Re: Mainstream classroom

[Guest guest]

Thank you Gwyn,

You are so right I feel like I need to trust my instincts and go with what I

feel is right. I feel like in my heart of hearts I know she will probably do

better in the mainstream environment for most of the day. We have the option of

having her spend part of the day in a smaller classroom they call it (resource)

here we are in North Carolina. In the resource classes the children get more one

to one assistance with subjects such as reading, writing, math etc.

I really think that that option will be best for Sydney. I think the aid would

be a great addition and I plan to fight for it. But I'm not sure how it will go

because I know that NC does not have the biggest education budget. However, I

also wonder if the aid is more for my comfort then for her assistance. So I will

see if we can at least try and get assistance for her during transition time if

not all day.

The one thing that I don't like about the self-contained programs here is that

they have 3 grade levels K-2 and 3-5 all in one classroom in Elementary. The

children also don't have much interaction with their mainstreamed peers. Sydney

was in a self-contained class at age 3 and she was bored socially. she also

began to pick up new behaviors since she did not seem to be stimulated enough. I

don't mean to sound offensive but she really thrives from interacting socially

with peers that are more advanced then her especially with speech. She is a huge

modeler and she learns by imitating others. So I feel we need to try the

mainstream and if it's not the best then we need to consider other options

later.

> > >

> > > > **

> >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Carmen, how old is your child? If you are unsure of what to do in the

> > > > fall (mainstream or self-contained) why not let your child play an

> > extra

> > > > year? I think many people send their kids to school too early. As an

> > > > educator, it's heartbreaking to see an overplaced child pulling out

> > his/her

> > > > hair on the rainbow rug, trying to keep it together. My best friend

> > (with

> > > > an autistic daughter)and I (non MDS) both let our older children play

> > an

> > > > extra year and the results are amazing. Our children have emerged into

> > > > leaders. Yes, they are the oldest kids in class, but they are very

> > > > confident.

> > > >

> > > > Mg

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

[Guest guest]

Carmen,We are going through the same process right now with our son. We have our

second IEP meeting this upcoming Monday. We went through the evaluation process

and Braxton tested on the mentally retardation level. Based on that it was

recommended that he go into a special education kindergarten classroom. This

classroom is in a different elementary school then my other son attends. We

pushed for mainstreaming at our home school. The testing process was not an

accurate evaluation for my son's intelligence and what he is capable of. They

have agreed to mainstream Braxton and now we will push for an aide at our next

meeting. I feel this will be helpful at least for the first half of the year in

keeping him on track. We did hire an advocate to attend the meetings with us

and to help with our IEP. I felt that I wasn't as educated as I needed to be

about the entire process. I think the whole process is so intimidating because

I am pushing and advocating for my child the entire time not knowing if he will

succeed with the path we have chosen for him. I felt that I could also take a

step back or tweak something if we need to but it would be much more difficult

to move him from the special needs classrooms into a typical class down the

road. My son also thrives off of modeling and so I agree that being with

typical peers the bar is raised for him. Good luck with your decision!

To: MosaicDS

From: carmenihinds@...

Date: Wed, 9 May 2012 18:44:21 +0000

Subject: Re: Mainstream classroom

Thank you Gwyn,

You are so right I feel like I need to trust my instincts and go with what I

feel is right. I feel like in my heart of hearts I know she will probably do

better in the mainstream environment for most of the day. We have the option of

having her spend part of the day in a smaller classroom they call it (resource)

here we are in North Carolina. In the resource classes the children get more one

to one assistance with subjects such as reading, writing, math etc.

I really think that that option will be best for Sydney. I think the aid would

be a great addition and I plan to fight for it. But I'm not sure how it will go

because I know that NC does not have the biggest education budget. However, I

also wonder if the aid is more for my comfort then for her assistance. So I will

see if we can at least try and get assistance for her during transition time if

not all day.

The one thing that I don't like about the self-contained programs here is that

they have 3 grade levels K-2 and 3-5 all in one classroom in Elementary. The

children also don't have much interaction with their mainstreamed peers. Sydney

was in a self-contained class at age 3 and she was bored socially. she also

began to pick up new behaviors since she did not seem to be stimulated enough. I

don't mean to sound offensive but she really thrives from interacting socially

with peers that are more advanced then her especially with speech. She is a huge

modeler and she learns by imitating others. So I feel we need to try the

mainstream and if it's not the best then we need to consider other options

later.

