Re: Looking for opinions on best school environment!

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Over the years and with our own personal experience,,,,,,I'd say you should go with the one that has the best knowledge of AS.

I may not have said that when he was younger........but now, after seeing how horrible things can go...and fast........having people that know what's going on and having the law on your side can help you out incredibly.

Again, my own personal opinion,,,,but learning can happen anywhere. I know you've mentioned gifted......and you definitely want to keep your son challenged and learning up and beyond his potential. For us, our son never had academic problems.....he was often bored and therein lay many problems.

But........it's the social issues that seem to grab our kids, often. The social, the frustration, the zoning out, the anger. If there isn't something in place, legally, it can get horrible. Heck - it can get horrible even if there is something in place to help. he he.

Not always......I don't want to sound like a "Debbie downer". It's just what seems to happen a lot.

Hugs to you and good luck. Keep us posted on your choice.

Robin

Enjoy this b-e-a-u-tiful life!!!

From: beanniferj <beanniferj@...>Subject: ( ) Looking for opinions on best school environment! Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 12:24 PM

Hi all,I am looking for opinions on the best environment for an elementary school for my son. He is currently in preschool and has AS and is also gifted. I think that my main question is about balancing out which is more important - a smaller school with a more peaceful environment that might have limited options for gifted education vs. his neighborhood public school that has the gifted specialists and exceptional education programs (assuming that he can get an IEP for elementary). We visited a K-12 charter school today, and I loved the small size of it (2 classes of 16 kids each per grade in elementary). Being a public school, they do have an EC coordinator, but their small size and limited funding means that there is no gifted program. (They have honors and AP classes for high school.) The small class size would presumably allow for somewhat individual instruction, although they do not have a specific policy in place about using

differentiated instruction. Then there are private schools which have been recommended to us, particularly Waldorf. The environment there is very peaceful, with a lot of good sensory activities built into the day. While it is theoretically more child-led (and they don't have to "teach to the test" because they do not do the standardized EOG testing), all the kids are together in each grade, again without having an official gifted instructor on campus. As a private school, they also don't have an EC dept., of course, but I also hear that because they are more flexible and nurturing than a public school, there may be fewer issues which arise.I would love to get opinions from parents who have been through this before, particularly when it comes to picking environment or instruction.Thanks!Bridget

[Guest guest]

My opinion, as a teacher, is that it would be good to find out what they offer

kids who are gifted at the public school...I would want to know specifics...not

only " Is there a class for gifted children, " but also the kinds of activities

and projects that the school offers these kids to keep them challenged...I would

really want specifics...

[Guest guest]

I agree, the school that has good support systems in place for AS students is the most important. Small class size will really help. Even if your son is gifted, if he is overwhelmed in a big, busy classroom without support, he will have trouble learning the basics.

I feel you can always supplement their learning through outside acitivities, geared toward their interests, at this younger age. When they are older and ready to be challenged academically, you can look more for the gifted education in the school enviroment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: beanniferj <beanniferj@...>Subject: ( ) Looking for opinions on best school environment! Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 12:24 PM

Hi all,I am looking for opinions on the best environment for an elementary school for my son. He is currently in preschool and has AS and is also gifted. I think that my main question is about balancing out which is more important - a smaller school with a more peaceful environment that might have limited options for gifted education vs. his neighborhood public school that has the gifted specialists and exceptional education programs (assuming that he can get an IEP for elementary). We visited a K-12 charter school today, and I loved the small size of it (2 classes of 16 kids each per grade in elementary). Being a public school, they do have an EC coordinator, but their small size and limited funding means that there is no gifted program. (They have honors and AP classes for high school.) The small class size would presumably allow for somewhat individual instruction, although they do not have a specific policy in place about using

differentiated instruction. Then there are private schools which have been recommended to us, particularly Waldorf. The environment there is very peaceful, with a lot of good sensory activities built into the day. While it is theoretically more child-led (and they don't have to "teach to the test" because they do not do the standardized EOG testing), all the kids are together in each grade, again without having an official gifted instructor on campus. As a private school, they also don't have an EC dept., of course, but I also hear that because they are more flexible and nurturing than a public school, there may be fewer issues which arise.I would love to get opinions from parents who have been through this before, particularly when it comes to picking environment or instruction.Thanks!Bridget

[Guest guest]

I totally agree, Suzanne!!! If he is not able to learn what he needs to learn AT school due to nerves, anger, whatever....being gifted and having all kinds of potential isn't goig to be seen. Sadly.

