Re: home school w/ two young boys w/ Autism

May 19, 2004

Aloha,

I am a homeschooling Mom of two boys diagnosed with Autism ages 4 and 6. We have

been homeschooling both boys the past 2 1/2 years using ABA for behavioral

interventions, Discreet Trial Training for Academics and Functional

Communication Training for speech and language.

I do not write my child's academic homeschool curriculum. I rely on experts to

perform this function. So we hired an Agency in California, C.A.R.D.'s ( Center

for Autism Related Disorders) to provide the curriculum, telephone consults, and

tri-monthly visits to review our techniques, review any gains to our curriculum,

and to assist with behaviors that interfere with learning. We have an Autism

Consultant visit one time weekly to review our progress and make

recommendations.

Politics plays a huge role in Hawaii, too much to mention here, but suffice to

say the Department of Education pays for nothing. We are heading to Federal

Court this February 2005, ( our case began in 2002 ), to ask for the DOE's help

in providing this teaching methodology to our boys.

Parents looking to pull their children out of school, should be forewarned, not

all school systems will support your homeschooling efforts. Check in with your

School District ensure you will not lose support such as Respite, Skills

Trainers, SPeech Path and Occupational Therapy for your child. We have been

without for almost 3 years.

What do I think of homeschooling ? Well, look at it this way, my boy Bobby was

recently enrolled in a private school on the Island where he can bring his

Skills Trainer with him to class. To get there his Trainer drives him 1 1/2

hours one-way to school. His Kindergarten teacher admits that although Bobby has

delays in speech and language he is academically ahead of his peers.

We practice 30-36 hours per week with each child. As their Mom I am soley

responsible for the training of staff new to ABA and DTT. I over see both

children's curriculums and provide for a great deal of the implementation of

their drills and curriculum myself.

ABA is practiced all day long. Not to confuse ABA with Discreet Trial Drills

--which are performed during a portion of their day ( mornings ) in a structured

environment ( each child has his own learning special room ).

I am a stay at home Mom , having been a self-employed practicing Registered

Nurse and Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Specialist for a decade before my children

were born and since diagnosed. My husband is the sole supporter of our family,

and many sacrifices have been made to secure this style of teaching to our boys.

We have 7 children together in our blended family, and all our kids understand

that their Mom has to be focused on the 2 youngest children at this moment in

time.

Please understand, I whole heartedly support homeschooling. But one truly has to

be prepared to indulge your child in this learning method. The rewards in the

end can be outstanding !

Best Wishes,

R.N.

ABA Mom

Re: home school

>

> > Shari,

> >

> > There are so many aspects to your situation that touch so many of us:

> >

> > * Homeschooling an ASD child: Perhaps our group would be served by listing

> the various sources of information--internet and others--that provide

> guidance to families who are homeschooling their ASD child and need support.

> >

> > * What other school opportunities do you have in your area? Are there any

> schools for special needs children. Are they accessible to you. Obviously,

> if the gap between your daughter and her classmates is widening her

> school--half or whole day--and the IEP program there may not be able to meet

> her needs.

> >

> > * Why are you not doing the ABA program as fully as you could? Do you

> have adequate support people or are you doing it on your own. Have you

> thought about Gutstein's approach as an alaternate to ABA?

> >

> > * What supplements and interactive exercizes are you using to help

> short-term memory?

> >

> > * I am struck by the fact that music and swimming are her favorites--just

> like Chelsey. We have tried, with some success, to used these as doorways

> into other kinds of learning, particularly the case of the music. She is

> now taking piano lessons and learning to sing with her teacher's guitar

> accompanyment. Have you explored such pathways?

> >

> > * We have found that as Chelsey enters the period of rapid hormonal

> development, learning takes on a new quality that is motivated by her still

> limited but growing social awareness. Have you noticed this? Often

> stronger social awarenenss can contribute to greater interest in learning

> through peer identification.

> >

> > Deep issues here. Your questions raise more questions...

> >

> > Jack

> > Dwayne wrote:

> > Does anyone home school? Our daughter has an IEP meeting Friday. She will

> be in the 4th grade. The older she gets, the more different she appears to

> the other students. She's done well until now. She isn't on grade level

> academically - but she does fairly well socially. She loves the music class

> and P.E. (swim classes). However, she fights learning harder than anyone I

> know. And, she's capable when she's forced (grounded from TV, videos,

> gameboy). We practice ABA, but not as strict as we could. Her short term

> memory is terrible. I'm considering a half day next day year at school. I

> just don't know. Any suggestions?

> > thanks,

> > Shari

> >

May 19, 2004

Aloha,

I am in awe and respect for what you are doing with your two ASD boys, not to

mention the five other children. The family context of your life and work must

be rich with learning for everyone. I especially appreciate the way you speak

of homeschooling...It certainly resonates with my family's experience. My

daughter, Baki, and her husband home-schooled all four of their children (none

ASD) for many years. They live in Paauilo on the Big Island (in a yurt!) and did

an wonderful job with their kids. All of them are excellent students and beyond

their grade-level in academic skills. Homeschooling was Baki's life for many

years; now she is a full time Montessori teacher.

We have been part-time residents of the Big Island for many years (Honoka'a) and

I have gradually become involved with the education scene there, since that is a

primary interest of mine. I am beginning to encounter the complexities of

Hawaii's educational politics as we do trainings for teachers who want to bring

group communication skills and traditional practices into the schools. Arcane

politics seem to be a Hawaiian speciality.

As you may know, Jaquelyn and I have also been taking our ASD granddaughter,

Chelsey, to the Island for six years for a month at a time. It has been a place

of healing for her, which has led to the possibility of creating a place for

exploring the healing of ASD children there. I would love to talk to you about

all that some day soon.

Where do you live...I'm hoping it's on the Big Island!

Jack

" Capt. Sundown " wrote:

Aloha,

I am a homeschooling Mom of two boys diagnosed with Autism ages 4 and 6. We have

been homeschooling both boys the past 2 1/2 years using ABA for behavioral

interventions, Discreet Trial Training for Academics and Functional

Communication Training for speech and language.

I do not write my child's academic home school curriculum. I rely on experts to