> > >

> > > > **

> >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Carmen, how old is your child? If you are unsure of what to do in the

> > > > fall (mainstream or self-contained) why not let your child play an

> > extra

> > > > year? I think many people send their kids to school too early. As an

> > > > educator, it's heartbreaking to see an overplaced child pulling out

> > his/her

> > > > hair on the rainbow rug, trying to keep it together. My best friend

> > (with

> > > > an autistic daughter)and I (non MDS) both let our older children play

> > an

> > > > extra year and the results are amazing. Our children have emerged into

> > > > leaders. Yes, they are the oldest kids in class, but they are very

> > > > confident.

> > > >

> > > > Mg

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

[Guest guest]

My daughter is just finishing up 1st grade, 7 years old, and there is an aide

assigned to her, totally mainstreamed. She is NOT in the classroom with her,

just a fly on the wall for transitional purposes, drop off, pick up, as she

likes to wander as well. The difference, she does not have any speech issues.

I got the aide when I knew I could for safety purposes and we have made sure she

is continuing on her IEP " just in case " . It's easier I believe to get one now

then try and do it later and have to really prove why she needs one. Good luck!

> My daughter who is 8 and finishing up first grade is totally mainstreamed.

There is a classroom aide and she has a 1 on 1 outside the classroom just

because she likes to wonder. I was told you don't want a 1 on 1 because the

child will become to dependent on them and if you don't get the perfect aide,

the aide will tend to do too much for the child. I'm seeing that now. My

daughter's classroom aide is pretty much her aide and she is not holding her

accountable for things. The teacher has gotten on the aide for this. My daughter

is totally capable of doing everything but if it gets the slightest bit hard she

noes how to play the game and get out of it. this is where the teacher holds her

accountable and makes her do it. I hope this helps!

>

> Sent from my iPad

>

>

>

> > Has anyone in this group decided to place their child with MDS in a

mainstream classroom setting without a one to one aid? My daughter is going to

be starting kindergarten this coming Fall and my husband and I are still trying

to decide which route to take for her. She does well in an inclusive

environment. However, she is still delayed in speech and fine motor skills. We

think she may get bored in a self-contained smaller classroom but we are

concerned about her being mainstreamed without an aid in such a large classroom

mainly due to her speech delays. I am not sure what to do. So I'm just wondering

if anyone else has decided to go mainstream even though your child was speech

delayed and how did it work out good or bad? Thanks

> >

> > Carmen

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > TODAY(Beta) • Powered by Yahoo!

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> > Privacy Policy

> >

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

I did but she was lost and lost the first 3 years of her schooling because

she did not speak or have an aide - they treated her like cardboard cut out

and did not do sight words in K - or skip counting in 1st grade - she

started taking in 2nd grade but by then she had missed all the basics and

was 2.5 years behind.

Darlene

> **

>

>

> Has anyone in this group decided to place their child with MDS in a

> mainstream classroom setting without a one to one aid? My daughter is going

> to be starting kindergarten this coming Fall and my husband and I are still

> trying to decide which route to take for her. She does well in an inclusive

> environment. However, she is still delayed in speech and fine motor skills.

> We think she may get bored in a self-contained smaller classroom but we are

> concerned about her being mainstreamed without an aid in such a large

> classroom mainly due to her speech delays. I am not sure what to do. So I'm

> just wondering if anyone else has decided to go mainstream even though your

> child was speech delayed and how did it work out good or bad? Thanks

>

> Carmen

>

>

>

--

“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

[Guest guest]

Hi Carmen,

Just as background; my mom is a public school speech therapist (20+ years),my

best friend is an elementary resource teacher, my sister is an elementary

school teacher and I was a substitute teachers aide for a year in both resource

rooms and also for special needs kids who were mainstreamed

There are just some things I would like to note and then it would be useful to

ensure you know how your district handles it so you can make the best decision.

First, are your aides trained? In our district, we were paid minimum wage and

we received absolutely no training. This resulted in a lot of us 'doing the

best that we could' for the child but in hindsight, it was not the right thing.

As a parent of a child with special needs, the last thing I want is someone

'doing it for my child'. Even if every aide you have met is 'good', the one you

get might not be.

Something to consider is a 'shared' aide. This is much more acceptable to most

school districts from a financial perspective and it would mean your child would

have an aide but not using that aide as a crutch. If you do consider this route,

I would then volunteer and see how things were going with the aide and how she

did without the aide. Unfortunately, I would say that more than 1/2 the time,

the aides are more of a problem than a blessing due to their lack of knowledge

on how to 'help' kids with special needs. (or laziness and then your child gets

no help). If you do get an aide, try to help that person understand the needs

of your child right away so you don't have to go in later when that person might

be defensive.

