Reflection

ESP 621 has completely changed my idea of what assessment is.  Prior to this course when I thought about assessment I thought of standardized tests.  Now I realize that assessment is ongoing.  We never stop assessing the growth that the students we work with.  Assessment of ASD can be difficult.  We need to keep in mind that not every student is the same, and we may need to administer standardized assessments differently for every student (i.e. short durations, reward systems, ect.).  My contribution came from ten years of experience working one-on-one with students both at their homes and within a school setting.  I have a thorough understanding of the family dynamics involved in assessment.  When practicing as a BCBA in the future I will keep these things in mind, as well as everything we learned about Theory of Mind.  I find that a lot of professionals do not have a thorough understanding of the lack of Theory of Mind in individuals with autism, and I hope to be able to teach them about it.  I found both the wiki and the annotated bibliography very helpful in expanding my knowledge as a scholar.  I am now able to think about ASD with an open mind, and I am ready to continue to learn.