Are you done with your Christmas shopping list? I’m not done yet. I have some gifts that need wrapping but I am still uninspired to start maybe because the second trimester exams are coming up next week and I know I will be swamped with reviewers to make.

The Christmas tree still needs to be taken out of its hiding place and decorated.

What do add to the list? leather backpacks? new shoes? wait we got those for the kids two weeks ago when we braved traffic to go to a sale. Do these count as gifts?

I think not.

My thought on gifting? As I have written in this post, “…expect me to wish you happiness and joy, without a gift tag”

Now, please excuse me while I help one of my children finish a book report and polish a poem with lots of rhyming words at the end of the lines for another one.

A is for Autism

Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that can be diagnosed during early childhood and is characterized by three major signs/symptoms:

1. communication problems
2. problems with social interaction
3. repetitive, restricted and stereotyped behaviors

There are different types and range of autism according to DSM IV-TR or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Classical autism is considered as “severe” because of the inability of children diagnosed with this as having no or low eye contact, facial expression and use of gestures and body language to communicate, among other characteristics. Spoken language is severely delayed or not developed at all. There is a preoccupation to one object or part of that object like a certain toy car’s wheel.

If a child has very delayed or showed no attempts with communicating with others, it is best that he/she is brought to a specialist.

Autism spectrum disorder or ASD on the other hand is considered a “milder” form of autism. A child diagnosed with ASD has the ability to develop his/her language, self-help and cognitive skills but needs help in several areas of development like: developing social interactions, adjusting to changes in routine and rituals, emotional reciprocity and being able to share interests with peers.

PDD-NOS or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Other Specified is a diagnosis that cuts across the two previously mentioned conditions. DSM IV-TR lists that: PDD-NOS is a type of childhood developmental disorder which forms part of the group of Autistic Spectrum disorders. (ASD) This group also includes Classical Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. The diagnosis of PDD-NOS is one of exclusion, made when a toddler or child clearly has a Pervasive Developmental Disorder but the symptoms and signs do not comply with the Diagnostic Criteria for any of the other ASD’s (or childhood psychiatric disorders).

Autism and Communication

Children with autism have difficulties in talking to or expressing themselves using words the way other children do. There are those who usually “keep to themselves” and are able to communicate with devices.

These children can’t usually “connect” or easily understand the underlying language symbolisms which include non-verbal language cognition and the more advanced skills like pragmatics and listening. They usually respond to short and easily understandable instructions rather than long complicated ones. Their names will be called but they do not look at the person calling them.

They react differently in situations like when there’s a thunderstorm or a certain part of a tv/radio commercial or song being played.

Social Interaction

Due to these children’s difficulties in communicating with others, they have a hard time making friends, start conversations and “get” the humor behind jokes.

Repetitive, Restricted and/or Stereotyped Behavior

They thrive in routine like putting socks on the right foot first and not the other way around. They do repetitive behavior like banging or clapping. In some of those classified as having classical autism, these children manifest hand-flapping, rocking back and forth, turning things around over and over among other things.

Causes
The number used to be much bigger but these days, it is said that autism affects 1 child in every 150 children.

Scientists are still baffled as to the cause of this condition for one because of the complexity of the human brain.. Some believe that some of the brain connections that have something to do with communication, emotions and certain behaviors affecting social interactions do not develop as it should.

There are instances of sibling or cousins with autism.

How to Deal with Autism continue reading this entry »

The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued memo No. 244 s.2011 DECLARING NOVEMBER AS NATIONAL READING MONTH OF EVERY YEAR AND NOVEMBER 25, 2011 AS THE NATIONWIDE ARAW NG PAGBASA.

Reading is an important aspect of the whole learning process and not just a part of language development.

Reading is the basic foundation for learning. In this day and age when students are more adept at copy-pasting that they pass off as research, the fundamental reading (and writing) skills needed to create original research and documents seem to be rare traits in students.

We want our children to learn to read. We want our children to love to read. We want our children to have fun reading.

So how would we encourage them to do so?

They’d probably argue that reading does not just limit to holding a book and reading this. Sure, reading translates to many mediums like those troves of “comic book” treasures in the internet, e-books, magazines, newspaper articles and even instruction manuals of the latest gadget bought.

