Temple Grandin

Grandin’s mother was her earliest supporter and one of the greatest influences on her life. In the first years of Grandin’s life, when she showed herself to be clearly different than other children, many people (including Grandin’s father) thought she needed to be placed in an institution and would never be able to adjust to mainstream life. Grandin’s mother, however, did not give up on her daughter. She sought out a nanny who had experience working with children with special needs, and persisted in getting Grandin enrolled in a small, private school that would be supportive of Grandin.

This gave Grandin a strong foundation in life. Later, however, when Grandin reacted violently to being bullied in high school, some people—again including Grandin’s father—thought she needed to be sent away. Grandin’s mother again found another solution, in the form of a boarding school in New Hampshire that was devoted to children with special needs. After remarrying, Grandin’s mother realized that her sister-in-law’s ranch in Arizona would be a great opportunity for Grandin to spend time outdoors and work with her hands, having realized that these were activities in which Grandin thrived. These experiences allowed Grandin to deepen her love of animals, and eventually led to her successful career as an animal behaviorist and consultant. Thus, Grandin’s mother was a constant source of support and encouragement for her daughter. To this day, Grandin recognizes her mother as a vital influence on her life.

Mr. Carlock was Grandin’s high school science teacher and a pivotal influence in her life. Like Grandin’s mother, Mr. Carlock was willing to go against the grain in his support of Grandin. When Grandin became interested in the cattle chute and wanted to develop one at boarding school for personal use, her plan was criticized by school officials. They, along with other experts at the time, believed that such fixations caused people with autism to have trouble fitting in with mainstream society. Mr. Carlock, however, understood that Grandin’s interest in the cattle chute could be used to motivate her to do better in school.

Mr. Carlock encouraged Grandin to develop the cattle chute scientifically by experimenting its use with other people and recording their impressions. This intellectual activity caused Grandin to take more interest in school and ultimately graduate near the top of her high school class. Even after starting college, Grandin would return to see Mr. Carlock and discuss the progress of her research on cattle chutes. In this way, Mr. Carlock’s importance to Grandin is made clear.