Autism Awareness Day was this week, and I’d like to take this opportunity to share some information about autism.
Autism is a natural variation in how the brain develops and processes information. This means autistic children may experience, understand, and respond to the world around them in unique ways that can be different from others. No two autistic children are the same, and their strengths, challenges, and needs can vary widely.
Autistic children might communicate and interact differently. Some may look away when talking to others, use gestures instead of words, or use very literal language. Some children might also take longer to reach language milestones or communicate in ways that differ from what we usually expect.
It’s also common for autistic children to have strong interests in specific things—such as trains, sea creatures, football statistics, or collecting items like sticks. These interests can bring great joy, might be short-term or lifelong, and are often an important part of a child’s world.
Repetitive behaviours are another way some autistic children express themselves or find comfort. This might include lining up toys, repeating phrases from shows or songs, flicking light switches, or making movements like rocking or hand-flapping. These behaviours often help children manage emotions or sensory input.
Many autistic children also have strong sensory preferences. Some may be very sensitive to things like bright lights, loud noises, or certain textures. Others may seek out sensory experiences—such as the feeling of a vibrating washing machine or the comfort of heavy blankets.
Routine and structure can be especially important. Autistic children often prefer things to stay the same, like eating familiar foods or wearing certain clothes. Sudden changes or transitions can feel overwhelming, so having predictable routines and preparing children for change can make a big difference.
It’s important to remember that autistic people also have many strengths and abilities. Some may learn to read at a very young age (a skill known as hyperlexia), or have exceptional memories. They may quickly learn new information, think visually, or solve problems in creative and logical ways.
Some children show particular talents in areas like science, engineering, maths, art, music, or dance. Others have an incredible attention to detail, a drive for order and perfection, and the ability to focus deeply—especially when something captures their interest.
Other strengths include honesty, punctuality, a strong sense of direction, and a love of rules and routines. Their unique view of the world often brings a special kind of creativity, curiosity, and wonder.
At Vogeltown School, we work hard to create a learning environment where every child feels safe, valued, and supported. We are always looking for ways to do better, and by understanding more about autism, we can help all children feel that they belong.
In our senior area, we’ll be back into the interschool sports scene next term. This is a competitive sports scene and with that comes the need to select our most capable payers for each sport-rugby, netball, and football.
We realise that sometimes this can cause some children to feel upset but please understand that teachers in charge of sports find making selections tough going, and they do their very best to ensure that this is done in a sensitive way.
Our wonderful Home and School team have organised a pizza lunch day on Wednesday 9th April.
Kindo is all set up and ready for you to place an order.
If you do not have a Kindo account set up yet, please use the following link for first time users. https://www.vogeltown.school.nz/school-information/kindo-shop/
Orders close on Sunday 6th April at 9:00pm.
The awesome team at GameChanger have Vogeltown School Hoodies available to order. You can try a sample on for size at their store, which is on the corner of Huatoki and Carrington Street. The link to order is below:
