Metaphysical Harmony in Pedagogical Enterprise: Speculation on Teacher-Parent Partnership in Educating Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18533/journal.v3i3.313Keywords:
autism, logos, metaphysics, pedagogy and speculationAbstract
The impact of the teacher-parent partnership in the education of learners with special educational needs such as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or, rather, learners with autism, has not been accorded adequate attention. A look at the pedagogical enterprise, which is the process of managing teaching-learning environment in relation to the conditions of learners with ASD, teacher-parent partnership requires philosophical interrogation. This study uses speculative philosophic methodology to explore the cosmological unification of learner with ASD, teacher, parent and the implications of the triad for effective learning. It is posited that the harmony created by the cosmic intelligence (nous) that emanates and which manages the harmony that ensues may be discussed in relation to the Heraclitean theory of “logos” and the Anaxagorean hypothesis of “all is one.” As a consequence, the educational success of a learner with ASD could be viewed as a resultant of metaphysical and pedagogical enterprise centered on the cosmos for whatever behavior that is exhibited, perceived as bizarre or otherwise but capable of use as a stepping stone for further learning.
References
American Psychiatric Association Guideline for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (2013).
Anderson, J.L. and Cushing, L. (Eds). (2012). The philosophy of autism. Rawman
and Littlefield Publishers. Retrieved from http://www.autismemories.net/the-philosophy-of-autism
Audi, R. (Ed). (1999). The Cambridge dictionary of philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Blaschke, Lisa Marie. (2011). Sustaining lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and
self-determined learning.
Retrieved from http://www.lisamarieblaschke.pbworks.com/Blaschke on July 12, 2013.
Bridgwater, W. and Kurtz, S. (Eds). (1963). The Columbia encyclopedia, Vol. IV. New York:
Columbia University Press.
Bryson, S.E., Landry, R., Czapinski, P., McConnell, B., Rombough, V. and Wainwright, A. (2004).
Autistic spectrum disorder: Causal mechanisms and recent findings on attention and emotion. International Journal of Special Education, Vol. 19, No.1.
Chukwu, C.N. (2002). Introduction to philosophy in an African perspective. Eldoret: Zapf
Chancery Research Consultants and Publishers.
Coleman, J.C. et al. (1980). Abnormal psychology and modern life. Glenview: Scott, Foreman
and Company.
The Constitution of Kenya. (2010). Nairobi: Government Printer.
Coon, D. (1998). Introduction to psychology: Exploration and application: London: Books/Cole
Pulishing Company.
Cundall, Michael (2008).Internet encyclopedia of philosophy: Philosophy of autism. Retrieved
from http://www.iep.utm.edu/autism on October 3, 2013.
Douglas, Amy. (2013). How to teach social skills to high school students with autism. Retrieved
from http://www.ehow.com/how_4443649_teach-social-skills-high on July 12, 2013.
Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 16, (15th ed.). (1979). Chicago: William Benton.
Everard, M.P. (Ed.). (1976). An approach to teaching autistic children. London: National Society
for Autistic Children.
Falex free dictionary (nd). Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com on September 30,
Field, C.C. (1969). The philosophy of Plato. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Freer, Scott. (2012). Sage bites: Reflections on quotations for life: “The unexamined life is not
worth living”. Retrieved from http://www.sagebites.squaresppace.com on October 10, 2013.
Goldstein, H. (Ed.). (1978). Exceptional children: A reference book. Guilford: Special Learning
Corporation.
Gorenstein-Holtzman,Michelle. (nd). What are the characteristics of pervasive developmental
disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).
Retrieved from http://www.share.com/health/autism-spectrum-disorders/v on 12th October, 2013.
Gottlieb, H. (2011). Teacher-parent partnership. Retrieved from
http://www.articlesbd.com on June 1, 2013.
Graham, D. (2005). Heraclitus. Internet encyclopaedia of philosophy.
Hewett, F.M. and Forness, S.R. (1984). Education of exceptional learners. Boston: Allyn and
Bacon
Hick, J.H. (2003). Philosophy of religion. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India.
Kaechele, M. (2011).Philosophy of learning. Retrieved from
http://www.teachpaperless.blogspot.com on June 2, 2013.
Kelly, C.H. and Perkett, D.J. (nd). Adult education in the West: Part I-Definition. Retrieved from http://www.osaka-gu.ac.jp/papers/adult-ed.html on October 30, 2013.