Like I said, our son was great academically, but there was a year when he couldn't do his work, let alone bring it home or get it in his backpack. Once we had it in his IEP and the teachers were on board with him, they made sure his work was in his backpack and that changes a lot of things.

Also, because he was good academically, having to do 2 pages or listen to the same instructions for 3 days would bring such anger and frustration out in him, he acted out like a kid with true behavioural issues. ( I hope that made sense and didnt' insult anyone).

But, it was like his boredom with issues he already knew made him react in a way he couldn't control. Most kids would be thrilled that they knew something and accept the easy couple of days,,,,but Ian would get angry that his time was being "Wasted". he he.

Once the teachers understood this, they had more work on hand or would let him get on the computer.....whatever.

And like you said, Suzanne, you can supplement his abilities at home. Computer, books, maybe places in your town that he could supplement his interests.

You definitelly have to have the law on your side and have people that are willing to learn or that already know about AS.

Robin

From: beanniferj <beanniferj@...>Subject: ( ) Looking for opinions on best school environment! Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 12:24 PM

Hi all,I am looking for opinions on the best environment for an elementary school for my son. He is currently in preschool and has AS and is also gifted. I think that my main question is about balancing out which is more important - a smaller school with a more peaceful environment that might have limited options for gifted education vs. his neighborhood public school that has the gifted specialists and exceptional education programs (assuming that he can get an IEP for elementary). We visited a K-12 charter school today, and I loved the small size of it (2 classes of 16 kids each per grade in elementary). Being a public school, they do have an EC coordinator, but their small size and limited funding means that there is no gifted program. (They have honors and AP classes for high school.) The small class size would presumably allow for somewhat individual instruction, although they do not have a specific policy in place about using

differentiated instruction. Then there are private schools which have been recommended to us, particularly Waldorf. The environment there is very peaceful, with a lot of good sensory activities built into the day. While it is theoretically more child-led (and they don't have to "teach to the test" because they do not do the standardized EOG testing), all the kids are together in each grade, again without having an official gifted instructor on campus. As a private school, they also don't have an EC dept., of course, but I also hear that because they are more flexible and nurturing than a public school, there may be fewer issues which arise.I would love to get opinions from parents who have been through this before, particularly when it comes to picking environment or

instruction.Thanks!Bridget

[Guest guest]

I agree. Our public school interprets Gifted classes as more work. Not more

challenging work per say, just more work. A kid should not be punished with

more of the same work just b/c they can fly through the regular lesson.

our son is 4 and he'll be in public preschool next year, but for Kinder he will

attend the same private school our 7 year attends now. very small classes, 12

kids and very fast paced. They attend school for 2 days a week and homeschool 2

days a week. So there will be plenty of time to adjust for his needs and for

one on one support from me on his home days.

karla

>

> My opinion, as a teacher, is that it would be good to find out what they offer

kids who are gifted at the public school...I would want to know specifics...not

only " Is there a class for gifted children, " but also the kinds of activities

and projects that the school offers these kids to keep them challenged...I would

really want specifics...

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone for all the input so far (and please keep it coming). My

concern about the gifted part of my son's education is exactly what you

mentioned, Robin - boredom! We are concerned that if my son is not challenged

enough to keep him engaged that he will become a behavioral problem. It is less

about him learning up to his potential (although of course we care about that

too), but more about him staying out of trouble! I know that some of the gifted

track programs in our local public schools are extremely high pressure, and

therefore will probably not be appropriate for our son (who is stressed just by

preschool 2 mornings a week!). What stumps me is figuring out how to prioritize

advanced learning options vs. a nurturing environment.

Bridget

<jrisjs@...> wrote:

>

> I totally agree, Suzanne!!! 

>

> If he is not able to learn what he needs to learn AT school due to nerves,

anger, whatever....being gifted and having all kinds of potential isn't goig to

be seen.  Sadly.

>

> Like I said, our son was great academically, but there was a year when he

couldn't do his work, let alone bring it home or get it in his backpack. 

> Once we had it in his IEP and the teachers were on board with him, they made

sure his work was in his backpack and that changes a lot of things.

