For Autistic Children, a School’s Coffee Shop Imparts Skills While Raising Money

[elleng]

The coffee shop at Woodrow Wilson Middle School is serious about service with a smile. When Edward Lin, a seventh grader, stared silently at his feet the other day instead of greeting a customer, his teacher prodded him.

“How can I help you?” the boy mumbled, still staring at his feet.

His teacher prodded him again. Edward looked up. Then he wrote out the customer’s order and, finally, broke into a smile, braces and all.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/19/education/19autism.html?hpw

[SheilaT]

1. Very good.

My oldest has Asperger's. He's 28 now, and I didn't figure out that he wasn't just a lot shy and somewhat odd, until he was 18. His first job, at age 16 was working in the local Warner Brother's store. He had the wonderful good luck to have a manager who was pretty young herself, and absolutely genius at kids in their first job. Even though a job dealing with the public was not an ideal choice for him, it helped him a lot to come out of his shell. His second job was at a movie theater, and again he did as well as anyone else, for the most part, although when it was really busy, he could get a little flustered.

So this kind of thing for these kids is just fantastic.

[DeeDeeNY]

2. Great story.

[Odin2005]

3. Cute!

:D