[FEAT BC Admin]

In this discussion area, please feel free to share your experience in implementing A.B.A. programs in the school system. We would particularly like to hear from those parents who converted their school teams to A.B.A. We’d like to hear the nightmares as well as the success stories.

Any insight that can be shared by school-based special education assistants to help parents would also be very meaningful.

Topic

[Deleted User]

I am wondering if anyone has been successful in having a SEA "provided" for the K+ program. Our son has made great gains conversationally and socially and really wants to attend K+ 3 days a week with his buddies. 19/23 attend the program and we have noticed quite a difference socially between those who "do" and those who "don't" attend the extended day and are afraid of the social divide becoming ever-larger. We have been told by the school that the cost of the aide is $800/month plus the school program fee of $280/month and feel that this is completely outrageous and blocks entry to an extension program offered at a public school. Any help or information from anyone who has navigated this terrain before would be most appreciated.

thanks,

Tamara

[Barbara Rodrigues]

Lisa:

I also hope that you won't let the anger of one person stop you from sharing or participating in the FEAT chat. Unfortunately, there are many who lash out for whatever reasons they may have – there are many who are not our children's friends and who are just seeking out what we say.

Posting anonymously gives people way too much leeway in the 'maybe I should think before I spew' department and something I wish the feat chat could remove. I understand that the reason for the ability was to protect the parents from the eyes that are not our friends but more often than not it's used as a shield to say hurtful, ignorant things. Or by people who want to critize the original poster and yet remain anonymous. It takes guts to post your opinion with your name attached. It doesn't take too much to post anonymously. For those who post anonymously to protect their children or their children's future, I also respect and that was the main reason for that option (I think).

FEAT is stronger when we remain focused on our cause 'medically necessary autism treatment' for all kids of every age in every venue – including school. For many parents, it's been years and years of struggles and fights against every agency and every area including medical professionals, social workers, families, friends, preschools, and then teachers/schools. So there's a lot of bitterness and resentment out there. Things are better (a bit) for the younger kids but the older children and families have sacrificed much for many years before some of you even had your children. Does that give anyone the right to be so mean – of course not. Just because someone has an autistic kid does not mean you have to like them either but we should all remain respectful and focused.

I hope you stay Lisa but good luck to you and your little guy if you choose to go.

Barbara
Jeremy's Mom (the queen of runon (sp) sentences)

[Deleted User]

This is not an issue with home schooling per say, because on paper it looks actually in many ways as a better option for parents of children with autism, for many of the reasons the other poster mentioned…
however-
there are always different ways to look at things

if we just keep pulling children because the system currently is failing them how can we ever make the system better. in no way am I suggesting children be sacrificed to build the dream, but what of the parent perhaps somewhat on the spectrum themselves, coping, but having issues of their own, or of the single parent, where staying home is not an option, what of the parent who does not have a high school diploma themselves or the where with all to deliver a quality home schooling to their children.

We can keep withdrawing children, making their dream come true ( education boards) yah! no more autistic children phew…or we can stand and say no more.

This means legal challenges, because with the union so absolutely confused that this actually has something to do with them, I am afraid that PAC committies will do little, well meaning but when it comes to the bottom line will not be able to do what they want.

I suggest strongly not sueing the Education Ministry but going after individual schools. If there is no pressure on the schools to make major reforms with re to appropriate education and proper medical supports for kids with A the Ministry of Ed will not be pushed hard by the boards to make change.
The Ministry has limitless resource, the boards do not. But if we pull all the kids with autism one by one out of school, aren't we right back to segregation?
just some thoughts….
for the record my child can not attend school right now because of denial of proper medical supports that is marked on his record as he is marked absent from school everyday.
I am taking legal action.

[David Chan]

By Anonymous on Sunday, September 22,
2002 – 04:57 pm:

Homeschooling is more then just an option it
is becoming a
better way of education.

I am not an educator so I wonÕt make a
comment on which method of education is
superior. Many people, famous ones, didnÕt
do well in a formal educational setting. I just
found out recently, that one of my most
admired photographers, Ansel Adams, never
had a formal education in a school setting.
Does that mean that itÕs right for my kid? The
jury is still out on that one.

No more IEP'S
No more unqualified professionals telling you
how to educate
YOUR child
No more fears of how the child will behave
today
No more worries if your child tantrums will
he/she be thrown
out of school
No more school related stress

All these comments are fair enough. But
avoidance of inconvenience and hassle
should not be the sole basis of deciding
whether a child should be educated at school
or not.

