Visiting the Boston Higashi School

Last week, I was lucky enough to have been invited to visit the Boston Higashi school. The staff there were extremely generous with their time and allowed me to observe their classes for most of the day, talk with them about their life therapy program, and share information about the Morgan Autism Center. It was very difficult to conceal my considerable envy at their facilities - 55 beautiful acres just outside of Boston. I left downtown Boston in rush hour traffic and returned in late afternoon rush hour. Each way was only about 30 minutes. Unbelievable!

The most rewarding aspect of my visit though was as I was sharing our philosophy with their staff and we realized we have a very common belief in how people with autism should be educated and appreciated. Although our programs are quite different, there is much we can learn from one another. Certainly, we know that physical activity is beneficial for all of us, but the Higashi school incorporates it completely into their curriculum. I saw all the students jogging the mile around their campus in the morning, doing dance and physical games throughout the day. That was wonderful, and clearly invigorating! Then there is the music and art that are also part of the curriculum and not considered extra. And we know that students with autism, with their significant communication difficulties, need alternative ways to express themselves. Art, music, and dance are another outlet for their creativity. The music program at the Higashi school is infused throughout the day. The jazz group I heard play at the end of the day was positively exhilarating! What talent and what fun they were having.

We are looking forward to more opportunities to collaborate with the Higashi school, and we expect them to present at our 2011 fall conference. It would be wonderful for more people to understand their program and be inspired by their model of treating the whole person.