Your Opinion Requested: What Do You Think Education for Autistic Children Should Look Like?

What Do You Think Education for Autistic Children Should Look Like? my child’s may look very different from yours, and it should.

I am of the opinion public education is just that, academic education. there are other means to introduce community living skills for a child with autism, than the school. I suppose part of this community skills can be based upon change in routine with in a public setting, and then working the child through that change, also to transition skills learned in school into other settings. but then I could do that same thing myself. however I cannot teach my child academics. my opinion also is that unless you have those academic skills, a child may never do well in the community and vice versa. there should be a balance of both if it’s the school doing this, and one area should not have more focus than another since all area’s can be of equal importance to the child.

I am of the opinion all these things should and can be taught within the school settings, not outside of it. in my parental opinion, McDonald’s is a reward not a learning experience. the grocery store for any kid does not really give direct contact (for many the result is sensory over loads!) my idea of community would be taking a child to where they need to interact with others, not simply parallel play or co-exists with peers. my idea of a learning experience is how not to just run off, or throw a fit due to Grandma over there staring at my child. but then again, I’d rather my child learn to read.

I have never been a big fan of field trips and I am still not. prior to kindergarten, there was a field trip to the library that I did not allow my son to go to. you first have to teach him interest in a book, borrowing and returning a book, that you cannot tear up the book, (he still is a human paper shredder) and that when you ever go back to the library, that same book wont be in that same exact spot…… my son had no business going with his class to the library.

my point, there has to be skills first in place before more skills can be added.

Absolutely academics should be just as important as anything else. It is for all the other kids in school, right?! I mean, that is what school is for. Inclusion for kids with autism is VITAL. Yes, it’s hard when they start school to be included in larger classes, but is there is “small group instruction” in the workplace?? No, there isn;t. Life skills for most of our kids can be taught at home. If they are to become productive members of society, there are things our kids have to *learn* and most of those things will be learned in a regular education classroom (WITH supports and services) with typical peers. This may not be the case for all children on the spectrum. I know for certain my son would not be where he is now, socially, academically,verbally, ETC if not for inclusive education.

Of course academics should be important! My son is only 3 and his ABA therapists use academic/learning activities with him along with teaching him appropriate social skills. We are keeping him in a regular preschool where his therapists are allowed to attend to work with him both in the classroom, and in a private room. Our goal is to get him ready to be in a typical kindergarten class. We declined to place him in the school district preschool intervention class after discussing our options with the doctor who diagnosed him. He needs to be ready to have a good quality independent life when he is grown.

Education for our children with autism? Not in my county in Florida (at least not three years ago when I finally removed my daughter from the Public system).

After 9 IEPs in one year, the last one took over 8 hours and had over 15 District representatives in attendance, I decided my daughter’s education was not a priority to the District. I was told that educating my daughter to the same academic level as her age-peers would be “providing a Cadillac, and she is only entitled to a Kia.” Further that “she has Severe Autism, she cannot learn.” And finally that “she only has to make adequate progress and WE determine what adequate progress is – ANY progress is adequate.”

Our children bring in significant funding, but are placed into crowded “daycare” situations and left to stagnate, for the most part – monies being spent for compuers for the school library (which my child was not allowed to use) and G_d knows where else – not for her or her therapy or her education.

I am happy to report we found a great Montessori that has welcomed her (and her Applied Behavioral Analyst/Verbal Behaviorists) with open arms. With the team’s support, a special diet, some good quality supplements, digestive enzymes, and probiotics, my “Severely Autistic” little girl has blossomed into a fully functional young woman.

Not only can she learn, but she is excelling! She passed the Kindergarten exam with a score in the high 90th percentile and the first grade exam with a score in the high 80th percentile – the only accomodation my child received was 1:1 testing with re-direction when her attention wandered from the test (a number of “typical” children in the class also were tested this way).

