=8020e60a5e

4. Highlights of my Website:

Books: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/books.html: my published books on autism, manic depression and a storywriting template and workbook.

Workshops (My proposed topics): http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html: my self-formulated workshops covering autism, caregiving, educational strategies, behavioural management and creative writing.

http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html: my workshops on mental wellness and caregiving.

Workshops conducted: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/past_events.html: a comprehensive listing of all talks and workshops I have conducted.

Consultations: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html, http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html: my private, home-based consultations for families and institutions.

Learning Materials: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/learning_materials.html: Learning materials designed for children with learning difficulties.

Articles: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles.html: Articles on autism, special needs, mental wellness and parenting by me, as well as articles featuring me and Sebastien, written by journalists.

Please feel free to share this email with others who may be interested.

Regards,

Kah Ying

Mary and Max, Support Group and Sebastien's Paintings

2011-04-06T11:48:00.001+08:00

Dear everyone:

As I am going through alot of challenges with Sebastien in his adolescent phase, I am conserving my energy and thus not writing a new article... as yet. This email blast will still highlight the following:

1. Mary and Max:This incredible movie features an extraordinary friendship between a man with Asperger's Syndrome and a young girl conducted through correspondence. It gives tremendous insights into the struggles of this man and his difficulties with coping with mainstream society, in spite of his intellect and efforts.

This movie will only be showing in Singapore at the Picture House (Orchard Cineleisure) until April 13th. Don't miss it.

2. Support Group for Caregivers of children with autism: I am dedicating the last Sunday of every month to a support group for caregivers of children with autism (7:30 - 9 p.m.). Caregiving can feel like such an isolated journey that caregivers need to come together in a supportive space where they can share with others what they have learnt or what they are going through. There will be some light refreshments. Participants can also bring stuff if they like. There are no obligations or membership requirements.

For this month, the meeting will be held on Sunday, April 24th, 7:30 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Please RSVP me with the number of people coming by Thursday (April 21st) and contact information (mobile number and email). If I do not have at least 3 participants (including myself), I will cancel the meeting.

I am happy to host the meeting (Orchard; address will be given to those who have confirmed their participation), though I am open to us having rotating locations...

3. Sebastien's challenging phase of adolescence has a silver lining: he is producing more diverse paintings. Check them out at this public link (you don't have to be a Facebook member to see them):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=350116&id=720254922&l=8020e60a5e

4. Highlights of my Website:

Books: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/books.html: my published books on autism, manic depression and a storywriting template and workbook.

Workshops (My proposed topics): http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html: my self-formulated workshops covering autism, caregiving, educational strategies, behavioural management and creative writing.

http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html: my workshops on mental wellness and caregiving.

Workshops conducted: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/past_events.html: a comprehensive listing of all talks and workshops I have conducted.

Consultations: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html, http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html: my private, home-based consultations for families and institutions.

Learning Materials: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/learning_materials.html: Learning materials designed for children with learning difficulties.

Articles: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles.html: Articles on autism, special needs, mental wellness and parenting by me, as well as articles featuring me and Sebastien, written by journalists.

Please feel free to share this email with others who may be interested.

Regards,

Kah Ying

An article on society's role in helping autistic individuals and their caregivers

2011-03-02T13:10:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

Here is the second article of my two-article series that addresses the challenges of raising an autistic individual. In this piece, I will be exploring the role of society in helping autistic individuals and their caregivers. Instead of expecting caregivers and specialised institutions to care for individuals with autism, I suggest that society can play a more active role by showing openness and compassion. This article also describes Sebastien's independent expeditions to his coach's gym and school, accompanied by a laminated card displaying his information and my phone number. Thus, I am seeking the public's participation in looking out for him. I think this is an interesting article that can stretch the discourse on autism and special needs.

1. Below is an excerpt of the article.

What Would It Take?
By Choo Kah Ying

If it takes a village to raise a ‘typical’ child, what would it take to raise one with autism who would grow up to be a dependent adult?...

For many years, I expected nothing of society. With my feet straggling the two irreconcilable worlds of autism and mainstream society, I saw myself as the buffer to ward off any possible clashes arising from Sebastien’s lack of awareness of social conventions and others’ taking offense by his social faux pas. Sticking close to him and watching his every move with eagle-eye vigilance, I would be poised to direct him as discreetly as I could with my facial expressions and hand gestures...

But alas, I am no match for the hormonal fluctuations and the growth spurt, which come with puberty. Sebastien, at 14, is already towering over most Asian men with broad shoulders and a young man’s swagger. Accompanying his physical transformation is his defiant claim to be his own person, make his own mistakes and face consequences that he may not be able to fully conceptualise. My recent run-ins with Sebastien, like the day when he lunged aggressively at me in a jam-packed NTUC hypermart, have forced me to face up to a new reality. My role as his protector has become obsolete.

Whether I think he is ready or not, I am no longer strong enough to be the middleman who can prevent the possible clashes between Sebastien and mainstream society. In the event of such a collision, I can only hope that both parties would emerge largely unscathed, and perhaps, even with some understanding. The world would have to teach him what I have been unable to. And yes, I have also come to accept, albeit reluctantly, the distinctive possibility that he can get into far bigger trouble than I can contain.

Sebastien’s straining against my tutelage is his signal to me that my time as his exclusive caregiver and teacher is up. Each day, as I watch him step out of the front door, my heart is filled with trepidation. With his fearless strides, Sebastien thinks he is ready for the world. But is the world ready for him? Would a society that knows little about autism treat him with tolerance, forbearance and compassion?...

Here is the link to the full article: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles_what_would_it_take.html

2. Support Group for Caregivers of children with autism: I am dedicating the last Sunday of every month to a support group for caregivers of children with autism (7:30 - 9 p.m.). Caregiving can feel like such an isolated journey that caregivers need to come together in a supportive space where they can share with others what they have learnt or what they are going through. There will be some light refreshments. Participants can also bring stuff if they like. There are no obligations or membership requirements.

For this month, the meeting will be held on Sunday, March 27th, 7:30 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Please RSVP me with the number of people coming by Thursday (March 24th) and contact information (mobile number and email). If I do not have at least 3 participants (including myself), I will cancel the meeting.

I am happy to host the meeting (Orchard; address will be given to those who have confirmed their participation), though I am open to us having rotating locations...

3. Highlights of my Website:

Books: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/books.html: my published books on autism, manic depression and a storywriting template and workbook.

Workshops (My proposed topics): http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html: my self-formulated workshops covering autism, caregiving, educational strategies, behavioural management and creative writing.

http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html: my workshops on mental wellness and caregiving.

Workshops conducted: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/past_events.html: a comprehensive listing of all talks and workshops I have conducted.

Consultations: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html, http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html: my private, home-based consultations for families and institutions.

Learning Materials: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/learning_materials.html: Learning materials designed for children with learning difficulties.

Articles: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles.html: Articles on autism, special needs, mental wellness and parenting by me, as well as articles featuring me and Sebastien, written by journalists.

Please feel free to share this email with others who may be interested.

Regards,

Kah Ying

Support group for caregivers (autism) and more

2011-02-15T10:09:00.000+08:00

Dear everyone:

Hope you all had a wonderful Chinese New Year break! The primary purpose of this update is to remind you all about my monthly support group for caregivers of children with autism. For our first meeting, we had a total of 4 mothers (including myself).

1. Support Group for Caregivers of children with autism: I am dedicating the last Sunday of every month to a support group for caregivers of children with autism (7:30 - 9 p.m.). Caregiving can feel like such an isolated journey that caregivers need to come together in a supportive space where they can share with others what they have learnt or what they are going through. There will be some light refreshments. Participants can also bring stuff if they like. There are no obligations or membership requirements.

For this month, the meeting will be held on Sunday, February 27th, 7:30 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Please RSVP me with the number of people coming by Thursday (February 24th) and contact information (mobile number and email). If I do not have at least 3 participants (including myself), I will cancel the meeting.

I am happy to host the meeting (Ang Mo Kio; address will be given to those who have confirmed their participation), though I am open to us having rotating locations...

2. Article about my blog and Website: Last month, Sebastien and I appeared in a Sunday Times article (Jan 23rd) about people who write blogs on their experiences with various medical conditions and their motivation for doing so.

Check out the segment about us: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles_sons_her_muse.html

3. Sebastien's latest paintings: For those who are interested in looking at more of Sebastien's strange, but striking paintings, you can see it by clicking on this link (you don't need to be on Facebook to see it): http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=334033&id=720254922&l=a4bbd3d946

4. Learning Support (One-on-one hourly sessions - $50/hour). All children, regardless of their learning deficits, can learn. In my learning sessions, I design customised worksheets with in-built scaffolding and utilise individualised strategies to challenge students with learning difficulties to learn. My focus is on cultivating English literacy in students at different stages of language development (from pre-language stage to mainstream schooling).

For all new students, there will be an one-hour assessment ($50) for me to meet the student and the caregiver.

5. Highlights of my Website:

Books: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/books.html: my published books on autism, manic depression and a storywriting template and workbook.

Workshops (My proposed topics): http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html: my self-formulated workshops covering autism, caregiving, educational strategies, behavioural management and creative writing.

http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html: my workshops on mental wellness and caregiving.

Workshops conducted: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/past_events.html: a comprehensive listing of all talks and workshops I have conducted.

Consultations: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html, http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html: my private, home-based consultations for families and institutions.

Learning Materials: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/learning_materials.html: Learning materials designed for children with learning difficulties.

Articles: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles.html: Articles on autism, special needs, mental wellness and parenting by me, as well as articles featuring me and Sebastien, written by journalists.

Thank you for your support. Please feel free to refer others to my Website.

Sincerely yours,

Kah Ying

+658163-4509

An article on dealing with aggression of autistic adolescents

2011-01-19T14:49:00.000+08:00

Dear everyone:

It is that time of the month when I put up another article. This is another difficult and cathartic one to write -- the resurfacing of aggression in Sebastien in his adolescence. I believe that this is a common problem faced by caregivers of adolescents and adults with autism and maybe other special needs, or even mental illnesses. Unpleasant as this topic is, I think we caregivers need to acknowledge and confront it. Though I put forth a strategy in my article, I have, by no means, eradicated the problem, but at least I have empowered myself to deal with the situation.

1. Article of the Month: Sparked by an incident in which my adolescent son with autism lunged and hit me in the most public of places (NTUC), this article examines the plight faced by caregivers and a strategy that I had come up with to deal with aggression. I consider this article to be the first part of a two-part article series, with this one examining the impact of aggression of special needs children on their caregivers, and the next one on the implications for society (next month). Below is an excerpt:

When Aggression Strikes, Mama Goes on Strike!

by Choo Kah Ying

...There we were, standing in front of the dangling bunches of bananas. While I was taking my time to pick the bunch that was just ripening, Sebastien pre-empted me by picking one willy-nilly and placing it in our basket. Without thinking anything of it, I informed him, “No, this one is better,” while replacing his choice with mine. Immediately, Sebastien grabbed the bunch he had chosen and put it next to mine in the basket. Not unduly perturbed, I picked up his bananas and explained firmly, “No, Sebastien, too many bananas. They’ll go bad and we’ll have to throw them in the trash can.” To my surprise, he grabbed my hand – the one holding the bananas he had chosen – by my wrist forcefully, and shouted, “Bananas!”...

“Let go!” I commanded. He withdrew his hand instantly. “Sit down.” I had used this strategy in the past to disrupt Sebastien’s momentum so that he can calm down. However, just before I could reprimand him, he sprang to his feet, lunged viciously at me and whacked me on my upper arms.

Instinctively, I went into emergency mode. With the adrenaline rushing through me, I sprang into action. There was no time to feel distressed, embarrassed or disappointed. Without batting an eyelid, I looked Sebastien sternly in the eye and said, “You are in big trouble. Now you will have no rice cakes and bananas.” I picked up the basket of rice cakes and bananas and left them in a corner. Amidst Sebastien’s protests about the rice cakes and bananas, I escorted him out of the store, with a zillion bystanders looking on. None of them heard my rapidly pounding heartbeats that whispered my suppressed fear. You see, in refusing to buy Sebastien his rice cake and bananas, I risked Sebastien attacking me or someone else! But I did not want to reward Sebastien with the purchases – this was a tiny, but important, victory…

Once we were home and the adrenaline had dissipated, I strove to quell the hysteria rising within me. This incident had dealt the most devastating blow to my parenting ego. Not in my worst nightmare could I have imagined that something as simple as a short shopping errand in a familiar place could disintegrate into a fight over something as trivial as an extra bunch of bananas. On paper, there were no ingredients in place to trigger the social disaster that had taken place...

I fought back… by going on strike!....

By going on strike, I announce to Sebastien that I cannot, nor do I wish to, be the super caregiver and saviour who can save him from everything. While I can do my best to teach him about right and wrong, he will need to face the unpleasant consequences of his actions should he choose to pursue the wrong path. He cannot continue to assume that he can do whatever he wants and that my protective wings will always be there for him to take refuge. One day, they won’t be enough; and on another, they won’t be there. And these are the hard realities of life from which I cannot shield him..

To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles_when_aggression_strikes.html

2. New Workshops:
Raising an Adolescent with Autism: Challenges, Perspectives and Strategies. Targeted at caregivers and educators, this interactive workshop will explore the unique challenges posed by adolescents with autism, as they grapple with their physical and mental changes. In this stimulating workshop, we will also discuss perspectives on this issue and explore effective strategies for dealing with these changes. Topics covered will include: Physical, Mental and Psychological Transformation, Sexuality, Aggression, Role of the Public and Authorities, Behavioural Management and Parenting (for Adolescents).
Caregiving, One Breath at a Time. The caregiving of a child with special needs, or individuals with mental illnesses, can be physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting. Conscious Breathing that takes up little time and effort offers a powerful tool for relaxing and recharging. In this workshop, participants will: learn about the effectiveness of conscious breathing; practise breathing techniques; and identify ways of incorporating them into their caregiving lifestyle.

3. Learning Support (One-on-one hourly sessions - $50/hour). All children, regardless of their learning deficits, can learn. In my learning sessions, I design customised worksheets with in-built scaffolding and utilise individualised strategies to challenge students with learning difficulties to learn. My focus is on cultivating English literacy in students at different stages of language development (from pre-language stage to mainstream schooling).

Daytime Slots: Tuesdays and Wednesdays (2:30 – 3:30 p.m.); Sundays (4:00 – 5:00 p.m.)
Evening Slots: Mondays and Thursdays (7:30 – 9:30) [Two hourly slots]

For all new students, there will be an one-hour assessment ($50) for me to meet the student and the caregiver.

4. Support Group for Caregivers of children with autism: I am dedicating the last Sunday of every month to a support group for caregivers of children with autism (7:30 - 9 p.m.). Caregiving can feel like such an isolated journey that I really feel that caregivers need to come together in a supportive space where they can share with others what they have learnt or what they are going through. There will be some light refreshments. Participants can also bring stuff if they like.

There are no obligations or membership requirements. I just ask that people who are interested RSVP me with the number of people coming by Thursday and contact information. If I do not have at least 3 participants (including myself), I will cancel the meeting.

I am happy to host the meeting (Ang Mo Kio), though I am open to us having rotating locations...

For the Jan 30 meeting, I have had only two responses. If I don't have another person RSVPing by Jan 27, I will have to cancel the meeting.

5. I have also put up Seb's latest paintings on Facebook. Anyone can see it by clicking on this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=325647&id=720254922&l=b83fd4a28f

I look forward to hearing from you and wish you all a fulfilling 2011 ahead!

Sincerely yours,

Kah Ying

+658163-4509

Books, workshops, one-on-one learning sessions for autism, special needs and mental wellness

2011-01-05T10:40:00.003+08:00

Dear everyone:

Happy New Year to you all! I want to thank all the educators, caregivers and supporters who have hired me and/or given me feedback about my articles: your support and interest in Awakening Minds is much appreciated.

For the start of the new year, I wanted to offer a concise introduction to the highlights of my Website that has expanded and grown since its conception back in August 2009. I would also like to introduce two new workshops I have designed, a recently-added service and a support group.

1. Highlights of my Website:

Books: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/books.html: my published books on autism, manic depression and a storywriting template and workbook.

Workshops (My proposed topics): http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html: my self-formulated workshops covering autism, caregiving, educational strategies, behavioural management and creative writing.

http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html: my workshops on mental wellness and caregiving.

Workshops conducted: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/past_events.html: a comprehensive listing of all talks and workshops I have conducted.

Consultations: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html, http://www.awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html: my private, home-based consultations for families and institutions.

Learning Materials: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/learning_materials.html: Learning materials designed for children with learning difficulties.

Articles: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles.html: Articles on autism, special needs, mental wellness and parenting by me, as well as articles featuring me and Sebastien, written by journalists.

2. New Workshops:

Raising an Adolescent with Autism: Challenges, Perspectives and Strategies. Targeted at caregivers and educators, this interactive workshop will explore the unique challenges posed by adolescents with autism, as they grapple with their physical and mental changes. In this stimulating workshop, we will also discuss perspectives on this issue and explore effective strategies for dealing with these changes. Topics covered will include: Physical, Mental and Psychological Transformation, Sexuality, Aggression, Role of the Public and Authorities, Behavioural Management and Parenting (for Adolescents).

Caregiving, One Breath at a Time. The caregiving of a child with special needs, or individuals with mental illnesses, can be physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting. Conscious Breathing that takes up little time and effort offers a powerful tool for relaxing and recharging. In this workshop, participants will: learn about the effectiveness of conscious breathing; practise breathing techniques; and identify ways of incorporating them into their caregiving lifestyle.

3. Learning Support (One-on-one hourly sessions - $50/hour). All children, regardless of their learning deficits, can learn. In my learning sessions, I design customised worksheets with in-built scaffolding and utilise individualised strategies to challenge students with learning difficulties to learn. My focus is on cultivating English literacy in students at different stages of language development (from pre-language stage to mainstream schooling).

