This school year has been an interesting one so far for my first grader, Eli. He had the most wonderful small group autism class for kindergarten last year. It was full day and had all the structure, discipline, and appropriate challenges that he needed. He was mainstreaming for 30 minutes a day, without the help of an aide. By the end of the school year, all those extra hours in the classroom paid off. He was doing great. I placed him at the school he is now attending, fully expecting that he would just pick up where he left off and be able to have the type of structure that he had in the kindergarten class, and continue to increase mainstreaming time.
My little bear is going on 4 months now, and I have been waking up from newborn zombieland only to be disappointed when I realized that things are much different for Eli than I thought they were going to be. I don't blame anyone for this, really, as it is a good deal in part due to circumstances and different teaching styles. The class he is in is NOT bad, it is just not a great match for him. He was coming home with clenched teeth, ready for a fight. Sometimes he would just come home and start yelling at me. Then he would throw a fit in the evening... "I don't want to go to school. My friend is mean to me. He yells in my ear." Come to find out, Eli is the highest functioning child in his current small group autism class. The class can have a rather high noise level, and Eli has always had a strong sensitivity to noise. All the noise was causing him serious tension issues. Also, academically he can do all the typical 1st grade level work.
Eli's teacher has really earned my trust. When I went to her with my concerns, she put him in more mainstreaming time, and she went with him herself the first time to see how it would go, and so she could tell how much time would be appropriate for him. He is now mainstreaming 2 and 1/2 hours a day. While he does NOT behave like an angel the whole time he is in Mrs. H's class, Mrs. H is very experienced and works great with him. He also goes with an aide from his special ed classroom who takes care of him there. The overall result of the new changes? MUCH less tension! We are still having behavior issues that have appeared over the last few months, but the lower tension level is good, good stuff. He now has more appropriate role models, more appropriate challenges, and less inappropriate noise. He also still has his small group autism class in the afternoon, which is good for downwinding a bit and for getting individual help with his lessons. All these changes are very recent. We are watching very closely to see how things will be once he has settled into this routine. All we know right now is that this is great stuff.
I am already concerned for next year! My concerns are these: The small group autism classes in this school district are not going to become more appropriate for him as he ages, they are only going to cause him frustration. It is likely he may not be at a level next year where it will be appropriate to place him in a large, typical public school class setting. All my concerns combined cause me to think that a charter school will be a good option for him for next year. I believe that at a charter school he may be able to be with his typical peers in a smaller class setting, and I think that with the support a smaller classroom would afford, he would do very well. We are looking into options.
Showing posts with label special education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label special education. Show all posts
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Back to School
We had an extremely eventful summer... let's see... we became homeowners, we had a baby boy, and we became very active staff of a gluten-free business. Add that to the autism therapy things which are just part of our life and we forget that that takes energy, too, and it was all exhausting to say the least. We now live in a white palace, as I have dubbed it, (a tall white townhouse that I just love,) we have an almost three month-old who is totally mild mannered and super social, we just finished our second publication for the business, and we have a six year old with autism who said to me tonight, "Mom, I have too much speed for you!" (We were playing a racing game on the wii and I about died when he said that... too funny!)
(This is an image that our team created for the September publication. As serious design work, I'm pretty sure it is not so successful, but it seemed to fit its' purpose, and Eli thinks it is really fun!)
We also had a casualty over the summer... my parent's marriage of 32 years ended. My parents also have a son with autism, my teenage brother. I had always thought that having an autistic child upped your chances of divorce significantly. My own observations of other families while I was growing up seemed confirm this. A quick google search brought up several pages that said the same thing: We no longer think it is true that divorce is more likely for these couples. Apparently couples with young children are more at risk for divorce, same with the parents with autism in the family. However, depending on the severity of the autism, their risk may not go down when their child ages as other couple's would. It was so strange, but awesome at the same time to have that myth debunked for me. (I admit that I still do believe what I heard a dad of 3 ASD children say in a panel discussion concerning autism and marriage. "It will make you or break you." He and his wife stressed the need for constant communication.) Of course I would never ever think of my brother as the cause for this separation. His condition was only one of many stresses on the relationship. My brother has been handling change well and is enjoying the new school year.
My own son is in the first grade! I can't believe it. He is in a small group autism class. I am looking forward to doing volunteering and becoming familiar with how they run things and how they discipline and such. It is sweet how they think he is such a great reader and so responsible, but that also makes me concerned for how well he fits the class. Should they be surprised that he can read and that he is independent? I don't think so. I think they should expect that. We will see how the year unfolds. He seems to enjoy school and I have not noticed any regression in behaviors, so it is quite possible that we are in a good place. Here's to a brand new school year!
