Pulled my son from mainstream today.

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These questions is for both BeeBee and
Motherofhim!

1)...What is the difference between the
non-mainstream and mainstream schools!
Hmmmmm?

2)...BeeBee and Motherofhim, do you think
the quality is supplemented with tutoring?

3)...I ask this since their is much vaguity
from most people about special education
and mainstream.

4)...Motherofhim, do you think you would
pull your kids from mainstream?

5)...Yes? and why?

6)...No? and why?

7)...What benefit will they they recieve?
This question applies to both MofH and B'Bee.

Hmmmmm?
Ghosthunter

Thank you Irene and Cin. I appreciate the support.

Hmmmmmmm, let me try to answer your questions GH.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)...What is the difference between the
non-mainstream and mainstream schools!
Hmmmmm?
It could be anything. In this particular case, its a choice between mainstream and what our school calls "a center based program."
The centerbased program in physcially located in the mainstream school...its two rooms. Here is what I see as the difference now. Please remember D hasn't actually been in the program so I will learn more as we go.

Physical space: MS (Mainstream) large "open" ie no walls between classroom space. Has approx 600 students. Students sit at tables of four.
CIP (non-mainstream) currently two rooms (ie actually has walls) in the center of the MS school. It is located in the between the offices (which also has walls) and the classroom and the library. It currently has 8 students. Some students sit at tables, some at desks. Some have chairs, some have large balls to sit one. There are beanbag chairs for avialable.

Classroom size:
MS--averages 25. Actually has 20 to 32 per class.
CIP--averages 6. There are 8 students in the classroom but students are mainstreamed parttime. The only classes with all eight is the social skills.

Teacher/aides:
MS--one teacher per classroom
CIP--one teacher with a master's degree. Four aides but they aren't all there at the same time.

Curiculum: In theory, the same. The CIP teacher said about half her students move out of CIP in high school since that's an easier period for many students than middle school.


2)...BeeBee and Motherofhim, do you think
the quality is supplemented with tutoring?
I wasn't sure what you meant here. The MS school does a decent job and we've only used a writing tutor and an occupananial therapist to date. The aides are avialabel to tutor in CIP during the students studdy hall but David elected to take choir instead.


3)...I ask this since their is much vaguity
from most people about special education
and mainstream.
I agree!

4, 5 and 6 are directed at Irene.


7)...What benefit will they they recieve?
This question applies to both MofH and B'Bee.
A smaller class room with less directions and noise. The noise really bothers him. A more flexiable teacher. She's taught CIP for six years so she understand AS students a bit better than the MS teacher.

D will continue with some classrooms in the mainstream, namely math and science. An aide will be responsible for contacting the MS teachers twice weekly to make sure D is current on his assigments. Sometimes D doesn't understand what he is asked to do so he does nothing and falls behind. The aide's job will be to make sure D understand the assingment. I'm not sure how this would work...I know we can reject this if it doesn't work so we have an out.



We can hope it turns out well. Something had to change. D was starting to hate school and that is not like him.

BeeBee

I am glad you responded to these
questions. I am curious because
this newer territory that I haven't
dissected and you gave ample
opportunity to allow to me probe.

I wish you luck in this venture, and
I am glad you caught this problem
early on.

Sincerely,
Ghosthunter

Our school district is very flexible and supportive; they have gone out of their way to accomodate just about everything we requested for our son, that our doctor thought was reasonable.

If the day ever came that we thought they weren't acting in his best interests, and/or feared for his safety, we would then try a different alternative, whatever that should be.

Ilene
Ian's Mom

First, Thanks BeeBee and Motherofhim
for your perspectives.

Second, I suspect a state by state
differencial? If so, What state are
you B'B and M'of'H?

Third, now that I am out of my funk
since Saturday, I am glad to find some
enlivening perspective.

Fourth: If your interested, I had a terrible
headache that summerized the culmulation
of Saturday to Tuesday. I could barely
post my "PG13 and PG17" comparison
thread. I was hoping you would have
contributed to this. I also did a deeper
AS and HFA "categorizing so I can
decipher the differences" thread
I wanted you NT points of view.

Hmmmmm? Thanks for responding!
Ghosthunter

I need to take off here soon, GH, but I hope to look at the threads you mentioned later, this weekend at the latest.

Special ed is very much a state by state thing although there are also federal laws. Plus, I've been told it varies even by school district. Or even school to school. <---although that's not suppose to happen.

I live in Minnesota.

BeeBee
(PS. I'm really glad you are feeling better!)

I wish you luck in your bravery
in making unusueral decisions
in unuseral circumstances,
and God-Bless!

Sincerely,
Ghosthunter

My pulled my daughter out of an integrated setting into an academic self contained. She wasn't cutting it either. All I know is she is having a terrible time socially and always feels destined to be at the bottom of the social ladder. There will be a total of 4 kids with spectrum stuff as well as other children with other disabilities like dyslexia ect. My district does nothing entirely for the spectrum kids. This is the best choice I got. I will have to see when she starts next year how it goes. I don't know if this is best. I did discuss it with her but I ultimately made the decision.
I wish there was more out there for kids HFA.
Laure

Its a difficult choice, isn't it Laureanne.

And nothing is perfect. The self contained David is going into might be a good fit for your daughter but I worry since D is also SLD-written expression and the staff there aren't trained for SLDs. So, depending on the training of your staff, your situation might be a better fit for him.