Daytime Slots: Tuesdays and Wednesdays (2:30 – 3:30 p.m.); Sundays (4:00 – 5:00 p.m.)
Evening Slots: Mondays and Thursdays (7:30 – 9:30) [Two hourly slots]

For all new students, there will be an one-hour assessment ($50) for me to meet the student and the caregiver.

4. Support Group for Caregivers of children with autism: I am dedicating the last Sunday of every month to a support group for caregivers of children with autism (7:30 - 9 p.m.). Caregiving can feel like such an isolated journey that I really feel that caregivers need to come together in a supportive space where they can share with others what they have learnt or what they are going through. There will be some light refreshments. Participants can also bring stuff if they like.

There are no obligations or membership requirements. I just ask that people who are interested RSVP me with the number of people coming by Thursday and contact information. If I do not have at least 3 participants (including myself), I will cancel the meeting.

I am happy to host the meeting (Ang Mo Kio), though I am open to us having rotating locations...

I look forward to hearing from you and wish you all a fulfilling 2011 ahead!

Sincerely yours,

Kah Ying

+658163-4509

P.S. Coach Sandy Snakenberg, a great fitness trainer and skating instructor, who has tremendous experience with teaching children and adults, including those with special needs, has instituted a monthly Open House -- the first Saturday of every month for people to check out his Functional Training Center. With an unusual set-up, it is not like the big commercial gyms out there. Please RSVP to Coach Sandy, info. below:

Date and Time: Saturday, January 8, 5:00 - 9:00 pm
Location: 6, Ubi Road 1, #03-06 Wintech Centre Singapore, Singapore, 408726 (Walking distance from MacPherson MRT; take Exit B)

To get more information or RSVP, please contact Coach Sandy at 9061-8118.

An article on autism for caregivers

2010-12-01T15:34:00.001+08:00

Dear everyone:

It has been quite a tumultuous month for me, as I continue to grapple with the challenges of raising Sebastien, my autistic adolescent. As I revealed to a Straits Times journalist who interviewed me about my articles on my Website, my articles typically contain the invaluable lessons that I have learnt in my ongoing journey of parenting Sebastien. They are as often about the mistakes that I have made and from which I have learnt as they are about the things that work. It is my belief that we should acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them in our marathon journey, which will hopefully make us not only better parents, but also better people.

1. In this month's update, I have written an article that depicts how I fell prey to hope in pursuing what I had hoped to be a "miracle cure" for Sebastien's autism. This was a sobering and cathartic piece for me, as it illuminated how vulnerable I was as a parent, that I was foolish enough to believe in something that was simply too good to be true. Much as I had not wanted to write this piece, I realised that I would not be able to move on with my life, if I were not to share this story.

Here is an excerpt:

Falling Prey to Hope
By Choo Kah Ying

What if a chi practitioner told you that he could cure your son's autism in six months by sending energy to him for five minutes every day? And that his unique energy therapy could generate the growth and development of cells in his body? Moreover, he would give me a free one-month trial before I decide whether to tell the world about his miracle cure…

Would you believe him?

Well, I did… for two difficult months, sustained solely by the intoxicating power of hope that Sebastien would recover. The hope of recovery for our children from autism is a powerful dream-come-true – ask any parent. I am still reeling from the fact that I, a veteran mother of a 14-year-old adolescent with autism, could get so carried away that I would fall for claims that went against all sense and reason.

Here is the cautionary tale of how I fell prey to hope…

(To read more, please click: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles_falling_prey_to_hope.html)

2. As a preview for next month's update, I will be writing a difficult article about the resurfacing of Sebastien's aggression in the recent month. As I take on this challenge on a daily basis, I feel the need to bring forth the issue of raising an adolescent with autism to the forefront, by proposing the following workshop. Apart from presenting my own perspectives, I hope to stimulate a debate on this difficult issue among caregivers and educators.

Raising an Adolescent with Autism: Challenges, Perspectives and Strategies. Targeted at caregivers and educators, this interactive workshop will explore the unique challenges posed by adolescents with autism, as they grapple with their physical and mental changes. In this stimulating workshop, we will also discuss perspectives on this issue and explore effective strategies for dealing with these changes. Topics covered will include: Physical, Mental and Psychological Transformation, Sexuality, Aggression, Role of the Public and Authorities, Behavioural Management and Parenting (for Adolescents).

3. On a happier note, I would like to invite anyone who is interested to try out the massage of my dear friend, Roger, from Australia, who is back in Singapore for a couple of weeks. When I first returned to Singapore, I had the fortune of meeting Roger. Ever since I witnessed his loving massage of Sebastien five years ago and experienced the nurturing effects of his work, we have been great friends. Someone who had tried Roger's massage and massages in many parts of the world had told me that Roger's massage is the best he has ever had.

Please email Roger @ rog@janrog.com
Singapore +6594460706

He will be working at Basic Essence 501 bukit timah road, #04-04 cluny court.

Please feel free to share this information to anyone who may be interested.

Thanks for reading,

Kah Ying

An article on dealing with the behaviour of adolescent with autism

2010-10-19T12:24:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

Here is the October edition of the Awakening Minds update!

1. My latest article entitled "Drill Sergeant Mama" addresses the challenges of dealing with an autistic adolescent and the behavioural management approach. For parents and educators who are interested in managing the behaviour of the children with special needs, or adolescents (typical or atypical), this would be an interesting article. Through my consultations and learning support sessions for children, which have enabled me to meet many families with special needs children, I am continuously struck by how important behavioural management is and how often caregivers fail to execute the approach consistently. As a result, they fail to teach their children the key lessons of life -- that actions have consequences and taking responsibility for them.

Below is an excerpt:

Drill Sergeant Mama

…Or Battling a Teenager with Autism

By Choo Kah Ying

Back in 2005, I became a staunch believer in behavioural management when I used this approach to extinguish Sebastien’s persistent aggression. At virtually all my autism workshops, I would tell caregivers and teachers that the foundation of our relationships with our children lies in our ability to manage them.

In a nutshell, the behavioural management approach is the consistent administration of rewards and consequences to motivate a child with autism (in this case) to engage in desirable behaviour and refrain from undesirable ones. Simple as this approach may look on paper, the devil lies in the consistency of its implementation. Unfortunately, this is where many caregivers fall into the wayside…

Intimidated or overwhelmed by their children’s fiery counter-response (eg. hatred-ridden protests, explosive tantrums and torrents of tears), caregivers inevitably cave in. They forget about their leverage – their command of the resources (money) that can allow them to extend pleasurable privileges to their children (rewards) or deny them (consequences). Ultimately, their children’s desire to persist in their acceptable behaviour prevails over the caregiver’s desire to extinguish it. Unbelievable as it may sound, in the battle of the wills, an autistic child (regardless of his/her functioning level) often triumphs over his/her typical adult parent...

Recently, my battle with Sebastien in the throes of puberty was thrust to yet another level. Despite my decade-old experience of implementing behavioural management, I had to admit that I was taken aback by the rapid transformation of his body, the surge in his appetite and his unpleasant mood swings between euphoria and sullenness. But, most disturbing of all, was the emergence of a fierce defiance in Sebastien, which was determined to go to any lengths to oppose anything standing in his way.

Unlike his rebelliousness of yesteryears, the current version was backed up by Sebastien’s towering frame: within the space of months, the boy had shot up like the magic beanstalk. He was 14 going on 16. Towering above me and many Asian male adults, Sebastien often escaped my notice in crowded public spaces, because I was looking for Sebastien the child who no longer existed. As the frightening pace of his growth showed no signs of letting up any time soon, I could already see the dark clouds of a terrible war gathering ominously in the not-too-distant horizon. Sebastien and his army of hormones — all moving in concert to do the irascible will of its autistic master – were threatening to destroy the edifice of proper behaviour, which I had painstakingly erected over the years. I could not help but feel outmanned and outgunned by this rogue army.

To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.com.sg/articles_drill_sergeant_mama.html

2. Recently, I have been reading about the efforts of parents with autistic children to educate their children's classmates about autism. Apparently, such efforts often translate into improved behaviour on the part of these children towards the children with special needs.

A few years ago, I was invited by a librarian of a local international school to present my picture book to several classes of young children. My picture book, All Because of the Hummingbird... or the Horse, describes my autistic son's challenges and fears. This book was meant to educate children about children with special needs. During one of the sessions, I came up with the idea of showing a few slides of Sebastien before reading the book. It was amazing how much more attentive they were to the story and how much they wanted to meet him afterwards.

Thus, I feel that I must promote once again my idea of doing a book reading cum slide show about Sebastien to cultivate the quality of empathy in our children towards those with special needs. This would be an incredible lesson in character development. For the 90-minute presentation, I would be willing to take a payment of just $150 and give away 10 picture books to students (worth $10 each). I would love it if schools will take up my offer on this project.

Please feel free to forward this email to others who may be interested...

Best regards,

Kah Ying

An article on medication's role in treating mental illness

2010-09-29T09:54:00.001+08:00

Dear everyone:

This month's Awakening Minds update features my article, "Taking Medication is Just the Beginning", that empowers sufferers of mental illnesses to go beyond taking medication to take an active role in their own treatment and recovery. I would also like to highlight the availability of hourly mental wellness consultations at my new place and Sebastien's artwork.

1. "Taking Medication is Just the Beginning": For sufferers who feel disempowered because they feel that their lives are in the hands of pills and doctors, this article will inspire them to recognise the important role they play in their treatment. Caregivers can also benefit by helping their loved ones take on a more proactive approach.

Below is an excerpt:
Taking Medication is Just the Beginning

By Choo Kah Ying

Medication, counseling, and in serious cases, ECT – this is the conventional treatment protocol prescribed for mood disorders in psychiatry. Unfortunately, for sufferers who are resistant to taking medication, there is nothing more disempowering than thinking that your mind – the sanctum of your being – rests in the pills you hold in the palm of your hand.

However, through my experiences, I have found that this perspective is a grossly limited conception of the role of medication for the treatment of mental illnesses.

In reality, taking medication is just the beginning – your courageous admission that you need professional assistance to help you get back on your feet. For those of you suffering from depression, or manic depression, medication can stabilise your moods sufficiently for you to think and feel well enough to get your life back in order. It provides a critical foundation for you to build on your treatment and recovery.

At the same time, it is important for you to adopt a realistic conception of the role of medication. In my consultation work and at my talks, many sufferers will lament about their lives on medication. For them, taking medication has not transformed their lives, nor has it helped them to resolve their problems and challenges. In their minds, these sufferers believe that popping their pills should transform their perceptions of themselves, others, the environment and the world in general into a bed of roses. Steeped in their struggles with their vacillating moods, they cultivate an idealised notion of normalcy that does not in any way resemble the lives of typical human beings. Then when they open their eyes and see that their fantasy has not come true, they declare with self-righteousness that medications do not work...

To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/article_taking_medication_is_the_beginning.html

2. Mental wellness consultations: I will be offering affordable mental wellness consultations (one-hour session) at my home in Ang Mo Kio (Singapore), in lieu of the two-hour consultations I used to conduct at the clients' homes. I work with sufferers and their caregivers in customising a life programme to supplement their conventional treatments of medication and therapy. We will also practise wellness and cognitive strategies. Only evening sessions are available (from 8 p.m.) on selected weekday evenings.

3. Sebastien's artwork: I have just moved to my own flat with Sebastien. It is nice to finally properly display the artwork of Sebastien, my autistic son, in Ikea frames. Check them out at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=259433&id=720254922&l=bc9bce9737

That's it for this month's update. Please feel free to share this information with others.

Thanks for all your support and interest.

Thanks,

Kah Ying

8163-4509

One-on-One Learning Support/Tuition Sessions for Children with Special Needs and/or Learning Difficulties

2010-09-29T09:51:00.001+08:00

Hi everyone:

I am pleased to announce my new service as part of Awakening Minds: One-on-One Learning Support/Tuition Sessions in Literacy/English/Writing for students with special needs and learning challenges, as well as typical learners in my home.

For those who do not know me:

My name is Choo Kah Ying. I am a homeschooler of my son, Sebastien, who is now 14 years old. I was formerly an academic researcher in the U.S. for eight years. Through this work and my homeschooling journey with my son (last 5 years since my return to SIngapore), I have developed learning materials and workshops targeted at caregivers and teachers of special needs children, as well as children who are difficult to teach due to various reasons. If you would like to learn more about me, you can go to my website (www.awakeningminds.com.sg).

As I have just moved to a flat (my own space), I have decided to conduct ONE-ON-ONE LEARNING SUPPORT/TUITION sessions (one-hour) for children and adolescents with special needs at my home in Ang Mo Kio (Singapore). As I do other work, I am only allocating one hourly timeslot in the day time per student (Monday to Friday within the range of 1:30-3:30). I am available for two hourly timeslots starting from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Mondays.

My sessions cover:

a) Basic literacy for young children or individuals who still cannot read/write.
b) Basic numeracy for young children or individuals who cannot count, add, subtract, etc.
c) Development of language and writing skills in English (for all ages).
d) Creative writing skills (story writing).
e) I am open to any suggestions.

I will be customising the learning programme and the work for each student. Each hourly session is $50. For a new student, I will need to do a concise assessment with caregiver and child; this will help me to design the learning session that will fit with the learning objectives and functioning level of the the caregiver and child.

If you are interested or need more information, please contact me at 8163-4509.

Best regards,

Kah Ying

Article about autistic children's grieving

2010-07-12T12:43:00.000+08:00

Dear everyone:

Welcome to another Awakening Minds update! The feature of this month is my article that explores the importance of grieving for autistic children and the role it serves in their socio-emotional development. I write about this topic from a personal standpoint: Sebastien's grieving over the end of a fabulous, but challenging holiday. This update will also highlight some of the talks and workshop activities that I have been doing and the direction I have been heading with Awakening Minds. I hope that you can spread the word about these new activities.

1. Here is an excerpt of my new article, "When Your Autistic Child Grieves".

When Your Autistic Child Grieves
By Choo Kah Ying
As the sun descended over the lush verdant landscape of rice paddies, outlining the silhouette of the glorious mountains in the not-too-distant horizon with its ethereal light, Sebastien, my autistic 13-year-old son, wept. I had inadvertently triggered his tears by bidding farewell to our holiday destination (“Bye bye Malang!”) after the train had pulled out of the station. But my pointed farewell was not just marking the end of our stay in Malang, but also the most fantastic holiday in which Sebastien had rose to the occasion not just once, but several times...

What I had anticipated, but not spoken to him about, was the final challenge: the confrontation of the end of the holiday. Certainly, I could not have known ahead of time that he would grieve so intensely for the end of this holiday…
* * * * *
The grief of an autistic child, particularly one who is not particularly verbal, is difficult for a parent to witness. When your autistic child grieves, you feel more shut out from your child’s world than ever. At a moment when you feel that you should rush in to comfort your child, he literally pushes you away, turns aside and withdraws further from you...

While it is hard for us parents to see our children go through the grieving process on their own, grieving is not a bad thing for them. As parents, we have to come to terms with our discomfort and let go of our need to shelter our children from the painful realities of life. This is a vital experience of growing up for everyone, including our autistic children. Yes, even our autistic children should have the chance to learn how to come to terms with things not going their way and take responsibility for their own emotions. And yes, even our autistic children can mature and grow up.

(To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/articles_when_your_autistic_child_grieves.html)

2. Recently, as part of my preventive approach towards mental wellness, I have been giving parenting talks to parents of typical children at primary schools and even at a corporation (as part of its employee welfare initiative; if your corporation would be interested, please pass on my information). Here are some of topics.
Reaching for the Stars! Motivating Your Child for Success
Getting to Know All About You! Forging an Authentic Relationship with Your Child
Do I Have Your Attention? Engaging Your Child with Effective Communication Strategies
Training for Life! Developing Self-Discipline and Independence in Your Child
Bringing Life to Learning… and Vice Versa! Making Learning Meaningful and Relevant.
Any Child is Teachable! Creating Effective Scaffolding for Learning.
(To learn more about these workshops, please email me directly.)

3. At the same time, I am looking forward to conducting a workshop for parents at a special needs school (in Singapore), which will address a powerful and not often addressed topic of grief over having a child with special needs. This workshop will also empower parents to adopt practical strategies for coping with their challenging journey. I would love to have the opportunity to reach out to more parents on this issue. To me, addressing grief can transform parents' entire perspective on their life and help them to embrace their children with more joy than unhappiness.

(To learn more about the caregiver workshops of children with special needs, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html#caregivers)

4. It is my belief that most children are teachable. It is up to us as caregivers and educators to identify helpful strategies and create the supportive learning materials and tools to help them to learn. Through my experience of teaching my autistic son and other children, as well as my exploration of existing materials, I have created various types of laminated materials to facilitate learning in literacy and numeracy for children with special needs and typical children with learning difficulties.

(To learn more about these products, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/learning_materials.html )

In particular, I would like to highlight my Words, Pictures, Story! creation -- a fun, visual and interactive template that provides scaffolding (images, clue words and language prompts) for teaching language, writing and even mathematics.

While all of these materials can be individualised and customised, I do have available a WPS! story template and workbook (in .pdf format) for sale at SD$15.00 : (Name of Dog) Saved the Day! (for children 6-9). They can be further customised to fit the age and literacy level of your child. You can also ask me to print it out and mail it to you at a higher cost (SD$22.50).

(To learn more about these products, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/books.html#wps4kids)

5. Through my forays into innovative educational strategies for children with special needs, I have also formulated the following Creative Writing Workshops that are targeted at typical children as participants. With these workshops, I hope to transform children's perceptions of writing as a boring, isolated and anxiety-provoking experience, thus inculcating in them a love for stories, reading, writing and critical thinking. As these workshops will involve group activity, I also hope to develop cooperative learning.

Introducing Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!): A Writing Template to Initiate Learners into Writing (for ages 5-7).
Transforming Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) into a Story Map (for ages 8-10).
Brainstorming a Story: Let’s Compose a Story Together (for ages 10-12).
Writers' Theatre: Story, Acting, Revising -- A New Storywriting Process (for ages 8-12).
(To learn more about these workshops, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html#learningaids and http://www.awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html#creativewriting. These workshops, as described, are targeted at caregivers/educators. But they can be modified for learners themselves.)

