Re: mainstream preschool

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

The only people who can help you answer that are those in your school

district. Does your support group have any children who did, or tried to do

regular pre-school? One of the best things you can do regarding school is to

talk to as many people as possible who work, go or volunteer there!

Since you have decided to keep her home this year, maybe you should go ahead

and test the waters when the outcome will not *really* matter to you? If

they won;t allow it, then you have and ace in the hole by simply saying she

is going at all then, and next year when you say that, they may take you

more seriously. I have found that the schools all fight you by de-fault,

but once you put that line in sand, they seem willing to work with you.

Also, why are you keeping her home next year? If she is very delayed, all

the *more* reason to put her in the regular preschool where she will have

to work hard? You can always hold her back again in preschool, kdgr or first

grade. I hate to see her 'lose' a year of 'practice' for real school. Does

that make sense? The majority of 3 year old preschoolers don't have a clue,

which is why they are IN pre-school ;-) A child who may take longer to do

well, might need MORE time in school , not less.

One year I had do a 'practice' for kdgr! She did preschool in the

morning, then Kdgr in the afternoon, Next year... all day kdgr, :-) She

needed the extra time to get used to more structured kdgr room.

Carol in IL

Mom to , 9 DS

My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.

facebook- doihavtasay@...

Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace.com/vennamusic

On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 5:27 PM, our_family01

<paradisefound2001@...>wrote:

>

>

> Hi All,

>

> I'm new to the group and have an almost-3-year-old daughter with DS. We

> have decided not to put her in PPCD (our state's program for kids who have

> aged out of ECI) this fall and want to keep her home another year. Next

> year, though, when she is 4 I would really like to put her in our school's

> mainstream preschool program instead of the special needs preschool program.

> Is this going to be hard to do? If there's going to be a battle, I want to

> start preparing for it.

>

> Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences you can share.

>

> ~

> browneyedblessings.blogspot.com

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Carol,

Thanks for the email and the information. I don't know of any other

families with kids who have DS in our area. We have several friends in

other school districts but not in ours (we live in a large metro area so

there are a number of school districts around us).

We're not putting Aimee in school this year because she's really not ready

emotionally. We feel like she needs another year at home with the family

just learning and growing and being a little one. I think I'd probably feel

that way anyway (after all, we didn't put any of our other kids in school

until they were four), but we have the added concern that she was adopted

only 9 months ago and is still getting adjusted to being in our family and

learning to feel secure here. She's made amazing progress just with all of

the attention and challenges she's getting at home. Her brothers are ages 4

& 6 so they're awesome playmates for her and she has learned a lot just

trying to keep up with them!

I like your idea of requesting to mainstream her in a year that we're not

too anxious to do it. I may have to try that for next year. This year, she

wouldn't qualify for our public preschool because you have to be at least

4. The special needs program (called PPCD here) starts at 3, though.

Thanks again for your help!

~

Check out our blog at http://browneyedblessings.blogspot.com

[Guest guest]

I would be reluctant to put her in school under those circumstances too!

And you are right about the sibs! Just have preschool at home. :-)

There has to be someone in your district who has a kids with LD. Doesnt

have to be DS, just someone who tried to put their child in typical

preschool and can share with you. :-)

Carol in IL

Mom to , 9 DS

My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.

facebook- doihavtasay@...

Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace.com/vennamusic

On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 6:53 PM, <paradisefound2001@...> wrote:

> Carol,

>

> Thanks for the email and the information. I don't know of any other

> families with kids who have DS in our area. We have several friends in

> other school districts but not in ours (we live in a large metro area so

> there are a number of school districts around us).

>

> We're not putting Aimee in school this year because she's really not ready

> emotionally. We feel like she needs another year at home with the family

> just learning and growing and being a little one. I think I'd probably feel

> that way anyway (after all, we didn't put any of our other kids in school

> until they were four), but we have the added concern that she was adopted

> only 9 months ago and is still getting adjusted to being in our family and

> learning to feel secure here. She's made amazing progress just with all of

> the attention and challenges she's getting at home. Her brothers are ages 4

> & 6 so they're awesome playmates for her and she has learned a lot just

> trying to keep up with them!

>

> I like your idea of requesting to mainstream her in a year that we're not

> too anxious to do it. I may have to try that for next year. This year, she

> wouldn't qualify for our public preschool because you have to be at least

> 4. The special needs program (called PPCD here) starts at 3, though.

>

> Thanks again for your help!

>

> ~

> Check out our blog at http://browneyedblessings.blogspot.com

>

[Guest guest]

,

One thing I would suggest is to start getting the school ready now. Since your

boys are all ready in school, take your daughter with you to school events and

activities. Set her up for success in those environments so that the teachers

see that she can handle it.

Introduce her to the principal and the teachers - especially the ones who teach

the class you want her in next year. Let them see what she can do. Brag about

the progress she makes. Also, show that you are an active, involved parent who

will be part of your kid's support system.

I believe that some teachers shy away from mainstreaming out of fear of the

unknown. They don't know the child or what it will take to incorporate them in

to the class room. So their reflex is to say No. When it's time for your

daughter to go to school, the teachers will have all ready seen what she *can*

do and won't be flooded with worries about what she can't do. It's not the

total answer but it does remove/reduce one roadblock.

Congratulations on the addition to our family.

>

> Carol,

>

> Thanks for the email and the information. I don't know of any other

> families with kids who have DS in our area. We have several friends in

> other school districts but not in ours (we live in a large metro area so

> there are a number of school districts around us).

