Today is Dress Differently Day, an annual fund-raising event for Autism Queensland.
My son Michael, who has high functioning autism, goes to a tiny rural school, Goodwood State School, with a total population of about 60 kids.
A small school is good for Michael for many reasons including:
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reduced sensory stimuli (less noise, smells, chaos, crowds);
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smaller teacher to student ratio (the teacher has more time for my son);
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everybody in the school knows Michael (and that he has ASD) and supports him;
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the teachers always have time to talk to me about what ‘adaptations’ Michael needs to get through each school day (e.g., visual and written schedules; quiet area to go to when it all gets too much);
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being such a small school, the classes are combined (eg., grade 3,4 and 5 have the same room and teacher) and this provides continuity and routine for several years (something ASD children love).
Michael’s s school, Goodwood State School, has been supporting Dress Differently Day every since we started going there 3 years ago. All the students dress up and donate a gold coin to Autism Queensland. The teachers get in on the action (last year the Principal got dressed up as a mad scientist).
Autism Queensland is a wonderful organization that helps children and adults with ASD and their families. I wish them every success with this year’s Dress Differently Day and can’t wait to see what some of the kids are wearing from Goodwood State School.
Gabe Feathers McGee 
That’s one very cool school. For Dress Differently Day I think I shall wear my lime green zoot suit, purple beret and bright red clown shoes.
Ha,ha,ha,ha – I want a photo of that superb outfit. Goodwood is a pretty cool school.
This shows what can be done, if people care enough and take the time to make it work.
Exactly right, thanks Carolyn.
Gabrielle, wonderful he goes to a small school. A managable environment, and not just for kids with special needs. Good stuff!
Yes it is a manageable environment. My primary school was pretty small and I loved it. Then my high school was much bigger and it was a shock to the system.
It sounds like an amazing school. I really want to see psychedelic Paul Squires. That would be cool.
I have an old chicken suit I can bring out of storage for the occasion. It is always a crowd pleaser although the feet are so big it is hard to walk in. Cluck cluck!!
You would look gorgeous Selma and chickens are always welcome. Are you reading this psychedelic Squires?
Michael’s school sounds wonderful. And Dress Differently Day — what a fun idea! And I want to see Paul S.’s clown shoes. 😀
Thanks TL. We should all be wearing clown shoes on a regular basis, I feel, just for fun and frivolity.
Dress differently day, we should all have one, really fun idea. Paul is the winner so far!
Great idea Benedicte. A boy at the school yesterday was dressed as the Cat in the Hat – I’d like to do that, with a splendid striped hat and long black tail. I’ve always wanted a tail – us humans have missed out in the tail department, big time.
This is a brilliant idea and it shows how much can be accomplished when caring hearts bind together to do good. Your son’s school sounds like an ideal environment and I’m so happy exceptional places like this exist for kids.
Anything is possible if humans put there hearts and minds to good things instead of wasting energy on stupid things like wars. We have been very lucky with these things and it is a standout school in this whole district. Thanks Val.
Sounds like a good set up. My son spent many miserable years at a large inner city school. Only when we moved out of Sydney did i realize how stressful it had been for him. Gabrielle, have a look at the Mother’s Day poem i posted today. I think you will understand it.
It is a good set up. I’ll pop over to see your poem. Thanks for stopping by ermacnamara.
Hi gabrielle- I just read this on the Guardian about autism research..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/jun/09/autism-study-genetic-causes
Thanks screamish – I just had a look at the article. They appear to be getting closer to some of the genetic components, but the article itself is a bit misleading. Even with a genetic component, environmental influences can still be a trigger (the genetic susceptibility hypothesis). Andrew Wakefield has been scapegoated and treated appallingly. I’ll blog about it one day.