My “severely autistic” daughter has friends, speaks with intent, inflection, and meaning and in full paragraphs; and can carry on a conversation. She plays properly, no longer elopes, sleeps soundly,eats anyhing we put in front of her, bathes and toilets herself, and is looking forward to a very bright future – no thanks to the Public Schools in Florida.

It is a tragedy that our children are counted out without any consideration for the impact on their lives or even the tax burden they will become. These children, their families, and our world deserve better! Shame on our Government!!!

ALL EDUCATION SHOULD FOLLOW THE FEDERAL LAW:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/lre.index.htm
MY SON ATTENDED PRESCHOOL FOR TWO YEARS IN A CLASSROOM WERE ALL THE 12 TO 14 KIDS HAD SOME KIND OF DISSABILITY. HE LEARNED NOTHING. HE WAS FRUSTRATED.
AFTER THREE TIMES OF FIGHTING WITH THE TEACHERS, WHO RESULTED IN PUTTING HIM IN TIME OUTS AND TAKING AWAY PRIVILEDGES, I REGISTERED HIM IN A PRIVATE PARENT PARTICIPATION SCHOOL. HE GOT WET, HE GOT MUDDY, HE GOT PAINTED, HE GOT SAND IN HIS MOUTH, HE GOT NAKED, BUT HE LEARNED. HE HAD FUN, HE COULD NOT WAIT TO GO TO HIS “APPS” LIKE HE CALLED IT. HE HAD THE MOST WONDERFULL TEACHER THAT GOT TO HER KNEES EACH TIME HE GOT INTO TROUBLE, OR HE CLIMB TO DANGEROUS HIGHTS. EACH TIME HE GOT UPSET. SHE TOUGH HIM TO USE HIS WORDS, TO SHARE HIS FEELINGS. HE FINISHED KINDER IN A MAINSTREAM CLASSROOM. WE HAD TO HIRE A LAWYER, AND FIGHT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE GOT THE DISTRICT TO PROVIDE A ONE TO ONE AIDE. IT WILL ALWAYS BE A FIGHT WITH SOCIETY, IT WILL ALWAYS BE A FIGHT WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WANTS TO CHEAT YOU OF YOUR RIGHTS, AND BECAUSE OF MONEY. BUT YOU GOT TO KEEP FIGHTING. I ALSO HOMESCHOOL HIM AFTER SCHOOL, HE TAKES PIANO, SWIMMING, AND NOW SOCCER. IT WAS A STRUGGLE, BUT I PICK HIM UP EVERY TIME HE GETS UPSET, EVERY TIME HE DOES NOT WANT TO DO SOMETHING. I HAVE EXPLAIN THAT HE HAS TWO BRAINS, ONE VERY BIG ONE THAT IT GOOD AND ONE THAT IS BAG, THAT IT IS GETTING SMALLER EVERY TIME BECAUSE THE GOOD BRAIN IS WINNING. HE UNDERSTAND THAT. SOMETIMES HE SAYS,”MOM, I CAN DO IT, I AM BAD, BAD BRAIN IS WINNING.” AND I SAY, “NO, BAD BRAIN IS LOOSING, BECAUSE YOU ARE AWARE THAT BAD BRAIN WANTS TO HAVE YOU LOOSE, WANTS TO MAKE YOU TIRED, WANTS TO HAVE YOU QUIT. BUT YOU CAN’T LET IT WIN. GET UP PUT YOURSELF TOGETHER, AND STOP SCREAMING, AND CRYING, AND HELP GOOD BRAIN WIN.” HE DOES IT, WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES, AND SCREAMING, “I HATE YOU MOM,” AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF GOING BACK AGAIN TO WHAT HE IS SUPPOSED TO DO HE LOOKS AT ME AND SAYS,”GOOD BRAIN IS WINNING MOM.” AND HE GIVES ME THUMBS UP. I SAID, ” I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU SON,” AND YOU KNOW “I DON’T CARE IF YOU HATE ME. YOU CAN HATE ME ALL WHAT YOU WANT AS LONG AS GOOD BRAIN IS WINNING.”