(This is an image that our team created for the September publication. As serious design work, I'm pretty sure it is not so successful, but it seemed to fit its' purpose, and Eli thinks it is really fun!)
We also had a casualty over the summer... my parent's marriage of 32 years ended. My parents also have a son with autism, my teenage brother. I had always thought that having an autistic child upped your chances of divorce significantly. My own observations of other families while I was growing up seemed confirm this. A quick google search brought up several pages that said the same thing: We no longer think it is true that divorce is more likely for these couples. Apparently couples with young children are more at risk for divorce, same with the parents with autism in the family. However, depending on the severity of the autism, their risk may not go down when their child ages as other couple's would. It was so strange, but awesome at the same time to have that myth debunked for me. (I admit that I still do believe what I heard a dad of 3 ASD children say in a panel discussion concerning autism and marriage. "It will make you or break you." He and his wife stressed the need for constant communication.) Of course I would never ever think of my brother as the cause for this separation. His condition was only one of many stresses on the relationship. My brother has been handling change well and is enjoying the new school year.
My own son is in the first grade! I can't believe it. He is in a small group autism class. I am looking forward to doing volunteering and becoming familiar with how they run things and how they discipline and such. It is sweet how they think he is such a great reader and so responsible, but that also makes me concerned for how well he fits the class. Should they be surprised that he can read and that he is independent? I don't think so. I think they should expect that. We will see how the year unfolds. He seems to enjoy school and I have not noticed any regression in behaviors, so it is quite possible that we are in a good place. Here's to a brand new school year!
Monday, February 28, 2011
My Average Student
When my son was 18 months old, he was not talking or communicating at age level, as a family member pointed out as a possible problem. She suggested I get it checked out with the school district. The school district had an early intervention program which was free if he qualified for services, and so I figured we had nothing to lose. He did end up qualifying for services, and he has had an IEP ever since.
With the IEP comes a yearly meeting, along with testing to see if he still qualifies for services. The test measures where the child is developmentally compared to peers. It is admittedly disheartening to walk out of those meetings sometimes, after you hear; "Your child is in the 5th percentile for such and such, and in the 8th percentile for such and such." And so on down the test, and of course being in the 5th percentile for something means that 95 percent of children the same age are at a higher level. The testers have always been very kind to us and have always explained that communication was a huge setback, but that didn't always make the meetings easier.
After years of this, how exciting it was to go to a recent parent-teacher conference and to be presented with Eli's current academic scores for reading and math! He scored right at grade level for reading, and in math he was not as high, but still within the average range. I have an average student! Now I know that this test he took and the developmental tests of the IEP are not the same, we are not comparing apples to apples here, but this is still amazing. I could not be any prouder of my little guy. I just feel that if his communication has improved to such a level to understand all this abstract academic material, we are also approaching a much better developmental level, too.
With the IEP comes a yearly meeting, along with testing to see if he still qualifies for services. The test measures where the child is developmentally compared to peers. It is admittedly disheartening to walk out of those meetings sometimes, after you hear; "Your child is in the 5th percentile for such and such, and in the 8th percentile for such and such." And so on down the test, and of course being in the 5th percentile for something means that 95 percent of children the same age are at a higher level. The testers have always been very kind to us and have always explained that communication was a huge setback, but that didn't always make the meetings easier.
After years of this, how exciting it was to go to a recent parent-teacher conference and to be presented with Eli's current academic scores for reading and math! He scored right at grade level for reading, and in math he was not as high, but still within the average range. I have an average student! Now I know that this test he took and the developmental tests of the IEP are not the same, we are not comparing apples to apples here, but this is still amazing. I could not be any prouder of my little guy. I just feel that if his communication has improved to such a level to understand all this abstract academic material, we are also approaching a much better developmental level, too.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Summer Activities
These are some pics of some outings we have had this summer.
Hogle Zoo: comparing his size to the apes
These were all so fun! The zoo and Children's Museum were both in Salt Lake and both class field trips with his school. The zoo wore me out, it was so overstimulating for him that most of the time he was just running around everywhere. Once he wore himself out alittle, he really enjoyed looking at the animals.
On a hike in the canyon with Daddy
Hiking is something we are working with him on this summer. We would like for him to go on short hikes with us. Here you see his dad had to pack him out. Next time we will let him play in the water at the falls, and that will give him some hiking motivation!
Children's Museum
The Children's Museum was really nice. He loved the activities there that involved large soft blocks and cranes, water, balls, and digging. This was alittle easier than the zoo because it was in a more confined space. (And yes, he was wearing a bright orange vest so he would be easier to keep track of.)
