Need opinions/advice asap

[Guest guest]

Okay, so I am going to an IEP meeting on Monday and decided to check out the

class they are thinking about placing him in because they keep saying he is too

od for preschool (which I donot get. He just turned 5 in August and will be 5

the whole year). Anyway he is extremely smart. Can write his name as well as the

names of others. He can do EVERYTHING on the I can Do It checklist for

kindergarten except read, but he's close to doing that. He is literallly a

genius with numbers!!

Here is my issue. They want to put him in an early childhood class of kids with

autisms...I think on with Aspergers. They are all 3 and 4 years olds. There will

be very little there for him educationally and he will only be with 4 other

kids. They have a very limited schedule...my son will get bored. a couple of the

kids nap the whole afternoon, one for an hour, the other usually sleeps for

30-60 minutes. Levi hasn't taken a nap in 5 years. His little mind is active. He

rests for about 30 minutes in the afternoon when I let him watch tv.

My question is this? Do I allow this for the Iep to get established and

behavioral interventions to get in place, or do I ask for another option? What

so you all think? I just don't feel all warm and fuzzy about this, but I really

don't know what the alternative is, but he definitely needs to be included in a

more normal classroomat some point. He went to preschool last year, undiagnosed,

but the teacher was a natural and we had oll these behovior plans inplace and we

both did the same things ans used the same language and he did well for a good

part of the school year. He really needs a Behavioral intervention plan rather

than just an IEP. Most of his problems are the meltdowns.

Thanks in advance for all you suggestions and advice.

Kelley

[Guest guest]

Hi Kelley, with my kids grown now, I have to ask: what grade do kids learn to

read now? When mine were young it was kindergarten with beginning to learn but

1st grade for really learning.

If he's already supposed to be reading for Kindergarten now, I would hesitate to

put him in there this year because his not reading on " grade level " with the

rest of the class (and I assume larger class than he's used to) would probably

be very frustrating for him, plus being able to do the work. BUT if

kindergarten is still learning to read, then I don't see from what you've

written why they don't put him in the regular class.

I would argue with them that the regular K class is the most appropriate setting

for him and that behavior interventions can be put in place, apparently the ones

you've been using; might have to adjust/add some things with the new

environment, larger class.... And argue, as you said, he'd be bored in the

other room, etc.

The school can at least start him out in the regular classroom and see how

things for the first month or two and then reassess the best placement for him?

Quick thoughts, let us know how the meeting goes!

>

> Okay, so I am going to an IEP meeting on Monday and decided to check out the

> class they are thinking about placing him in because they keep saying he is

too

> od for preschool (which I donot get. He just turned 5 in August and will be 5

[Guest guest]

I thought this about my son around this age. His nursery wanted to put him in a class with other ASD, I though he would just disappear into a world of his own if he was placed in a class with other kids that didn't interact, didn't have the same educational targets. So we sent him to a completely different school, he was placed in a mainstream class and had no problems at all in his first year. The psychologist signed him off.

He is in the second year now, his teacher says he has no problems in the classroom, except from not wanting to write, but in the playground he is having a hard time, just can't seem to get the playing right, gets bullied. But he also seems to have some friends and gets invited to all the birthday parties and has a girlfriend.

Apparently my son never meltsdown at school, perhaps if you can figure out his triggers he will be fine in mainstream. I think we picked the right thing for our son, if his needs change we will deal with them as they arise. You know your son better than anyone else, so trust your instincts.

Lor B

From: kell_corg1 <kell_corg1@...>Subject: ( ) Need opinions/advice asap Date: Sunday, 25 October, 2009, 11:34

Okay, so I am going to an IEP meeting on Monday and decided to check out theclass they are thinking about placing him in because they keep saying he is toood for preschool (which I donot get. He just turned 5 in August and will be 5the whole year). Anyway he is extremely smart. Can write his name as well as thenames of others. He can do EVERYTHING on the I can Do It checklist forkindergarten except read, but he's close to doing that. He is literallly agenius with numbers!!Here is my issue. They want to put him in an early childhood class of kids withautisms...I think on with Aspergers. They are all 3 and 4 years olds. There willbe very little there for him educationally and he will only be with 4 otherkids. They have a very limited schedule...my son will get bored. a couple of thekids nap the whole afternoon, one for an hour, the other usually sleeps for30-60 minutes. Levi hasn't taken a nap in 5

years. His little mind is active. Herests for about 30 minutes in the afternoon when I let him watch tv.My question is this? Do I allow this for the Iep to get established andbehavioral interventions to get in place, or do I ask for another option? Whatso you all think? I just don't feel all warm and fuzzy about this, but I reallydon't know what the alternative is, but he definitely needs to be included in amore normal classroomat some point. He went to preschool last year, undiagnosed,but the teacher was a natural and we had oll these behovior plans inplace and weboth did the same things ans used the same language and he did well for a goodpart of the school year. He really needs a Behavioral intervention plan ratherthan just an IEP. Most of his problems are the meltdowns.Thanks in advance for all you suggestions and advice.Kelley

[Guest guest]

I realize you have already had your meeting. But I think it's worth

saying for future reference that you should never agree to a placement

that is not a good fit. The schools try to save money by having

several options available and fitting kids in to those. But the fact

is, the law requires the opposite - finding what the child needs and

fitting an educational program to the child. Everything should be

based on the child's needs. Not what they have available. This means

you can think " outside the box " at times. Sometimes, schools do have

good programs in place and it is nice to give them a try if they might

fit your child's needs. But when it's obviously wrong, don't take it.

As for the behavior plan, that is something you can have in addition to

the IEP. It's not a one or the other deal. I hope it went ok!

Roxanna

" The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do

nothing. " E. Burke

( ) Need opinions/advice asap

Okay, so I am going to an IEP meeting on Monday and decided to check

out the

class they are thinking about placing him in because they keep saying

he is too

od for preschool (which I donot get. He just turned 5 in August and

will be 5

the whole year). Anyway he is extremely smart. Can write his name as

well as the

names of others. He can do EVERYTHING on the I can Do It checklist for

kindergarten except read, but he's close to doing that. He is

literallly a

genius with numbers!!

Here is my issue. They want to put him in an early childhood class of

kids with

autisms...I think on with Aspergers. They are all 3 and 4 years olds.

There will

be very little there for him educationally and he will only be with 4

other

kids. They have a very limited schedule...my son will get bored. a

couple of the

kids nap the whole afternoon, one for an hour, the other usually sleeps

for

30-60 minutes. Levi hasn't taken a nap in 5 years. His little mind is

active. He

rests for about 30 minutes in the afternoon when I let him watch tv.

My question is this? Do I allow this for the Iep to get established and

behavioral interventions to get in place, or do I ask for another

option? What

so you all think? I just don't feel all warm and fuzzy about this, but

I really

don't know what the alternative is, but he definitely needs to be

included in a

more normal classroomat some point. He went to preschool last year,

undiagnosed,

but the teacher was a natural and we had oll these behovior plans

inplace and we

both did the same things ans used the same language and he did well for

a good

part of the school year. He really needs a Behavioral intervention plan

rather

than just an IEP. Most of his problems are the meltdowns.

Thanks in advance for all you suggestions and advice.

Kelley