For some children, this type of class is an ideal setting. BUT, and here is the big BUT…academics need to be included! There are various special reading programs that have a good track record for students with autism. There are specialized math materials that could be used…

If one program doesn’t work, try another.

Yet there are some students who will not learn. For those students, it is VERY IMPORTANT that they learn life skills so that they might have a chance to live independently with monetary support. It is VERY IMPORTANT that vocational training be carefully planned if that is a realistic goal.

It is up to parents, who are equal members of an IEP team, to make sure the program will challenge their child to learn, even if it doesn’t mean learning at the same pace as their age peers or even the same content.

It is up to the parents to ask for “prior written notice” when services are denied, to take careful and detailed notes, and to take their school districts to due process when an agreement can’t be reached.

It is also important for parents to be REALISTIC! Inclusion is NOT the best situation for many children. You may THINK it is, but it is not. There are other solutions besides a regular classroom. My son attended a special needs school that catered to pretty much any disability. There were many children in the school with learning disabilities…not just autism. They were “normal” socially speaking, yet needed a different sort of learning environment for academics. Not all children can learn to their potential in our cookie cutter public schools. That doesn’t mean they can’t have role models and academic standards! My son had no trouble with academics and in fact was advanced academically. Still, the special needs program we found was perfect for ALL his needs. I understand that not everyone has access to such programs, but please, understand that inclusion can be a really bad thing for some kids as far as reaching their potential goes.

We need to fight so that noone discounts our kids or gives up on them before trying XYZ. That ideal classroom setting for autism CAN include academics if the school were to build that into the program and individualize for the needs of each child. In our case, my son joined the group for some lessons, but worked basically on his own for other areas, like reading, since he was 3 years above grade level. He was not held back, but accelerated. This in a special needs school. There is no reason this can’t happen for other children, but we need to advocate, and when we hit resistance to these “weird ideas” push forward with due process.

Yes, my son went on field trips to the grocery store to practice with money and get some life skills practice, but he also went to farms, musicals and plays (sorry, no museums near here, or they would have been there as well).

The best of both worlds is possible. It’s a shame some special education classes are a dumping ground rather than a true specialized program, but until parents stand up and say, “No way” to these sorts of classes and inclusion (which is forced on many children…I really hate advocates for total and complete inclusion for all students), and force, through dues process, our schools to do the right thing, you will rarely see academics with a truly therapeutic setting for our children to reach their true potential.

I am against full inclusion for younger students with multiple problem areas. I am also against faulty programming and one-size-fits-all classes.

I am a teacher in a “regular education” classroom. I have chosen to teach Autistic children. While it is a challenge I readily do my job! I believe we all need to be advocates for all children!
I agree that inclusion may not be the best idea but No Child Left Behind forces our hand as educators. As far as life skills vs. academics.. here’s a novel idea teach both! Many of my “regular” kids need just as many life skills! But my goal is that all students reach their full potential. Whatever that may be.. but they need all we can give them! And don’t ever think we don’t want you to be an advocate for your child! YOU are the BEST expert when it comes to your child~

That’s the way I feel, like they think my son is incapable of learning. Basically, they’re just doing as little as possible to get him through the school year. I wished they’d put a little extra effort in to make sure he “gets it”, and change it a little to make it more interesting to him so he’d be more willing to learn. There’s a bright kid in there, it just takes some imagination and patience to get it to come out.He’s very verbal, and to look at him, you wouldn’t be able to tell he has Aspergers. But he’s very stubborn and he’s got it stuck in his head that he hates Reading, Writing and Math mostly. But for the most part-he hates everything about school. He says it’s boring and they don’t teach him anything and it’s not fun at all. I know they pulled him out of his grade 6 Math class and did grade 3/4 math with him 1 on 1. He says it’s like grade 1 Math. I’m glad they are taking the time to make sure he gets the basics of Math before they push him into doing harder math, but there’s gotta be some happy medium. He’s not getting anything out of school.

