I'm going to hear Temple Grandin!!!

kittynh · 29th April 2004, 09:35 AM

I'm thrilled because this afternoon I am going to hear Temple Grandin speak at Dartmouth College. I am also taking the kittens. She totally changed the way I view children and learning disabilities. Temple is an animal behavioral specialist, she also just happens to be autistic. She is highly functioning now, though I am told it is still very obvious that she is autistic.

I read her book about her life and she made it clear to me that a learning disability doesn't mean that the person is "abnormal". By that, people who think differently, can be a benefit to society. This lead me to not only accepting my daughters severe dyslexia, but even seeing it as a benefit. Temple Grandin would not be the success she is today unless she was autistic. And while I know most children that are autistic do not grow up to have the same sort of life that Temple has, her insights into autism have been most educational to many.

She is going to talk about ethics and the way we treat feed animals. By that, she is a great advocate of treating our cows and other animals we eat with care and even dignity until we kill them. She has designed human killing facilities (slaughter houses) that are in use today. They actually save money as the animals are calm and relaxed in them.

http://www.autism.org/interview/temp_int.html

Brown · 29th April 2004, 09:45 AM

Dr. Oliver Sacks's book, "An Anthropologist On Mars," includes a chapter on Temple Grandin (and I believe she is the inspiration for the title of the book). I recommend this book.

kittynh · 29th April 2004, 06:30 PM

I just got back from hearing her speak with my daughters. She is probably the most amazing person I have ever heard speak. Kitten2 went up to her afterwards and said, "I see in pictures too!" Temple then talked to her and gave her advice about what to do with her life and her "gift" of a learning disability. She took the time to really give her wonderful advice. Kitten2 said that moment of talking to Temple was going to be one of the highlights of her life.

Almost single handedly Temple has changed how animals are processed in the US. Today, almost animal processing plants are humane places. Temple got McDonalds to agree to only buy meat from plants that use her humane methods and pass her inspecitons. Soon Burger King and Wendy's followed. It should also be noted that most kosher meat is processed in a way that would turn your tummy, but Hebrew National had Temple devise more humane methods for the process. I give great credit to these places. Temple figured out the way to get change wasn't laws, it was by the pocket book! If the fast food places won't buy your meat, then you are going to clean up fast!

She was such a great speaker. One thing she said over and over is that "when bad becomes normal then you have real problems". Also, she said that any equipment she designs is only as good as the management, that people are the key to anything working well.

I will just remember this forever also. I was in tears as my daughter met the woman who had influenced her life in so many ways. If I had a choice between a daughter like Brittney
Spears and a daughter like Temple, I know I would pick Temple anyday!

Jeff Corey · 30th April 2004, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kittynh
She has designed human killing facilities (slaughter houses) that are in use today.

Erm, I hope that was a typo.

Boo · 30th April 2004, 09:30 AM

kitty, I envy you! She will be speaking in Albuquerque next week and I have to work

.

Her books and her website were and are an invaluable resource. Every time I get discouraged about what the future holds for the twins, I read her book and the future brightens.

Boo

Hagrok · 30th April 2004, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boo
kitty, I envy you! She will be speaking in Albuquerque next week and I have to work .

Where at? (not where you work, where she's speaking)

I too would like to hear about these "human killing facilities". Bwahahaha!

--Dan

kittynh · 30th April 2004, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boo
kitty, I envy you! She will be speaking in Albuquerque next week and I have to work .

Her books and her website were and are an invaluable resource. Every time I get discouraged about what the future holds for the twins, I read her book and the future brightens.

Boo

]Sorry about the human killing facilities!

I would say that as regards children with learning disabilities...such as Kitten2, someone in the audience asked Temple when she knew she had "overcome" her autism. They said they were amazed she could get up and speak before a crowd of people (and she is a wonderful speaker), because their child was autistic and she could never imagine them doing a speech. Temple said that there wasn't a time when she thought, "I'm able to deal with being autistic and speaking". She claims the first time she tried to speak in public she ran away, she was so afraid. She said that dealing with autism is a slow process, with little gains year by year, sometimes painfully slow gains. There was never a time when she felt she had made some big leap, that it has been slow and hard work. That's what I've found with kitten2. There were times where she went 6 months or more with no improvement. At one point her tutor said she wondered if she could learn any more. I said, "forget about the expense, let's keep up the tutoring. We'll never know if we don't keep trying." As always, Kitten2 has been the one that has shown us all she can do! When Temple told Kitten2 that she needed to spend time on developing what she can do well, along with working on what she has trouble with, it has such meaning for us. Temple is autistic, but single handedly she has done more than anyone else I know. She is so inspiring.

repete66211 · 21st August 2008, 11:27 AM

I am pleased to see Grandin's speech was an enriching experience for you and Kitten2.

