Instinctively, I began to search for ways to get through to him. I found that he had a wonderful sense of humor and gleefully sang all the children's songs. He loved to use puppets with our songs. At this, eyes flashing, head thrown back, he would laugh uproariously. Though he did not seem to be upset by these interruptions, he continued to scream and kick defiantly in response to any requests that were contrary to his wishes.
All human beings are worthy of being treated with dignity and respect.
Disciplining Blake was difficult for me, but I followed procedure by placing him in time-out. For a number of minutes he had to kneel in the corner. I knelt behind him as he cried. It would take several months of patiently enduring his tantrums, but they would begin to decrease as Blake's world opened up. As Blake's skills and enthusiasm for school increased, his behavioral problems decreased.