INTRODUCING
CALEB HEPBURN
WHO HE IS…
and how you can help him
learn, grow and be a 12 year old boy
Who Caleb is…as an individual
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A 12 year old boy
Who loves his family (Brothers Sam & Peter)
Who loves to go to school
Who loves people (especially his school friends)
Wants to be included – wants to do what the other kids are doing
Who loves to learn new things
Who loves to use the computer
Who loves his iPod
Who is self determined and self advocates
(When he has his mind made up he will go and get it. He wants to do the same things as everyone else)
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Who rarely has control over the aspects of his life
(Caleb’s inability to communicate limits his ability to chose; so people chose for him without telling him)
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Who is Polite
Who is extremely patient and graciously persists until you understand what he is wanting from
you. (if people take the time)
Who Caleb is…as a student
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He loves to work
He is a helper
He likes to have control over his day
(to be able to pick the things on his schedule)
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He is very organized
He is very aware of his surroundings
He pays attention to details
He is very inquisitive
He is a quick learner
He is engaged by interactive materials that have color & movement
He is able to read (including a schedule without pictures)
He lacks the ability to negotiate
He will act on his will without communicating – but doesn’t everybody?
He looks for feedback & approval from the people around him
(if he’s having a difficult time, he will look for a visual cue or tone of voice cue to get the right answer – pretty good
intuition & social skill strategy)
Who Caleb is…as a learner
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Interested in reading programs on computer
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Enjoys a variety of types of stories
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Loves Math – does well with time
- proficient at using his iPod math application
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Very organized – will sort things –
knows where things belong
knows who materials belong to
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Resourceful
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Observer and will observe until he is ready to try something
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He uses a standard mouse with the buttons reversed
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Right handed
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Good with keyboarding – can type on regular keyboard – hunts and pecks
Who Caleb is…as a person with an opinion
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Who doesn’t like to wear hats or gloves
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Who finds it frustrating that other people have trouble figuring
out how to communicate with him – or worse those people
who don’t even try
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Who get’s tired of waiting - but isn’t that to be expected
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Who would really like to be able have conversations with his family, friends and teachers
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Who is so excited about his iPod – because he’s already been able to use it to communicate
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Who really appreciates how much his family, teachers and friends care about him and want
the best for him
Who Caleb isn’t
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He isn’t a set of symptoms
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He isn’t someone to pity
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He isn’t a burden
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He isn’t someone to be trained
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He isn’t here to learn to be “compliant”
He deserves more
He deserves the right to be a contributing member of society
who has control over his life
Caleb Hepburn is…
Caleb is an individual
student who learns and
has his own opinions
and wants to
develop real
friendships with
his fellow
classmates.
LET’S MOVE TOWARD MEETING CALEB
RIGHT WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW
Now it is time to support Caleb in
stepping up to the starting blocks
of life
He needs to be a full participant in
the classroom.
Where he is respected for the
person he is and the effort he puts
forth, and recognized for the gifts
and talents he possesses.
– BUT LET’S FACE IT –
Not Autism or downs syndrome, or CP – Like so many people assume
and in doing so, completely miss the mark on who he is which is so different than other child
Reality is…the aspects of his disability impact Caleb’s life
But even still he deserves more
He deserves the right to be a contributing member of society
who has control over his life
A life built on interdependence
Caleb will need a variety of resources
in his life
Tools he can use
 People he can call on
when and if he needs them
 The ability to offer something in return
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SO:
What does this have to do
with school?
When we think about Caleb as a student,
a twelve year old boy in this school…
That’s why we are here today…
So what does a 12 year old boy in this school do?
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They walk into school with their friends
 Friends who they play with, laugh with, & grow with
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They follow their teacher’s directions
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They demonstrate personal responsibility
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They increase their skills in reading, math,
social studies, language arts, and science
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They go to recess, music, gym, art, & lunch
And what does a 12 year old boy in this school learn?
ALL THESE COOL THINGS
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How people, plants and animals adapt
to the land & climate
How electricity flows through a circuit
Finding the area of a rectangle
What a biography is and how to write one
Conducting experiments related to “mystery powders”
AND JUST AS IMPORTANT, YOU TEACH THEM...
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How to be a contributing member of society
How to make and keep friends – that last a lifetime
All this is important because…
All this is important because…
We must build bridges
between
Caleb’s abilities
and challenges
&
the tasks
of the curriculum