I look forward to hearing from you and your queries about any of the above talks and workshops.

Best regards,

Kah Ying

Life Skills Workshops for Secondary and JC students

2010-07-01T11:16:00.000+08:00

Dear Educators:

As part of Awakening Minds' effort to adopt a preventive approach in advocating for Mental Wellness, I have designed the following workshops for secondary school/JC students. Their objective is to help young people to embrace their unique identities so that they have the courage, self-esteem, spirit and conviction to become the best that they can be. By focusing on teaching the vital, though non-academic, lifeskills, they will be able to grow up to become well-adjusted adults with the character to succeed in any endeavour they choose to pursue.

On the Brink of Adulthood: Stressors and Strategies. Faced with the stressors of adjusting to adulthood, many youths experience their first episode of depression or manic-depression during their university years. By arming the students with the necessary coping skills and strategies, instituting healthy lifestyle habits, as well as shaping their character, the challenges of this transition can be eased. Students will have the opportunity to explore and identify their concerns, as well as map out ideas and strategies to help them to ease their transition.

Cultivating Self-Discipline: I Can Do This! This workshop provides a concrete set of practical suggestions and strategies for helping students to acquire the knowledge and habits of leading a self-disciplined lifestyle. Small-group activities and discussions will further enable the students to take concrete steps towards developing the qualities of self-discipline.

Girl Power: I Love Being a Girl! Targeted at female students aged 14 and above, this workshop will explore the following topics in a series of dynamic and interactive writing exercises and creative activities: societal notions of womanhood and constraints; body image; girl pride; female role models; and their perceptions, desires and life projects.

Small-group activities and discussions will enable the students to reflect and evaluate on their self-image. They will then leave the workshop with increased understanding and ideas about how to improve their self-image and embrace their identities.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Choo Kah Ying
8163-4509

Creative writing and parenting workshops for mainstream schools

2010-06-30T12:46:00.000+08:00

Dear Educators:

As part of Awakening Minds' efforts to share the innovative educational approaches I have developed for children with special needs, I have created creative writing workshops targeted for typical children.

Also, I have begun to conduct parenting workshops for caregivers of typical children through school and corporate settings. I consider parenting training to be part and parcel of my preventive approach in my advocacy of mental wellness. The seeds of mental wellness are planted early in children by parents. It is thus crucial to equip parents with adequate skills to raise their children who will be self-disciplined, independent and well-adjusted.

Creative Writing Workshops for Children (age group mentioned for each course; can be customised according to age group.)

1. Introducing Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!): A Writing Template to Initiate Learners into Writing (for ages 5-7).
Writing can be an extremely anxiety-provoking experience for many children, particularly children with language delays. WPS! offers a colourful, fun and interactive writing template that incorporates the following components such as language prompts, clue words and images. By offering a guided writing experience that breaks the monotony of writing and provides openings for children to make choices, children are able to plunge into the experience of writing without their usual anxieties. In this workshop, participants will learn about the WPS! story template and be initiated into the basics of writing as a foundation for producing stories.
2. Transforming Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) into a Story Map (for ages 8-10).
Participants will move to the next level of story writing by incorporating WPS! components into a story map and putting together a story with trainer guidance and cooperative group activity.
3. Brainstorming a Story: Let’s Compose a Story Together (for ages 10-12).

In this workshop, children, working together with one another and guided by the teacher’s posing of questions, “brainstorm” the content of diverse components that will go into the making of a story. Additional ingredients such as pictures, props and descriptive phrases can be incorporated to stimulate inspiration and imagination.

4. Writers' Theatre: Story, Acting, Revising -- A New Storywriting Process (for ages 8-12).

This fun, creative and dramatic workshop will enable students to experience the dynamic quality of the creative brainstorming process that goes into the writing of a story. Working in small groups, students will dramatise a simple story that contains an implausible story line, grammatical errors and poorly defined characters. Through their dramatisation of the story, students can return to re-work the story and improve it.

Workshops for Caregivers/Parents

1. Reaching for the Stars! Motivating Your Child/Student for Success

One of the biggest challenges faced by parents/teachers is how to motivate their children/students to engage in constructive activities that will lead them towards a successful life. Although motivation is primarily dependent on the children/students themselves, parents and teachers can nonetheless play a powerful supportive role in encouraging and guiding their children/students in this process. Through this workshop, participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the psychology of motivation and learn how they can serve as a motivating force in their children’s/students’ lives.
2. Getting to Know All About You! Forging an Authentic Relationship with Your Child/Student

All children are unique individuals with their distinctive combinations of strengths and weaknesses. Their one-and-only make-up influence the way they think, feel, communicate and learn. As parents and teachers, your effectiveness in interacting with your child/student (whether to encourage or to teach them) derives from the effort you have invested in building an authentic relationship with him/her. When you have established such a relationship, you will find that your child/student will be responsive and intrinsically motivated to adhere to your requests or instruction. Through this workshop, participants will learn about the importance of appreciating the unique make-up of their children/students, as well as effective ways for establishing a genuine and mutually respectful relationship with them.
3. Do I Have Your Attention? Engaging Your Child/Student with Effective Communication Strategies
To be an influential person in your child’s/student’s life, you need to be able to engage his/her attention and sustain his/her interest in your interactions. Knowing how to speak is different from being able to communicate and capturing your child/student’s attention. In this talk, participants will learn the right attitude, acquire the necessary knowledge and practise the techniques to become effective communicators with children.
4. Bringing Life to Learning… and Vice Versa! Making Learning Meaningful and Relevant.
To parents and educators, education is meant to prepare their children/students for learning. Yet many children/students have come to associate learning with an activity that takes place within the classroom environment, which is separate from the “real world”. As a result, they can be un-motivated about their studies because they do not see their meaningfulness and relevance to their daily lives. The reality is that life and the real world abound with learning opportunities! Parents can incorporate learning opportunities in their daily lives, just as educators can contextualise their learning with familiar real-life settings and activities. Thus, parents and educators can help to make learning come alive for their children/students.
5. Any Child is Teachable! Creating Effective Scaffolding for Learning.

Standardised worksheets and tasks may pose difficulties for some children who have unique learning styles and preferences. Very often, they are dismissed as unteachable by their parents and teachers. However, through the incorporation of various types of scaffolding, whether within the worksheets, or additional learning resources, these children/students may be able to rise to the challenge of completing the tasks at hand. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to learn the principles and techniques of creating effective scaffolding in their worksheets and tasks.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Kah Ying
8163-4509

Starring Autism… in Disguise article and new parenting workshops

2010-05-30T20:56:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

For this month's Awakening Minds' update, I am featuring two topics:

1) I would like to address the issue of disguised portrayal of autism in popular American sitcoms that are also shown in many countries. I am referring in particular to two of my favourite shows: Monk and The Big Bang Theory. Both of these shows feature characters (namely, Adrian Monk and Sheldon Cooper) who have captivated the attention of fans throughout the world; what many viewers are not aware is that they are strong profiles of gifted individuals with autism. You see, the term is never mentioned. I consider it a real shame that TV viewers and fans do not know that these beloved characters are entertaining representatives of autistic individuals whom they would not have gotten to know in real life. With my "outing" of these characters, I hope that people would have greater insights and empathy towards individuals with autism.

Below is an excerpt of the article:

Starring Autism… in Disguise

By Choo Kah Ying

Over the last decade, the television show, Monk, captivated the attention of mass audiences who flocked to their TV set each week to watch Adrian Monk, a former-detective-turned consultant, solve crimes that defy the San Francisco Police Department...

Yet at the same time, Mr. Monk is handicapped by a vast catalogue of phobias (more than 300), his debilitating adherence to routines, and crippling pursuit of perfection and symmetry in a world of imperfections, which require him to hire a personal assistant to help him in his daily life...

On the surface, Mr. Monk seems to be suffering from a disorder that has no name.... Yet, for me, Monk’s frustrating rigidities and idiosyncrasies enable me to see many of my autistic son’s aberrant behaviours in a refreshing new light. They further confirm my belief that Mr. Monk is a gifted, high-functioning autistic individual. Yet, the term “autism” never comes up....

More recently, The Big Bang Theory, another TV series, has introduced the character of Sheldon Parris, a theoretical physicist who has a high IQ of 187 and attended college at 11....

Without skipping a beat, he seems compulsively driven to expose the fallacies and deficiencies of his friends’ statements, while flaunting his intellectual superiority without recognising his arrogance. At the same time, he is limited by his rigid adherence to daily routines... and uncompromising standards about how he wants things to be.... He also struggles to make sense of social conventions and nuances in conversations...

To me, Sheldon offers the classic portrait of a gifted individual with high-functioning autism. Yet, once again, the term “autism” is never mentioned. He is simply labeled “weird”, “strange”, “idiosyncratic” and even “robotic”.
... Though I cannot imagine that the fans of these series are drawn to these shows for the same reason as I, it is amazing to me that so many viewers love these characters whom I consider to be well-fleshed-out representations of high-functioning autism... If TV viewers know that these characters are strong representations of autistic people, these TV shows can serve as effective powerful vehicles for changing the public’s perceptions of people with autism...

To read the full article, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.com.sg/articles_starring_autism.html

2) In recent months, I have received inquiries from schools about conducting various types of parenting workshops for caregivers of special needs kids and typical kids. Thus, I have put together a list of parenting topics with a focus on enhancing parents' skills and effectiveness in raising their children and building relationships with them. I consider my work with caregivers of typical children as a means of promoting mental wellness (the preventive approach). Please check out this list: http://awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html#publicschools

I also provide affordable home-based consultations to families regarding mental wellness issues, special education and autism, where I would typically go to the clients' homes and work with the entire family on issues of concern. To learn more about this service, please go to: http://awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html, http://awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html

Please feel free to forward this email to others.

Much appreciated,

Kah Ying

A parenting article, an autism website and a free talk on mental illnesses

2010-05-10T10:41:00.001+08:00

Dear Everyone:

In this Awakening Minds update, I would like to highlight the following feature and events:

a. My new article for this month, "The Rich Kid Syndrome", is inspired by my real-life encounters with parents who consider their non-discriminate provision of money and material things to their children as the demonstration of their parental love. However, their children grow up to expect their parents to give them whatever they want and worse still, to bail them out when they get into trouble. In fact, some of these children who have manic depression are often able to finance their excessive lifestyles during their manic phases through their parents' generosity. Thus, I consider this article as my contribution towards a preventive approach in promoting mental wellness: parenting our children appropriately to prepare them for the challenges of life plays an important role. (Below is an excerpt of this article).

The Rich Kid Syndrome

By Choo Kah Ying

This article is not necessarily about rich kids. In fact, many kids who fall prey to the “Rich Kid Syndrome” (RKS) are not rich; their parents may only have average to slightly above average incomes. Children who suffer from RKS believe that they are entitled to get whatever money can buy from their parents. These parents stint and save on necessities for themselves in order to lavish the lion’s share of their earnings on their beloved children and satisfy their desires...

Unfortunately, these children who are accustomed to these “acts of love” come to expect and take them for granted. Basically, they treat their parents like walking ATMs: they feel entitled to getting the money they need to purchase whatever they want, with nary a care of how hard their parents have had to work to earn the money... These children then grow up to become adolescents who crave brand-name clothes, the latest fashion and technological accessories, and even fancy holidays in overseas locations with their peers. Each of these cravings and adventures is graciously sponsored by their doting parents....

(To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.com.sg/article_the_rich_kid_syndrome.html)

b. I would also like to remind everyone about this free talk. Please remember to register for the event with Silver Ribbon Singapore.

May 29, 2010: "A Journey With..." (organised by the Silver Ribbon Singapore): This event is open to members of the public. This is a free talk by four authors who have written books on their experiences with mental illnesses:

Mr. Raymond Anthony Fernando, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Loving a Schizophrenic
Ms. Choo Kah Ying, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery
Dr. Rita Goh, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Back from the Brink of Insanity
Mr. Harris Ng, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Recovered Grace: Schizophrenia
The details are as follows:
Date and Time: Saturday: 29 May, 2pm – 4pm
Location: Toa Payoh Public Library
RSVP: Registration is compulsory; call 6386 1928 or email info@silverribbonsingapore.com.

If you want to preorder any of my books and pick them from me on that day, please let me know ahead of time. I will only be bringing a limited supply (http://awakeningminds.sg/books.html).

c. Finally, I would like to invite everyone to check out the amazing website done by two wonderful final NTU students, Han Weiding and Wong Huifoon: http://reachautism.sg/. It is a primarily Chinese Website, but if you click on my story and check out the videos, the interviews with me are in English. The other featured stories also contain interviews that are in English. So even English speaking people should check them out. The video footages and the slide show featuring Sebastien skating, doing his work and cooking are awesome!

Best regards,

Kah Ying

P.S. To all the wonderful mothers of their children with special needs and mental illnesses, Happy Mothers' Day!

A free public talk on mental illnesses

2010-04-26T11:56:00.001+08:00

Dear everyone:

For this Awakening Minds update, I would like to highlight the following event.

1. May 29, 2010: "A Journey With..." (organised by the Silver Ribbon Singapore): This is a free talk by four authors who have written books on their experiences with mental illnesses (including myself on manic depression). This event is open to members of the public. You will have the opportunity to purchase an autographed copy of my book, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery ($16.00, G.S.T. waived). To make my life easier, you can also pre-order your copies so that I would know how many to bring to this event.

The details are as follows:

Date and Time: Saturday: 29 May, 2pm – 4pm

Location: Toa Payoh Public Library

RSVP: Please call the organiser at 6386 1928 or email info@silverribbonsingapore.com; registration is compulsory.

To preorder my book, please reply to this email.

2. Lela Luorno, a speech and language therapist, will be giving a talk entitled "Language Development and How To Do It At Home". This talk will be held at Children's Partnership, a psychology services centre on May 14 at 7pm. The talk will be about two hours. Please contact Ms. Luorno at lela@languageloft.net to register for this event.

3. Do look up at my Website for workshops and one-on-one consultations for individuals and families in the area of autism and special education (http://awakeningminds.sg/workshops.html; http://awakeningminds.sg/consultations.html) and mental wellness (http://awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_workshops.html;http://awakeningminds.sg/mental_wellness_consultations.html).

To learn more about the talks and workshops that I have conducted, please look up: http://awakeningminds.sg/past_events.html.

Please feel free to tell others about this Website and the events.

Best regards,

Kah Ying

Awakening Minds Update Featuring Article on Autism: One Spectrum of Humanity

2010-04-12T10:54:00.001+08:00

Dear everyone:

This latest Awakening Minds update features the following:

1. I have put up a new article entitled "One Spectrum of Humanity" that encapsulates one of the key objectives of Awakening Minds: to challenge the prevalent deficit-tinted perspective of people with autism and the close-minded goal of "normalising" them, as though being "normal" or "typical" constitutes the ideal. By opening our minds and perspectives, we can learn to appreciate autistic people in our midst, acknowledge our own weaknesses and celebrate the diversity of humanity. Below is a small excerpt of this article, an appetiser to tempt you go read more.

One Spectrum of Humanity

by Choo Kah Ying

The medical terminology for the diagnosis of autism is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Depending on their overall functioning levels, people with autism are placed on an autism spectrum that ranges from mild to severe. Once they are placed on the autism spectrum, their atypical attributes are subject to a heightened level of scrutiny by us -- the “neurotypical” caregivers and professionals -- through our deficit-tinted lenses.

Using our conventional frameworks of reference, we are constantly measuring how far they fall short of their norm as though being typical is tantamount to being ideal. In fact, as we seek to “normalise” autistic people in our own image, we can be so fixated on their deficits that we fail to recognise that some of the attributes of autism constitute strengths that can be of tremendous value to humanity...

The reality is that we neurotypical people, as with autistic people, have our fair share of strengths, deficits and idiosyncrasies; they are just different from those of people on the autism spectrum. Considering our own clustering of distinctive traits, we should all be placed on one spectrum – the spectrum of humanity that celebrates our diversity. Each of us is no better and worse than another, just different... (For the full article, please go to www.awakeningminds.sg [Media Tab] [Articles on Autism])

2. As part of this update's theme of promoting public awareness of autism, I am highlighting my book reading/talk again, which features my self-published picture book, All Because of the Hummingbird Or the Horse (targeted at primary schools). As the book is digitised, I will be able to project the book as a slide show (page by page), thus allowing the students to follow along the reading easily. I will also request for volunteers to help to me to click to turn the page. In addition, I will do a personal talk targeted at young learners about Sebastien, my son, with a slide show. I have found that my sharing of Sebastien in my previous book reading of this book at an international school helps students to adopt a compassionate attitude towards him and interest them in the book reading. To me, the transformation of young hearts and minds will plant the seeds of compassion in our future generations.

This talk could be part of the primary schools' character-building projects and themes. This 90-minute talk/book-reading (SD$250.00, negotiable) will also include a give-away of five copies of All Because of the Hummingbird to students who exhibit kindness and compassion towards others (www.awakeningminds.sg, BOOKS tab).

3. I would like to express my gratitude to the parents of autistic children who have purchased my book, Raising Sebastien: Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child (Marshall Cavendish, 1996, SD$16.00) these past two months. Most significantly, I had the privilege of providing a consultation for a wonderful family of an autistic child and developing learning materials for him. Through this experience, I would like to exhort parents, particularly those of children with classic autism who are lower-functioning than their mildly autistic counterparts not to give up on their children. Just because professionals and educators tell you that your children are far from the norm does not mean that they cannot improve in their functioning. With perseverance and creative teaching methods, you can still do your best to help your children to be the best that they can be. If you are open to their uniqueness, they may still surprise you by what they can do!

