Last minute P/T suggestions for ARD?? Please??

October 25, 2010

Ok, here's the short version. We have our first ARD for my soon to be 3 year old

son on Wednesday. He's got issues with understanding where his body is in

space......for example, on a raised surface (such as playground equipment or

stairs) he will walk off of a platform or the top step as though he's walking on

a flat surface...as though he doesn't have depth perception. Anyway, the P/T who

evaluated him acknowledges that he would be a complete danger to himself out on

the playground equipment and possibly inside the room, but she is NOT

recommending P/T for him. What they are suggesting is that a special ed. aide

from some other class get pulled out to watch him during recess. The P/T is

saying that it's not academically necessary for him to do any of the things he

can't do (jump, nod his head, many self-help skills, climb up or down stairs,

etc, etc). I think that it's very short sided to just assign him someone who

will just watch him step off of an elevated platform day after day instead of

having a school expert actually work with him to be better able to manipulate

the school environment. I feel like they are setting him up to need an aide

forever, which will lead him straight to the most restrictive environment. He's

not unteachable. Why put him in a situation where he'll always be in danger, and

just hope that his part time aide will catch him each time he falls? Second,

there will be no need to discuss academics if he's dead. I mean,

seriously....it's only going to take a second for to put himself in

harm's way. Why not teach him to get up and down stairs carefully so that he

doesn't need an aide? It makes no sense, and it seems to me that they're setting

him up to continually fail.

Anyway, isn't the school obligated to teach to manipulate the school

environment? Is there anything that any of you know of that would help me to

ensure that 's safety is addressed at the ARD in a way that truly meets

his needs?

I'd really appreciate any suggestions that you guys might have.

Thanks so much!

Serena

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