Honoring April, Autism Awareness Month Choose To Live in the Possible
- amykdtobik2
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
By Karen Kaplan
Today, I heard someone say, "Choose to live in the possible." I smiled and reflected. I remembered Dr. Robert Schuller, the author and preacher, and how I read his books in the 1970s about possibility thinking. His words, along with others, influenced my journey in opening schools for people on the autism spectrum and believing in their possibilities.
As we move into Autism Awareness Month, I still believe teachers, therapists, parents, employers, grandparents, and so many others who commit to helping those on the spectrum need to live in the possible. Those on the spectrum must also be encouraged to live in the possible.
Everyone needs to know that it is possible to acquire independent living skills when parents break tasks down, start early, and expect and encourage meaningful life-long skills.
Everyone needs to embrace the fact that they can all learn when we honor their learning differences. Everyone needs to believe that they can complete school and that some can attend post-secondary programs if desired. People need to see their strengths and capabilities and encourage and use them to expand their knowledge.
Employers need to know that it is possible for people on the spectrum to be hired into careers related to their interests.
When everyone has hope, they see the possible. When we believe in the possible, we find ways to create supports and services that help children learn, develop, and acquire skills. We, the teachers, parents, and therapists, create state-of-the-art strategies and interventions to help actualize the possible.
When we do not live in the possible, we may under-expect, not try another way, give up too soon, or never even start to encourage obtaining a skill.
When we live in the possible, we understand that we must acquire the knowledge that helps us find solutions, then implement those solutions. When we live in the possible, we are like The Little Engine That Could; we continue to believe we can, and so we do. I hope we maintain the belief that all children can learn, reach their true potential, and lead successful, meaningful lives.
Karen Kaplan, MS, is a native San Franciscan. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, in speech pathology and audiology. She minored in special education and obtained her speech therapist and special education credentials in California. Karen worked as a speech therapist for schools for 20 years before opening her own residential and education program for students with autism. She worked in credential programs at Sacramento State University as well as UC Davis and spent 20 years directing private schools for those with autism and similar learning challenges.
Karen founded a non-profit, Offerings, which helps cultures globally to understand those with developmental challenges. For seven years, she founded and facilitated an autism lecture series and resource fair in Northern California. Karen still facilitates an annual Autism Awesomeness event. She is currently consulting, helping families, schools, and centers for children, teens, and adults. Karen has authored three books: Reach Me Teach Me: A Public School Program for the Autistic Child; A Handbook for Teachers and Administrators, On the Yellow Brick Road: My Search for Home and Hope for the Child with Autism, and Typewriting to Heaven… and Back: Conversations with My Dad on Death, Afterlife and Living (which is not about autism but about having important conversations with those we love).
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