4. I would also like to highlight a few interesting and relevant links for you to check out:

a. A good friend of mine forwarded this video of a talk by Temple Grandin, an inspiring person with autism, who has overcome incredible odds to become an expert on livestock, animals and autism. From the beginning of my journey with Sebastien, she has given me insights into the inner workings of the autistic mind with her books. In this talk, she really rocks!

Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds [http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds.html]

b. I had the privilege of being involved in the final-year school project on autism with two wonderful journalism students from NTU, Wong Hui Foon and Han Weiding, who spent two days learning about and filming my homeschooling life with Sebastien. Their passion, compassion and enthusiasm made this experience memorable and give me hope that our future generations would demonstrate compassion to people with special needs. Please check out their project (in Chinese) at http://reachautism.sg.

c. I would also like to talk about Spit it Out!, a wonderful literary tool and game that was invented by the brother of Roger Curtis who is a close friend of mine. This fun and dynamic game cultivates interest in language, creative thinking and assertiveness. The tactile and colourful letter cubes also makes this game ideal for autistic children who are tactile and visual learners. I have come up with variations of this game in playing it with Sebastien. To learn more about this great game, check out this game at www.spititout.com.

d. Finally, I highly recommend this movie: "Mary and Max". Based on a true story, this beautiful and poignant film depicts an extraordinary pen-pal relationship between an 8-year-old Australian girl and a 41-year-old American man with Asperger's Syndrome (a mild form of autism). This film reinforces my belief that we as a society can really help to improve the quality of the lives of autistic people if we embrace them with open-mindedness and compassion. They need love and support from us more than all the professional help and interventions they receive in their lives.

If you are interested in my workshops in autism or mental wellness, please check out some of my proposed topics at www.awakeningminds.sg, EDUCATION/MENTAL WELLNESS tabs. Please feel free to email me or forward this email to others who would be interested.

Best regards,

Kah Ying

+658163-4509

Awakening Minds Update: On scaffolding and customising learning materials for all learners incl those with special needs

2010-03-08T11:12:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

Teachers and caregivers often struggle to teach learners with special needs due to the latter's cognitive, communication, interaction, sensory and behavioural challenges. However, it is my belief that all children can learn; the onus lies on us adult caregivers and professionals to rise to the occasion and identify the right type of scaffolding, or educational support, to enable these children to learn. My homeschooling journey with Sebastien, my son with classic autism, over the last five years, has been an eye-opening and humbling experience, which have led me to design and implement customised learning materials and curriculum not only for him, but also other learners.

In this latest Awakening Minds update:

1. I would like to introduce you to some of the learning materials and working templates that I have been inspired (from my work with Sebastien) to develop for all learners including those with special needs.

a. The featured product that is available for sale is my Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) Story template. This story template offers typical learners (aged 6-8) an enjoyable initiation into the storywriting experience without the pressure of facing an empty page. At the same time, they are also applying their knowledge of parts of the speech. This product (SD$15.00, 21 pages) will be emailed to you as a pdf document upon receipt of payment.

It is also accompanied by a workbook (SD$15.00, 20 pages) that accompanies this story template. It covers Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar and Creative Project. For more information about both products, please go to www.awakeningminds.sg, BOOKS tab.

b. I would also like to highlight other customised learning materials that I have designed for young learners and those with special needs. These visual and tactile learning materials offer a new dimension to the language learning experience for learners, which can serve to supplement pen-and-paper learning. To check out the products, please go to www.awakeningminds.sg, EDUCATION tab, LEARNING MATERIALS (on the left).

c. As part of my ongoing endeavour to promote open-minded thinking and compassion towards children with special needs, I would like to highlight my idea of a book reading/talk that features my self-published picture book, All Because of the Hummingbird Or the Horse (This book is ideal for primary school children). I could accompany the book reading with a personal sharing of Sebastien, my son with autism, with compelling photos, targeted at young learners. I had a wonderful experience conducting such a talk with an international school in Singapore.

This talk ("What If It Were Me?") could be part of the schools' character-building campaignss. This 90-minute talk/book-reading (SD$250.00, negotiable) also includes a give-away of five picture books to students whom peers/teachers consider to demonstrate qualities of kindness and compassion (www.awakeningminds.sg, BOOKS tab).

d. Finally, I am grateful for Carol Hee's outstanding coverage of my homeschooling journey with Sebastien in the Chinese section of My Paper, published on February 24, 2010. To take a look at this article, please go to www.awakeningminds.sg, MEDIA tab.

If you have any queries or interest in any of these products and talks, please feel free to email me.

Best regards,

Kah Ying

+658163-4509

Awakening Minds Update Featuring Article on Caring for Loved Ones with Manic Depression

2010-02-22T10:40:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

In this Awakening Minds update, I would like to focus on the mental wellness component of Awakening Minds (www.awakeningminds.sg, Mental Wellness tab): my book, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery, my individualised consultation service and my brand new article, "Guardian Angels of Tough Love: Caring for Loved ones with Manic Depression." It illuminates the importance for caregivers to act with firmness and strength in their endeavour to help their loved ones to return to a life of normalcy.

1. I would like to promote my book, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery (Armour Publishing, 2009). More than just an inspiring depiction about my struggle and my steps towards my medication-free life, while raising my autistic son, this book also offers practical tips for helping sufferers of manic depression and their caregivers to manage the condition at various phases of their journey. This book may be found at Kinokuniya Orchard (please do call to ensure that the book is available), or you can email me and I will mail you an autographed copy of book to you upon receipt of payment (cheque, Internet bank transfer, Paypal). The book is priced at SD$16.00 (+mailing costs; for Singapore, the total cost will be $18.55).

(To learn more about this book and see a picture of the cover, please go to www.awakeningminds.sg, Books tab, and email me atchoo.kahying@awakeningminds.com.sg.)

2. Apart from publishing my book and creating this Website, I have also felt that I could even better help sufferers of mood disorders (manic depression and depression) by providing an affordable individualised, home-based consultation service. Currently, sufferers and caregivers rely upon medication, therapy (once a week or with less frequency) and periodic consultations with psychiatrists. However, many sufferers may still be struggling with managing their condition on a day-to-day basis in between their sessions. There are many things that they need to do on their own in order to return to sound mental health. As an individual who continues to manage my condition without the aid of medication on a daily basis, this is a concern that I am intimately acquainted with. Thus, I hope that my consultation service can empower sufferers and their caregivers with the practical steps necessary for them to return to normalcy, with my customised life programmes for them. If interested, please email me at choo.kahying@awakeningminds.sg.

3. In my brand new article, "Guardian Angels of Tough Love: Caring for Loved ones with Manic Depression", I strive to empower caregivers to recognise their importance in enabling their loved ones to manage their manic depression effectively. More specifically, caregivers need to act firmly even in the face of strong resistance from their loved ones caught up in their struggle with their illness. Here is an excerpt of this article:

"Manic depression can best be likened to a roller coaster in which sufferers plumb the depths of despair and scale the heights of euphoria. More than just an extreme form of sadness, depression is a state of mental and emotional paralysis that depletes the sufferers’ ability to think, feel and live. For them, each day only holds forth the painful prospect of having to go through the motions of life without any meaning or purpose. Then, without their knowing, sufferers experience a gradual lifting of their spirits to normalcy that deludes them with the false promise of recovery, before they are propelled to the manic state...

However, the caregiver role that I most want to focus on is the role of the caregiver as the “guardian angel of tough love”. This particular role often poses the greatest challenge to caregivers. As guardian angels of tough love, caregivers take on the awesome responsibility of doing whatever is within their power to motivate and steer their loved ones towards recovery."

(To read the entire article, please go to www.awakeningminds.sg, Media Tab, Articles on Manic Depression)

4. Finally, I am pleased to inform you that my article, "Special People and Us", was published in the Review Section of The Straits Times (January 23, 2010), under the title, "The Special Road to Happiness."). I hope to be able to have more of my writings published in the local media in order to reach out to a greater audience and raise public awareness on issues related to special needs and mental illnesses.

Until the next time, here's wishing all of you the best for your life journey as you strive towards physical, mental and emotional wellness....

Best regards,

Kah Ying

Creator of Awakening Minds.sg

+65 81634509

Mental Wellness Workshops: A Preventive Approach

2010-02-10T19:16:00.002+08:00

Hi everyone:

In this special update, I would like to highlight my mental wellness workshops (click MENTAL WELLNESS tab at www.awakeningminds.sg) that are targeted at youths (secondary school students and onwards), and/or educators and parents. Within our education system, parents and educators are often overly focused on cultivating academic pursuits at the expense of the mental and emotional well-being of the students. They are planting the seeds of future emotional distress and duress in often intelligent, but emotionally sensitive students. It is important to highlight the fact emotional stress is also not conducive for the students' academic performance. Even more seriously, these students may succumb to mental illness in subsequent years as they confront increasingly difficult life challenges at the tertiary level and head towards adulthood.

Therefore, it is the mission of Awakening Minds.sg to not only enlighten the public and the schools (adults and students) about mental wellness/illness, but also to highlight the preventive aspect in my talks/workshops. Instead of addressing the mental and emotional needs of individuals when they have succumbed to mental duress, my talks and workshops will identify measures and strategies for supporting healthy socio-emotional development.

Youth Empowerment Series -- Talks/Workshops for Typical Secondary School Students [MENTAL WELLNESS]

On the Brink of Adulthood: Stressors and Strategies. Faced with the stressors of adjusting to adulthood, many youths experience their first episode of depression or manic-depression during their university years. What students as well as their caregivers can do to ease this challenging transition will be discussed. In a workshop format, students will have the opportunity to explore and identify their concerns. They will also be able to map out ideas and strategies to help them to ease their transition.

ALL NEW! Girl Power: I Love Being a Girl! Targeted at female students aged 14 and above, this workshop will explore the following topics in a series of dynamic and interactive writing exercises and creative activities: societal notions of womanhood and constraints; body image; girl pride; female role models; and their perceptions, desires and life projects.

With these two workshops, I hope to empower our future generations of young people to embrace their unique identities so that they have the courage, self-esteem, spirit and conviction to bring their dreams to fruition. When everyone is doing what they love, they will also be doing what they do best and we will have an incredible world.

Talks/Workshops for Educators, Parents and Students [MENTAL WELLNESS]

Society’s Role in Combating Mental Illness!. A provocative talk to challenge society to play a positive role in dealing with the issue of mental illness and to identify ways for the public to contribute to building a society that genuinely embraces those who are different.

Pursuit of Mental Wellness and Finding Your Authentic Self. An intimate glimpse into the importance of living the life you are meant to live as a means to achieving mental wellness and preventing mental illness. It also challenges adults to examine their role in promoting or undermining the quest of the young people under their care.

Dealing with Depression for Yourself, Colleagues and Students: Insights, Strategies and Suggestions. This workshop provides an informative overview of depression. How teachers can cope with their own depression or help others such as colleagues and their students within the context of the school setting will also be addressed.

To learn more about me and the workshops that I have conducted, please click the "Events" tab of my Awakening Minds.sg Website (www.awakeningminds.sg). I look forward to hearing from you and customising a workshop that will meet your objectives and transform your perspectives.

Sincerely yours,

Kah Ying

+6581634509

Two new articles on special needs awareness and bipolar disorder on Awakening Minds.sg

2010-01-18T11:55:00.001+08:00

Dear Everyone:

As part of my New Year's resolution to use Awakening Minds as an active platform for challenging society's awareness about individuals with special needs and mental illnesses in 2010, I have resolved to send out regular email updates with at least one new article uploaded to the Website each month.

For this particular email update, I would like to highlight the changes and additions to my Website:

1. "Special People and Us" by Choo Kah Ying [www.awakeningminds.sg (Media tab)]: I was inspired to write this article after catching a snippet of a Channel 8 drama serial that featured children with special needs. In this scene, the conversation between an older woman and her daughter concerning the latter's daughter with special needs illuminated society's unchallenged assumptions that people with special needs are burdens who rob their caregivers of any prospect of happiness in life. I sought to challenge this assumption in my article.

2. "Opening Hearts, Awakening Minds" by Nurraihan Hamid (published in People's Trends, December 2009) [www.awakeningminds.sg (Media tab)]: Ms. Hamid decided to do a story about my journey of recovery from manic depression after attending my talk at the Singapore Writers' Festival. Her article offers one of the best concise descriptions of my experiences of depression and mania with details about the origins of my illness and my current work as a homeschooler/writer/ educator and my physical and mental health regimen. I am greatly appreciative of her willingness to let me upload the article to the Website.

3. There are also new and updated talks and workshops for both Education and Mental Wellness [www.awakeningminds.sg (Education Tab) (Mental Wellness Tab)]. In my latest changes to my workshop selection, I am reaching out to caregivers and professionals of typical individuals, as well as the learners themselves. The strategies and learning approaches that I have developed, modified and used in the area of special needs can also be applied (with creative modifications) for typical learners.

In the area of mental wellness, I hope to motivate caregivers and professionals to cater to the cultivation of mental well-being of typical learners. The new workshops are also targeted directly at typical learners to encourage them to focus on their mental and psychological well-being.

I hope that you will take the time out to check out all of these updates and be motivated to awaken your minds and open your hearts to people with special needs.

Best regards,

Kah Ying

+6581634509

Awakening Mind's Educational Workshops for Teachers, Caregivers and Students

2010-01-11T15:13:00.001+08:00

Dear Educators and Caregivers:

Happy 2010! I would like to highlight AWAKENING MINDS©' series of new workshops and programmes that are targeted at educators, caregivers and students. In addition to addressing the challenges of raising and educating learners with special needs, AWAKENING MINDS© is also seeking to introduce its innovative perspectives, teaching strategies and learning tools to caregivers and educators of typical learners.

Each of these workshops can be customised to fit a two- or three-hour format, accompanied by a slide show, demonstrations, learning materials and handouts. I am also open to modifying all workshops in order to meet the specific objectives of your organisation/institution. Detailed proposals of these workshops are available upon request

Educator Workshops [SPECIAL NEEDS]

Odyssey into an Unusual Mind: Insights into the Complexity of Autism. Educators gain insight into the complexity of the autism spectrum though an in-depth study of the characteristics of the diverse profiles of autism.

Teaching Special Students: Practical Strategies for Working with Students with Autism and Other Special Needs. Educators learn about practical strategies for working with students with autism and special needs in the following areas: social/communication, academic, sensory and behavioural.

Functional Behavioural Assessments: Diagnose, Design, Execute and Evaluate. Educators learn how to design and implement Functional Behavioural Assessments (FBAs) to address the behavioural challenges of targeted students within the classroom setting.

Designing and Implementing Lesson Plans that Engage Students with Autism and Other Special Needs. Educators learn how to design and implement differentiated and effective lesson plans for students with special needs in classroom settings.

Transforming Outings into Diverse Versions of "Real-life Stories" with Learners of Various Functioning Levels: A Step-by-Step Guide. Educators are challenged to think outside the box about breaking down the steps of the writing process by forming a story from scratch and customising them to match learners of various functioning levels.

ALL NEW! Caregivers-Educators Collaboration Workshop [SPECIAL NEEDS]

Bridging Points of View on Students with Special Needs. An highly interactive workshop, this workshop addresses the areas of conflict that often arise between caregivers of students with special needs and educators pertaining to the effective integration of these students in the mainstream school environment. Through moderated discussions and a series of small-group exercises, caregivers and educators can learn how they can collaborate with one another in a team to maximise the learning experience for the students with special needs.

Learning Materials and Writing Workshops for Caregivers and Educators [SPECIAL EDUCATION and GENERAL EDUCATION]

*The Magic of Scaffolding: Every Kid can Learn. Participants learn how to develop and apply various types of scaffolding ranging from external tools (readily available for purchase or home-made) to the insertion of in-worksheet prompts that can augment their students' (special needs/typical) ability to engage in the learning with independence.
Introducing Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!): A Writing Template for Students with Autism and Other Special Needs. Participants obtain an in-depth understanding of the nuts and bolts of the WPS! Writing Template, used as scaffolding for writing and literacy development.

Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!): Doing Mathematics through Stories. Participants learn how to create WPS! writing templates with mathematics underlying their storylines.

* Transforming Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) into a Story Map. Participants learn how to help children with autism and other special needs move to the next level of story writing by incorporating WPS! components into a story map and putting together a story.

* Brainstorming a Story: Let’s Compose a Story Together. This workshop introduces educators and caregivers to a fun, dynamic, but yet structured, approach of transforming the story writing experience into an interactive group activity. In this approach, children, working together with one another and guided by the teacher’s posing of questions, “brainstorm” the content of diverse components that will go into the making of a story. Additional ingredients such as pictures and props can be incorporated to stimulate inspiration and imagination.

* These two workshops can also be customised for teachers of typical learners, by setting higher expectations and requirements.

ALL NEW! Creative Writing Workshops for Primary School Learners [GENERAL EDUCATION]

Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) My First Steps in Writing. This is a comprehensive 10-week storywriting course for student learners, involving the use of the WPS! writing template, workbook, and my latest modification -- WPS! templates in a box. Thus, teachers will have a ready-made programme that can be implemented. This storywriting course is an ideal supplementary literacy course that can enhance student interest and learning in story writing, language components and story composition.

Writers' Theatre©: Story, Acting, Revising -- A New Storywriting Process (A Workshop for Typical Primary School Learners). This fun, creative and dramatic workshop will enable students to experience the dynamic quality of the creative brainstorming process that goes into the writing of a story. Working in small groups, students will dramatise a simple story that contains implausible story lines, grammatical errors and poorly defined characters. Through their dramatisation of the story, students can return to re-work their stories and improve their version.

Caregiver Workshops[SPECIAL NEEDS]

* Bridging Life and Learning: Creating an Individualised and Customised Learning Programme. Caregivers learn how to transform the routines and life experiences of their autistic children into a customised learning programme that matches the latter’s learning preferences and functioning levels.

Tough Love: Taking Charge of Your Autistic Child. Caregivers learn how to manage the behaviour of their autistic children at home and in public to increase compliance and extinguish negative behaviour.