Technology has changed the way people read. I for one used to do an all-nighter, an I-can’t-put-a-good-book-down-until-I-finished-reading habit while tossing and turning on my body pillow. All these reading habits have changed because of technology. Yes, I’ve been into e-books several years before the tablets were invented because I read a lot of these in my old Palm Pilot and big Symbian phone. I’ve read almost all HP books (except 1,2 and Deathly Hallows) in e-book format.

In this blog, I’ve written posts about reading:

• children’s books to read like Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom, Grover, Grover, Come on Over, Franklin is Lost
• reading can take many forms like this rebus story
• some teaching techniques

On Friday, my youngest daughter will go to school “dressed” as a storybook character. We’ve been doing this storybook character for a long time when the teen-aged oldest child was still in preschool. Since we already have a costume worn by Kuya from last school year’s drama club presentation, we will just add details to it. No buying since we will adhere to the school’s “recycle and reuse” costumes rule.

Other school activities lined up till next week are: fashion show (for the storybook characters), speech choir, declamation pieces, English Night presentation, Drama Club presentation and exhibit of works related to reading and literature.

Reading is fun. Reading is great.

Now, off to prepare to face a student who asks: “Why can’t I read like my classmates?”

Christmas is just around the corner and I’m sure a lot of moms have started their shopping at this time of the month. For those who have limited budget and are on the look out for personal gifts/giveaways, I suggest digital scrapbooking.

I am fond of doing these wonderful digital scrapbook pages online and offline. I was able to publish several of these simple scrapbook pages in this blog:  sunflowers here, a dandelion here, Chocolate Hills in Bohol, my son’s birthday and another sunflower here.

I did all the above pages offline because I was able to download embellishments and papers a few years ago. I use Adobe Photoshop to put these together. Not really difficult but not too easy too since I don’t think I have it in me the creativity in putting on the pages what I have in mind,

You want to try digital scrapbooking to give as gifts for Christmas? Here is a free digital scrapbooking site for you. You can also make these as invitations, notepads and stationery. just create and print the pages!

I say this is more fun than just Facebook-ing. Enjoy creating beautiful pages and memories to savor!

Hmmm… this gave me an idea to try this with my students!

Had a talk with my eldest daughter’s classmate’s mom yesterday at a supermarket.

Details of our chit-chat made me think about how my students will be in the near future, especially now that a few of them are in college. Being me, I still worry think about how they will be able to deal with the reality of hard work in college and looking for a job after that.

Will they be able to be pursue their dreams of doing what they do best? One said he’s bound to enjoy having Travel Jobs while another said he hopes to be a good photographer some day. One former student is now studying to be a chef which was only a natural thing to do because he is a good cook, even without proper training.

I also used to have a student who underwent “office skills” training from me: encoding documents, using small office supplies like stapler, punchers and calculators as well as collating documents depending on what is required to put them together.

It’s all up to us, parents and teachers to encourage and support our children to do their best.

Schools offering Culinary Courses abound these days like mushrooms sprouting here and there but there is one among the few prestigious ones that stands out: Enderun.

For hobbyists and those who want to further hone their culinary expertise, Enderun is offering the following for you:

• Alain Ducasse Foundation ADF + Enderun 15 month program at the Enderun Culinary Center
• Three-month Pastry Arts Certificate

In 2007, ADF+Enderun is an academic partnership between Enderun Colleges in the Philippines and Alain Ducasse Foundation. Alain Ducasse is a modern French chef who had a hand in running three-srat rating restaurants in three cities: Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo, Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee in Paris and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London. Alain Ducasse Foundation was established to combine culinary methods, training and consultancy services.

ADF+Enderun has a philosophy that consists of theory demonstration and practice. The school has international standards in terms of having culinary teaching facilities: hot kitchen laboratories, pastry kitchen laboratory, preparation kitchen and a culinary amphitheater.

Enderun culinary amphitheater where some classes are held. There are two monitors with different videos featuring the cooking done in front.

Chef Marc Chalopin who demonstrated two yummy dishes. Recipes and photos will be posted here.

Workstations-to-students have two students work in a workstation with eight workstation per class.

This is the Restaurant 101 where the students “work” in a real-setting without having to go elsewhere.

Students have internships in various Alain Ducasse restaurants and at the Alain Ducasse Formation training centers in France.

Applications are open for November 2011 intake.

3-Month Pastry Arts Certificate continue reading this entry »