tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post2839935607105309850..comments2024-03-26T07:07:14.304-07:00Comments on Teacher Tom: Selective MutismTeacher Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-13884749357547417232012-04-10T22:03:16.184-07:002012-04-10T22:03:16.184-07:00I probably had this as a child. I didn't do pr...I probably had this as a child. I didn't do preschool, but in Kindergarten I refused to talk to anyone. I can remember the teacher asking me questions and I just couldn't open my mouth to speak. The first time I talked was on my birthday to tell the teacher I was turning 5. The only other time I talked was when we put on plays with puppets and I could hid behind the screen. That was my fondest memory for years. I loved doing those plays! Probably because it was the only time I felt safe to talk.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-9124378829892162702012-04-10T17:41:15.569-07:002012-04-10T17:41:15.569-07:00As an adult who has struggled with selective mutis...As an adult who has struggled with selective mutism all my life I can say that I think your approach to those quiet ones sounds great! This wasn't something I had even heard of when I was growing up but my teachers always wrote home to my mom that there must be something wrong with me because I was smart but did not talk. It would take enormous effort to talk to other kids let alone adults!Heather Hollishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17732478100153661411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-28941454093199062342012-04-10T16:21:05.970-07:002012-04-10T16:21:05.970-07:00It surprises me a little that we are concerned abo...It surprises me a little that we are concerned about children who do not communicate straight away. I think we should be celebrating it because it is their self protective behaviours at work. Teaching these kids that they have to talk despite their instincts being cautious, is teaching them to ignore those instincts. Kids that are more out there will display those instincts in different ways, but for these kids, this is their instincts at work.<br /><br />Adults should have to earn kids' trust. I think it is healthy and good for their self protective behaviours.<br /><br />I think all too often we cut across kids' natural built instincts to make them fit in with a social norm and it is dangerous. We should be respecting their self protective behaviours and working with them, not teaching them to ignore those feelings just so they look like they fit in.Girl From the Villehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09060945549454803786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-35143529905810618592012-04-10T14:41:14.390-07:002012-04-10T14:41:14.390-07:00Interesting posts on shy and "selective mutis...Interesting posts on shy and "selective mutism." I appreciate a teacher's perspective. My daughter is being raised bilingual and at 2 1/2 her communication skills aren't as strong as her cousins' or neighbors'. I know that she'll surpass them all in due time. ;) Until then I'm nervous for her interacting with classmates and teacher (perhaps aids, too). Besides her being the youngest and having a weak English vocabulary, she is also not used to being in bigger groups. What I have learned from reading the last two posts is: <b>don't worry</b>. I'm glad that I found a teacher that isn't worried either after I explained our situation to her.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02688719514346028111noreply@blogger.com