I was searching for info on Grandin because she was recommended to a parent of an autistic child by someone who still supports the vaccine/autism hypothesis. So, naturally, I suspected Grandin might be one of those people. I am happy to see she isn't.

jimbob · 21st August 2008, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Brown

Dr. Oliver Sacks's book, "An Anthropologist On Mars," includes a chapter on Temple Grandin (and I believe she is the inspiration for the title of the book). I recommend this book.

Seconded,

Temple Grandin also wrote some very interesting letters to new Scientist.

She said that if someone's face turned red and they statrted to shake, she could tell that they were angry, by a process of concious deduction, and she thought that this was one reason that she was so good with animals, because unlike non-autistic people, she had to conciously deduce emotions for all animals, including her own species.
(IIRC)
I think that was the anthropologist on mars analogy...

wolfgirl · 22nd August 2008, 11:03 AM

We saw Temple in Kansas City a year or two ago, quite by accident. My husband heard about the talk on the radio or something and thought it was about animal behavior, which I have an intense interest in, so he went and got tickets for us. When we got there, we were sitting amongst all these families with autistic kids, some of them talking to us with the obvious assumption that we had an autistic child. We figured we'd made some sort of mistake, but were sort of too embarrassed to leave, so we stayed for the whole talk.

It was so interesting! What an inspirational person she is. And I was delighted to hear about all of her work with animals, so it turned out to be a good evening after all. You had to buy her book to get tickets, and it was a really good read, too.

29th April 2004, 09:35 AM	#1
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	I'm going to hear Temple Grandin!!! I'm thrilled because this afternoon I am going to hear Temple Grandin speak at Dartmouth College. I am also taking the kittens. She totally changed the way I view children and learning disabilities. Temple is an animal behavioral specialist, she also just happens to be autistic. She is highly functioning now, though I am told it is still very obvious that she is autistic. I read her book about her life and she made it clear to me that a learning disability doesn't mean that the person is "abnormal". By that, people who think differently, can be a benefit to society. This lead me to not only accepting my daughters severe dyslexia, but even seeing it as a benefit. Temple Grandin would not be the success she is today unless she was autistic. And while I know most children that are autistic do not grow up to have the same sort of life that Temple has, her insights into autism have been most educational to many. She is going to talk about ethics and the way we treat feed animals. By that, she is a great advocate of treating our cows and other animals we eat with care and even dignity until we kill them. She has designed human killing facilities (slaughter houses) that are in use today. They actually save money as the animals are calm and relaxed in them. http://www.autism.org/interview/temp_int.html
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

29th April 2004, 09:45 AM	#2
Brown Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Twin Cities, Canada Posts: 12,145	Dr. Oliver Sacks's book, "An Anthropologist On Mars," includes a chapter on Temple Grandin (and I believe she is the inspiration for the title of the book). I recommend this book.
	__________________ Klaatu: I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it. Mr. Harley: I'm afraid my people haven't. I am very sorry. I wish it were otherwise. -- The Day The Earth Stood Still, screenplay by Edmund H. North "Don't you get me wrong. I only want to know." -- Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, lyrics by Tim Rice

29th April 2004, 06:30 PM	#3
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	I just got back from hearing her speak with my daughters. She is probably the most amazing person I have ever heard speak. Kitten2 went up to her afterwards and said, "I see in pictures too!" Temple then talked to her and gave her advice about what to do with her life and her "gift" of a learning disability. She took the time to really give her wonderful advice. Kitten2 said that moment of talking to Temple was going to be one of the highlights of her life. Almost single handedly Temple has changed how animals are processed in the US. Today, almost animal processing plants are humane places. Temple got McDonalds to agree to only buy meat from plants that use her humane methods and pass her inspecitons. Soon Burger King and Wendy's followed. It should also be noted that most kosher meat is processed in a way that would turn your tummy, but Hebrew National had Temple devise more humane methods for the process. I give great credit to these places. Temple figured out the way to get change wasn't laws, it was by the pocket book! If the fast food places won't buy your meat, then you are going to clean up fast! She was such a great speaker. One thing she said over and over is that "when bad becomes normal then you have real problems". Also, she said that any equipment she designs is only as good as the management, that people are the key to anything working well. I will just remember this forever also. I was in tears as my daughter met the woman who had influenced her life in so many ways. If I had a choice between a daughter like Brittney Spears and a daughter like Temple, I know I would pick Temple anyday!
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

30th April 2004, 06:41 AM	#4
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Re: I'm going to hear Temple Grandin!!! Quote: Originally posted by kittynh She has designed human killing facilities (slaughter houses) that are in use today. Erm, I hope that was a typo.

