Check out the Wise Staff Pick for the month of May, chosen by Beth:
Niko is a poet and writer who offers a glimpse into his world as a young, non-speaking autistic person. In this training and bonus Brass Tacks segment, Niko shares his experiences and ideas about functional labels and work, using a letterboard to communicate. His words are eloquent and wise.
Though these trainings are from several years back, they feel particularly relevant today.
As Niko reminds us:
“People love to divide us into ‘high’ or ‘low’ functioning, but those labels don’t help us. They do, however, give professionals and parents a sense of control over our outcomes and expectations. Someone who is ‘low functioning’ is seen as needing more support and less freedom. Someone who is ‘high functioning’ is seen as needing less support and more independence. In both cases, the individual is reduced to what others believe they can or cannot do.
That’s not the kind of world I want to live in. It’s not the kind of world I want to work in, either. We all deserve to be understood as whole, complex people.”
This course is free for all Wise Learning Center users through the month of April 2025