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New Book Strives to End Bullying of Autistic Students
By Teachers.Net News Desk
New Book: There Are No Words by Mary Calhoun Brown
The first day of middle school should have been filled with change and excitement for Mary Calhoun Brown’s honor student. After a day that began with a “kick me” sign and the new nickname, “Retard,” Brown’s son was deflated and understandably wary about returning to school the next day.
“The pain in his face lit a fire in me,” Brown said. “I was determined to do my part to demystify Asperger’s Syndrome and other developmental disabilities, such as autism, in the middle school setting and build lasting friendships for these children.”
After two years of home schooling her son and studying middle school curricula first-hand, Brown began writing There Are No Words, a story about a young girl, nonverbal and with autism, who falls into a painting in her grandparents’ parlor and finds herself able to speak for the first time. In this world of prejudice and horse-drawn wagons, Jaxon MacKenzie must save one of her newfound friends from the worst train wreck in U.S. history, the Great Train Wreck of 1918.
The online curriculum guide is free upon request at the author’s website, www.marycalhounbrown.com.
In addition to the free curriculum guide, Brown offers an appendix in There Are No Words with over 40 online resources for parents and teachers.
Brown said, “The National Children’s Health Survey reports that one in every 100 births is affected by autism. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than Down’s Syndrome, cancer and diabetes combined. Why is it, then, that the child with visible disabilities is spared ridicule, as he should be, but the child with ‘invisible’ disabilities, such as autism, should be so preyed upon by others in his peer group?”
“The answer is education. Students have been taught by parents and teachers not to tease the boy with physical disabilities. The time to educate peer groups about developmental disabilities is now, because friendship is the greatest gift of all.”
The book will also be available in the Kindle format. Cost is $9.95 (paperback), $22.00 (hardback), and $4.95 (Kindle).
Mary Calhoun Brown is available for speaking engagements on the topics of “Having Confidence in Your IEP,” “Living with Someone on the Autism Spectrum,” and “The Writing Process for Middle Grade Students.” She travels to Los Angeles, CA in November 2009, New York City in December 2009 and Orlando, FL in April 2010.
Additional dates and times are available upon request at www.marycalhounbrown.com.
