When In Rome
Mikey’s class was studying world geography and learning about different cultures around the globe. They were focused on Italy at this time and Mikey was welcome to participate in the parts of the curriculum that made sense for him.
He was far behind his classmates in academics, a gap that would only widen over time, but in third grade, we were still looking for ways to help him connect to the general ed curriculum in any way that would be accessible to him.
This block set of the Roman Colosseum seemed like a perfect fit. We got it at a local toy store and ended up donating it to the classroom for kids in future years to use. We also used things like jigsaw puzzles and coloring pages to make connections to the topics the typical kids were studying. I’m sure it is different for every child, but for Michael, it allowed him to be included and that was something he really enjoyed.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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