I have a good friend who blogs and she recently observed that when things are going well, she’s far less likely to want or need to write about her life. I think that’s true for me as well. On Friday I picked up my sons from school and the teacher rushed out of Robert’s classroom to tell me that, after having him in her class for a year and a month, last week he began addressing her with questions directly instead of waiting for a prompt from his aide. This is a huge step for him. Just about every day, I leave the school with tears in my eyes after speaking with his aide or his teacher. They are so enthusiastic and he is moving forward. I am so grateful that I’m mostly overwhelmed – how do you thank someone who gives the gift of progress to your kid? A Hallmark card just doesn’t begin to cover it.
My wish is that every child with autism be given the opportunity to achieve his/her potential. I recently met a mum who is new to the area, having relocated from my part of the country (the Southeast US). We had lunch and compared notes about our childrens’ school situations and teachers back home. Our stories were eerily similar – self-contained autism classrooms that served as little more than daycares where the kids weren’t being taught and weren’t progressing, punishments more suited to the 1950s than the 21st century (her child had once been locked in an empty office for “bad behavior”) and a complete lack of understanding among many of the other parents of kids in the classroom. One parent was told she didn’t have to attend her son’s IEP meeting and could just sign the document!
These things are happening in cities and districts that are considered to be the “best in the state!” What’s happening in the lousy ones? I think we all know the answer. As I look at the economic crisis facing the US, and its likely repercussions throughout the global economy, I begin to fear that the funding so vital to good special education programs will simply vanish. People don’t worry about lifting up all children with a quality education if they can’t put food on the table or buy gas for their car. There has to be a better way and I hope to explore several solutions here soon.
Peace.
Filed under: autism | Tagged: autism, autism education
Hi Angie!
I’ll offer a few comments about progress in the schools, at least here in Oregon. We’ve been through this whole process of riasing a child with Asperger’s and dealing with the school experience twice now – and that has given me two radically different perspectives on how good/bad the school experience can be.
Our older son is now 25, and wasn’t diagnosed until he was a freshman in high school. Our younger son (our second “only child” as I jokingly refer to him) is now 14 and was diagnosed when he was 2 1/2. We’ve been through the nightmare of not knowing what was wrong, following everyone “expert” advice – all wrong and totally inappropriate – and watching a precious child go through hell and end up suicidal. And with the advances in understanding, education and support services, we’ve seen the system work in what can only be described as the ideal scenario.
The schools and teachers often get the blame for things going wrong, but in defense of them, the vast majority want to do the right thing; and if they are provided with the training, support and resources needed, can in fact do amazing things in the regular classroom.
Here in Portland, there is a very active and involved Austism support system in the schools – and our younger son enjoyed the benefits of an aggressive and amazing early intervention program. And when the time came to start school, his teacher was aided and trained by the Autism specialists before Eric ever walked into the classroom.
We’ve seen the very worst, and the very best. While we were advised 14 years ago to put our older son into a “rehabilitation” program (a fancy word for a reform school where they assured us they searched the students every single day to make sure no weapons were being carried into the classroom), our younger son is now in the 8th grade and thriving and prospering in middle school.
I know that we are very fortunate, but I just wanted to throw out a counter point to let people know that there are in fact public schools here in the states who are addressing the needs of kids with Autism. And they’re doing it with limited budget resources, over-worked staff, and crowded class rooms. But with the right tools, training, and some good expert support behind them, there are teachers and schools really trying to meet the needs of these magical kids!
Just a little positive counter point for you…
Randy