Soon his summer program at school will be over, and I am compiling some fun educational activities for him to do for the rest of the summer locally and at home. Please let me know if you have ideas! I will post mine. :)
Hogle Zoo: comparing his size to the apes
These were all so fun! The zoo and Children's Museum were both in Salt Lake and both class field trips with his school. The zoo wore me out, it was so overstimulating for him that most of the time he was just running around everywhere. Once he wore himself out alittle, he really enjoyed looking at the animals.
On a hike in the canyon with Daddy
Hiking is something we are working with him on this summer. We would like for him to go on short hikes with us. Here you see his dad had to pack him out. Next time we will let him play in the water at the falls, and that will give him some hiking motivation!
Children's Museum
The Children's Museum was really nice. He loved the activities there that involved large soft blocks and cranes, water, balls, and digging. This was alittle easier than the zoo because it was in a more confined space. (And yes, he was wearing a bright orange vest so he would be easier to keep track of.)
Soon his summer program at school will be over, and I am compiling some fun educational activities for him to do for the rest of the summer locally and at home. Please let me know if you have ideas! I will post mine. :)
Friday, January 22, 2010
School AGAIN?
This morning I looked in on Eli when it was time for him to get up. I thought I saw his little eyelids blinking, so I said, "Eli it is time to get up so you can get ready for school." As I walked down the hallway I heard him say, "Again?"
I laughed all the way down the hallway! Since I have only heard him say the word "again" only a handful of times, I wasn't 100% sure of what I heard. I went back to his room where he sat on his bed rubbing his eyes.
"Did you say 'again' because you are getting up for school again?" I asked him. "Yes," he said. He has a field trip today, so I told him that he was going to go to the fire station today and see the big fire trucks. I asked him if that sounded good. "Yes," he said, and he got up to get ready for school.
And I am still laughing....
I laughed all the way down the hallway! Since I have only heard him say the word "again" only a handful of times, I wasn't 100% sure of what I heard. I went back to his room where he sat on his bed rubbing his eyes.
"Did you say 'again' because you are getting up for school again?" I asked him. "Yes," he said. He has a field trip today, so I told him that he was going to go to the fire station today and see the big fire trucks. I asked him if that sounded good. "Yes," he said, and he got up to get ready for school.
And I am still laughing....
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Pictures Don't Lie
These are snapshots I took of Eli's preschool pictures. In the first one he is barely 3, and in the second he is 4 and 1/2.
This one with the glass glare was taken early in 2008. Although not really smiling, he is looking in the general direction and seems to show curiosity on the photographer.
I was so shocked and pleasantly surprised to pull this packet out of Eli's backpack last week! What a difference! Here he is obviously engaged... what progress.
Biochemical therapy has made him so much more available for learning. His schooling, and life experiences, and activities with mom and dad have been more beneficial for his learning than ever. His academic progress has been phenomenal. (He can read many words.) But it is his social progress that makes me the most proud of all, and these pictures are a clear documentation of that.
This one with the glass glare was taken early in 2008. Although not really smiling, he is looking in the general direction and seems to show curiosity on the photographer.
I was so shocked and pleasantly surprised to pull this packet out of Eli's backpack last week! What a difference! Here he is obviously engaged... what progress.
Biochemical therapy has made him so much more available for learning. His schooling, and life experiences, and activities with mom and dad have been more beneficial for his learning than ever. His academic progress has been phenomenal. (He can read many words.) But it is his social progress that makes me the most proud of all, and these pictures are a clear documentation of that.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Parent's Rights
Today was my son's second IEP meeting. At the meeting his teacher gave me a booklet that covers a parent's rights. She said that even though the law always holds them accountable for how they teach my son, as a parent of a special ed child, I can hold them accountable, too.
So what did I do? Well, like a child, I was alittle testy. They outlined the goals that they had for him. Attention goals, looking and following directions, and academic ones, like naming body parts. Those were good goals, and I look forward to seeing him meet those, but I felt like we were missing something. I told them I wanted social goals. I wanted him to learn to initiate interaction with other children and learn how to turn take with them. All the academic success he has will not make him successful without basic social skills.
So what did they do? They made a plan of how to make progress measurable, they put it in the computer on the new IEP, and we all signed it. Parents, stand up for your kids and educate yourselves so that truly you are the one who knows what is best, and then go and get it for your child. :)
So what did I do? Well, like a child, I was alittle testy. They outlined the goals that they had for him. Attention goals, looking and following directions, and academic ones, like naming body parts. Those were good goals, and I look forward to seeing him meet those, but I felt like we were missing something. I told them I wanted social goals. I wanted him to learn to initiate interaction with other children and learn how to turn take with them. All the academic success he has will not make him successful without basic social skills.
So what did they do? They made a plan of how to make progress measurable, they put it in the computer on the new IEP, and we all signed it. Parents, stand up for your kids and educate yourselves so that truly you are the one who knows what is best, and then go and get it for your child. :)
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