The Reason I Jump

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida  

I recently finished this book. It is about a boy with autism sharing his thoughts and experiences by answering questions. 

The questions were mostly about why he and some people with autism act in a certain way (putting his hands on front of his face and moving it slowly). He answered that the reason behind this behavior may vary for each person, but for him, it's because when he does this, it makes him feel happy and comfortable. Since his eyes are sensitive to light, doing this lessens the amount of light entering his eyes and this gives a sense of comfort. 

There are a lot of answers to these kinds of questions and may really vary. It is very interesting to know and try to understand the behavior of some people with autism. As an educator, this is an eye opener. To always, always give students the opportunity to express themselves, to never stop caring and understanding them. It may be difficult and complicated to do this, but through communication, respect and compassion, students/ others will be able to get past difficulties.