>

> We're not putting Aimee in school this year because she's really not ready

> emotionally. We feel like she needs another year at home with the family

> just learning and growing and being a little one. I think I'd probably feel

> that way anyway (after all, we didn't put any of our other kids in school

> until they were four), but we have the added concern that she was adopted

> only 9 months ago and is still getting adjusted to being in our family and

> learning to feel secure here. She's made amazing progress just with all of

> the attention and challenges she's getting at home. Her brothers are ages 4

> & 6 so they're awesome playmates for her and she has learned a lot just

> trying to keep up with them!

>

> I like your idea of requesting to mainstream her in a year that we're not

> too anxious to do it. I may have to try that for next year. This year, she

> wouldn't qualify for our public preschool because you have to be at least

> 4. The special needs program (called PPCD here) starts at 3, though.

>

> Thanks again for your help!

>

> ~

> Check out our blog at http://browneyedblessings.blogspot.com

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Our district did not have a mainstream preschool, so we decided to do a

combination of our church preschool and the district's special ed

preschool (which did had about 10 - 20% typical students as peer

models). This way, could receive her services easily through

the district preschool (and at that age, she had speech, OT, and

adaptive PE) and work on her IEP goals, and then when she was at the

typical preschool, she could socialize and learn how to interact

appropriately with her typical peers (and all the learning that came

naturally.) Our intention all along was full inclusion. We had to pay

for the church preschool, but (1) we knew that we'd never get the

district to agree, and they know that preschool is such a short time,

they can just drag things out so long you'll be in kindergarten, and (2)

we would have paid for at least one year of preschool for her, just like

our other children, had she not had DS. I can also say that

was a very social girl, with language skills, which I think made this

all a lot easier.

We started at age 2 and she did a " Mom's Day Out " which was one day a

week, half day. You didn't have to be potty trained, which is a problem

that typical preschools often have with children with disabilities.

enjoyed this very much, and her teachers were really

supportive. At 3 (which was January) she began the 3 year old special

day preschool 2 mornings a week (and continued her Mom's Day Out

morning.) Our birth-3 therapy would not continue through the end of the

school year, or otherwise I'd have done that, but if we wanted to

continue, go to school! They wanted her 4 days/week (that's what their

program did) and we just said no. This was our first " line in the sand "

because we didn't want her in school 5 days a week at age 3 (and

everyone's different, but that was best for .) This

arrangement went until June when she was almost 3 1/2. They wanted her

to go to summer school, we tried it for a few days, it was awful, she

didn't go back.

The following fall, she started at our church's preschool, which is

probably the only one still around our area that let's kids learn by

playing. There are no worksheets or academic work but art, pretend

play, music, stories, rice table, colors, letters, shapes etc. She went

2 days/week there in the 3 year old class (which is where she would have

been,, they go with the school district age brackets), and then

continued 2 mornings/week in the special day program. Again, they were

not particularly happy to accomodate 's " other " preschool

program (which was T and Th) but we insisted and it worked out great.

She was never confused about what routines went where (as the district

suggested would happen) and loved both programs. This year she did go

to summer school a couple days a week because her teacher was teaching

it, and it was fun to be with her same friends and teachers.

The 4 year old year was challenging, as the 4 year old typical preschool

program was 3 days/week, and we wanted to up her special day program to

3 days/week. I think she had morning special day T, W, F and typical

preschool M, W, Th afternoons. She had one " double " day, but did well

with it. So, by the time we got to her transition to kindergarten IEP

meeting, there were many teachers who had seen her be successful in an

inclusive environment and no one fought me at all when I said " we want

fully included in kindergarten with a 1:1 aide. " But, I also

know that by that time, they knew I wasn't going to be pushed around by

what they " usually did " because I'd told them more than once, " I don't

care what other kids do, this is what we need to do for my kid! "

Knowing where you'd like to see your daughter in kindergarten and beyond

is helpful in making the preschool choices, although we are big believes

in the " plan ahead, but adapt as necessary " philosophy. Every year we

ask ourselves, " Is that working for ? Is she happy, learning,

have friends? " Although we've always hoped for inclusion, we know that

at some point, that might not be the best choice for , and

we'll be ready to adapt if necessary. So far, so good.

I absolutely agree with whomever posted that exposing your child to the

school community that you'd like to see her in is a great idea. I

remember saying to 's preschool teacher in conversation " oh, that

will be fun when you have in a couple years " and being very

open with our expectations... they were not surprised when I showed up

at registration, that's for sure! Also, she went to Sunday school with

her typical peers, and that has always worked out well, which is yet

another area to succeed in an included setting.

Even if you want to at some point expose her to the preschool routine,

you could have her attend the PPCD program one morning/week to learn

about the " preschool routine " , as many of the other kids who arrive at

the 4 year old mainstream preschool program will already be familiar

with this... a little familiarity could go a long way to a good start.

Best of luck to you and your family.

, mom to (14), (12 DS), and Sammy (10)

On 4/28/2010 3:27 PM, our_family01 wrote:

>

> Hi All,

>

> I'm new to the group and have an almost-3-year-old daughter with DS.

> We have decided not to put her in PPCD (our state's program for kids

> who have aged out of ECI) this fall and want to keep her home another

> year. Next year, though, when she is 4 I would really like to put her

> in our school's mainstream preschool program instead of the special

> needs preschool program. Is this going to be hard to do? If there's

> going to be a battle, I want to start preparing for it.

>

> Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences you can share.

>

> ~

> browneyedblessings.blogspot.com

>

>