Hi, Barbara
I am the mother of two surviving triplets, Bobby and Anthony, who will be 5 in April. They both started junior kindergarten this year and are doing very well. Anthony has moderate spastic quad CP. Both my boys are very healthy, happy little guys. Bobby attends our home school while Anthony attends school at our local Children's Treatment Centre (OCTC). He has been attending OCTC for physio, OT, SLP and summer day camps since he was 5 months old. He started at the school there in September.
Although it is not the popular or perhaps PC choice these days, we opted for a contained programme for Anthony for a number of reasons. We did our homework. "Special Education" in the home schools (fully and semi- integrated programmes), at least where we are (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) leaves much to be desired. The public school tends towards segregation within the schools vs. any attempt at true integration. The public board, faced with a major funding shortfall, has proposed eliminating all spec ed programmes. Now while this is not likely to occur, just the proposal of this scares me! The Catholic school board (where Bobby goes and where Anthony is registered) is much more committed to spec ed programmes and to the idea of inclusion for spec ed students. They have a 30 year track record which is pretty good. That's why the boys are registered there even though we are not Catholic. We would like Anthony to go there at least by grade 3 when the programme at OCTC ends.
Anthony IS "special". He has major physical limitations that have resulted in some developmental delays ie. he cannot feed himself yet, is not toilet-trained yet, etc. Cognitively he is very bright. He is completely verbal but requires a lot of physical effort at times to speak. His speech is not always clear. He may not be able to write, given that his arms are more affected than his legs. He tires more easily than most 4 year-olds and, because he needs a fair amount of assistance with most activities, even play, he can become easily frustrated and irritable.
Being in the programme at OCTC has been wonderful for him. There are 5 other kids in his class, a teacher, and 1-2 aides. Additional aides help with the toileting and with feeding. It is a full-day programme (in the regular school system the kids only attend half days for junior and senior kindergarten) that includes physio, OT, SLP - both 1:1 and in groups. He gets exposure to computers, and keyboarding, power-chair "driving" lessons, various positioning equipment (his Pony walker, standing frame, corner chair, wheelchair). He gets time to be on the floor to creep independently. He gets rest periods (though he is usually too busy chatting and laughing with 2 other boys in the class for any of them to actually rest, lol!) He has the chance to feed himself at lunch time with assistance and is expected to direct the assistants as to his choices. They are working on toilet-training. He must help with dressing himself - by putting his arms in his own coat sleeves AND by directing the aides as to what comes next. He is learning to be responsible for his own stuff - he asks now to be sure the brakes are on on his chair or where his chair tray is before he leaves school. Unless blessed with an exceptional aide in the regular school system, I doubt Anthony would be learning half of this stuff. But it is as important as the academics IMHO - if not more so.
In terms of academics, I am very fortunate to have my very own yardstick at home in Bobby, since they are both in JK. If anything, Anthony is learning more than Bobby in terms of letters, numbers, shapes, etc. He is certainly being exposed to a wider variety of learning methods and settings. Anthony is learning about measuring, for example, through baking in the classroom. His class studied pumpkins in the Fall - colour, shape, textures (inside and out), weight (his weighed the same as 3 oranges), circumference (with yarn and a ruler), whether or not it would float in water (they do!), etc. Not bad for JK! He goes to the public library once a month and swimming once a week this term. A communication book comes home every night detailing what he has learned that day with specific suggestions on what we can review at home. Last week in speech they were concentrating on "s" blends (st-, sk-, sp-, etc.). It doesn't take much to occasionally ask Anthony to be clearer in his pronounciation of "s" blend words in every day speech.
My biggest concern for Anthony in a regular classroom setting would be that he would get lost in the shuffle. Even at home he cannot compete with his brother who has the need to be first or to answer every question before Anthony has had a chance to formulate his answer and get it out. I can't imagine how he could compete with 19 other Bobbys. :-) I think the reason that he has come so far since September is that he has the chance to shine in a classroom of other kids with similar issues. In fact, the teacher has said it is often Anthony they have to tell to be quiet and let the other kids have a chance to speak. :-) Becoming more vocal, more independent (including the ability to direct his own care) can only help him in terms of his self-esteem and developing a sense of empowerment.
Of course the usual arguement for inclusion is to expose Anthony to "regular" kids, that he has to become used to teasing, living in an able-bodied society, etc. As Anthony on this list mentioned, the best thing his folks did for him was to take him everywhere. We do this with Anthony. We have friends with able-bodied and disabled children. If anything Bobby is getting a very skewed picture of the world where half the people are disabled! :-)
This is long and I'm rambling a bit. I guess my answer to your question would be to be open-minded and creative in finding learning opportunities that the children can really use. Also keep in mind the necessity to see the whole child - not just the disability and not just their educational needs. I think the two are interdependent. The school experience is in many ways supposed to prepare kids for life. For those with disabilities, they will need a lot more preparation just to get them to a level playing field with their peers. What we want from Anthony's early school experience is to have the tools in place for him to gain an appropriate education both academically and socially. So if he cannot write, he will be able to use a keyboard; if he cannot walk, he can drive his powerchair; if he cannot feed or dress himself, he can feel comfortable and confident directing others to assist him. He needs to be challenged in ways that maximize what he CAN do and not leave him frustrated by what he CAN'T. We want him to be self-confident and have as good self-esteem as possible. That is crucial at this age. We need to focus on his abilities, strengths and gifts. Not on his limitations.
Special education should not be an excuse for warehousing kids or a fancy babysitting service. Unfortunately I think sometimes this is the case, though it does not have to be. Our experience has been very positive so far. I hope you can find a job that lets you really help kids and keeps your enthusiasm and passion for your work high.
Yvonne
>>> [log in to unmask] 03/04/02 01:38AM >>>
Hello:
My name is Barbara. I have returned to school after twenty years and in April I willgraduate as an Educational Assistant. I have done some work with children with disabilities and I am looking forward to doing this full time. I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to do something that I have wanted to do for years, working with very special children.I was hoping some of you would be kind enough to share what you would like to see in a person who is working with your child. Because I will strive to be the best E.A.
Thank you.
Barbara
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