30th April 2004, 09:30 AM	#5
Boo ts Join Date: May 2003 Location: state of chaos Posts: 3,743	kitty, I envy you! She will be speaking in Albuquerque next week and I have to work . Her books and her website were and are an invaluable resource. Every time I get discouraged about what the future holds for the twins, I read her book and the future brightens. Boo
	__________________ Wounds heal. Morally Obtuse. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

30th April 2004, 09:41 AM	#6
Hagrok Muse Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: ABQ, NM, USA Posts: 904	Quote: Originally posted by Boo kitty, I envy you! She will be speaking in Albuquerque next week and I have to work . Where at? (not where you work, where she's speaking) I too would like to hear about these "human killing facilities". Bwahahaha! --Dan
	__________________ Indecision may or may not be my problem...

30th April 2004, 06:24 PM	#7
kittynh The Hupsu Detective auctioneer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: If I told the aliens could find me, and you know they read this forum Posts: 22,705	Quote: Originally posted by Boo kitty, I envy you! She will be speaking in Albuquerque next week and I have to work . Her books and her website were and are an invaluable resource. Every time I get discouraged about what the future holds for the twins, I read her book and the future brightens. Boo ]Sorry about the human killing facilities! I would say that as regards children with learning disabilities...such as Kitten2, someone in the audience asked Temple when she knew she had "overcome" her autism. They said they were amazed she could get up and speak before a crowd of people (and she is a wonderful speaker), because their child was autistic and she could never imagine them doing a speech. Temple said that there wasn't a time when she thought, "I'm able to deal with being autistic and speaking". She claims the first time she tried to speak in public she ran away, she was so afraid. She said that dealing with autism is a slow process, with little gains year by year, sometimes painfully slow gains. There was never a time when she felt she had made some big leap, that it has been slow and hard work. That's what I've found with kitten2. There were times where she went 6 months or more with no improvement. At one point her tutor said she wondered if she could learn any more. I said, "forget about the expense, let's keep up the tutoring. We'll never know if we don't keep trying." As always, Kitten2 has been the one that has shown us all she can do! When Temple told Kitten2 that she needed to spend time on developing what she can do well, along with working on what she has trouble with, it has such meaning for us. Temple is autistic, but single handedly she has done more than anyone else I know. She is so inspiring.
	__________________ WWW.BADALIEN.ORG - not all the buttons work yet, and the science content is coming...but it's ALIVE!

21st August 2008, 11:27 AM	#8
repete66211 New Blood Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7	I am pleased to see Grandin's speech was an enriching experience for you and Kitten2. I was searching for info on Grandin because she was recommended to a parent of an autistic child by someone who still supports the vaccine/autism hypothesis. So, naturally, I suspected Grandin might be one of those people. I am happy to see she isn't.
repete66211 New Blood Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7

21st August 2008, 12:39 PM	#9
jimbob Uncritical "thinker" Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Derbyshire, UK Posts: 5,160	Originally Posted by Brown Dr. Oliver Sacks's book, "An Anthropologist On Mars," includes a chapter on Temple Grandin (and I believe she is the inspiration for the title of the book). I recommend this book. Seconded, Temple Grandin also wrote some very interesting letters to new Scientist. She said that if someone's face turned red and they statrted to shake, she could tell that they were angry, by a process of concious deduction, and she thought that this was one reason that she was so good with animals, because unlike non-autistic people, she had to conciously deduce emotions for all animals, including her own species. (IIRC) I think that was the anthropologist on mars analogy...
	__________________ OECD healthcare statistics http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,33..._1_1_1,00.html 2010 Data UK 9.6% of GDP of which 83.2% is state expenditure = 8.0% of GDP from taxes US 17.6% of GDP of which 48.2% is state expenditure = 8.5% of GDP from taxes

22nd August 2008, 11:03 AM	#10
wolfgirl Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kearney, MO Posts: 1,361	We saw Temple in Kansas City a year or two ago, quite by accident. My husband heard about the talk on the radio or something and thought it was about animal behavior, which I have an intense interest in, so he went and got tickets for us. When we got there, we were sitting amongst all these families with autistic kids, some of them talking to us with the obvious assumption that we had an autistic child. We figured we'd made some sort of mistake, but were sort of too embarrassed to leave, so we stayed for the whole talk. It was so interesting! What an inspirational person she is. And I was delighted to hear about all of her work with animals, so it turned out to be a good evening after all. You had to buy her book to get tickets, and it was a really good read, too.
	__________________ My moral compass was within myself, not in the pages of a sacred book. - Ayaan Hirsi Ali