Expect Brilliance
New Student = New Experience
You’re on your way to yet another “enrichment” activity that your mom signed you up for. As you exit the car and walk up to a huge building on a college campus, your stomach starts churning, and questions start popping into your mind.
“Will they know I have autism?” “I’m really nervous, what if I can’t sit still?” “Are we going to have breaks?” “What if I need to get up and pace?”
Your mom knows you’re nervous. You don’t even need to tell her. She gives you a squeeze and lets you hum to calm down the swirling. Before you know it, you’ve arrived in a big room with computers and iPads all setup. You see other kids too. Some look nervous but most look excited. A couple of kids are pacing, humming, and flapping their hands. You see another kid excitedly showing his mentor a few Marvel-themed treasures he’s brought from home. Now new questions enter your mind.
“Do all of these kids have autism?” “Is it cool to pace around if I’m nervous?”
Your mentor motions you over to a spot with a shiny computer sitting in front of it. Your mentor talks to you like…like you’re just a kid…like they’re actually interested in what you have to say. They listen eagerly as you describe your dog, Max, and his funny antics. He’s a border collie, and you know a lot about the breed. What’s better, your mentor doesn’t care when you take a moment to stand up and pace just as you feel things are about to get started. There’s an energy in here–not the same energy you feel at school–it’s kind of a buzzing of excitement and possibility. What makes this place different?
What makes IOB Different?
When a new student walks into an IOB workshop, we have no mold for them to fit into. If they’re nervous, we give them space to self-regulate. If they’re excited, we join them in their celebration. I spoke with Tyson, a student who began his IOB journey this past February. He described an experience not unlike the one above. Tyson shared that he was also quite nervous for his first workshop, but by the second week, he couldn’t wait to head to the workshop, often arriving nearly 30 minutes early each week! When asked if he would recommend a workshop to a hesitant student, Tyson said, “I would recommend it. It felt good to do something different.”
What Can Students Expect to Learn?
At the surface level, IOB students know they’re learning about digital art. Whether it be Photoshop, Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, or 3D modeling on Blender, students are motivated by the idea of learning how to use a digital art program with the guidance of a talented artist. But IOB is bigger than surface level, and as an IOB educator, I have the privilege of watching students grow throughout the course of a workshop in ways they often don’t even realize.
At the end of each workshop, students have the opportunity to share the progress that they’ve made on their project. Tyson said it best, “I think they feel confident–all of the kids.” You see, Tyson explained that he’s done lots of presentations in school, but he was often riddled with ‘stage fright.’ However, at IOB, that feeling is replaced with confidence.
(Click above image to enlarge.)
As it happens, IOB has a great metaphor for what students learn through engagement in design workshops. It’s like an iceberg. On the surface level, students are learning those design skills–that’s what often gets the students in the door, however, below the surface, students are learning so much more. They’re learning the skills that can only be taught in an environment that fosters their individuality and meets them where they’re at. This is the heart of IOB.
Fostering Brilliance
So how do we describe all of this to a prospective student? How do we describe a workshop that uses the magic of creativity to help a student feel understood, heard, and confident? In a world where autistic individuals are often told to fit the mold, we tell them to create their own. After all of these words, I still don’t think I’ve quite captured that magic, so I suppose, I’ll let this be your invitation to join us and experience the magic for yourself.