The Human Touch: Alternative Healing Techniques to De-stress You and Your Autistic Child. Caregivers learn about the use of non-invasive alternative healing techniques to enhance their ability to manage stress for themselves and their autistic children, while addressing the latter’s sensory sensitivities.

Open Your Mind, Open Your Heart: Grieving and Loving Your Special Child. Caregivers address their sense of grief and confront their attitudes and mindsets, which undermine their ability to cope with the challenges of raising their autistic children.

* I also create customised home learning programmes for interested families who are either interested in homeschooling their children or supplement their learning with creative and innovative learning worksheets and materials.

Caregiver Workshops [GENERAL]

Developing a Positive Parenting Style. This workshop will address the following areas: a) forging a close relationship with one's children; b) developing alternative approaches of discipline; and c) spending quality time with one's spouse.

Connecting with Your Child through Effective Communication Strategies. Caregivers are challenged to reflect on their attitudes, explore various topics of interest and acquire the techniques of delivery, which will make their effective communicators.

Making Your Child Teachable. Caregivers learn how to manage the behaviour of their children at home and in public to increase their compliance and extinguish disruptive behaviour.

Sincerely yours,

Choo Kah Ying

+6581634509

Two inspiring articles on autism and adolescence

2009-11-08T12:49:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

Please check out two inspiring and empowering articles on my latest interest in autism and adolescence on my Awakening Minds Website.

a. "Bedwetting: Teenage Rebellion, Autistic Style": This is a humorous and reflective piece of the lessons I learnt in overcoming Sebastien's deliberate bedwetting behaviour. From this starting point, I talk about the challenges for parents to deal with letting go of their kids with special needs so that they can grow up.

b. "The Skating Milestone: Go Sebastien! Go!": This is a heartwarming piece about my sense of pride and gladness in Sebastien's unexpected enjoyment of inline skating. In this essay, I talk about how my feeling of pride in Sebastien who has fought hard to be a confident young man was further transformed with his foray into inline skating.

Please feel free to share these articles with others and check out the rest of the Website.

Kah Ying

choo.kahying@awakeningminds.sg/+658163-4509

Two Talks on Autism and Manic Depression in the Heartlands

2009-10-29T14:18:00.001+08:00

November 7^th, 2009: “Splintered Beauty: The Road from Manic Depression to Recovery”, an intimate, informative and inspiring talk on manic depression

About this event: Join me as I talk about my personal struggle and triumph over the 'roller-coaster' ups and downs of manic depression. I will also offer practical suggestions and strategies for achieving and maintaining a medication-free life.

This will be a one-hour talk with a 30-minute Q&A session. Autographed copies of my book, Five Little White Pills… and Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery, will be available for sale at $16.00/each (no GST charged).

Date: Saturday, November 7^th, 2009

Time: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Location: Teck Ghee Zone ‘F’ RC KTV Room, Blk 344, Ang Mo Kio Ave 3,

(opp Ang Mo Kio Hub)

FREE OF CHARGE

November 14^th, 2009: “Odyssey into an Unusual Mind: Insights into the Complexity of Autism”, an Educational and Practical Talk on Autism

About this event: In this educational talk, I will provide an overview of autism that debunks limited and stereotypical concepts about the condition. You will also learn about the challenges (social/communication, academic, sensory and behavioural) faced by autistic people and practical ways for caregivers and the public to help people with autism.

This will be a one-hour talk with a 30-minute Q&A session. Autographed copies of my book, Raising Sebastien: Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child, will be available for sale at $16.00/each (no GST charged).

Date: Saturday, November 14^th, 2009

Time: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Location: Teck Ghee Zone ‘F’ RC KTV Room, Blk 344, Ang Mo Kio Ave 3,

(opp Ang Mo Kio Hub)

FREE OF CHARGE

Interview on Primetime Morning, October 21st, 2009, 8:50 a.m.

2009-10-14T10:29:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

I will be interviewed, along with a doctor, on the topic of bipolar disorder, on Primetime Morning, October 21st, 2009, at 8:50 a.m. I will be sharing about my experience of struggling with bipolar disorder and how I succeeded in weaning myself off medication and staying off it for the last four years. Finally, I will also share my reasons for writing Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery.

Please tell others about it and tune in...

Thanks,

Kah Ying

Singapore Writers Festival Book Launch of Five Little White Pills… And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery

2009-10-10T17:13:00.002+08:00

In this talk-cum-book reading, accompanied by a Powerpoint slideshow, I will share with you the compelling story of my struggle and recovery from manic depression. I will also talk about my reasons for writing this intimate exposé of my checkered past and the writing process.

Apart from the talk, I will also be showing a five-minute Channel News Asia documentary featuring an interview with me and excerpts of my medication-free life with Sebastien, my autistic son, who is an integral part of my inspiring story of recovery..

Finally, there will be a Q & A session for you to pose questions.

You can also purchase a copy of this book and have it autographed (S$16.00, no GST charged).

Details:

Sunday, October 25, 2009 , 6:30 p.m.

Earshot Café, located at the Arts House,

1 Old Parliament Lane, Singapore 179429

RSVP: This event is open to the general public. No RSVPs are required, though it will be greatly appreciated for me to gauge the turnout. Email me at choo.kahying@awakeningminds.sg.

AWAKENING MINDS: AUTISM, SPECIAL EDUCATION & MENTAL WELLNESS

2009-09-01T13:19:00.000+08:00

Dear everyone:

My name is Choo Kah Ying. I am a writer/educator and a homeschooler of Sebastien, my 12-year-old autistic son and my inspiration. I am also a recovered sufferer of manic-depression. Both of these conditions have shaped the trajectory of my life, sculpted the landscape of my character and influenced my perspectives in my work.

Since my return to Singapore from the U.S. in August 2005, where I had worked as an academic researcher for eight years, I have integrated my academic training and work with my challenging life experiences and converted them into inspirational books, articles, workshops and consultations pertaining to autism and manic depression.

Through my work in these areas, I have come to realise that the "awakening" of the minds should not be applied solely to those whom we help, but also to us caregivers and educators:

If we are to be effective, we must open our hearts, transform our conventional mindsets, transcend our own limitations in order to connect with them in a respectful manner.

It is with tremendous gratitude, hope and passion that I present the Website of my company, AWAKENING MINDS©, to you.

The AWAKENING MINDS© Website comprises the following sections:

a) autographed copies of my books on autism and my recovery from manic depression;
b) education workshops on curriculum design and teaching strategies targeted at children with special needs and autism
c) useful learning aids that will supplement learning;
d) mental wellness talks and workshops;
e) consultations for caregivers and educators in special education and mental wellness;
f) upcoming and past events;
g) articles that I have published on autism and mental wellness, and articles about Sebastien and me.

Please feel free to share the information about this Website to your friends, family and colleagues! I look forward to hearing from you and exploring all possibilities for bringing my unique message about "special people" to everyone.

Kah Ying
choo.kahying@awakeningminds.sg

Eliciting Speech from Autistic Children: Strategies and Suggestions to Stimulate Verbal Communication

2009-07-30T10:16:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

For this week, I am targeting my Suite101 article on eliciting speech from the segment of autistic children with limited language skills.

"Eliciting Speech from Autistic Children: Strategies and Suggestions to Stimulate Verbal Communication"

I hope that both caregivers and educators will find this article useful.

Kah Ying

Creating a Fitness Program for an Autistic Child: Tips for Instituting a Dynamic and Diverse Exercise Regimen

2009-07-23T10:51:00.002+08:00

A companion piece to my previous article, this article, "Creating a Fitness Program for an Autistic Child: Tips for Instituting a Dynamic and Diverse Exercise Regimen", offers guidelines for designing a fitness program for an autistic child.

http://autismaspergerssyndrome.suite101.com/article.cfm/creating_a_fitness_program_for_an_autistic_child

Why Exercise is Important for an Autistic Child: The Unique Benefits of a Fitness Program

2009-07-17T09:43:00.003+08:00

My latest article, "Why Exercise is Important for an Autistic Child: The Unique Benefits of a Fitness Program", explores the importance of instituting a fitness program for an autistic child. In spite of the challenges of engaging autistic children in physical activities, they stand to benefit from them in ways that address their specific deficits.

http://autismaspergerssyndrome.suite101.com/article.cfm/why_exercise_is_important_for_an_autistic_child

Advantages of Homeschooling an Autistic Child: Why Caregivers Should Consider the Homeschooling Option

2009-07-02T13:16:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

Here is my latest article on Suite101:

Advantages of Homeschooling an Autistic Child: Why Caregivers Should Consider the Homeschooling Option

http://autistic-child-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/advantages_of_homeschooling_an_autistic_child

Apart from promoting public awareness, I also provide talks and consultations to teachers and caregivers of children with autism and special needs. Please feel free to contact me at choo.kahying@awakeningminds.com.sg.

Homeschooling A Child with Autism: Incorporating Household Chores into the Homeschooling Program

2009-06-26T11:09:00.002+08:00

Here is my latest article on how parents can utilise household chores to teach their children vital lifeskills. Though the targeted audience of this article is caregivers of autistic kids, others may find it beneficial for getting their children involved in household chores.

Homeschooling A Child with Autism: Incorporating Household Chores into the Homeschooling Program

http://autistic-child-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/homeschooling_a_child_with_autism

Feel free to share this link with others.

Thanks,

Kah Ying

choo.kahying@awakeningminds.com.sg
--

Enjoy the Journey of Raising an Autistic Child

2009-06-22T09:49:00.002+08:00

Dear everyone:

In my latest article, I write about something that I am challenged to think about day in and day out as a parent of an autistic child. How do we as caregivers find the motivation and the inspiration to keep on going in our journey? The key, to me, is to find the joy in having your child whom you love in your life.

You can click on the title or cut and paste the following link:

http://autistic-child-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/enjoy_the_journey_of_raising_an_autistic_child

Kah Ying

Latest Article on Suite101: Participating in Mainstream Society: How to Improve Your Autistic Child’s Behavior in Public

2009-06-15T14:47:00.002+08:00

For this week, I am returning to my favorite topic of managing the behavior of autistic children, this time, in public. Many caregivers with autistic children experience difficulties with taking their children out in public. The article this week offers a few suggestions on how you can tackle this challenge:

Participating in Mainstream Society: How to Improve Your Autistic Child’s Behavior in Public

http://autistic-child-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/participating_in_mainstream_society

Please feel free to share the link with others.

Another article: Empower Yourself in Your Treatment Process: How to be a Proactive Participant in Your Fight against Mental Illness

2009-06-08T09:56:00.004+08:00

Hi everyone:

Here is my second consecutive article that delves into ways for coping with mental illness. There are some empowering strategies to help patients to feel in control of their treatment process.

Please feel free to share them with others.

http://health-psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/empower_yourself_in_your_treatment_process

Thanks,

Kah Ying

A DIY Approach Against Depression: Supplementary Lifestyle Strategies

2009-05-27T10:55:00.005+08:00

In my 5th article for Suite101.com, I describe simple, but effective lifestyle strategies that promote physical and mental wellness. Although this does not deal directly with autism, it is definitely applicable to caregivers who are often hard-pressed for time to take care of themselves. This article offers some helpful strategies that do not require that much time and effort to provide caregivers with a measure of sanity to pursue their life.

Certainly, everyone, as well as sufferers of depression and mood orders, will benefit from the reading of this article.

Please feel free to share it with others.

http://mindbodyfitness.suite101.com/article.cfm/a_diy_approach_against_depression

The Magic of Behavioral Modification: Teaching Autistic Children about Respect and Making Good Choices

2009-05-20T19:39:00.003+08:00

This is my 4th article on Suite101.com. I consider it a companion piece to my first article on how to implement behavioral modification to manage problem behaviors of autistic children. This piece now captures the hidden benefits of behavioral modification as a tool that can help to teach autistic children about the profound concepts of respect and making the right choices.

Please click on the title to get access to the article.

http://autistic-child-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_magic_of_behavioral_modification

Homeschooling Your Autistic Child: Use the Real World as Your Classroom

2009-05-18T09:22:00.004+08:00

Hi everyone,

This is my 3rd article for Suite101.com in which I highlight ways in which your autistic child can benefit from interactions with the real world and develop vital life skills -- an integral part of learning. Check out this article with this link and feel free to share it with others.

Please click on the title to access the article.

http://homeschooling.suite101.com/article.cfm/homeschooling_your_autistic_child

Kah Ying

Writing Templates for Kids with Special Needs

2009-05-06T13:27:00.004+08:00

Hi everyone:

This is my second article published on Suite101.com. The writing templates are derived from the homeschooling curriculum I design for Sebastien. They can be also customised and individualised for younger typical children to cultivate their interest in language and writing.

Please click on the title to access the article.

http://specialneedseducation.suite101.com/article.cfm/writing_templates_for_kids_with_special_needs

Managing the Problem Behaviors of Autistic Child: My First Article for Suite101.com

2009-04-25T15:17:00.004+08:00

Dear everyone:

As part of my effort to reach out to a wider audience and talk about my experiences, I am writing articles that will be published on an online writing Website called Suite101.com. My first piece, "Managing the Problem Behaviors of Your Autistic Child", will give you the basic steps for executing a highly effective behavioural management approach known as behavioral modification. Over the subsequent weeks, as more of my articles get published, I will be sure to put it in my blog.

Please share this with your friends and family who may benefit from this!

http://autistic-child-parenting.suite101.com/article.cfm/managing_the_problem_behaviors_of_autistic_child

Thanks,

Kah Ying

Sebastien and me on Channel News Asia

2009-04-06T19:57:00.003+08:00

Dear everyone:

Sebastien and I were featured recently on "I-Journalist" (Channel News Asia) in a segment on mental illness; the topic was whether people with mental illness should have kids? Sebastien courageously coped with six hours of filming in one day, which was packaged into a five-minute segment. In this short clip, you will nonetheless learn about my struggles with manic depression and Sebastien's transformation of my life. Sebastien, autism and all, was instrumental in raising me up and challenging me to be better than I can be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilo2f0R-9Ns&feature=channel_page

As you watch this programme, I hope that your minds would be "awakened" about people with special needs and mental illnesses -- my company's (Awakening Minds) mission.

Thank you.

Kah Ying

Announcing the formation of my new company, Awakening Minds©

2009-01-20T14:09:00.028+08:00

Hi everyone:

With the arrival of the new year of 2009, I am pleased to announce the creation of my new company, Awakening Minds^©. It brings together all the work that I have done since my return to Singapore 3.5 years from the U.S. -- my homeschooling work with Sebastien (curriculum design and implementation); publications of articles and books; workshops and consultations with teachers and parents. With the publication of my most recent book, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery, my platform for my advocacy of the 'special people' of society (people with developmental disorders and mental disorders -- victims of social stigmatisation) is complete.

In creating Awakening Minds^©, my new company, I am striving to not only “awaken” the minds of students with special needs, but also to “awaken” the minds of caregivers – parents and educators/professionals. With this “awakening”, I hope that they can discover the joy and embrace the challenge of interacting with their students with special needs. Thus, individuals with special needs can have a fighting chance not only to survive, but to shine in mainstream society.

Before delving further into my company, I would like to tell you a little myself so that you may understand the origins of Awakening Minds^© .

Background

My name is Choo Kah Ying. I am a homeschooler of an autistic child and a former sufferer of manic-depression. Both of these conditions have shaped the trajectory of my life and sculpted the landscape of my character. Just as significantly, I have applied both my background as an academic researcher and my life experiences to my work in the field of education from curriculum design to implementation.

Over the last 3.5 years, since my return from the U.S., I have produced articles and books, as well as conducted workshops and consultations, in the area of autism and special needs. I would like to thank the following schools for taking a leap of faith in me by hiring me to conduct workshops and/or consultations: Evergreen Primary School, Paya Lebar MGS (Primary), Yangzheng Primary School, Bukit Timah Primary School, Qihua Primary School, and Delta Senior School. The National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) has also been instrumental in bringing together teachers from all types of schools in one room for my language acquisition and storywriting workshops.

Through these experiences, I have come to realise that what distinguishes me from most professionals is that I am able to move beyond the “typical mindset” to have an in-depth understanding of people with special needs. More fascinated than frustrated by individuals with special needs, I am passionate about my ever-evolving quest for new strategies and approaches for teaching students with special needs.

The Heart and Soul of Awakening Minds^©

Awakening Minds^© comprises two major segments: Education and Mental Health. Through various types of innovative publications, educational materials, workshops and consultations, I hope to inspire and challenge 'special people' and their caregivers (family and professionals) with new insights and effective strategies of interaction. Ultimately, my objective is to open the hearts and transforms the minds of all people so that they can transcend their own limitations and celebrate diversity in their midst.

Thus, I am most excited to introduce Awakening Minds^©‘s comprehensive list of affordable publications and workshops.

Awakening Minds^© Education (Emphasis on Special Education)

Learning Tools and Publications (All products can be customised)

The Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) Series

1. ________ (name of a dog chosen by child) Saved the Day! (20pp, SD$12/copy)

The FIRST WPS! STORY TEMPLATE

This is a story template that transforms the writing process into a fun, creative and guided learning experience.

2. ________ (name of a dog chosen by child) Saved the Day! Spin-Off Exercises (17pp, SD$10/copy)

THE FIRST WPS! WORKBOOK

This is a workbook of language exercises/activities that accompany the story template. The following categories are included: reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and creative project.

3. THE WPS! CUSTOMISATION SERIES: LITERACY AND NUMERACY

This version of WPS! is tailored specifically to the learning objectives of the school and the needs of the students.

Cost: Depends on customisation of materials

Innovative Learning Aids

They include: laminated alphabets, numbers, words, pictures and storybooks, along with laminated mats, as well as accompanying suggestions for usage to support learning.

Cost: Depends on customisation of materials

My Books

1. All Because of the Hummingbird or the Horse (self-published, 2006, SD$10.00)

An illustrated picture book targeted at students between the ages of 6 and 8, this book encourages children to be kind to their peers with autism.