>

> Also, because he was good academically, having to do 2 pages or listen to the

same instructions for 3 days would bring such anger and frustration out in him,

he acted out like a kid with true behavioural issues.  ( I hope that made sense

and didnt' insult anyone).

>

> But, it was like his boredom with issues he already knew made him react in a

way he couldn't control.  Most kids would be thrilled that they knew something

and accept the easy couple of days,,,,but Ian would get angry that his time was

being " Wasted " .  he he.

>  

> Once the teachers understood this, they had more work on hand or would let him

get on the computer.....whatever.

>

> And like you said, Suzanne, you can supplement his abilities at home. 

Computer, books, maybe places in your town that he could supplement his

interests.

>  

> You definitelly have to have the law on your side and have people that are

willing to learn or that already know about AS.

>

>

>  

> Robin

>  

>  

>

>

>

>

> From: beanniferj <beanniferj@...>

> Subject: ( ) Looking for opinions on best school environment!

>

> Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011, 12:24 PM

>

>

>  

>

> Hi all,

>

> I am looking for opinions on the best environment for an elementary school for

my son. He is currently in preschool and has AS and is also gifted. I think that

my main question is about balancing out which is more important - a smaller

school with a more peaceful environment that might have limited options for

gifted education vs. his neighborhood public school that has the gifted

specialists and exceptional education programs (assuming that he can get an IEP

for elementary).

>

> We visited a K-12 charter school today, and I loved the small size of it (2

classes of 16 kids each per grade in elementary). Being a public school, they do

have an EC coordinator, but their small size and limited funding means that

there is no gifted program. (They have honors and AP classes for high school.)

The small class size would presumably allow for somewhat individual instruction,

although they do not have a specific policy in place about using differentiated

instruction.

>

> Then there are private schools which have been recommended to us, particularly

Waldorf. The environment there is very peaceful, with a lot of good sensory

activities built into the day. While it is theoretically more child-led (and

they don't have to " teach to the test " because they do not do the standardized

EOG testing), all the kids are together in each grade, again without having an

official gifted instructor on campus. As a private school, they also don't have

an EC dept., of course, but I also hear that because they are more flexible and

nurturing than a public school, there may be fewer issues which arise.

>

> I would love to get opinions from parents who have been through this before,

particularly when it comes to picking environment or instruction.

>

> Thanks!

>

> Bridget

>

[Guest guest]

This is a really helpful piece of information. What should the school be doing

for gifted elementary kids other than piling on more of the same? In our

district, they have a program starting in 3rd grade where they pull the most

gifted students together into an advanced group clustered in one elementary. I

do NOT want to send my son to that particular program, because I have heard that

it is very high pressure, even for NT kids. I am told that with the students in

k-3, the school's gifted coordinator pushes in to work with groups and then

devises an ongoing plan for the main teacher to continue with. However, I also

hear that the quality of differentiated instruction varies considerably

depending on which particular teacher you happen to end up getting. It basically

sounds like a total crap shoot. I would love to know more about what questions I

should be asking the gifted coordinator.

Thanks,

Bridget

> >

> > My opinion, as a teacher, is that it would be good to find out what they

offer kids who are gifted at the public school...I would want to know

specifics...not only " Is there a class for gifted children, " but also the kinds

of activities and projects that the school offers these kids to keep them

challenged...I would really want specifics...

> >

>

[Guest guest]

is in the GATE program at his school. They have a lot of different

classes after school and during lunch and gets to choose which ones to

attend. The problem is that only one class holds any interest to him and he

only gets to attend half of this class one day a week, because he has after

school tutorial. The other classes bore him, frustrate him etc.

The other problem is the GATE coordinator expects her GATE students to be

better behaved and more responsible than the other students at the school. Like

if forgets to sign in or forgets to show up or needs to leave to go to the

bathroom or have some alone time or shows up to the wrong class, well she gets

frustrated with him. I reminded her that yes, he is gifted, but he has

Aspergers. She says " Well I know that, but he is also a GATE student, which

means he is capable of responsibility " ARGH!

> >

> > My opinion, as a teacher, is that it would be good to find out what they

offer kids who are gifted at the public school...I would want to know

specifics...not only " Is there a class for gifted children, " but also the kinds

of activities and projects that the school offers these kids to keep them

challenged...I would really want specifics...

