Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Judy Cohen and her daughter Mindee Pinto are co-authors of the book “Mikey”. A book which describes what life is like for a young boy with autism in his everyday activities at school.
Judy Cohen commented.
‘In this book, Mikey explains how a young child with autism sees, hears, and feels the world around him in his school environment. Mikey is not just intended for educators; although, all teachers should read it to their classes. It is intended to educate adults as well as young children to increase their acceptance, awareness and understanding of the child with autism. This book, and others to follow, was inspired by my vast experiences as a teacher working with children with autism.’
Mikey’s authors have been on television shows in Milwaukee WI, Chicago IL, Madison WI., Minneapolis MN, Indianapolis IN, Tucson AZ, Omaha NE., Salt Lake City in March, Sacramento in April. Karen Meyers a reporter for ABC7 in Chicago and Laura Langemo from FOX6 in Milwaukee, broadcast interviews with the authors, reporters from online media publications, from Milwaukee, Chicago and Australia, have written pieces about Mikey.
Autism Daily Newscast covered the story earlier this month and we were eager to learn more about the mother and daughter team behind the book.
We had the great pleasure of interviewing Judy who retired 2 years ago from being a special education teacher of 30 years for the Milwaukee Public School System.
We were interested to learn more about Judy’s life and how she had become involved within the autism world. She told us that the first 12 years of teaching was in the classroom as a special education teacher.
“I taught 7 years of preschool, severe-profound functioning levels which encompassed children with cognitive disabilities, physical impairments and autism. I then taught a 6th-8th grade inclusion classroom with children with emotional/behavioural disabilities.”
Judy explained that when the program closed she was asked to be a diagnostic teacher, the person that tests children in academic areas when referred for a special education evaluation.
“I completed the assessments, and observations, ran the meetings and wrote the IEP’s for children that qualified for enrolment in special education. Many of those children qualified in the area of autism.”
Nearly 13 years ago, Judy started her educational company, Lakeside Educational Services, which she told us began:
“…as more and more parents asked me to tutor/academic coach to their children.”
Today Judy continues to run this company and tutors children as well as acting as a special education advocate for parents who are in the special education process.
Mikey is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.