He only gets assistance if it’s available, and I was told he’s not severe enough IBI or ABA(can’t remember which one). I would love a smaller class room with a higher teacher/ student ratio.He has an IEP, but my gutt tells me they are not following it. I don’t see the results, but I can’t be there every day so I have no proof. Another reason I doubt them following it is because not once did they every tell me what was available in an IEP. I had to find out first then ask for it.

I was told by a lady who does substitute teaching in the public school system as well as Catholic school systems that Catholic schools are much better than public schools because they have a better program for special needs kids and focus a lot on inclusion which is really important for self esteem and confindence. So I’m thinking I might switch my son to the Catholic school. It can’t be any worse than the school he’s been in for the last 3 years. Besides private school which I can’t afford, the only other option is moving to where there is schools that specialize in meeting the needs of our special kids.

So to summarize and answer the question: No I do not feel life skill should replace academics and yes academics should be stressed in our children.

There’s so much more I could say, but I think you get the gist of what I’m saying. This is just my opinions and experiences.

Kristin

I believe it should be 50/50.My son attended a PDD/autistic supp.kindergarten class last yr.but they taught him so much,compared to a reg.preschool,he attended yr.before.I was very impressed,he learned how to write his name,math skills,alphabet etc.along with trips to zoo,bowling,and how to socialize in a typical environment.Only thing I was not happy with, was he needs more behavior skills mixed with play skills with typical peers,he never got,needing more hours with behavior consultant.When playing in our neighborhood,he does not understand,words “NO” when others don’t want him playing with them,and gets angry and lashes out at them.They spend more times during the year at school then at home,so thats where they should be getting more all around skills.

As a special education teacher who works with autistic children, I think that one should consider the child’s needs and ability to take on so much. If he/she can absorb the curriculum/content Why not?

In my opinion specialized schools that teach autistic children, move our children along as if they were sheep. Yes, they have smaller class sizes and more what in some schools is call community visits, e.g. (McDonalds, bowling, Target, the fire department etc.) Yet only medial basic skills are taught to our children. I have a ten year old son who is autistic when he was 81/2 I had to really fight to get him out a specialized school classroom, into a more academically prone environment. I was so tired of my son coloring, doing cut and paste, matching and adding and subtracting simple numbers, additionally he was very bored! He use to plow through his simple homework (which, I had to request homework for him to do) in no time flat.

He is now in a special eduction, cross-category class with kids who that are LD and BD. He has picked up a few undesirable phrases, but he is actually learning. Last year 4th grade, with the exception of math problems, he is on target with his math skills, he multiplies and divides extremely well. He knows the order of the planets in the Solar System! Most importantly, he knows that he lives on planet earth! He has learned the continents, has had book reports, short oral reports,he alphabetizes his spelling list, has vocabulary words, is learning how to use the dictionary and more.
These are academic skills that were never even presented to him to attempt to learn while attending the specialized school with a small group of other autistic children. It is best not to fool ourselves, it is hard to find schools’ within our districts, with good teachers’. Which, honestly, a great teacher is the crux of excelling an autistic child. Additionally, to move our children forward even more, we as parents at home we must remember to take the time and reinforce what is taught at school.
Last, but not least, consistently disciplining our autistic children opens more opportunities for them to enter a better learning environment. Discipline teaches our children to listen and follow directions better, hence increasing their learning ability; and it teaches them about parameters, respect and order.
My son still struggles with socializing, communicating in sentences and although he read well, he struggles with reading comprehension. Each of our children are different, but we must advocate for them to be in an active academic environment so that they allowed go as far as they are capable of!

