Thanks to a complete breakdown in the University’s system and a professor I will never forgive, I endured a trip to the Office for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity. It was a stupid situation and far too much for my system. Before the meeting I was already in sorry shape.…
Tag: Minnesota
I came to the University of Minnesota’s Department of Rhetoric thanks to a DOVE (Diversity of Views and Experiences) Fellowship. My wife and I relocated from California because we had the impression the department and university would be inviting, supportive, and, most of all, a place where I would not…
Not even two months into the year and I am exhausted. I’m possibly the most exhausted I have been since moving to Minnesota. It is the mix of university nonsense, cold weather, aching body, renovation disorder, and so forth. When one of our “kids” became ill Monday night, it was…
It would be an understatement to write that my time in Minnesota has been a challenge. After this most miserable, humiliating week, I spent today wondering if I am capable of finishing my university program. My self-doubt and self-criticism were familiar to me, and to my wife. It is depressing,…
This coming weekend is supposed to remain below 0F, with some areas of Minnesota experiencing a windchill of -50F or worse. Sponsors have canceled a major skiing competition due to safety concerns. It was deemed too cold for ice sculptors to work on the famous Winter Carnival attractions in St.…
I am scheduled to speak at a workshop sponsored by the Autism Society of Minnesota on January 23, 2008, in St. Paul. If anyone cares to meet me and hear me ramble about university students with autism spectrum disorders, this is a good opportunity. (Visit http://www.ausm.org for more information.) The…
I am definitely a hypersensitive individual — physically (and emotionally). The cold weather of Minnesota forces me to wear more clothes, including hats, gloves, and even a face mask at times. Thermal pants for the windchill are also required some mornings. I itch. I scratch. I get annoyed. It’s like…
November 29, 2007, was a lousy day. I did poorly, very poorly, on an exam in statistics. The damage to self-esteem was fairly deep. I’m not supposed to do poorly on any test, in any class. I’ve seldom done well with written tests — it is painful to write for…
My original intention was to seek a doctorate to develop better digital writing tools for students, without specializing in autism or other special needs. Right now, it seems I’m heading towards disabilities and writing. I wish I could educate far more teachers on developmental disorders and brain injuries so we…
For a graduate course in curriculum, we have been asked to experiment with “mind mapping” software. I believe any organizational tool might help autistic students. They probably help most students. As my previous post reflects, I’ve never been comfortable with such maps personally, though I realize many people find the…