Social skills or academics - which matters most for kids on the autism spectrum?

[Aspigander]

http://www.examiner.com/x-2007-Informal-Education-Examiner~y2009m5d24-Social-skills-or-academics--which-matters-most-for-kids-on-the-autism-spectrum

A person who can do many things, from writing to map reading to playing clarinet, can find a place for himself, even if he's socially idiosyncratic. In fact, in the long run, I truly believe that real skills can outweigh social skills - even in the "real" world.

I agree with the first sentence of that paragraph, not sure I quite get the second sentence.

Anyway, I found the article interesting.

[Prot]

I am reckoned by various psychiatrists and indeed other people (psychiatric professionals or otherwise) to be highly/very intelligent. Even if that is true, which i often doubt,my interpersonal difficulties have meant i might as well have been born stupid for all the good it has ever done me.

[roadracer]

social skills get you father in life then academics ever will, simple as that. Reminds me of something in another thread, have you ever watched the movie forest gump? You could have all the inteligence and academic skills in the world and not be happy, have no freinds, not get anywhere in life, or you could be poor and have never made it anywhere with some fancy career and be the happiest person. So teach the academic skills, but the priority should be social skills.

[Prot]

For the most part being academically bright with social skills that suck is about as useful as winning the lottery on Armageddon day.

[tgrimes]

You are what you think. Or you are what you eat, I can't remember the thing, could be both.
P.S. - Roadracer- Forrest Gump was a modern day version of an old story, Candide by Voltaire, the story was about optimism, its altertitle.

[Prot]

You are what you think. Or you are what you eat, I can't remember the thing, could be both.
P.S. - Roadracer- Forrest Gump was a modern day version of an old story, Candide by Voltaire, the story was about optimism, its altertitle.



Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes(All's for the best in the best of all possible worlds) .

Optimism is good- but blind optimism?


Il est démontré, disait-il, que les choses ne peuvent être autrement; car tout étant fait pour une fin, tout est nécessairement pour la meilleure fin. Remarquez bien que les nez ont été faits pour porter des lunettes; aussi avons-nous des lunettes.

It is demonstrable that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles.


Following such flawed reasoning even more doggedly than Candide, Pangloss defends optimism. Whatever their horrendous fortune, Pangloss reiterates "all is for the best" (Fr. "Tout est pour le mieux") and proceeds to "justify" the evil event's occurrence. A characteristic example of such theodicy is found in Pangloss's explanation of why it is good that syphilis exists:

... c'était une chose indispensable dans le meilleur des mondes, un ingrédient nécessaire; car si Colomb n'avait pas attrapé dans une *le de l'Amérique cette maladie qui empoisonne la source de la génération, qui souvent même empêche la génération, et qui est évidemment l'opposé du grand but de la nature, nous n'aurions ni le chocolat ni la cochenille;

... it was a thing unavoidable, a necessary ingredient in the best of worlds; for if Columbus had not caught in an island in America this disease, which contaminates the source of generation, and frequently impedes propagation itself, and is evidently opposed to the great end of nature, we should have had neither chocolate nor cochineal.[48]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide


I have not read the book since my teenage years. (i hasten to add in English. My French, whilst passable at the time, was never that good)

[Prot]

You are what you think. Or you are what you eat, I can't remember the thing, could be both.


http://tinyurl.com/27v7cl

[tgrimes]

Optimism is good- but blind optimism?

I have not read the book since my teenage years. (i hasten to add in English. My French, whilst passable at the time, was never that good)

Well, now... i didn't read it in French, Prot!
So do you agree with the comparison to Gump if you saw it? If so, then do you agree that the mom represents Pangloss' character? if not, then possibly Bubba? I could be getting characters mixed up, but pretty evident who Jenny is in the story.

[milivica]

I believe hands down social skills will get you further in life. A live without academic mastery can be rough, a live without social mastery can be devastating.

[Prot]

Well, now... i didn't read it in French, Prot!
So do you agree with the comparison to Gump if you saw it? If so, then do you agree that the mom represents Pangloss' character? if not, then possibly Bubba? I could be getting characters mixed up, but pretty evident who Jenny is in the story.


I haven't seen the movie so couldn't say. Though from what i have heard Gump though sharing the haplessness and innocence/naivety of Candide is much more fortunate and unlike Candide , who ultimately rejects the words of his mentor Pangloss , sees no reason to question or reject his 'chocolate box' outlook on life.

[roadracer]

P.S. - Roadracer- Forrest Gump was a modern day version of an old story, Candide by Voltaire, the story was about optimism, its altertitle.

well yes, but I was saying that forrest didnt need a high level of academic skills to live his life. and the movie was after the book Forrest Gump by Winston Groom, maybe Winston got the story from reading Voltaire, but the Forrest Gump book is much different then the movie (and was wrote 200+ years later then Volitaire ;)).

[tgrimes]

unlike Candide , who ultimately rejects the words of his mentor Pangloss , sees no reason to question or reject his 'chocolate box' outlook on life.

True. I don't think there was a whole lot of debate over that. I do think the similarity remains that the main character was used for satirical commentary of historical events.

Anyway, back to you, Aspigander -
I can't say how my kids will handle it, which they will place more emphasis on, when the time comes it will be up to them to make the most of themselves, and i am sure they will.
I believe as far as which is more important it is neither, you have to switch back and forth between all competencies to get wher you want, don't let either social capability, street smarts, common sense, or academics become the 'be all', or you might get derailed. What if it's all about trust?