Rethinking Dialogue: Reflections on P4C with Autistic Children

Abstract

Autism 101 For those not familiar with children with autism or autistic behaviors, it is extremely difficult to describe. Two books, Exiting Nirvana, by Clara Park, and Thinking in Pictures, by Temple Grandin, have been most helpful in my own understanding of autism. There are of course, many texts replete with technical, psychological theorizing, but both of these books succeed in putting a human face on experiences with autism. As an educator, this is extremely important since it is individuals with whom I work, not diagnoses. Diagnoses, however are a helpful starting point, and so I borrow from Grandin: Today, autism is regarded as an early childhood disorder by definition, and it is three times more common in boys than in girls. For the diagnosis to be made, autistic symptoms must appear before the age of three. The most common symptoms in young children are no speech or abnormal speech, lack of eye contact, frequent temper tantrums, oversensitivity to touch, the appearance of deafness, a preference for being alone, rocking or other rhythmic stereotypic behavior, aloofness, and a lack of social contact with parents and siblings. Another sign is inappropriate play with toys. The child may spend long periods of time spinning the wheel of a toy car instead of driving it around on the floor.1 The above description reveals the extreme range of the behaviors and symptoms, many of which may be exhibited by Introduction O ne of the interesting directions that P4C has taken in Hawaii is work with autistic children. A fellow graduate student and P4C Hawaii alumnus introduced me to Loveland Academy, a local private school that specializes in educating children with special needs, specifically autism. I have been working with the children in their after-school program for almost two years, attempting to bring P4C to children who are not in the mainstream curriculum. One of the most rewarding aspects of this work is its richness. Like P4C in general, someone who engages in the challenge of creating communities of responsible thinkers works from two perspectives. One perspective is the academic challenge presented by the work we do. The other perspective is the pedagogical challenge of creating activities and programs that are effective in achieving our goals. In working with children with autism and other special needs, these two perspectives have at times seemed discordant. This paper is an attempt to explore the source of this seeming tension, and to highlight the fact that Philosophy for Children is philosophy in the fullest sense, i.e, a theory/ methodology intertwined with practice. Although I think the academic and pedagogical issues of this paper are of interest to all who study and do P4C, the inspiration behind this paper is largely personal. In working with the children at Loveland, I came to question the efficacy of my approach, which in turn was the result of my philosophical convictions. As an academic, I began to study accounts of autism and attempted to understand the disorder. I also examined some of the literature on what I felt was the most exciting, and most problematic, aspect of P4C, dialogue. This research was manifested in my classroom time with the students, which in turn colored my research, which continued in a circle. I do not presume to be an expert on P4C, autism, or pedagogy. This paper will merely whet the appetites of those interested in the scholarship surrounding autism or dialogue, nor will it be completely satisfying for those who seek complete lesson plans and the complete details of my work at Loveland. My primary concern is to find a way to make learning more satisfying and enriching for “special needs” children by introRethinking Dialogue: Reflections on P4C with Autistic Children