Brainstorm: How could the schools better help your SN child?

desertmom · 02-27-2008, 10:20 PM

This thread is not for slamming the schools, but rather to brainstorm on how to improve SN programs. Let's throw out some ideas. This is a wish list, so don't worry about the funding at this point.

In my case:

Send teachers to workshop (paid training) on the SN of the child(ren) she is charged with teaching.

Have autism/Asperger specialists on site, not just a trained team who trains others in the district.

Allow a quiet, safe place for self-directed timeouts for the child. Currently, we have that. It's the resource room, so supervision is there.

More extensive bully protection for SN children. Required training for principals and Asst. principals on how certain SN children think/react to bullying.

Monitors on school buses so drivers can concentrate on driving. Even high school seniors or juniors can be given incentives to do this.

Healthier school lunches. Low additives, trans fat and artificial colorings.

Children allowed water bottles at their desks. Our children are dehydrated, and dehydrated brains don't learn as well.

littlelizard · 02-28-2008, 05:26 AM

1. ESE Specialists - the head of ESE at the school- should be well-versed in all major disabilities that are represented in the school. Not just the ones he/she is interested in.

2. Schools need to realize that mainstreaming/integrating kids full time into general ed is NOT always in the best interest of the SN student or the typical students that have a right to learn too. I think it needs to be a slow and steady process, and that half time mainstream should be more encouraged.

3. Accommodations - educate teachers how to implement accomodations per need - not a one size fits all approach.

4. Hope for the best - but be willing to accept limitations as well - help the SN children learn how to be successful and independent working WITH their limitations/ not always fighting their limitations and giving constant support. The real world's not like that! Teach them how to do the best that THEY can do - using different means to get to the end if necessary - rather than forcing them to meet standards set for typical kids.

5. Teach life skills - all kids - not just SN.

6. Like you said - when a teacher gets a class with a SN kid - send her to a training SPECIFICALLY for that particular disability. NOT a general "special ed" training.

7. More aides/assistants/support staff!

8. Faster processing of forms for testing/evaluations/equiptment!!! 60 days is 3 months of school! UNACCEPTABLE.

The ESE Specialist should drag herself down to the classrooms where the SN kids are and actually see how they do in the classroom with her own eyes, instead of sitting with paperwork/IEP meetings. She has an assistant, but get her another one if need be, so she can do this important task!