We recently had the opportunity to hear Tshepang Mahasha’s first-hand experience as she completed the Understanding Autism module, part of her Masters/ Postgraduate Diploma in Inclusive and Special Education programme, offered in partnership with Hibernia College. Here’s what Tshepang says about her journey, shaped by growing up with two brothers who have Autism, and how this course has opened her eyes to learning more about Autism.
I’ve had an incredibly remarkable experience learning from my lecturer, Dr Alison Doyle. She is an educator who has truly opened my eyes to the complexities and nuances of Autism. Dr Doyle has been exceptionally supportive and responsive to all my questions, demonstrating a proactive and diligent approach to teaching that is simply incredible.
My interest in this course was deeply personal. Having two brothers with Autism shaped my understanding of their needs from a young age, driving me to help them in any way I could. Attending sibling workshops to learn about Autism was the start of bringing inclusion into our community and helping families in similar situations.
Observing and Understanding Autism
Through this module, I have gained a deeper understanding of how Autism shapes the way my brothers perceive and interact with the world. Observing their daily interactions, from playing with toys to engaging with visual culture, has been an eye-opening experience. I grew up as a teenager naturally drawn to the hidden crevices of creativity featured in both of my brothers. I’m fascinated by their growing personalities and the subjectivity that they are still developing. I help them to shape the world around them too from an objective lens. Stimming has not only been a comfort for them but also a way of functioning.
My mother has always emphasized the need for timing, planning, and regulation to help my brothers maintain balance and build an awareness and understanding of how their bodies work. We have a dedicated workout area and a chore schedule that includes hovering around the house, doing the dishes, organising laundry and detergent sectioning steps etc.
Communication and self-awareness have been critical areas of focus in our household. We incorporate mindfulness practices such as meditation, daily affirmations, and prayers, alongside puzzle games and simple play. These strategies foster a harmonious living environment and align with their school curriculum.
Overcoming Challenges
All this hasn’t come easy. It has been built through experimentation, prayer to God, resilience, hard work, structure, and persistence. It’s unbelievable how my brothers have both come far from being nonverbal for several years to verbal and now articulating themselves in such a great phenomenal way. In tough times, my family and I used visual cards and emoji references to manage challenging behaviours, symbolising certain facial expressions to help my brothers understand if their behaviour was bad and whether they needed to go into a moment of silence and reflect. They apologised for their behaviour through different forms of touch, for example coming to hold our hand and give us a hug. For good behaviour, they’d get praise and rewards. We kept things simple and didn’t allow the enabling of bad behaviour.
Building Communication Tools
As a child, I understood what my brothers meant by certain words they said, and certain movements and expressions they made. These communication tools have been interwoven in our home from speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, teachers etc. For families with loved ones on the Autism spectrum, networking with services like Enable Ireland, HSE, CALMS, Autism Speaks, and educational bodies such as the NCSE is crucial. These resources help create a structured and supportive home environment conducive to learning and development.
Conclusion
Autism is a challenging journey but one so rewarding and full of beautiful surprises and overwhelming blessings. The Masters programme has profoundly impacted my approach to education, both in my professional aspirations and within my family. It has expanded my understanding of Autism beyond my subjective experiences, highlighting it as a rich and rewarding discipline. Completing this module has left me truly edified, and my heartfelt thanks go to the phenomenal teaching of Dr Alison Doyle.
Now, I plan to go on to do a PME qualification and become a qualified teacher and then hopefully a Special Needs Teacher and I am profoundly grateful to have been guided into this course.
If you want to know more about the Understanding Autism module, read our recent blog here.
Interested in applying for our upcoming intake? Start your application now!