2. Raising Sebastien: Realising Your Autistic Child’s Potential (Marshall Cavendish, 2006, SD$16.00)

A caregiver training manual with a heart, this book presents my understanding of autism and the early development of my perceptions and teaching strategies.

3. Five Little White Pills… And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery (Armour Publishing, 2009, SD$16.00)

This is an inspirational and practical book of my recovery from manic depression to lead a medication-free life. How I have been able to raise my autistic child in the midst of my recovery process will be enlightening to all parents and teachers.

Workshops

Workshop Titles and Description	Cost and Duration
The Special Needs Series: *Rise to the Challenge, Reach for the Stars* 1. Odyssey into an Unusual Mind -- Faces of Autism: An in-depth and practical understanding of the diverse profiles of autism and its complexity. 2. It is not Rocket Science! -- Teaching Special Students: Practical strategies for working with students with autism and special needs: social/communication, academic, sensory and behavioural management strategies. 3. Diagnose, Design, Execute and Evaluate -- From Problem to Solution: Design and implementation of Functional Behavioural Assessments (FBAs) to address challenges of individual students within the classroom setting. 4. “Engage My Mind”-- The Nuts and Bolts of Creating and Implementing an Effective Lesson: Design and implementation of differentiated and effective lesson plans for classroom settings with students with special needs.	Each of the workshops described is 3 hours long. Schools are responsible for: providing the venue; making copies of the handouts; and providing AVA support. Please contact us for costs -- all rates are negotiable based on packaging of training programme.
For parents and teachers, sponsored by the school Forging a Bridge of Collaboration between Educators and Parents of Autistic Students: Strategies for how parents and teachers can collaborate to enhance the performance of the students involved.	Same as above
The Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) Series 1. Language Learning Strategies for Emerging Readers/Writers with Autism and/or Language Processing Difficulties: Overview of the use of simple, but innovative language learning tools and educational materials to teach students with language processing difficulties. 2. Words, Pictures, Story! (WPS!) – Writing My First Story: In-depth presentation of the nuts and bolts of the language tool of the WPS! for writing and language learning. 3. Realising the Full Potential of WPS! – Creating Spin-Off Language Exercises/Activities: Creation of spin-off language exercises related to the story templates to foster greater language development, which match teachers’ language objectives. 4. WPS! – From Literacy to Mathematics: In-depth application of WPS! concepts and tool in other disciplines with a focus on mathematics.	Same as above

Consultations

Activity and Description

Duration

1. Conducting Functional Behavioural Assessments for targeted students;

2. Behavioural management for classroom;

3. Application of the use of WPS! tools;

4. Facilitation meeting between parents and school

(min. 2 hours)

SERVICES FOR PARENTS

CUSTOMISED WPS!

Targeted at homeschooling parents of children with special needs, this set of WPS! templates and workbooks can support parents in building literacy, numeracy and life skills.

There also additional learning materials that can be created to address the unique sensory needs and learning preferences of children with special needs. As children with special needs have unique strengths and weaknesses, they will benefit from a customised learning programme that matches their interests and learning preferences.

2-hour Consultation: SD$100.00 + Transportation costs

WPS! Homeschooling Package: Dependent on the size and complexity of the overall programme as well as educational materials.

Other Types of Consultations

I will also continue to provide home-based consultation services for families with autism. In these consultations, I adopt a holistic approach by collaborating with caregivers in the families to determine and devise a customised programme for the child with autism.

2-hour Consultation: SD$100.00 + Transportation costs (upto $20.00)

Awakening Minds^© Mental Wellness

As it is my objective to make my talks and workshops most meaningful and relevant, each of the following topics can be customised and modified in terms of content and format to cater to the audience/participants.

Talks will be highly interactive with demonstrations and Q & A sessions.

Workshops will be designed to elicit maximum participation from the participants with a series of hands-on activities. Participants will have the chance to identify practical and effective strategies. They should leave with a game plan for incorporating these practices into their lives.

Workshop Titles and Description

Cost and Duration

Patient Empowerment and Recovery (These workshops are also ideal for Public Education.)

Talks

1. Rising Above the Odds: My Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery: A personal and inspirational sharing of my 15-year journey from the roller coaster years of manic depression to the stability of medication and eventual recovery.

2. The True Meaning of Recovery: On the Road towards Mental Wellness: An informative exploration of the recovery process from taking medication responsibly to leading a fulfilling medication-free life.

3. The Courage to Stand Up and Speak Out: Combating the Stigma of Mental Illness in Mainstream Society: A provocative discussion about the head-on confrontation with the stigmatisation of mental illness in the society.

4. The Ultimate Cure: Finding Your Authentic Self and Achieving Mental Wellness: An intimate glimpse into the importance of living the life you are meant to live as a means to achieving mental wellness. (This workshop is also ideal for Schools.)

Workshops

1. Reaching for the Light at the End of the Tunnel: Practical Steps towards Recovery: A comprehensive exploration and application of the approaches, strategies and activities that can pave the way towards a fulfilling life (medication-free or not).

2. Life after Manic Depression: Practicing a Medication-Free Life with Discipline, Passion and Mindfulness: A comprehensive programme for the maintenance of a fulfilling life with opportunities to identify and practice effective strategies. Participants should leave with a game plan for incorporating these practices into their lives.

Focused, Activity-Oriented Workshops

While the above workshops are comprehensive with a strong element of discussion, each of the workshops below focuses on specific components of the programme of recovery (highlighted in Workshop 2 from above). This focus, with a strong hands-on element, will enable participants to learn and practice strategies during the workshop in greater depth and detail.

1. Finding Your Authentic Self and Achieving Mental Wellness: Embark on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery through journaling and revealing discussions, and connect with your authentic self. When you are leading a life that is true to your nature, there is no room for mental illness.

2. The Alternative Way to Physical and Mental Wellness: Healing Without Side Effects: Create your own health regimen that allows you to exercise your body and relax your mind in creative ways. Learn about Taebo, acupressure, conscious breathing, as well as how you can incorporate them into your life without overloading your schedule.

3. Writing and Dancing the Blues Away*: Seize the chance to learn about and apply my favourite strategies for keeping the blues away: writing and dancing (or moving to music). Be prepared to write, share, move and laugh!

* This workshop can be modified to movements/exercise if participants feel uncomfortable with dancing.

Caregivers: The Unsung Heroes

Caring with Sanity: A Workshop for Caregivers, the Unsung Heroes: With a strong support group component, this workshop is designed to provide caregivers with the opportunity to share their concerns and hopes. The latter half of the workshop will focus on: a) suggestions and ways for caregivers to care for their loved ones without succumbing to stress; and b) carving a space of peace for themselves.

Public Education

Debunking the Myths of Mental Illness! (Talk): A provocative talk to address the common societal misperceptions of mental illnesses and the mentally ill, and to identify ways for the public to overcome their fears.

Schools

On the Brink of Adulthood: Stressors and Strategies (Talk or Workshop): Faced with the stressors of adjusting to adulthood, many youths experience their first episode of depression or manic-depression during their university years. What students as well as their caregivers can do to ease this challenging transition will also be discussed.

In a workshop format, students will have the opportunity to explore and identify their concerns. They will also be able to map out ideas and strategies to help them to ease their transition.

Transcending Depression: Insights, Strategies and Suggestions Towards Mental Wellness (Teachers’ Edition – Talk or Workshop): Customised for teachers, this workshop provides an informative overview of depression. How teachers can cope with their own depression or help others such as colleagues and their students within the context of the school setting will also be addressed.

In a workshop format, there will be diverse activities and opportunities for teachers to formulate specific ideas and apply them to their unique situations.

Cost and duration of talks and workshops will depend on:

a. Availability of venue, AVA support and printing of handouts.*

b. Duration of talk (min. 1 hour)

c. Transport costs

d. All costs are negotiable.

Cost of talks and workshops will depend on:

a. Availability of venue, AVA support and printing of handouts.*

b. Duration of talk (min. 1 hour)

c. Transport costs

d. All costs are negotiable.

I welcome further inquiries on any of my publications and workshops, and provide additional materials. Please feel free to contact me @ kchoo7@gmail.com, +658163-4509.

I sincerely hope that you will join with me as we embark on this journey of "awakening" to the best of ourselves so as to make the world a better place for all.

My Talk and Book Signing Event -- 'Splintered Beauty: The Road from Manic Depression to Recovery’

2008-11-26T10:36:00.004+08:00

Dear friends and readers of this blog:

I am proud and privileged to invite all of you to the following event that is hosted by the National Library Board at the Central Lending Library, the basement of the National Library in Singapore. I will be giving an interesting talk/book reading with a Powerpoint slide show and maybe a film, doing a cool demonstration of my exercise routine and conducting a Q&A session. My book, Five Little White Pills… and Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery will be on sale and I will be on hand to autograph and/or write an inscription.

Hope to see you all there and bring your friends and family, especially those whom you feel will be touched and inspired by my story...

Details of the programme below:

‘Splintered Beauty: The Road from Manic Depression to Recovery’

A Close Encounter with Choo Kah Ying, Author of Five Little White Pills… and Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery

Join Choo Kah Ying as she reveals her personal struggle with the ‘roller-coaster’ ups and downs of manic-depression and her inspiring journey of recovery. Finding redemption in her love for her autistic son, which initiated her on a journey of healing and recovery, Ms. Choo has transformed her adversity and pain into lessons of love and courage. With her book, she challenges us to transcend our limitations to accomplish things of heroic proportions, as well as value ‘special’ people who have been relegated to the fringe of society. Apart from discussing her personal experience and reading excerpts from her book, she will also be offering and demonstrating helpful practical suggestions for individuals with manic-depression and caregivers. There will be also a Q & A session, books for sale and a book signing at this event.

Date and Time: Saturday, February 28, 2009 (2 p.m. – 4 p.m.)

Location: Central Lending Library, 100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064.

For additional information, please email Choo Kah Ying at kchoo7@gmail.com, or contact her at 8163-4509.

Launch of Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery

2008-10-21T19:12:00.007+08:00

I would like to invite all of you to purchase a personally autographed copy of Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery at a special event commemorating the celebration of World Mental Health Day on 26th October, 10-12. This book will be launched by Dr. Fatimah Lateef, MP for Marine Parade GRC. As Sebastien and I will be there from 9 a.m. to set up our table, please feel free to come by and get your autographed copy and/or chat with us from 9:30 onwards. Below is a detailed programme.

Event: World Mental Health Day, Sunday, October 26th, 10-12 noon

Location: Geylang Serai Commuity Club 99 Haig Road

1000 hours Dance by SAMH

1015 hours Mandarin Talk: Ties That Binds Q& A

1100 hours Arrival of GOH Dr Fatimah MP for Marine Parade GRC

1105 hours Address by Dr Fatimah

1120 hours Launch of P.U.R.E. & book titled Five Little White Pills…and Then There Were None by Choo Kah Ying

Presentation of Token of Appreciation

1130 hours Laughter is the best medicine by Mr Tom Low

1200 noon Lucky Draw

P.S. The book and this event will be publicised in The Sunday Times, Life Section, on Sunday, October 26th.

My Third Book: Five Little White PIlls... and then Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery

2008-10-09T14:15:00.011+08:00

Hi everyone! It has been two years since the publication of my second book, Raising Sebastien: Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child. I am pleased and excited to announce Armour Publishing's publication of my third book, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery. For those of you who are familiar with my journey of raising Sebastien, this book can be considered to be a pre-quel to my previous book.

Although many people would think that I have had a most unfortunate life with my struggle with manic depression and the plight of raising an autistic child, my experience with manic depression has strengthened my spirit and given me the unique mindset to care for Sebastien. At the same time, my journey of raising Sebastien has in turn challenged me to 'recover' from manic depression. Thus, I believe that this coming-of-age story of life and love will resonate with people of all ages and walks of life.

More specifically, this book is of tremendous value to individuals with mental illnesses, their caregivers and professionals. Apart from identifying with my story, some may be motivated by the steps that I have undertaken to initiate and maintain my recovery from this condition. Just as importantly, in revealing my condition, I am deliberately challenging society's stigmatisation of the mentally ill in order to change the prevalent mindset of the public.

I feel that my book will contribute specifically to the understanding of manic depression and more generally to the pursuit of an authentic and fulfilling life in the following ways:

1. Provides a personal and intimate look at my experience of manic depression that gives a far richer and more complex conception than clinical diagnostic criteria;
2. Offers a non-pharmaceutical approach towards the treatment of manic depression that extends beyond medication and psychotherapy;
3. Puts forth the possibility that some sufferers of manic depression can recover from the condition, i. e. lead functional lives without psychiatric medication.
4. Describes how I was able to wean myself off medication;
5. Identifies practical strategies from taking medication to maintaining a medication-free life;
6. Offers suggestions to help caregivers to care for their loved ones without getting overwhelmed;
7. Challenges mainstream society's stigmatisation of the mentally ill;
8. Inspires people to be transformed in a positive way by the adversities in their lives as exemplified by my triumph over manic depression, while raising my autistic son; and
9. Resonates with power and authenticity because everything I advocate in the book is backed up by my life.

This book is retailing at $16.00 and should be available at all major bookstores by October 26th, 2008. For more information, you can contact me at kchoo7@gmail.com or 8163-4509; or Jenny at jenny@armourpublishing.com or (65)6276-9976 (Ext 212) to place orders for the book.

From the WORLD OF AUTISM to… SANCTURA™… A SHANGRILA for Special Families and Friends

2008-05-16T09:44:00.005+08:00

SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL of SINGAPORE presents

on Wed 28^th May 08 from 8.30pm to 9.30pm:

From the WORLD OF AUTISM to… SANCTURA™… A SHANGRILA for Special Families and Friends

Journey with me (Ms. Choo Kah Ying) into the world of autism and get a glimpse into the complexity of this baffling condition. Then take a leap of faith with me as I share her vision of Sanctura – a holiday haven and a residential community for families of children with special needs. Sanctura will offer a peaceful and nurturing, but dynamic and diverse community for these families. Children with special needs will be challenged to transcend their deficits, acquire the skills for living and contribute as productive members of this community. Sanctura will not only be my gift to my son in celebration of his indomitable spirit and rare courage, but also the fulfillment of a legacy to leave the world a slightly better place than when I first came into it. Hope you would walk with me on this road less traveled and support me in my endeavour to make this dream a reality.

There will be a slide show of Tanjung Sutera, an existing seaside resort suitable for Santura to be built.

Maria Boey, planner, architect, landscape architect, urban designer and President of Soroptimist International of Singapore, will also be speaking about the practical aspects of building homes for families with autistic children and their friends at this event.

A weekend visit to Tanjung Sutera is also planned for anyone interested to have a lovely and relaxing holidays from Sat. 21^ST to Sun. 22^ND June 08. We need to car pool as transport in the East Coast of Johor is by private means. Alternatively, we can ask Syed Ahmed to organise land transport from Pengarang, a famous seafood Desaru town with ferry boats from Changi Point.

My books will be sold to start the fund-raising for SANTURA. Please write crossed cheque no._____________ to:”Soroptimist International of Singapore” for their Special Santura fund to create awareness to the special needs for Autistic children and to prepare a blueprint for “Santura”. Address: C/O 60 Kim Keat Rd, #03-07, SINGAPORE 328827.

Free Admission with refreshment at their office at SCWO CENTRE, 96 Waterloo Street, #02-05 (5 mins walk from Bugis Junction Shopping Centre & National Library)

Please confirm attendance for catering purposes by email or sms to: Kah Ying@81634509 (kchoo7@gmail.com), Maria Boey: 91805518 (boeyym@surbana.com)

Reflections on the Workshops Conducted

2008-03-16T20:07:00.001+08:00

Preparations for My Workshops

In deference to my memory of Timmi, I invested tremendous time and effort to modify the presentation of my workshops. Particularly, for the slide shows, I inserted photos, enhanced the presentation of materials and introduced additional resources and materials to create a dynamic and varied workshop. Throughout this preparation, I was acutely conscious of how much of my work is a cumulative product of my ongoing and evolving journey to raise and homeschool Sebastien. Ultimately, what makes my workshops unique and special is that they are infused with my love, passion and commitment for my life with Sebastien.

Although he is not present at any of my workshops, there is no question that he is an integral part of their every aspect. From his photos that speak a thousand words to the participants, his work samples from our homeschooling programme to the stories of Sebastien’s exploits (both positive and negative), Sebastien is a vital partner in my work. Without him, these workshops could not have existed. And my ongoing journey with him offers me endless training that keeps feeding and challenging my spirit of creativity. How do I keep on growing with Sebastien? How do I continue to find new ways to build on his growing consciousness, his improving functioning levels and his adolescent confidence, in the face of his continuous (though evolving) deficits?

Implementation of My Workshops

The blessing of my work comes through most powerfully after I have implemented them. This year, my workshops have left me with intense feelings of gratitude for the work I do. In two workshops, I can genuinely sense that the participants were enthused and moved by my work with Sebastien. I salute them for their dedication to their work with students with special needs. After all, they have actively chosen to dedicate their work lives to a challenging situation; whereas parents and caregivers of children with special needs like me were thrust, against our wills, into these situations. For their willingness and passion to enter this field, I celebrate them.

In doing with my training with these professionals, I have been greatly humbled by their credentials and professional training that they have received. At the same time, I can also see that for many of them who have not been exposed to a full-time life and the universe of special needs, as I have (along with many other caregivers), they are honestly fazed by the task of interacting with and teaching such children.

What I thus sought to do was to chip away at their sense of the unknown by giving them a glimpse into the perspective of individuals with special needs. I have also attempted to highlight the fact that teaching a child with special needs is not rocket science; it simply requires an open mind, a vast reservoir of love and a dogged sense of curiosity. These ingredients are vital in pushing you to keep thinking outside the box, to figure out the way to make that connection with a child who acts in ways that appear foreign or even disturbing.

Ultimately, suspending that tendency towards the norm is the key, I have discovered, to forging that special connection with these uniquely wonderful children with special needs.