I am a paraeducator of a self contained autistic classroom. I work with kindergarten and first graders. Our program has swayed to the academic side this past year. The IEP’s are not a high priority and the demands in our classroom are overwhelming. I believe in educating these kids to their fullest potential, but being realistic at the same time. The time and effort in preparing a simple lesson, considering all the modifications needed, must be recognized when choosing what is essential to their learning. Yes, the parents should be teaching the children life skills, but alot of our students do not have that support and with our efforts we have been able to teach them some of these skills. There is not enough time given to self contained classrooms to prepare properly for the teachings of these children. What good is a child that can read or add if he has behavior outbursts, can’t focus or sit in a chair. I fully believe in educating these kids to their fullest BUT for them to be successful and be mainstreamed, we need to intervene early with life skills and then work on the academics.

I feel like I could of written this article. I am constantly fighting for academics for our 15 year old son with autism. The school has never given him an assignment that he is not able to accomplish within a very short time. Teach him multiplication one day and the next day he will get 100% correct. Yet I have to then fight to move him on to division. We have been fighting the system every step of the way. Our son has many peers that could also demonstrate these skills but many parents are so overwhelmed with taking care of a family that includes a child with autism and they do not have the energy to fight everystep of the way. It is sad that these children are never given the opportunity to have an academic education. Why do the schools feel that every child with a disability should go down the same path. Our school system allows two paths for our son. He can learn to work or learn to play. Maybe he does not want to sit and do repetitive work all day to earn a $10 check. Maybe the parents can and do provide him with the home skills that he will need. We are fortunate that in our state, children with disabilities go to school until they are 26. However if they can only learn to play or work for those extra 8 years what is the point. I think the extra years could be offering the opportunity to learn – what a concept. Our child is non-verbal however he does communicate in many ways including writing to us, he also processes information better when he is written to. However the educators in our school system do not seem to process information when parents constantly complain verbally and in writing. We tried to do a formal complaint however the person that handles the complaints are paid by the school. That got us no where.

What a timely question–this very issue
has been heavily on my mind as I have
attended numerous parent/school team
conferences for my 8 year old over the
last year. I’m pleased that my son has
begun basic reading and has made progress academically, but what does those small milestones mean if he has
made limited progress socially. I’m increasingly beginning to think that autistic education should encompass more
social skills, life management, ADL,
coping and transition skill development.
At least, I feel that is what my son needs at this point, and I suspect in the future

There is such a wide spectrum to autism, just like there is a wide spectrum to the learning style of anyone of us. Some people learn fast, some are slow, most of us are somewhere in between and it depends on the subject or skill. There is no one curriculum to fit autistic kids anymore than there is one curriculum to fit everyone else. we have to work harder to make a options for the kids and allow parents and educators contribute to the decision.

My husband and I are going throught the same thing with our son. His developmental specialist teacher retired last year and was replaced with a speach theripist with some experience with autistic childeren. My son is in the fourth grade and had been attending school full time since her was 4. They have changed his classroom, school and teacher almost every year. We have tried to point out that autistic childeren do not do well with this much change, but the schools keep shuffling them so that no one school takes too big of a hit with No Child Left Behind.
Our son’s new teacher called us not to long ago to tell us that he felt our son was low functioning and severly autistic, which is the first time we’ve ever heard this. Our son reads quickly and understands, can spell just about any word and they have yet to find math he stuggles with, but because of the class structure, they continue to test him on time and money, etc. Because he reads faster than the other children in his inclusive class, he is forced to reread the same materials (once for more than a month)over and over until everyone catches up. This causes behaviors with our son. They have yet to respond to our requets for adaptive equipment for our son, who is largly non-verbal…at school.
At home, we have a hard time keeping him quiet as he and his sister make up games to play with eachother.
We are extreemly frustrated with the whole thing and would love some advice from someone doing academic testing for our kids. Our school is at a loss and does not know how to gauge what these kids know. I have not been able to find any information online about this.

I believe that content is very important too. I work with, what is label as ESE children in Florida. The schools are working just like you said with CBI trips to the local McDonalds. But I have also witness teachers with the certificate to teacher that can’t handle a classroom if one child has a breakdown. Basic Ed teachers that don’t want ESE children in their classroom or even in the school. As an educator myself this makes me so mad. Every child deserves a proper education.