A story about inclusion, diversity, and the power of math to help one
boy with autism thrive among his peers.
Juan claps his hands to get his Jitters out. They make his tummy
swoosh and swirl. His Jitters happen when there are too many people,
too much noise, or too many changes to his day. Juan doesn't like
surprises.
Tomorrow there is an athletic event planned at school, which makes Juan
very nervous. But his teacher has the perfect solution: math--Juan's
favorite subject! Counting, sorting, and matching help Juan calm his
Jitters. By making math part of the day's athletic games, and by
appointing Juan the official judge, his teacher can make sure that Juan
will have fun and feel included. The class is calling it the Mathletic
Games!
Parents of children 4 to 8 years-old can use this book to help teach
kids about neurodiversity, inclusion, and the beauty in what makes every
one of us unique. Teachers will find the book meets several Common Core
Standards for pre-K through third grade in reading and math, and
nurtures multiple domains of scholastic development.