In terms of resource, my view is that they fantastic. These teachers focus on a

subject and there are only a handful of students in there at a time. She

teaches the subject at a reduced pace, there are few distractions for the kids

and then the teacher and I went around and helped kids one-on-one when they

requested help. I didn't do anything for the children, just tutoring/checking

type of assistance as they made it through their work. It gave them enough time

to try on their own and also enough time with assistance. It was a great

balance for the kids and only the children who needed that subject matter help

were in the class. Your resource specialist may also be a reading specialist

(or they might be seperate), but I would find out. Consider what subjects your

child might need to go over a bit more slowly and don't rule out resource.

These children are not behaviorally a problem and the class can really help in

areas where she is weak. You may also want to go see a class/resource teacher

in action to see if you are happy with it.

I would definetly start with mainstreaming and pulling out with resource for any

subjects you think will help your daughter succeed. The real problem with asking

for a full-time aide is that you have to argue that she has needs which require

it and then that points the district toward a more restrictive envionment if

they believe she truly needs that much help. Its a difficult argument to win

which is why many more people are succful at a shared aide argument. They

should have a resource room on that same campus for her to go to for any areas

that you agree. Hopefully you will also be getting speech or any other

therapies she requires as well. My Mom's view from the school perspective is

that it is much harder to mainstream if you give up that right early on. Its

better to mainstream and then get the support added on when you need it.

See how she does. My view for my daughter is that I will mainstream her as long

as she can handle it. As soon as it is clear to me there is a problem, its time

to get help or make a change. I don't like to underestimate children and I

would be cautious about overestimating the usefulness of an aide. I can

honestly say that it is hard to be an 'effective' aide since there is a teacher

teaching while you are supposed to be 'assisting'. Its a difficult role and if

you want her to continue to stay mainstreamed you don't want her completely

dependent on an aide.

I am going through this process myself with my daughter who is 3 and it has been

horrible. Advocates are great and you are doing the right thing! We make the

best decisions we can and go with it. I wish you ALL THE BEST!! You care and

that is the most important thing!!

Allysa

n Wed, May 9, 2012 at 12:41 PM, Carmen wrote:

> **

Thanks for all of the replies! Your experience and your suggestions are

helpful!

My daughter Sydney is 5 she will be 6 in November. She is currently in the

pre-k inclusive program at our local public school. From what I've been

told holding her back a one year in this program is not an option. We have

also discussed getting an aid for her if we mainstream her for kindergarten

and we have been getting a lot of resistance about that so I don't think we

will likely be able to get an aid for her.

I'm torn because I feel like she is somewhere in the middle in terms of

her abilities. I think she would benefit from a mainstream class with a

pull out for small class instruction during the day, but I'm scared about

her wandering off or not transitioning smoothly throughout the day. I feel

that an aid would help with these things as well as help keeping her on

task.

On the other hand, although I see some benefit to the small self-contained

classroom I fear it may not be stimulating enough for her and the school

that our district uses for that classroom here in our county we are not

really thrilled about the school at all.

I am just trying to figure out some other options if there are any. I

don't want her to be totally bored or regress but I also don't want her to

be in an environment where she struggles so much that it is not beneficial

either. I'm just not sure what to do.

>

> > **

> >

> >

> > Carmen, how old is your child? If you are unsure of what to do in the

> > fall (mainstream or self-contained) why not let your child play an

extra

> > year? I think many people send their kids to school too early. As an

> > educator, it's heartbreaking to see an overplaced child pulling out

his/her

> > hair on the rainbow rug, trying to keep it together. My best friend

(with

> > an autistic daughter)and I (non MDS) both let our older children play

an

> > extra year and the results are amazing. Our children have emerged into

> > leaders. Yes, they are the oldest kids in class, but they are very

> > confident.

> >

> > Mg

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

hi,

 i kept my son back in pre'k an extra year.  he will be starting kindergarten

at the age of 6yrs.  He was not mature enough for a big class room and is

non-verbal.  I got him an augmentive device to help him speak.  At school they

use an ipad as well for him.  He can focus better with it.  For kindergarten i

have an aide asigned to him only because he is a runner.  I enforced it upon

them to listen to me.  So far so good. we will see.  i told them he was a

studier and could figure things out if left alone.  he thinks if a door is open

he must go thru.  I let them also know in a joking manner but true manner. you

lose my son and momma bear will come out.  i would encourage getting  a one on

one aide for safety and to keep her more focused on the class work at hand.  If

she does well. then maybe the next year it could be a shared one.  good luck

and stick to your guns. 