P.S. I am glad to say that with the completion of these first three workshops of the year, I am likely to have an additional workshop for parents of autistic children from a primary school; along with two autism workshops for teachers at a special needs school, as well as a primary school. More details will be provided upon their confirmation.

2008 Update: Doing My Part in Special Needs Education

2008-01-18T08:58:00.000+08:00

As I continue to revamp my homeschooling programme with Sebastien, in response to his progress and growing maturity, I am also challenged to figure out how best to transmit my increasing knowledge and experience to help teachers to teach students with autism and special needs. Thus, it is with tremendous excitement and dedication that I am launching a more dynamic and interactive workshop approach to engage my audience -- primary school and mainstream school teachers -- for my first three workshops of the year.

January 30: Practical Strategies (Interaction/Communication, Social, Academic, Sensory and Behavioural) for Working with Autistic Children -- An Integrated Approach for Teachers in Mainstream Settings -- For teachers at Bukit Timah Primary School

February 23, 2008: Profiles of Autism : Exploring the Problems and Challenges of Children with ASD -- For teachers at Tanglin School (part of the Association of Persons with Special needs)

March 15, 2008: Language Learning Strategies for Emerging Readers/Writers with Autism and/or Language Processing Difficulties -- For Special Needs Teachers and Parents (under National Book Development Council)

These workshops are also dedicated to the memory of Timmi, my beloved cat whom I have brought up from infancy, who exemplified a spirit of love and a passion for life, which I hope to infuse into my work and my life.

Update on Picture Book Fund

2007-09-25T13:45:00.000+08:00

Today, I will be presenting a cheque in the payment of $600.00 (from the picture book fund, All Because of the Hummingbird... Or the Horse) to Delta Senior School (DSS) (part of the Association of Persons with Special Needs) that caters to 17- and 18-year olds. The student population includes diverse students with special needs including autism. This sum of money will be dedicated to the student welfare fund, which is essentially used to cover items needed by poor students who are unable to pay for them.

In my work with DSS, I trust in the integrity of the Principal, Ms. Soh Mee Choo, to disburse and use the funds as we had discussed.

In the coming months, I will be continuing to provide an update on the disbursement of the picture book fund to various charity organisations. I will also be retaining a small sum from the picture book fund to subsidise either needy clients in my individual consultations, and/or to support my work in the field of special needs.

My Current Services

2007-08-30T14:06:00.000+08:00

In response to a parent who wrote to me after reading my blog, I feel that I might have given an impression that I was no longer providing services for autistic children.

Thus, I feel that I need to provide an updated list of my services, with the termination of my individualised and customised children’s programme.

My current services are:

Individualised and Customised Home-Based Consultation Services (Behavioural, Sensory, Social and Academic Issues: $75.00/2-hour initial assessment session; Additional Report (only when needed): $75.00; Subsequent training sessions: $75/2-hour session; additional payment for learning materials and handouts (as needed); additional transport costs if commute is far from my home (up to $10).

It is important to note that I limit these sessions to no more than 4 sessions per family. Some families may only need me for 1 or 2 sessions. The point is not for me to serve as a therapist, but to empower and teach parents to strategise and execute the strategies for their children.

Parent Training Sessions: $40/per 3-hour session/per person (if I conduct it in my home; otherwise I would have to factor in the rental of the facility for parent training purposes)

Based on the needs of the parents who want to participate in my parent training programme, I can customise a 1- to 3-session training programme for them.

Teacher Training Sessions for Primary School Teachers: $50/per 3-hour session/per person (Held on school premises; paid for by the school training fund)

The objective of this two-session training workshop, designed by me, is to provide teachers with the hands-on strategies to understand and cope with autistic students within the mainstream school setting.

Teacher Training Sessions for Special Needs Schools Teachers: $50/per 3-hour session/per person (Held on school premises; paid for by the school training fund)

These teacher training sessions are essentially customised for the special needs schools based on the requests of the principals and the Heads of Departments.

Consultancies for Mainstream Schools and Special Needs Schools: $80/hour

Based on my consultancy work with a special needs school with the objective of training teachers to work with their students both in planning and in the actual classroom, I have found that I can be extremely effective in providing interventions for teachers and students (of diverse special needs). I have now approached mainstream schools to offer my service in this area. Hopefully, I would have the opportunity to provide affordable focused assistance in these schools on an as-needed basis.

Update on World of Autism and Other Developments

2007-08-13T22:14:00.000+08:00

After operating from September 2005 to July 2006, my children’s individualised and customised learning programme had come to an end (a part of the World of Autism under the auspices of KS Charity and Education Foundation). While I had been happy to assist in the progress of a handful of mildly autistic to moderately autistic children ranging from 5 to 9 years old (at different times), I had to end this programme due to my change in residence. After my son decided to move to my mum’s place in Ang Mo Kio, with the sale of the property that I was renting, I decided that it was not feasible for me to continue with this highly affordable programme in Tampines.

As a single parent, I consider this development as a time for me to reflect on how I would like to pursue my lifestyle as a homeschooler of an autistic son and a freelance writer/editor/consultant/educator. As it has been my policy to charge parent clients a highly affordable fee, especially with regard to the children’s programme (which took up a lot of my time and energy not only in implementing the class, but also in designing the coursework), I now feel the need to re-adjust my priorities to aim for better financial security for my son’s future.

Thus, I am taking a break from this programme in order to decide how to proceed further. Currently, I am still busy with outside editing work, my own writings and my teacher training workshops and consultations involving primary school teachers in mainstream schools, along with special needs teachers.

However, I am mindful of the fact that many people have donated their money with the purchase of my picture book (All Because of the Hummingbird… Or the Horse), which was used to raise money for this specific programme. Currently, there is still $1,1962.74. As I am not 100 percent certain that I will be running another children’s programme in Ang Mo Kio, I have given myself a deadline till the end of this year to make this decision. Should I decide not to continue with the children’s programme, I will be donating this sum of money to a special needs school/organisation of my choice. I will update you all about my future plans.

With regard to the subsequent sales of the picture book, 200 copies have been picked up by a distributor for sale (not for charity purposes, as the distributor takes a hefty 60 percent portion of the proceeds) and 10 copies are being sold at Bookaburra Bookstore at Forum Shopping Centre at Orchard. The retail price for this book is $12.60 (or very close to this amount).

Once again, I would like to thank all of you for your continuous support for my endeavours. To all the parents of autistic children, continue to fight the good fight for your children and love them. To all the professionals who make the choice of working with autistic children (when you do not have to), thank you and keep an open mind about these extraordinary children.

Update on Picture Book: All Because of the Hummingbird... Or the Horse

2007-05-14T12:12:00.000+08:00

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for your support with your purchases of my picture book, All Because of the Hummingbird... Or the Horse. Seventy percent of the profits of the sales of the book (at the sale price of S$20) have been donated to the World of Autism children's programme (in conjunction with a Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation). These funds have been used to subsidise some teaching assistant funds, as well as to purchase teaching materials, learning materials and supplies for the students.

For the last three months, people who have been willing to purchase this book at the price of S$20 have dwindled to virtually none. As I still have excess stock, I have made the decision to approach booksellers and book distributors to release the book on a mass basis at a cheaper price, possibly as low as $10.00. With each party taking its share, I will no longer be donating the residual profits. At this point, I do not know the exact price as I have just embarked on this endeavour, but I will update the information on the blog.

However, if there is anyone else who still wants to purchase the book at $20.00 to support the programme, 70 percent will still be donated to the children's programme. In fact, since Ing Yong Chien (the illustrator) has passed away, his family has requested that his portion of the proceeds be donated to the programme, making it a total of 85 percent.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

The First Training Programme for Evergreen Primary School Educators and Staff Working with Autistic Children in Mainstream Classroom Settings

2007-01-19T09:27:00.000+08:00

I am pleased to announce that I will be conducting my first training session for teachers and staff at Evergreen Primary School in order to help them to work with autistic students in their classrooms and school settings. I consider this a tremendous opportunity and privilege to be able to support the teachers in their challenging endeavours, while serving as a voice for many parents of autistic children who are encountering difficulties in mainstream classroom settings.

Here is a synopsis of the concise training programme that will take place for three subsequent Mondays in January and February 2007:

Session 1: Profile of an Autistic Child – Problems and Challenges Faced by an Autistic Student in the Mainstream Classroom Setting

In this session, I will provide an introductory profile of an autistic child, which will capture the complexity of the nature of the condition of autism. We will explore the profile by addressing the following areas: a) social/communication; b) academic; c) sensory; and d) behavioural. What this introductory session will do is to challenge educators to suspend their conventional thinking about how typical people think to take into consideration the perspective of the autistic student. Thus, they can have an improved understanding of the problems and challenges faced by autistic students in the mainstream classroom settings.

In small groups, we can apply the information to the students the educators encounter in their classrooms so that they can have an even more realistic conception of autistic children.

Session 2: Interaction Strategies with Autistic Children -- An Integrated Approach Based on Existing Best Practices

This session will provide a concise overview of the best practices of the diverse approaches commonly used to interact with autistic children such as Behavioural Management and Floortime. How these approaches can be integrated and utilised in the classroom will be discussed. In addition, various types of communication strategies (verbal and non-verbal) and tools such as PECS books, visual schedules and social stories are used to reinforce an autistic child’s understanding of classroom expectations.

Session 3: Functional Behavioural Assessments (FBA) in the Classroom -- How to Map out an Individualised and Customised Intervention for Your Autistic Student

Educators (both in the mainstream and special needs settings) will be trained to conduct functional behavioural assessments (FBAs) to deal with autistic students who display behavioural difficulties that undermine their ability to succeed in the classroom. In addition, educators will learn how to formulate strategies and programmes to eliminate the undesirable behaviours. Finally, they will learn how to perform an assessment of the outcomes of these strategies and programmes.

The objective of this session is to enable educators to design an individualised and customised intervention programme for their autistic students, which will incorporate interaction strategies and communication tools identified and discussed in the previous session.

During the session, educators can utilise actual case studies of their own students and apply their theoretical learning. Working in pairs, educators can help one another to develop their game plan, before presenting and justifying it to the rest of the group.

Note: Due to teacher training sessions, parent training sessions can only be held after the first week of February. Parents who are interested can contact me for possible dates at 8163-4509 or kchoo7@gmail.com.

In Memory of Ing Yong Chien -- Illustrator of All Because of the Hummingbird... or the Horse

2007-01-04T09:27:00.000+08:00

Last night, Ing Yong Chien, the illustrator of All Because of the Hummingbird... or the Horse, passed away. To those of us who have had the honour and privilege to have known him and interacted with him, he was an extraordinary individual of utmost purity and integrity.

I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Yong Chien on the picture book project. Throughout this collaboration, he demonstrated his professionalism, his intuitive insights about life, his compassion and his desire to make the world a better place through his art.

More than just a talented artist, Yong Chien was a courageous and earnest young man who fought valiantly to live his life, in spite of his illness. Most important of all, he was my friend and my kindred spirit. I have been blessed beyond measure to have known him.

The world just got a little dimmer because we have lost a star...

Latest Parent Training Programme

2006-12-07T22:21:00.000+08:00

(3 hours/$60 per session, a total of 3 sessions, one each Sunday)

The primary purpose of this interactive training programme is to offer parents the fundamental knowledge and skills for interacting with their autistic children. Unlike other training programmes, I will attempt to individualise and customise the training materials and the programme to the participants and their children. In-class time will be scheduled for you to apply your learning and consider how it can be applicable to your child at home. Finally, as a parent, I will give you a parent’s perspective that bridges what the professionals advise (the ideal scenario) and your realities (the realistic scenario). Parents are free to choose the session of their preference. In other words, you are not obligated to sign up for all four sessions.

Session 1: Introduction and Basic Techniques for Interaction
1. General Techniques for interacting with autistic children with a focus on Floortime.

2. Communication strategies (verbal and non-verbal) and tools eg. PECS books, visual schedules and social stories.

Session 2: ABA and Behavioural Management

1. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of ABA and how it can be used to teach your child to learn and perform tasks.

2. Discussion of diverse behavioural management approaches and applications.

Session 3: Sensory Approaches – Sensory Integration and Acupressure

1. Understand sensory integration and apply sensory integration techniques (an OT will be available to do demonstrations of techniques)

2. Learn how to do conscious breathing and utilise acupressure for yourself and your child to calm and regulate.

Tentative Start Date (depending on demand: would like a minimum of 4 participants to run sessions)

Sunday, December 17, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location

KS Learning to Learn Centre, Blk 254, Tampines St. 21, Singapore 521254.

Contact

Choo Kah Ying at 8163-4509 or kchoo7@gmail.com to sign up or for more information.

Raising Sebastien: Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child

2006-09-08T22:56:00.000+08:00

I am proud to announce the publication of my second book by Marshall Cavendish -- Raising Sebastien: Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child. This book contains a series of essays that depict my journey of raising Sebastien in chronological phases in the first section, with the second section containing practical suggestions for parents (and educators) on how to educate and interact with autistic children, as well as institutions in mainstream society. Most importantly, it celebrates my growing relationship with Sebastien -- one that has been forged amidst the continous frustration and daily struggles to move forward and pursue a meaningful life. And through it all, I can only say that Sebastien continues to "wow" me and make my heart leap up in the most expected way almost every single day. I hope that all parents will also be moved and empowered by this book to see their autistic children in a positive light and embrace them for who they are and who they can become with the love and acceptance of their parents.

Below is a detailed synopsis of the book:

Raising Sebastien

Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child

by Choo Kah Ying

Chapter Headings

Prologue

Introduction

SECTION ONE – REFLECTIONS

Chapter One – Surviving the Early Years

• My Journey

• God Rage

• The Wonder Moments

• Setting the Bar Realistically High

Chapter Two – Running the Marathon of Raising an Autistic Child

• In Search of the Miracle

• Ten Steps Forward, Five Steps Back

• The Rude Awakening

• Profiling Sebastien’s Aggression

• James Redfield’s Celestine Prophecy to the Rescue

Chapter Three – Coming to Terms with Sebastien to Fight the

Good Fight

• Fighting the Good Fight

• Embracing Sebastien’s Limitations

• Meltdowns

• Grieving

• Image of an Autistic Child

• Striving for Normalcy

Chapter Four – The Healing Touch

SECTION TWO – PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

Practical Strategies and Approaches in Raising an Autistic Child

Chapter Five – Creating a Dynamic Individualised Home-Based

Learning Programme

Chapter Six – Dealing with Socially Inappropriate Behaviours in

the Public Space

Chapter Seven – Role of Alternative Healing

Approaches in Achieving Objectivity

Chapter Eight – Thriving in Mainstream

Society: The Art of Interacting with

Educational Institutions, Government

Agencies and the General Public

ISBN : 981 261 320 X

978 981 261 320 2

Format : 140mm X 215mm;

192pp text, 8pp pics;

Limp

Category : Parenting

Territories : World

Rights : English

Pub date : Sep 2006

Imprint : Marshall Cavendish

Editions

Retail price

S$16.00 (excl. GST)

RM38.40

US$10.50

As of October 1, 2006, the book is now available at Kinokuniya, Ngee Ann City (Family/Relationships section "A") and Borders (New Books Section). If you have any other queries, please contact me at kchoo7@gmail.com or 8163-4509.

Key Components of the Individualised and Customised Learning Programme

2006-08-12T23:21:00.000+08:00

Individualised and customised academic programme

Even though all the children will participate in group activities, they will also be working on their own programmes that have been designed exclusively for them. Before each of these children step into the classroom, I would have conducted a thorough assessment (through parental interviews and direct observations) of these children to identify their: a) strengths and weaknesses, b) their learning styles and preferences and c) their interests. During our preparations before the start of the programme, both the parents and I will have to have created sample learning activities that are most likely to appeal to their children, while motivating them to learn.

Group activities

One of the most important things about a learning programme for autistic children, because of their social deficits, is to ensure that they have the opportunity to interact with others within a group setting. They will include: a) interactive story-time, b) arts and crafts, c) exercises and movement. Activities will vary depending on the responsiveness of the students and the group dynamics.

Activity-based learning

The learning programme is derived from the concept of project-based learning, in which learning objectives are incorporated into individual projects. Essentially, children may be challenged to work on different skills (language, math and/or fine motor skills), while engaged in one learning activity. Activity-based learning helps to make activities interesting and meaningful to our children.

Partnership with parents and the community

As I had mentioned in the introduction, to pull off such a programme will require a one-to-one adult to student ratio. Unless we charge a lot of money to the parents, we are unlikely to hire paid staff for this programme. Therefore, I have decided to borrow and modify a concept from a highly progressive education community in Italy, which enlists the aid of the parents and the community in an active partnership.

Number of Students

The maximum number of students in this class will be six. As Sebastien (my son) will be attending the school as well, only five spots are currently available.

Cost Details

The costs of participating in this programme are as follows:

The cost of this three-hour/per-day, five days a week learning programme will be $250.00 per week. Although we would prefer that students attend all five days of the week, we are willing to discuss the possibility of enrolling students for a minimum of three days a week. However, the top priority will be given to the children who can attend all five days of the week.

In addition, all children who have been selected for entry into the programme will need to undergo an assessment prior to the start of the learning programme. The purpose of this assessment is to allow me to prepare an individualised and customised learning programme for the children before they even step into the classroom. This assessment will consist of a parental interview and a direct observation of their children. The parents and I will also need to get together to review the customised package for their children to ensure that they will be appropriate for their children before the start of the learning programme. Modifications will continue to be made until both parties are satisfied with the programme. The entire assessment and the customised package will constitute a one-time cost of $150.00.

Location: KS Learning to Learn Centre, Blk 254, Tampines St. 21, Singapore 521254.

Contact Ms. Choo at: 8163-4509

Concise Parent/Volunteer Training Programme

2006-08-12T11:04:00.000+08:00

The primary purpose of this interactive training programme is to offer volunteers and parents in the children’s learning programme the fundamental skills for formulating a dynamic learning curriculum and working directly with autistic children.

