Middle School Course

The Middle School Course includes everything a teacher, social worker, or school counselor would need to facilitate a Good Friend autism awareness, acceptance, and empathy building service for students aged 11-14 years. Course Content, which is accessible by the user for one year from date of purchase, includes an introductory instructional narrative, downloadable PDFs of materials (including a film discussion guide), the 20-minute long Choosing to Be a Good Friend video in English (Spanish in production!), and an interactive Q & A game to check for student understanding. Please note that because one of the students in the film refers indirectly to suicidal ideation from 17:54-18:49, some content might not be suitable for children under age 12.

By purchasing the course, you'll be equipped with empathy-building exercises to create a culture of acceptance in a neurodiverse classroom. Creating connection amongst learners reduces disability harassment, and we know that bullying of autistic students is a persistent problem without peer training.

Course Objectives:

• Explain what autism is (and isn't) using positive, accurate language.
• Provide a deeper understanding of how students on the spectrum are wired differently but want the same friendships/relationships.
• Develop a culture of mutual respect where everyone feels like they belong.
• Help students take next steps toward meaningful inclusion of all learners.