Kielbasa, Jan. (2013). What is first? Metaphysics as prima philosophia and ultima scienta in the
works of Thomas Aquinas. Philosophia 41:635-648. Retrieved from Springerlink.com on December 11, 2013.
Knoblock, P. (1983). Teaching emotionally disturbed children: Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
K’Odhiambo, A.K. (1988). Parental influence on behaviour modification of autistic
children at Jacaranda school for the mentally handicapped in Nairobi (Unpublished Diploma Project, Kenya Institute of Special Education).
Lichtenstein, Nancy. (2013). The history of andragogy. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/info_8332095_history-andragogy.htm on October 23, 2013.
Macmillan dictionary for advanced learners. (2002). Oxford: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
MacReady, N. (2011). Autism associated with loss of family income. A paper
presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), 10TH Anniversary Meeting, San Diego, California, May 17, 2011. Medscape Medical News.Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com on June 23, 2013.
Maluenda, J. (nd). Philosophy of education. Retrieved from
http://www.autismepiphanies.com on May 27, 2013.
Mattei, L. (1995). Introduction to philosophy. Nairobi: Consolata Institute of Philosophy.
Mautner, T. (2005). Dictionary of philosophy. London: Penguin Books.
Ministry of education, British Columbia, special programme. (2000).
Mittler, H. (1986). Working with parents as partners. Rio de Janeiro: International League of
Societies for Persons with Mental Handicap (ILSPMH).
Mosby’s medical dictionary. (2009). Rett’s syndrome. Elsevier. Retrieved from
http://www.medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Rett’s_syndrome on 16th October, 2013.
Nakano, Y.Y. (1994). Miraculous life chain: Essence of evolution from the universe
to mankind. Tokyo: Helix Editions Limited.
National Centre for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of Medicine. (2002).
Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.ni.h.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH002494
Njoroge, R.J. (1977). Metaphysics according to the analytic tradition (Unpublished PhD Thesis).
Nairobi: University of Nairobi.
Ochieng’-Odhiambo, F. (1997). African philosophy: An introduction. Nairobi: Consolata Institute
of Philosophy.
Olela, H. and Bennaars, G.A. (1993). Philosophy of teaching. Nairobi: University of Nairobi.
Omniglot (nd). The online encyclopedia of writing systems and languages.
Patzia, M. (2007). Anaxagoras. Internet encyclopeadia of philosophy. Retrieved from
http://www.iep.utm.edu/anaxagor/ on October 20, 2013.
Popkin, R.H. and Stroll, A. (1973). Philosophy made simple: London: Heinemann
Publishers (W.H. Allen and Kegan).
Reber, S.A. (1985). Dictionary of psychology. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
Riccio, Ariana. (2011). Autism in Kenya: A social, educational and political perspective.
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. Paper 1203. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.edu/isp_collection/1203 on October 23, 2013.
Shaffer, J.A. (2003). Philosophy of mind. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India.
Special needs education policy. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.kenya.cbm.org on
September 12, 2013.
Smith, Barbara. (2011). Leo Kanner and autism. Retrieved from http://www.healthguideinfo.com/diagnosing-autism/p10538 on October 20, 2013.
Swick, K.J. (1991). A rural teacher-parent partnership for the enhancement of
school success. Retrieved from http://www.researchgate.net
Swick, K.J. (1992).Teacher-parent relationships. Retrieved from
Taylor, M.J. (2005). Teaching students with autistic spectrum disorder in higher education. Education +
Training, Vol. 47 Iss: 7, pp. 484-495. Retrieved from DOI 10.1108/00400910510626330 on September 2, 2013.
Usha Wellbeing. (nd). Metaphysics. Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/siteushawellbeing/home/metaphysics on August 23, 2013.
Wainer, A.L. and Igersoll, B.R. (2013). Disseminating autism spectrum disorder interventions: A pilot
study of a distance learning programme for parents and professionals. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, January 2013, Vol.43, Issue 1, pp. 11-24.
WebMD. (2003). Autism spectrum disorders. Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism-spectrum-disord on20thOctober, 2013.
Wikipedia. (nd). Rett’s syndrome. Retrieved from
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rett_syndrome on 23rd October, 2013.
Wikipedia. (nd). Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).
Retrieved from http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDD-NOS on 25th October, 2013.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