In addition, parents who are attending the sessions for their own interactions with their children at home should also benefit from this session. There are other more comprehensive versions of parent or volunteer training sessions that are available upon request (please refer to the January Archive of Ms. Choo’s blog for a comprehensive version of the training programme).

Session 1: Introduction and Basic Techniques for Interaction

1. Fundamental Philosophical Tenets of this Programme

2. Overview of the basic techniques for teaching and interacting with their children: a. Floortime, b. ABA, c. RDI and d. Sensory integration techniques.

3. Communication strategies and tools: visual schedules, PECS books and dramatisation.

Session 2: Designing and Implementation of an Individualised and Customised Learning Programme

1. Construction of a Child’s Profile.

2. Creation of a sample worksheet/activity in class.

3. Discussion of implementation challenges and solutions.

Session 3: Behavioural Management and Sensory Approaches

1. Discussion of diverse behavioural management approaches and applications.

2. Practise various sensory approaches derived from sensory integration, conscious breathing and acupressure.

Start Date

Saturday, August 19, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

(3 hours/$60 per session, a total of 3 sessions, one each Saturday)
(Free for Volunteers, Employees and Parents Participating in Children’s Programme)

Location:

KS Learning to Learn Centre, Blk 254, Tampines St. 21, Singapore 521254.

Contact Ms. Choo at: 8163-4509

Managing Your Autistic Child’s Behaviour Across All Settings:

2006-07-30T10:47:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone, I will be giving a free talk on managing autistic children's behaviours across all settings. Both parents and educators will find this talk to be highly informative, regardless of the functioning levels of their autistic children.

Below is a synopsis of the talk and details:

Many parents are overwhelmed by the challenges of the inappropriate social behaviours of their autistic children in the homes, in schools and the public settings. Gain some insight into various behavioural and sensory strategies from Choo Kah Ying, mother of a ten-year-old autistic child and author of Raising Sebastien: Reflections and Practical Suggestions on Realising the Potential of Your Autistic Child (to be published by Marshall Cavendish and available in bookstores in September 2006). In this highly interactive session with a Q & A segment, parents will have the opportunity to pose specific questions regarding their autistic child. More importantly, parents will be empowered to take charge of these distressing situations by setting the right expectations, enforcing rules consistently and maintaining their objectivity.

Date: Saturday, August 12, 2006

Time: 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Venue: Marine Parade Community Library, Activity Room, 3^rd Level

Open House of World of Autism, in Conjunction with Kampung Senang Charity & Education Foundation’s Learning to Learn Centre

2006-07-12T10:02:00.000+08:00

I am pleased to announce that I will be having an Open House for the World of Autism, in conjunctions with KS’ new Learning to Learn Centre (Tampines) at Blk 254, Tampines St. 21, #01-464. This centre will provide diverse services for children with special needs including autism, as well as their families. Mr. James Lam and I will be giving a talk on special learning needs and autism respectively at 3:30 p.m. Parents will also have the opportunity to pose questions about their children, look at our exhibits and enroll their children in our programmes. While parents are attending the talk, a magician will be on hand to provide entertainment for the children.

Because the Open House will be held at the same time as KS’ celebration of Racial Harmony Day with Tampines East Zone 4 RC, there will also be bonding activities, fun-filled games, delightful performances and organic food at the Festival Park and the void deck. Minister Mah Bow Tan will also arrive to officially open the centre.

This should be an exciting and fun-filled day for all families, while addressing the concerns of families with children with special needs. Hope you all can make it.

Day: Sunday, July 23, 2006

Time: 2:45 to 8:00 p.m.

Venue: Blk 254, Tampines St. 21, #01-464

For more information about the autism talk, please contact me at 8163-4509 or kchoo7@gmail.com.

For other enquiries, please contact KS directly at 6785-2568 or email@kg-senang.org.sg.

Mothers' Day Special: The Sunday Times, May 14th, 2006, L9

2006-05-25T23:17:00.000+08:00

I was privileged to be featured as part of a Mothers' Day Special in The Sunday Times. I would like to thank Features Editor Wong Kim Hoh for his insightful coverage of my life with Sebastien and his permission to upload his article onto the blog.

938LIVE Radio Show Interview -- The Breakfast Club, May 9th, 2006

2006-05-25T22:51:00.000+08:00

I was interviewed on The Breakfast Club (938LIVE) to promote the book launch of my picture book -- All Because of the Hummingbird... Or the Horse. This concise interview also covered other topics such as my journey of raising Sebastien and my diverse activities to promote autism awareness and to empower parents.

(Courtesy of 938LIVE)

All Because of the Hummingbird... Or the Horse is now available!

2006-05-17T23:40:00.000+08:00

As we are donating 70 percent of the profits to the autism centre (World of Autism) I am setting up, in conjunction with Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation, Yong Chien and I have opted not to distribute these books through the bookstores (for now). If you would like to acquire a copy of the book ($20.00), here are a few ways of doing so:

1. Choo Kah Ying: Please contact me via email kchoo7@gmail.com or by phone 8163-4509 to purchase a book. We can meet in person at a central location. Or I can mail the book to you – this will include an additional mailing cost of $2.50 (for padded envelope and postage). Payment can be made either with a check addressed to Choo Kah Ying or via Paypal (www.paypal.com). Please email me for further information about the payment options.

2. Ing Yong Chien: For those of you who live on the West side, please contact Yong Chien via email ing.chien@gmail.com, or by phone 9059-9351 to purchase a book.

3. Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation: Three Outlets --
a. Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation: Blk 840, Tampines Street 82, #01-111, Singapore 520840.
b. Learning to Learn Centre: Blk 221, Hougang Street 21, #01-90, Singapore 530221.
c. Whole Child Nurture Centre: 17J Jalan Hock Chye, Singapore 538202.

I hope you will tell others about this picture book and help us to finish selling all the copies of the book to raise money for the new autism centre.

A Memorable Mothers’ Day Celebration: A Successful Book Launch!

2006-05-17T23:38:00.000+08:00

I would like to thank all of you who attended the book launch of my first picture book – All Because of the Hummingbird… Or the Horse -- on Mothers’ Day at the National Library. Even though I was too nervous to realise it at the time, I was energised by the incredibly good energy of the people who have gathered in support of this creative worthy cause. So to my family, relatives, friends, parents of autistic children, professionals and members of the general public, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sebastien, Yong Chien and I really enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity of signing our books for you.

At this point, I would also like to extend my thanks to the following people for making this book launch such a success: Yong Chien for his incredible talent and work; Lim Poh Poh and Wai Ling for providing me with the venue and hosting the event; Nancy Lim and Chan Yiulin for their effective promotional efforts; the reporters and photographers who promoted this picture book; Fiona and her family for helping out at the event; Yuri, my husband for coordinating the logistics of the event, taking pictures and putting up with my nerves; and last, but not least, Sebastien, whose presence, is a constant blessing to me.

World of Autism: Comprehensive Services for Children and Parents

2006-04-29T00:22:00.000+08:00

Enrich, Encourage, Empower, Enlighten, Energise
ENJOY!

When I first embarked on my quest to improve the quality of the lives of autistic children and the families in Singapore, I envisioned the creation of a comprehensive service centre. Regardless of the ages and the functioning levels of the autistic children, they could obtain guidance, assistance and support for their diverse needs at an affordable price. If we could not provide the services ourselves, we could at least direct them to other service providers, so that no family would have to feel isolated and alone.

The World of Autism, under the auspices of Kampung Senang Education and Charity Foundation’s Learning to Learn Centre, constitutes the first baby step towards realising this vision. Hopefully, with the support of families, professionals, along with members of the general public, we can make bigger strides in the future.

Slated to start at the end of May, this centre will offer the following services:

Individualised and Customised Learning Programme
• An individualised learning programme that is customised to the unique interests
and learning preferences of autistic children;
• Guided group interaction and activities; and
• Opportunity for parents/caregivers to acquire techniques by helping their child
in the programme.

Parent Training Seminars and Workshops
• Three-hour weekly seminars to empower parents to take charge of their
children’s overall development (academic, behavioural, social and sensory);
• Cosy, support-group-like atmosphere; and
• Opportunities for parents to pose questions pertaining to their child.

Individualised Consultations and Assessments
• One-on-one interviews with parents to address their specific concerns about
their child; and
• Support and guidance for parents.
** Not a substitute for a diagnostic assessment.

Advocacy

• Help for parents with mildly autistic children experiencing difficulties
with mainstream school settings; and
• Advice on negotiations with educators and school administrators.

Family Counseling

• Opportunity for parents and children (autistic and typical siblings) to
resolve family tensions; and
• Identification of causes and solutions to improve family lives.

Our Services for You

Programmes

Cost

Additional Information

Individualised and customised learning programme for children and/or parents	$250/week, 3 hours a day, five days a week	Group/Weekdays
Parent training seminars and workshops	$60/3-hour session	Group/Saturday afternoons
Individualised consultations and assessments	$75/2-hour session	By appointment only
Advocacy for mildly autistic children experiencing difficulties in mainstream schools	$50/2-hour initial consultation to discuss problems; $150 for visits to schools to attend meetings and/or observations.	By appointment only
Family counseling	$75/2-hour session	By appointment only

Venue: Blk 254, Tampines St. 21,

#01-464, Singapore 521254

Contact: For more information on any of these programmes and to make appointments for a free meeting, please contact Ms. Choo Kah Ying at 8163-4509 or email her at kchoo7@gmail.com. Some background information can also be obtained at her blog: http://autismworld.blogspot.com.

Update: Change of the date of May 6th Book Launch of My First Picture Book –All Because of the Hummingbird… Or the Horse

2006-03-24T11:01:00.000+08:00

Update: Due to the fact that the Election Day will be held on May 6th, I have had to reschedule the book launch.

The new date is: Sunday, May 14th, 2006, 3:00-4:30 p.m. The venue remains the same.

I am pleased to invite you all to attend the Official Book Launch of my first picture book, All Because of the Hummingbird… Or the Horse - a collaboration with Ing Yong Chien, illustrator. The National Library Board has graciously provided us with a free venue at the National Library Building on May 6th, 2006. The picture book will first be available at this book launch. It costs $20.00, with 70 percent of the profits donated to a children’s programme for autistic kids. Please read the previous blog entries for more information.

The detailed information on the Book Launch is as follows:

Book Launch of a Picture Book about Autistic Child: All Because of the Hummingbird… Or the Horse

Choo Kah Ying, author and Ing Yong Chien, illustrator

Get a glimpse into the mind and life of an autistic boy through this heartwarming picture book that depicts his struggles and courage in overcoming his fear of an

mals. In writing a book for primary school children, Choo Kah Ying, author, hopes that the next generation of Singaporeans will grow up to be compassionate towards others, including those with autism. Apart from discussing the creation of this book (with Ing Yong Chien, illustrator) and reading snippets from it, Ms. Choo will also talk about her extraordinary eight-year journey of raising and loving her autistic son. There will be a book signing following this event.

Time: Saturday, 6 May, 3.00 – 4.30 pm.

Venue: Central Lending Library (Basement 1, Multi-purpose Room)
100 Victoria Street
National Library Building

Registration: Please register for this event by contacting Ms. Choo Kah Ying at 8163-4509 or kchoo7@gmail.com. It will help us to coordinate seating arrangements.

As this book is targeted at primary school children, please feel free to tell your friends and relatives with primary school kids.

An Individualised and Customised Learning Programme

2006-03-10T15:15:00.000+08:00

Introduction

With much gratitude to the faith and support of Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation (KS), I am pleased to announce that I will be launching a pilot learning programme for moderately to severely autistic children (aged 5 to 8), slated to begin on the last week of May.

As a parent of a nine-year-old autistic child who had lived in the U.S. for the last 12 years, I had witnessed the challenges of running an effective special education programme that is truly customised and individualised to the unique learning needs of our children. In spite of the high adult-to-student ratio, these learning programmes never offered an individualised and customised approach for the children, because of the heavy investment of time, resources and labour involved in such an approach. However, from my observations of these classroom settings and my own experience of homeschooling my son, I realise that an individualised and customised learning programme will be most effective for our children.

Apart from being a parent, I was also an academic researcher who was involved in preparing and editing many academic theses for my clients, many of whom were principals and teachers. In the process, I knew a lot about diverse educational models, including cutting-edge and progressive concepts that that have formulated and implemented all over the world.

My learning programme is thus a product of my personal experiences, as well as my research and analysis of progressive and effective learning models, which do not conform to the philosophies and practices of conventional schools.

Components of the Programme

• Individualised and customised academic programme.
• Group activities
• Activity-based learning.
• Partnership with parents and the community ,m

Number of students

The total number of students in this class will be six. As Sebastien (my son) will be attending the school as well, only five spots are currently available.

Costs

The costs of participating in this programme are as follows:

1. The cost of this three-hour/per-day, five days a week learning programme will be $250.00 per week.

2. In addition, all children who have been selected for entry into the programme will need to undergo an assessment prior to the start of the learning programme. The purpose of this assessment is to allow me to prepare an individualised and customised learning programme for the children before they even step into the classroom.

The entire assessment and the customised package will constitute a one-time cost of $150.00.

3. Subsidies: The Kampung Senang Education and Charity Foundation is prepared to offer a subsidy to low-income families based on the following criteria. Families with a per capita income of $500.00 or below will be eligible for subsidies.

Venue and Time of Learning Programme

Venue: Blk 254, Tampines Street 21
#01-464, Singapore 521254

Time: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., five days a week.

Free Share Session

For more detailed information about this children’s learning programme, please come to a free share session to talk in depth about this learning programme. Please sign up.

Venue:

Student Care Learning Centre, Kampung Senang Education and Charity Foundation
Blk 840, Tampines St. 82, #1-113.

Day and Time: April 8th 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The talk will last for about 90 minutes, with the remaining 30 minutes being used for parents to ask questions and arrange to speak to me about their interest in this learning programme.

Contact information: Contact Kah Ying at 8163-4509 or email at kchoo7@gmail.com.

2006-02-23T23:48:00.000+08:00

Cover Page of Our Picture Book

Project of Pride: Announcing the Completion of My First Picture Book

2006-02-23T23:33:00.000+08:00

...In Collaboration with Ing Yong Chien, Illustrator

Although I had never aspired to write a children’s book before, phrases of a children’s story about Sebastien kept floating into my consciousness last year. They were inspired by my days spent doing homework with Sebastien in the garden at the back of my house in Phoenix, Arizona and the hummingbirds that frequented our garden. Most of all, I was inspired by my observations of Sebastien and his determined struggle to cope with life “out there” – a world unmediated by language and communication -- that often seemed terrifying to him. Back then, for Sebastien, the world was a scary place when he could not make sense of what was happening around him – something he experienced each time he encountered something new or went to a new place.

However, this picture book would never have come into being if I had not met Yong Chien who is responsible for the illustrations and the layout of the text. Just prior to meeting him, I learned of the Media Development Authority’s initiative to give a grant to first-time children’s book writers and illustrators. This opportunity almost coincided with my meeting with Yong Chien who had answered my ad to be my assistant to help care for Sebastien, while I did my parent training back in October. I was struck by his extraordinary artistic talent that was displayed on his blog (http://gesturo.biz). During our first meeting, I propositioned him about doing the illustrations for my story. After meeting with me, observing Sebastien, reviewing my photographs of my house in Phoenix and doing his own research, Yong Chien succeeded in translating my story, my conversations with him about Sebastien and his observations of Sebastien into this picture book.

At our second meeting, Yong Chien had asked me to give him photographs of Sebastien with more “facial expression.” Delighted by his astute observation of Sebastien’s lack of facial affect, I put forth the challenge to him: “That’s precisely it. If you are able to capture the lack of expression on Sebastien’s face, it will help people to see how he looks different from a typical child.”

No words could possibly describe my reaction to the first draft of Yong Chien’s work. In my opinion, Yong Chien’s pictures projected a purity of spirit that more than did justice to my story and Sebastien’s fighting spirit. At that moment in time, I felt blessed beyond measure to have met Yong Chien. To me, this book is a precious gift and personal memento.

More than just a personal gift to me and Sebastien, this book, I hope, can serve a powerful purpose for the autism community. It is not often that an autistic child is the star of a film or a book. This story celebrates Sebastien’s triumph of overcoming his fears of birds, insects and horses. In writing this story, I sought to increase the awareness of parents of autistic children, other children and members of the public about the unique challenges faced by our autistic children and the incredible efforts they make to survive in our world.

Most importantly, I hope that this book will serve as a source of pride and unity for the entire community of autistic children and their families. To launch this book, I plan to hold a publication party that will bring families of the autism community together in a celebration of our lives. Amidst our hardships and struggles, we need to take stock of our children’s strengths and celebrate their uniqueness. We parents also need to pat each other on the back for our own efforts.

At a more practical level, we are hoping to donate seventy percent of the profits to Kampung Senang Charity and Education Foundation’s new learning centre for children with autism: World of Autism. This centre will offer a variety of services for autistic children and their families. One of these programmes will be an individualised and customised children’s programme with a one-to-one adult:student ratio. Apart from group activities, each of the students attending the programme will have an individualised and customised learning programme that will be developed exclusively for them, based on their interests and learning preferences. Due to renovations of the space and preparations, this programme will be slated to begin in late May. More details will be available as the date approaches.

Yong Chien and I will utilise the remaining 30 percent of the profits for our future collaborations and projects. My intention is to create a series of children’s books that deal with the issue of autism. Apart from Sebastien, I certainly welcome other parents to contribute stories about their children, which can be developed into books and related projects. As parents of autistic children, we know how each autistic child is different from another. Thus, together, we can weave together a powerful and comprehensive tapestry of autism and our autistic children to reshape public consciousness about this developmental disorder.

We are planning to sell this 20-page picture book at $20.00. If you are interested or know of any parents or organisations that would be interested to purchase or promote this book, please contact me at 8163-4509 or email me at kchoo7@gmail.com.

Update: Alas, we did not get the grant from the MDA. Therefore, I will be using my savings to print this book. Parents, educators and anyone who have any skills, expertise and passion to help us in this project, it will be much appreciated.