Did you observe the classroom? How do they handle the needs of the different children? Different subgroupings or pullouts or...?

And GH, I had to think about your post. I feel anything BUT brave yet the more I think about it, the more maybe it fits. It would be easier to do nothing yet D and I have to continue. Maybe that's one defination of brave.

BeeBee

I did get to observe the classroom amd I was impressed with thier approach and patience. I saw lots of flexibility and allowance for differing needs of the students. My daughter is highly verbal and will tell me immediately if something is wrong, which is a blessing. I know the principal, social worker and psychologist as I work with the school district professionally. It's so hard to try to find a perfect fit. My hope is that this class will be close enough for her to learn and do better socially.
Laure

Laureen?

Tell me what it is your daughter is
able and not able to do since I think
you said she is HFA like myself.
I am asking for details, AS folks
tend to not want to exhibit them
willingly, and since I am HFA and
your daughter seems to be, I
will take this detailed picking
opportunity. Hmmmmm?

I am picking at this because I see
a need, so forgive my nosiness!

Sincerely,
Ghosthunter

[size=18][b]Ghosthunter,
She is extremely bright - IQ in very superior range. She has difficulty relating to the NT 12 yr old. Her brightness and vast knowledge come across as odd or quirky to the average kid. She has difficulty navigating the social circles which are very clicky and only open to the girls who are very popular "cute" and appealing to the boys.
My daughter thankfully is a bit immature in this regard and is not interested in anything more than a platonic friendship.
She has one friend in school. She is also a very bright NT girl. They can communicate on the same level. They are both in the same girl scout troop and baton twirling squad. Many common interests make this connection successful.
The smaller academic setting is part of my doing. Me and a few other parents basically designed this setting knowing our kids were coming up into the JR high and would not survive the regular or integrated classes that were offered. We are on a committe which advises the special ed. Dir in our school district.
Give me more specifics and I can try to elaborate
Laure

So we have this term, "Self-Contained"
academics? Hmmmmm? Is this smaller
classrooms in a mainstream setting?



How was she not cutting it in a smaller
setting? What was the classroom setting
like, provided it was a mainstream or not
class setting?



I can understand this. This is why
I show hesistance of lately in
intacting with people in both life
and WrongPlanet. My expressions
get lost and that is why my "Phase III"
was a cold cup of coffee reminder
of your statement. I being HFA can
grasp this as a adult. I wonder
where she hides herself? I do behind
my computer and socially I am mostly
externally inactive unless engaged and
enlivened into my train or thought. This
is my perspective as a HFA adult.



how does this blend of situations work?
Such diversity?



I don't know what to say here. I and
my employer(the husband part) were
discussing my 3 day notice and he
empasized as a autistic adult that
jobs are difficult to taylor. I hope her
education inspires her strengths and
she can be at least independent in
her strength that will lead to a "strength"
base job. I hope this didn't sound
negative, I am writing from my heart
and giving a postive statement disguised
within the statement.



Describe this setting and how they
taylor the individuals strength and
weaknesses. I remember flashcard,
and vocal sounds, I remeber very
little, but this pictorial bit is most
fluent within my memory bank and
how I got my G.E.D at 31. I don't
see this in your daughter's case, but
it is to illustrate the frame of HFA
learning that I remember.

1)...First read! and a note pad that
creates the images that stuck in
my analytical brain.

2)...Pictorial cartooning of grasped
theories

3)...2nd read and enhancing the details
that may have been missed.

Hmmmm?



Self-explained!



Tell me about this. This website has brought
these thoughts as well, or "how much of
a fit", and how much must I dwell in silence.

"Splash-and-drip-A COLD CUP OF COFFEE
SPLASHED UPON me" and whatever good I
said about the folks here I have not saved,
and all that I feel is icy silence and the need
to help the few, if that is all is needed.

I hope that she finds her fit. What is it
that she can do that is her "Gift"?

What is it that is not her gift, and area's
she needs to work on?

How does the school address this and
how much of this addressing do you
will and will not work?



I as a Adult HFA have a score of
EQ 17, SQ38, or HFA based on
some data that I have found.

Have you tried this wired test on
her because I would be curious to
see the difference a "Pictorial"
learning path differs between age
differences, 12 and 38 age groups?





I hope she figures out that it is her
own path that she must be absorbed
in, not others. Fitting in is one of the
life long issues.



I am the same way as a adult HFA.
I find continuing conversation is a
weak point here on WrongPlanet for
me and much weaker in the real world.

I offer no solution, but instead say,
love-support-and guidance from you
is the best thing, and getting into
strength-area clubs may blossom
her?



This is often one of my clues for detecting
autistic folk. Very astute of you to notate
and acknowledge this



Good, Love-support and guidance, and
working on her strengths may be helpful
keys.

Explain what did you and the other parents
have to do to get this to work? Was it
altimately a school, state, or ?unknown word?
decision and creation?



Very Good

BeeBee,

I have been reading your posts. To me, you are a very, very brave mom who have put in so much effort to understand and care for your children. You go girl!

Best wishes to you.

How's it going and I hope
my past words with you
didn't hurt you personally.

I was trying to help in my
own way. Hopefully you
don't feel ill of me? My
heart is in the right place,
my words can sometimes
be poisionous?

hows it going with you and
your son? I hope our help
improves you relationship
with him emotionally, and
as a mom?

Hmmmm?
Ghosthunter

I know that and I thank you.

We are both enjoying our school holidays now.