When my son was six-years-old he was mainstreamed into Kindergarten with several aides. His I.E.P. had stated that the School would gradually increase his time spent in the classroom but Alex would start out by spending the majority of his day in the Learning Center. The same was stated in his I.E.P. in First Grade.
However, the school did not adhere to his I.E.P. and after speaking with his teachers at the end of each school year, they had both stated that Alex was only in the Classroom setting for an hour per day regardless of his behavior.
So, when Second Grade rolled around, I asked for an Emergency I.E.P. and asked that the school adhere to his I.E.P. and gradually increase Alex’s time spent in the classroom. But, they chose to place Alex in the classroom full-time with several aides.
Alex began to have melt-downs due to being over-stimulated so the school stated that he needed to be moved to Special Ed. I was in tears and felt like a failure.
I began talking with other parents and professionals and they stated that moving him to Special Ed would be a huge mistake and that his chances of being mainstreamed in the future would be slim to none.
After two weeks of being in Special Ed, I asked Alex if he wanted to go back to Regular Ed and he replied, “No Mom, I finally have friends!” I immediately broke down in tears of joy coupled with the guilt of keeping my son from being able to build quality friendships over the past two years.
But, was relieved that my son had finally found his place in his world and knew that he belonged and fit in versus being placed in Regular Ed with no friends that he could relate to.
I share this story with Parents and Professionals because once again, we feel that we know what is best for our children. I know now after this eye-opening experience that when Alex is ready to go back to Regular Education, he will let me know through constant communication.
Alex has been in Special Ed going on two years and he is very happy and has made some great friends. I am ecstatic that he had the language skills, intelligence and a sense of belonging in order to communicate his feelings.
If you are a parent of a child with disabilities, take the time to help educate and teach them how to embrace who they are. Your children rely on your honesty, friendship and trust.
My son asked me if he was different and I replied, “Yes, you are! And, you are so talented in so many areas and I listed them all.” Everyone wants to fit in and have a sense of belonging. Being different is a very beautiful thing!
Every Child Needs Coaching & Facilitated Play
When I was growing up, recess was one of the happiest and best times of my life. We would run to the field, choose Team Captains, pick teams, and play real sports; Kick-Ball, Throw-Ball, Volleyball, Basketball, Four-Square, Tether ball, etc...
The Teachers were always involved and kept a close eye out for bad sportsmanship and kept us on track for helping us be successful at whatever sport we were playing. It taught me how to be competitive, take pride in winning, it kept me in shape, and inspired me.
Unfortunately those days are gone. When I visit my twin’s playgrounds at recess, instead of teachers being involved with hands-on sports, there are paid (our tax dollars) “Yard Duty Officers” which are mostly parents and relatives of the children who attend the school.
The Yard Duty Officers mostly stand around and converse with one another and do not offer hands-on strategies of helping the kids learn sports. At times, they do try to make sure that the school rules are followed.
What I have noticed is a lack of team sportsmanship and unity. It was the teachers involvement on the playground that made recess a fun and enjoyable experience. Those experiences also led me to be successful after school and on weekends while playing in the streets with my friends.
Over the summer, I took our twins to their Grandparent’s Pool at Del Webb for Recreational Swimming. When we got to the pool, the kids were all separated and playing by themselves while their Grandparents watched.
I made a point of gathering all of the kids together and introducing them to one another. I made up fun games, teams, and contests for all of us to play. The kids were ecstatic and asked when we would be back to play again.
At our friends 4th of July Party, I did the same. I created contests and games for the older kids and for the younger kids who I referred to as “Floaties.” I was in the pool for three-hours while the parents took in the fun by watching. The children had a blast and the parents all thanked me. It was so much fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
My point is that most kids are very shy and children with disabilities struggle even more. It takes a parent, teacher, or a leader to round them up and help them participate and play with one another. It is no different than a Coach who teaches his team how to master a sport.
We need more Coaching & Facilitating to ensure that our kids get a strong head start and learn a sport so as they get older and more assure of themselves, they have the tools necessary in order to be successful. Regardless if it is at school, at a park or on the streets, kids need role-models!
No comments:
Post a Comment