Processing Processes - Module 3 Skype Call 24/03

We spoke about 'the process' of the modules during the Skype call the other evening and it really got me thinking. I have always thought of 'processes' to be very fixed, logical and clear. That to get from Point 1 to Point 2 I have to do A,B and C. However this BAPP journey has turned that on it's head for me.

This course isn't as simple as being handed a textbook, told to study it and then regurgitate it back in an exam. Most of it feels as though you are shooting in the dark just hoping you hit the target. It feels as though you are wading through fog, and just when you think it's starting to clear, another wave comes over you. 

This is why, I think, the handbook suggests we work in cycles or stages. You read the handbook, get a grasp on one point, and then when you come back around, you find something else. I have learned that there is no finite answer in this course. It's all about the journey and what you discover along the way. 

In some ways it reminds me of a blog I created whilst mapping my practice in Module 2 titled "Mapping to Build Understanding". I based this around a Ted Talk titles "Happy Maps" I came across where Daniele Quercia had created an app that offered people a scenic route to get to where they wanted to go. It would only add on a couple of extra minutes onto their journey and would take them down a route that would allow them to discover something new and not be stuck in traffic. This app has been used by people who have lived in the same city for years and taken the same routes to change their perspective and to discover something new about their home. It also showed that people would arrive at their destination with a feeling of calm and happiness to be able to have traveled a different path. 

Perhaps this is the way we should be viewing our Modules. Taking a more 'scenic' route to the destination and discovering something new along the way.

Below is the link to the Ted Talk "Happy Maps" by Daniele Quercia 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJg9SXIcPiM&list=PLOGi5-fAu8bFXc7SmMcxsLph1Eis7mkvq

Should We Be Creating More 'Autism Friendly' Shows?

Whilst doing literature research into my inquiry topic of exploring the relationship between theatre and the social skills of children with Autism, I came across this incredibly interesting article of how some Broadway musicals have been adapted to suit an audience on the spectrum and their families.

These slight adaptations include lowering the frequency of the sound, slightly lifting the brightness of the lights and having someone 'brief' the audience before the show of any 'surprises' that may trigger the audience members. Fidget toys are encouraged for the audience as well as allowing them to make as much noise as they would like. Ushers trained in diverse audiences are available to help in any way throughout the show - even having a designated 'quiet' room where children feeling overwhelmed in any way can escape to if need be.This in no way changes the script as the aim is to maintain the integrity of the show. The audience will not feel that they are seeing anything 'less-than' what their neuro-typical peers have seen.

I think this is a wonderful idea and a fantastic opportunity for families to enjoy a theatre experience without fear of being judged or overwhelming the child with autism. I hope that it could become the norm for all theaters to offer something similar as often as possible to give more people access to the arts.

This has really got me to thinking. Should more shows and theaters be offering 'autism-friendly' performances? Is it feasible for them to do so? Do children with autism and their families want this to happen or is a trip to the theatre too overwhelming? How can I, as someone labeled 'neuro-typical' decide that this is the right thing to do when I have no lived-experience of having autism?

 I would love to pass the question off to you - do you think theaters should offer more 'autism-friendly' shows?

Here is the link to the article of you are interested in reading.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/04/making-theater-autism-friendly/388348/