Barbara

________________________________

To: MosaicDS

Sent: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 1:30 PM

Subject: Re: Mainstream classroom

I did but she was lost and lost the first 3 years of her schooling because

she did not speak or have an aide - they treated her like cardboard cut out

and did not do sight words in K - or skip counting in 1st grade - she

started taking in 2nd grade but by then she had missed all the basics and

was 2.5 years behind.

Darlene

> **

>

>

> Has anyone in this group decided to place their child with MDS in a

> mainstream classroom setting without a one to one aid? My daughter is going

> to be starting kindergarten this coming Fall and my husband and I are still

> trying to decide which route to take for her. She does well in an inclusive

> environment. However, she is still delayed in speech and fine motor skills.

> We think she may get bored in a self-contained smaller classroom but we are

> concerned about her being mainstreamed without an aid in such a large

> classroom mainly due to her speech delays. I am not sure what to do. So I'm

> just wondering if anyone else has decided to go mainstream even though your

> child was speech delayed and how did it work out good or bad? Thanks

>

> Carmen

>

> 

>

--

“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.â€

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

[Guest guest]

I have the same strugles when my daughther was groing up. But I.ve keep her

always on the main stream with a help with a aid and she's now a Wonderful and

vibrant teenager who was on NHS last year because of her own acomplishment. I

learn from her that she learn more " waching & imitating " the " normal, " kids on

her enviroment. Stick to ur guts. Some " teacher " don't like and don't know how

to deal with " a broken child " and thetefore they recomend them to be " keept on a

closet somewhere " .. Good luck

Re: Mainstream classroom

I'm a little bit more frustrated with our school system today. We have scheduled

our transition IEP meeting for June 1st. However, when I spoke with Sydney's

pre-K teacher today she told me that the recommendation that the school is

making for her kindergarten placement is a self-contained classroom for Autistic

Children that uses the TEACH method. She explained that the classroom emphasises

routine and said great things about the school principal. She was really trying

hard to sell the school to me.

So now I have real concerns because I feel like placing her in a classroom with

all Autistic children will be an entirely different environment for her. I'm not

even sure why they would suggest that. They are saying that it is because she is

somewhere in the middle in terms of her development.

I feel like we just need mainstream with an aid but I'm not sure what the

response will be. I just feel like we are going to have a fight on our hands. I

am trying to get prepared.

>

> hi,

>

>  i kept my son back in pre'k an extra year.  he will be starting

kindergarten at the age of 6yrs.  He was not mature enough for a big class room

and is non-verbal.  I got him an augmentive device to help him speak.  At

school they use an ipad as well for him.  He can focus better with it.  For

kindergarten i have an aide asigned to him only because he is a runner.  I

enforced it upon them to listen to me.  So far so good. we will see.  i told

them he was a studier and could figure things out if left alone.  he thinks if

a door is open he must go thru.  I let them also know in a joking manner but

true manner. you lose my son and momma bear will come out.  i would encourage

getting  a one on one aide for safety and to keep her more focused on the class

work at hand.  If she does well. then maybe the next year it could be a shared

one.  good luck and stick to your guns. 

>

>

> Barbara

>

>

>

> _____________________________

[Guest guest]

I'm a little bit more frustrated with our school system today. We have scheduled

our transition IEP meeting for June 1st. However, when I spoke with Sydney's

pre-K teacher today she told me that the recommendation that the school is

making for her kindergarten placement is a self-contained classroom for Autistic

Children that uses the TEACH method. She explained that the classroom emphasises

routine and said great things about the school principal. She was really trying

hard to sell the school to me.

So now I have real concerns because I feel like placing her in a classroom with

all Autistic children will be an entirely different environment for her. I'm not

even sure why they would suggest that. They are saying that it is because she is

somewhere in the middle in terms of her development.

I feel like we just need mainstream with an aid but I'm not sure what the

response will be. I just feel like we are going to have a fight on our hands. I

am trying to get prepared.

>

> > **

> >

> >

> > Has anyone in this group decided to place their child with MDS in a

> > mainstream classroom setting without a one to one aid? My daughter is going

> > to be starting kindergarten this coming Fall and my husband and I are still

> > trying to decide which route to take for her. She does well in an inclusive

> > environment. However, she is still delayed in speech and fine motor skills.

> > We think she may get bored in a self-contained smaller classroom but we are

> > concerned about her being mainstreamed without an aid in such a large

> > classroom mainly due to her speech delays. I am not sure what to do. So I'm

> > just wondering if anyone else has decided to go mainstream even though your

> > child was speech delayed and how did it work out good or bad? Thanks

> >

> > Carmen

> >

> > 

> >

>

>

>

> --

> “Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.â€

> Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

>

>

>