Homeschooling you can educate your child,
you can socialize your child,

I have some reservations with this point. Who
are you going to socialize your child with? Try
as I might, I have never managed a play-date
with 24 other children at the same time. Other
than our weekly attendance at church, I have
never been able to set up an assembly in a
school gym for him to be in.

the child can have ABA therapy, and your child
is happier. Most kids with autism can't take the
group
setting .

I take enormous exception to this comment.
The reason? We spend our lives telling the
professionals that our children arenÕt like
"most kids with Autism". Our comments have
always been that because he has had
intensive ABA intervention that he isnÕt like a
child with untreated Autism. WhatÕs
happening here is that we are
self-segregating these children. We saved
THEM the trouble of doing that to us. IsnÕt that
ironic?

Autism by its very definition is "into oneself" so
to deprive these children of the opportunity to
socialize with others seems a rather
self-defeating exercise.

and it's not fair when these professionals try
and
send them to segerated classrooms.

Since when is it about FAIR? ItÕs not fair to the
professionals, wait thatÕs what they are saying
to us. Fairness is about affording my child
every opportunity that a typical child has. IsnÕt
that the mandate of schools, especially public
ones?

Homeschooling is your LEGAL right. You don't
owe a teacher,
principal or anyone an explanation. It's none of
their
buisness.

ItÕs not about owing, we live in a community,
we are our brotherÕs keeper. As much of a
burden as it may seem we are changing the
world, maybe one person at a time, but
someoneÕs got to do it. We would like to think
that in the face of adversity that we all chip in.
Believe me our childrenÕs situation s are
adverse. On a more pragmatic note, do we
just walk away, and let these guys off the
hook? IÕm not so sure thatÕs really the
message that we want to send. Our children
are equal members of this society, we are
taxpayers, and these children have a
constitutional right to equal access to an
education as every citizen of Canada as stated
in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They
are, for lack of a better word, entitled.

You have three educational options they are
public, private and homeschooling. Some
suggest you start in
the beginning of the school year. You can start
anytime you
wish.

I donÕt want my kid to be the poster child for
ABA therapy thatÕs not his lot in life; his lot is to
get as much as we as society have to offer
him. In the past two years he has learned
from his peers and moreover his peers have
learned more than the three RÕs, TheyÕve
learned the value of his courage, his tenacity,
and his ability to give love to others. That
admiration and love from his peers, alas I
cannot provide him at home.

Doing OK at school for now

Dave
Mr. PÕs Dad

[Deleted User]

Homeschooling is more then just an option it is becoming a better way of education.

No more IEP'S
No more unqualified professionals telling you how to educate YOUR child
No more fears of how the child will behave today
No more worries if your child tantrums will he/she be thrown out of school
No more school related stress

Homeschooling you can educate your child, you can socialize your child, the child can have ABA therapy, and your child is happier. Most kids with autism can't take the group setting and it's not fair when these professionals try and send them to segerated classrooms.

Homeschooling is your LEGAL right. You don't owe a teacher, principal or anyone an explanation. It's none of their buisness.

Links are
http://www.bchomeschool.org/

http://www.schooloftomorrow.com/index.asp

You have three educational options they are
public, private and homeschooling. Some suggest you start in the beginning of the school year. You can start anytime you wish.

[Deleted User]

I was wondering if anyone has thought of starting a PAC team with parents of children that have autism. What I am suggesting is for all school issues, a group of parents form a committee to help all families with autism whose children are in school in this province (whether it be public or private). It would not be a government pay structure, just like a PAC trying to help and suggest more realistic and beneficial ideas.In regards to communication logs, Lovaas style ABA awareness, teacher and SEA roles, etc… Feat does an awesome job helping families like myself, but it would be nice some of the parents could educate the districts. All the districts current aid for autism is a joke and it doesn't assist our kids. It creates more behaviour. Homeschooling is starting to sound better and better.

[Pete Stelmaschuk]

Although I encountered (and still do ), pretty-much the same problems with supported child-care before my son became school-aged, I used to be one of those parents that never fully appreciated parent-teacher-aide issues. I am now faced with the dilemma of withdrawing my son from Kindergarten, or allowing the teacher and his aide to keep him "special needs" for the rest of his life.

