Learning to Listen: "If my voice was not heard, if I had no voice, how might I let people know I didn’t know what was expected? How might I tell people those things (and people) I find disagreeable? If I feel pain?
Signing, holding up a symbol, using the few words I’d been taught (why always please? Why always thank you?), might not be heard. Hitting myself, or the window (or you) might guarantee a response, though.
What if challenging behaviour might be a way of expressing pain, frustration or discontent? Imagine challenging behaviour as small (and large!) acts of self-determination: my wants don’t match what is being done for me. Think of the money we’d save if rather than employing expensive consultants we listen to the person!"
Pulling Together? "Through the heaps of assessments and explanatory models flying around, never forget our purpose is to serve and understand a fellow human in acute distress. Seek to remain humane and open. This is a challenge to us all, regardless of profession: to be human and responsive to our companions in distress on this small pale blue-green dot of a planet. Expert? Alternative translation: Ex - past it. Spurt - an unexpected poorly aimed drip."
Competent Environments: "We all deserve competent environments because we all qualify as human, as having potential, as having the ability to learn. Regardless, you don’t have to defend having an expectation for competent environments; let others defend incompetence."