Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 It will also expand the number of other kids in the school that know her. I agree 100% Rick and have also seen this advantage already on the elementary level and on the school bus. The whole school just about knows Micah now and when he gets to middle, junior and senior high school there will be more kids that know and love him (keep an eye on him also)..how can that hurt!!  Loree re: Holding back,  I'll jump in on this. I think this is a great idea. is entitled to schooling through age 21 and if you run the normal sequence, she will be in 12th grade at age 18. Holding back, particularly in the early years, seems to me to be a great strategy to get as much out of the public education system as possible. Children with down syndrome tend to be smaller, so that isn't an issue. They also tend to develop socially more slowly, so more practice time is needed. They also learn academics more slowly and having more time allows them to be better prepared when they move up. My experience was years ago when education just became available for our kids. My daughter was one of the first to be placed is classes that really taught her as much as she could learn. Yes, they were SPED classes, but the teacher's reward came from teaching children like mine to levels beyond what was considered possible. She typically was 3-4 years in the same (slowly changing) class and teacher grouping. We simply didn't talk about what grade she was in, but rather whether she was in elementary, middle, or high school. That made it pretty easy to bury three extra years (another classroom cycle and setting) in middle school. Her final four years were the normal freshman to senior range of high school. She trained one year with the school's outstanding gymnastics team (so long as I was there to coach her) and got a letter for that, which she wore poudly on her school jacket. She was, at that time, one of the very best Special Olympics gymnasts in the state and her medals made it to the school display case. She graduated with a Special Education diploma at 21. Today, she lives in her own apartment, is financially independent, and works as a volunteer program for multi-handicapped adults. This takes a number of hours support from a life-skills worker and additional help from her parents when things drift toward out-of-control. She prizes her independence very much. Let's not associate staying an extra year in good classroom setting with being " left behind " . It is really good if it allows the child to be better prepared when they move up. I do not believe that the social stigma will be worse than becoming less and less appropriate with your classroom peers. It will also expand the number of other kids in the school that know her. Rick ... dad to 38 year old Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Hi Loree, Jan's entire education was centered in SPED classes, none of them in our district. We carefully chose each setting (with help from other parents and the IEP team). She wasn't ever isolated. There were always contacts with other kids and she had lots of inclusion in the local neighborhood and things like Brownies. In high school, it was fun to play fly on the wall and watch her walk down the hall. All of the kids knew who she was and most would exchange greetings with her. The advantage she had was teachers who loved to teach her and who handled her issues. She was sufficiently ADD that she would not have done well learning watered down content in a regular classroom. She was also a bit of a terror and spent more time in the principal's office than most kids. Who else would have thought it funny to lock the door to the teacher's restroom as you were taught. Of course there was a teacher inside and the door couldn't be opened from the inside when locked. That got fixed the next day, but she had the rest of the day in the office. Of course, she was famous with all the kids for that prank. R On 3/21/2011 10:02 AM, loree5@... wrote: > It will also expand the number of other kids in the > school that know her. > > I agree 100% Rick and have also seen this advantage already on the > elementary level and on the school bus. The whole school just about > knows Micah now and when he gets to middle, junior and senior high > school there will be more kids that know and love him (keep an eye on > him also)..how can that hurt!! > Loree > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Pretty funny Rick!? That's one thing our kids are good at.? Playing pranks and motor planning skills.?When Micah was 7 I was in the basement doing laundrey when he thought he was going to follow his older brother outside.? My elderly mother, who lives with us, told him...Micah you can't go out by yourself.? He calmly walked over to where she was sitting moved her walker across the room and said " yes I can grandmom " ? Ya gotta love em!!! Re: re: Holding back, Hi Loree, Jan's entire education was centered in SPED classes, none of them in our district.? We carefully chose each setting (with help from other parents and the IEP team).? She wasn't ever isolated.? There were always contacts with other kids and she had lots of inclusion in the local neighborhood and things like Brownies.? In high school, it was fun to play fly on the wall and watch her walk down the hall.? All of the kids knew who she was and most would exchange greetings with her.? The advantage she had was teachers who loved to teach her and who handled her issues.? She was sufficiently ADD that she would not have done well learning watered down content in a regular classroom.? She was also a bit of a terror and spent more time in the principal's office than most kids.? Who else would have thought it funny to lock the door to the teacher's restroom as you were taught.? Of course there was a teacher inside and the door couldn't be opened from the inside when locked.? That got fixed the next day, but she had the rest of the day in the office.? Of course, she was famous with all the kids for that prank. R On 3/21/2011 10:02 AM, loree5@... wrote: It will also expand the number of other kids in the school that know her. I agree 100% Rick and have also seen this advantage already on the elementary level and on the school bus.? The whole school just about knows Micah now and when he gets to middle, junior and senior high school there will be more kids that know and love him (keep an eye on him