The question remains: if I take Zane out of school, what do I do with his education ( keeping in mind that autism is a behaviorally defined disorder, characterized by a marked impairment of social skills)? I live in Abbotsford and I have heard that there are daycare/kindergarten centers in Surrey/Langley/Whiterock that allow ABA therapist to do as their training has taught and to act in the child's best interest. If this is an option (I am also considering homeschooling), I would really like more information.

Tomorrow I go to my son's first IEP meeting. There are several important issues that need to be addressed and resolved. Every day, my therapists have accompanied my son into kindergarten. Our communication book has became a written docement of every struggle. I am very interested in collecting records of other parents with the very same struggles and I would gladly pass my own on. My email is: petrixx@shaw.ca

[Debra Antifaev]

Dear Lisa,

I, for one, certainly hope that the last post is not your last post. I enjoy all discussion on this board and I always find your posts interesting.
I tend to agree with Sabrina, that sometimes the meanings of our posts can be misunderstood. I thought the last two post I had written were emotionless and informative and yet my buddy Nancy thought I was mad at her and appologised to me. I have re-read them and still find them "sterile".
It is all in the interpretation.
I must warn you, Lisa, there are some people who post on here and do not reveal their names because they are not really "one of us". I had one of my posts printed up and used against me in a legal forum by people I do not consider my "friends".
This CHAT is a forum for parents of autistic children to exchange views and try to help each-other, but it is also used by some unfriendly people to gain information about us and try to upset us.
I don't care how you spell or what you write, just as long as you write. I think some of the "grammatically challenged" (to quote Dave and Mr. P) are the best, most honest and enlightning posts on this CHAT.
Don't be upset, Lisa, think of the "nasties" as just "nasties" and come on back.

Deb
Ben's Mom
also grammatically challenged!

[Sabrina Freeman]

Hello Everyone,

We have a very good thread going regarding teachers, SEA’s and other school issues! However, I want to discuss an important point to ensure we maintain a high quality, meaningful discussion on this very important topic.

School issues are understandably emotional for many, but I strongly urge everyone to please debate based on ideas rather than attack any member of the forum. What makes us strong, as a group is the ability to address contentious issues, laying out the facts and critiquing faulty policies and systems rather that assaulting the credibility of a chat board member.

We should keep in mind that by the very nature of this medium — E-mail communication — posts can take on a VERY casual, virtually conversational style. This means they can be less than perfect in form but, of course, perfection is not the intent of this forum. The goal of the exercise is to share thoughts so everyone can hopefully become better informed and more effective in what they do.

I believe most of us want to hear what everyone has to say, even if the ideas may differ from our own or perhaps are jotted down quickly, with imperfect form. This is a particularly important point to stress when it comes to valued members of the group who may speak English as a second language. Everyone must feel comfortable and welcome to share with us.

Please let's keep the discussion targeted on content rather than form. There is much that needs to be debated where our public schools are concerned.

Thank you!

Sabrina (Miki's Mom)

[Deleted User]

Re: Filling out communication logs

I am a high school teacher with a 15 year old son with autism. As a parent and an educator, I CAN see the picture from both sides and will share my perspective.

Daily communication logs are extremely important for successful implementation of an ABA program. We had the good fortune of having a very dedicated SEA who took on the task of writing in the communication book in elementary school. My son's high school SEA also does this task. It makes the best sense to have them do this….they are quite often in an one-on-one situation with the child (as opposed to a 1:30 ratio with the teacher)…..they know their strengths, weaknesses, can detect subtle behaviours, etc. They also have more time to do it (not that they aren't busy). I greatly respect my son's SEA and buy them small gifts/cards for Hallowe'en, Christmas, etc. Why? They certainly don't expect it. I do it because I want to have a positive working relationship with them for the sake of my son. As a result, the SEA is more willing to go the extra mile for me because they know I appreciate them. (My son's SEA even came with us to Victoria for an entire weekend to attend Operation Trackshoes…and paid for it out of her own pocket.)

On another note, all people (yes, even teachers) deserve to be treated with respect. Voicing your concerns in a rational, respectful way to the teacher will yield greater results than berating them and picking apart their grammar. Whether or not you think they are excuses, school HAS changed from when you and I were students. Students with behaviour problems, FAS, Tourette's, ADHD, learning disabilities, Down's Syndrome, etc. are integrated into classes with minimal support. It is worse this year. The number of SEA hours and support for special needs students have been cut (thanks to the Liberal government). Teachers have to pick up the slack. In high school, we teach over 120 students per day. We try to do our best but we can never accomplish all that we would like to do.

[Author]

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