This article, and many more we’ve read this summer, discusses the discovery and adventure involved in researching. We have all become more independent and competent in finding, analyzing, and using information. I was so excited the first time I made a link. I like feeling capable. To me, and I’m sure this applies to more of you, knowledge is empowering.

But, the fact is that not all students feel this way. Some students find libraries intimidating, teachers unnerving, and the Internet daunting. This piece of writing alluded to a lack of self confidence as a probable cause. I agree and feel that the lack of confidence possibly originates in our schools. In school, we are identified by our strengths and rarely encouraged to pursue things that we are not good at. If a student is failing anatomy, the teacher may give him extra help, but would she ever encourage him to go to medical school? Do coaches suggest that college scouts talk to their third string players? No. Why? Because they feel it would be waste of time.

We unknowingly breed complacency. We encourage students to accept that there are some things that they just are not good at. This is good to a point. No one is good at everything, and this is hard for some students to learn. But, some students develop a self-defeating attitude. They give up easily because this task must be one that they are not good at. They do not think of the learning process or research as an adventure, but find it to be more of a pitfall.

So what can we do about this? I think one thing we can do is encourage people, students, teachers, whoever, to explore areas, topics, outside of their expert field. I really think, and please don’t hate me for this, that the Marshall Plan is a really great idea. It ensures that students are exposed to different areas of study. This way, they have the chance to explore topics, which they might not have explored otherwise. Personally, I learned that I love history. In high school, I took the required history classes and stammered through. In college, I learned that the stories you find in a history book are better than any best selling fiction book. By exposing ourselves to new
things, or even old things, we give ourselves the opportunity to find that “scholarship is an
adventure.”

Resource: PsychINFO
Keywords: autism and therapy
Hancock, T., Kaiser, A. (May 2002). The effects of trainer-implemented Enhanced Milieu Teaching on the social communication of children with autism. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 22, 39-54. Retrieved July 15, 2002, from the PsychINFO database.

Resource: PsychINFO
Keywords: Autism and treatment
Dixon, M., Cummings, A. (Winter 2001). Self-control in children with autism: Response allocation during delays to reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34, 491-495. Retrieved July 15, 2002, from the PsychINFO database.

Resource: Medline
Keywords: autism and therapy
Horvath, K., Perman, J. (June 2002). Autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. Current
gastroenterology reports, 4, 251-258. Retrieved July 15, 2002, from the Medline database.

Resource: Medline
Keywords: autism and treatment
Kok. A., Kong, T., Bernard-Opitz, V., (June 2002). A comparison of the effects of structured play and facilitated play approaches on preschoolers with autism: A case study. Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 6, 181-196. Retrieved July 15, 2002, from the Medline database.

Resource: PsychINFO
Keywords: autism and therapy
Thiemann, K., Goldstein, H. (Winter 2001). Social stories, written text cues, and video feedback: Effects on social communication of children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 34, 425-446. Retrieved July 15, 2002, from the PsychINFO database.