also)..how can that hurt!! ? Loree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 You know what Rick I am old enough that I remember when my oldest girls were in school that the SPED classes were alot different than they are now. Our district even had a very good and progressive program for children with Down Syndrome only that I probably would have put Micah in had they had something like that today. When the district started to grow (as districts did across the nation) they started to " dump' behavioral -problems etc. in that class and it was eventually discontinued. I do know that the teachers that went into Special Ed at that time went into it to be teachers of Special Ed kids. Alot today go into special ed to get their foot into the door until something outside special ed comes along. We have come so far only to fall so far behind in many ways. Re: re: Holding back,  Hi Loree, Jan's entire education was centered in SPED classes, none of them in our district. We carefully chose each setting (with help from other parents and the IEP team). She wasn't ever isolated. There were always contacts with other kids and she had lots of inclusion in the local neighborhood and things like Brownies. In high school, it was fun to play fly on the wall and watch her walk down the hall. All of the kids knew who she was and most would exchange greetings with her. The advantage she had was teachers who loved to teach her and who handled her issues. She was sufficiently ADD that she would not have done well learning watered down content in a regular classroom. She was also a bit of a terror and spent more time in the principal's office than most kids. Who else would have thought it funny to lock the door to the teacher's restroom as you were taught. Of course there was a teacher inside and the door couldn't be opened from the inside when locked. That got fixed the next day, but she had the rest of the day in the office. Of course, she was famous with all the kids for that prank. R On 3/21/2011 10:02 AM, loree5@... wrote: & gt; It will also expand the number of other kids in the & gt; school that know her. & gt; & gt; I agree 100% Rick and have also seen this advantage already on the & gt; elementary level and on the school bus. The whole school just about & gt; knows Micah now and when he gets to middle, junior and senior high & gt; school there will be more kids that know and love him (keep an eye on & gt; him also)..how can that hurt!! & gt; Loree & gt; & gt; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 One advantage in holding them back in the early grades (we did it too) is that our kids will likely know what grade they are in in high school...and will know when they should graduate. I pulled Josiah out in 10th grade to home school him. I might have spent another year or two educating him...but he knew that 12th grade was his last year....and there wouldn't be any convincing him otherwise. LOL Shirley, mom to Josiah....now 22 yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Breezy repeated an inclusive Kindergarten and second also. She is short for her age and the difference in age and size was not noticeable. She stayed in inclusive classes thru fifth grade then entered functional academics for the next three years. She is now in her second year in a very good life skills class where she feels safe and comfortable. The teacher challenges the students at their level and is always doing what she can to promote their transition into the community. We are in the process now of helping with our pre prom which is the prom held for our student's and the partners class (typical peers who mentor the life skills student's) Altho some think that this is an alternative prom it is in fact a " dress rehearsal " for their own prom which allows our student's to do all of the prom stuff and get used to what will be done at prom. Some of our kiddos will not want to attend prom due to the noise level, number of people etc. but this allows them to see what they will experience and allows their partners to help them with the social skills and interaction. It is a true blessing. This will be Breezy's second year and we have narrowed it down to four dresses, last year her first year we did a long full hot pink number with sequins and all. This year we are going for a more dramatic look with a black semi formal with rhinestones and silver shoes. We may add a hot pink sash as this is her favorite color but we will see how it goes. Any the how, as in all of the decisions we make with regard to our kids, talk it over with everyone, get all the facts, ask lots of questions and then listen to your heart. Take care and God Bless, Gwen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Breezy repeated an inclusive Kindergarten and second also. She is short for her age and the difference in age and size was not noticeable. She stayed in inclusive classes thru fifth grade then entered functional academics for the next three years. She is now in her second year in a very good life skills class where she feels safe and comfortable. The teacher challenges the students at their level and is always doing what she can to promote their transition into the community. We are in the process now of helping with our pre prom which is the prom held for our student's and the partners class (typical peers who mentor the life skills student's) Altho some think that this is an alternative prom it is in fact a " dress rehearsal " for their own prom which allows our student's to do all of the prom stuff and get used to what will be done at prom. Some of our kiddos will not want to attend prom due to the noise level, number of people etc. but this allows them to see what they will experience and allows their partners to help them with the social skills and interaction. It is a true blessing. This will be Breezy's second year and we have narrowed it down to four dresses, last year her first year we did a long full hot pink number with sequins and all. This year we are going for a more dramatic look with a black semi formal with rhinestones and silver shoes. We may add a hot pink sash as this is her favorite color but we will see how it goes. Any the how, as in all of the decisions we make with regard to our kids, talk it over with everyone, get all the facts, ask lots of questions and then listen to your heart. Take care and God Bless, Gwen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.