> >

>

[Guest guest]

It is the expectation of being able to handle more responsibility that scares me

away from the LEAP program in our district for gifted kids. I had a nice chat

today with a former exceptional education teacher in our district who said that

for those kids who are bright but do not attend the LEAP program, the gifted

coordinator will work with them within their regular classroom. Apparently there

is a high concentration of kids who qualify as gifted in the area, which means

that there are still decent sized clusters of them who remain in their regular

elementary. I will say that she gave me some hope!

Thanks,

Bridget

> > >

> > > My opinion, as a teacher, is that it would be good to find out what they

offer kids who are gifted at the public school...I would want to know

specifics...not only " Is there a class for gifted children, " but also the kinds

of activities and projects that the school offers these kids to keep them

challenged...I would really want specifics...

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I think things are a bit different where we live. Here, kids don't even test

for the GATE program until 2nd grade, so the school doesn't even apply the

" gifted " label to kids until then. My son was flagged as being ahead of his

age-range and he tested high on the IQ tests done during assessments.

Then, taking the test in 2nd grade is done by invitation only. Not every

student is tested. Kids who have excelled on their state benchmarks tests

(given at the end of each quarter) and get good grades overall will get the

invitation, regardless of any behaviors or disabilities. My son got the

invitation to take the tests (there are two actually, one is the Otis-Lennon).

But, this still doesn't guarantee him entrance. It only means he is allowed to

take the tests. The final decision is made after the state standards test come

in.

I feel it's important for a parent to be aware and ahead of the eight ball,

that's always been my game plan. But, I personally wouldn't get too worried

about GATE tracks or gifted classes in preschool because a school is supposed to

make amendments to the curriculum based on the IEP (that's what they did with my

son). My son was ahead of his kindie class, but the curriculum was modified to

help him. I think a mainstream class with full inclusion, but the right

supports and curriculum will be just fine for your child. And, use the lst year

in preschool and kindie years to really polish good behaviors,

attention-deficits and any other barriers that would prevent him from performing

at his full potential in 1st grade and up.

We could have sent my kid to a smaller, private school. But, none had the

support services we were looking for. He needs Social Skills Training and the

public school system offered that. He might go to a private school in jr. high,

but for elementary, he'll stay where he's at and he does well there.

My son has autism, but he's high-functioning. Yet, he sounds a lot like many of

the kids here on this board. One area that I think helps both of our kids

(autism and Aspergers) is to assist them with their analytical, critical and

reasonsing skills. We wrote ABA programs to help in this area, plus I bought

books from The Critical Thinking Company for him to use on his own. They're all

fun, lots of pictures, but brain-teasers that help build these skills. These

skills are going to come in handy as the curriculum becomes more challenging.

So, I know I rambled a little. But, like others have said, a classroom with

support and modified curriculum would probably be just fine at this age. I hope

this helps.

>

> Hi all,

>

> I am looking for opinions on the best environment for an elementary school for

my son. He is currently in preschool and has AS and is also gifted. I think that

my main question is about balancing out which is more important - a smaller

school with a more peaceful environment that might have limited options for

gifted education vs. his neighborhood public school that has the gifted

specialists and exceptional education programs (assuming that he can get an IEP

for elementary).

>

> We visited a K-12 charter school today, and I loved the small size of it (2

classes of 16 kids each per grade in elementary). Being a public school, they do

have an EC coordinator, but their small size and limited funding means that

there is no gifted program. (They have honors and AP classes for high school.)

The small class size would presumably allow for somewhat individual instruction,

although they do not have a specific policy in place about using differentiated

instruction.

>

> Then there are private schools which have been recommended to us, particularly

Waldorf. The environment there is very peaceful, with a lot of good sensory

activities built into the day. While it is theoretically more child-led (and

they don't have to " teach to the test " because they do not do the standardized

EOG testing), all the kids are together in each grade, again without having an

official gifted instructor on campus. As a private school, they also don't have

an EC dept., of course, but I also hear that because they are more flexible and

nurturing than a public school, there may be fewer issues which arise.

>

> I would love to get opinions from parents who have been through this before,

particularly when it comes to picking environment or instruction.

>

> Thanks!

>

> Bridget

>