Re: autism cluster classes

[Guest guest]

Hi there - I would talk to the coach again. At the school where I am at, our cluster kids are included automatically for lunch, specials and recess. The times are totally inclusive. At lunch, our kids sit in between their tablemates, at recess, they are working on their social goals and often participate in the games the others are playing with minimal prompts, In specials, we modify the activity so they are successfully included. It takes work, but we have made it successful. Also, we pick a class a month that our kids are mainstreamed with and they get a party (icecream, pizza, etc) just for being great friends to our kids. There are 2 models that we use to mainstream - we have supportive classes ( a teacher and a para) and we have mainstream classes. The kids that can go to the supportive class go there without the cluster para because they do well in that setting. Others go with the

mainstream para to the mainstream class. We have kids that are only in the cluster for 1 hour and mainstreamed the rest of the time, and others that are only mainstreamed for 15 minutes. It's very inportant to me to really look at the child's needs and see what is best. As as team, parents and school, usually there is a worklable solution. You can e-mail me off line if you like at fjemorales@....Hope this was helpful.Marla Goodman wrote: Jodi. I don't know how old your child is or what level of autism he has. I have a 13 year old boy with autism.In MY OPINION our children will get so much more in the cluster. They have one on one time with a SPECIAL ed teacher, and get their therapy if they need it.Do you really want your child to sit there and not understand what's going on around him. The teacher has gifted children, behavior problem children and the average child or below. The teacher has very little time to attend to our kids,and give them what they need.As parent we need to step out of the box and do what's good for our children ,not for us.so we can say my child is mainstreamed.. Marla Re: autism cluster classes All cluster classes are funded seperately from the regular school budget. Depending on the size, there are usually 2 mainstream paras and a pool sub. I am sorry to hear that you are having trouble. Hold an interm IEP and review the minutes...JodiNeuhofcomcast (DOT) net wrote: Hi My son is in a cluster in Broward County and he is definitely not getting the inclusion times that are indicated on his IEP. I was told by administration that, due to the budget cuts in the clusters this year, there are not enough paras to mainstream. He goes to recess with the cluster, but for the past four years he has gone with another child and a paraprofessonal, with a gen ed class. Is there anyone else experiencing this at their school this year? I am obviously trying to change this situation. Unfortunately we have a new ESE specialist, Autism coach, and cluster teacher. It seems as though they don't "believe a child should be included unless they don't need an aide to assist them and they are independent". I, of course, feel that this is against IDEA and the LRE laws. It is not only my son that this is happening to. I wonder

if it is any different at other schools. I know that lunch is supposed to be inclusi on time as well, but I see the cluster eating as a group at the end of a table with a gen ed class. There is no interaction at all. I would appreciate if any of you can share your experiences trying to get your child in the cluster to have inclusion. Unfortunately, my son has a Dynamo to help him speak and he has apraxia, so it's tough to understand him. Thanks. Jodi Neuhof Do you Yahoo!?Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta. Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less. No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Free Edition.Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.7/438 - Release Date: 9/5/2006 __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I too have to respond to these concerns. I am also an Autism coach.

Each school runs inclusion a little different. At my school, most of my

children have lunch in the cafeteria- but at times I do have a few that

cannot eat in the cafeteria due to sensory issues. But depending on the

class and the children's needs, are different levels of inclusion in the

cafeteria- some sit at a totally different table- because they cannot sit

with another class. Another group sits at the same table with a typical

class, but at the end of the table. And another group sits completely with

the typical class and you wouldn't even know which kids were the " cluster

kids. " It's great! Specials as well are determined per child. We are

lucky at my school because we have the ability to have self contained

specials as well as inclusion specials. Not every school has this ability.

So a few of my students still need prerequisite skills to participate

appropriately and need that small setting for specials as well. But the

majority of my students do inclusive specials.

And like at 's school, inclusion in the general ed classes is dependent

upon the child. Some children spend the entire day in a supported class,

and some go to the general ed class for only parts of the day. I feel the

goal of inclusion is to engage in social opportunities that are appropriate

and interactive with typical children or to have some appropriate academic

opportunities. If a child benefits more from a cluster environment, and can

make more gains in that setting- then that should be the LRE. At the same

time, if a child can benefit from being in a typical class (even for parts

of the day), then that needs to be the LRE. But, I do agree that EVERY

child needs opportunities to interact with typical children- but remember

that this could also occur after school or on the weekends. The purpose of

education is for children to be taught and for them to learn skills for

their futures- this includes academics, life skills, communication, and

social skills. All are important!

Thanks.

Palelis

<html><div><FONT face= " Lucida Handwriting, Cursive " > McKee & nbsp; <IMG

height=12 src= " http://graphics.hotmail.com/emrose.gif "

width=12></FONT></div></html>

>

>Reply-To: sList

>To: sList

>Subject: Re: autism cluster classes

>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2007 14:53:41 -0800 (PST)

>

>Hi there -

>

>I would talk to the coach again. At the school where I am at, our cluster

>kids are included automatically for lunch, specials and recess. The times

>are totally inclusive. At lunch, our kids sit in between their tablemates,

>at recess, they are working on their social goals and often participate in

>the games the others are playing with minimal prompts, In specials, we

>modify the activity so they are successfully included. It takes work, but

>we have made it successful. Also, we pick a class a month that our kids

>are mainstreamed with and they get a party (icecream, pizza, etc) just for

>being great friends to our kids. There are 2 models that we use to

>mainstream - we have supportive classes ( a teacher and a para) and we

>have mainstream classes. The kids that can go to the supportive class go

>there without the cluster para because they do well in that setting.

>Others go with the mainstream para to the mainstream class. We have kids

>that are only in the cluster for

> 1 hour and mainstreamed the rest of the time, and others that are only

>mainstreamed for 15 minutes. It's very inportant to me to really look at

>the child's needs and see what is best. As as team, parents and school,

>usually there is a worklable solution. You can e-mail me off line if you

>like at fjemorales@....

>Hope this was helpful.

>

>

>

>

>Marla Goodman wrote:

>Jodi.

> I don't know how old your child is or what level of autism he has. I

>have a 13 year old boy with autism.In MY OPINION our children will get so

>much more in the cluster. They have one on one time with a SPECIAL ed

>teacher, and get their therapy if they need it.Do you really want your

>child to sit there and not understand what's going on around him. The

>teacher has gifted children, behavior problem children and the average

>child or below. The teacher has very little time to attend to our kids,and

>give them what they need.As parent we need to step out of the box and do

>what's good for our children ,not for us.so we can say my child is

>mainstreamed..

> Marla

> Re: autism cluster classes

>

>

> All cluster classes are funded seperately from the regular school

>budget. Depending on the size, there are usually 2 mainstream paras and

>a pool sub. I am sorry to hear that you are having trouble. Hold an

>interm IEP and review the minutes...

>

>JodiNeuhof@... wrote:

>

> Hi My son is in a cluster in Broward County and he is definitely not

> getting the inclusion times that are indicated on his IEP. I was told

> by administration that, due to the budget cuts in the clusters this

>year, there are not enough paras to mainstream. He goes to recess

>with the cluster, but for the past four years he has gone with another

>child and a paraprofessonal, with a gen ed class. Is there anyone

>else experiencing this at their school this year? I am obviously

>trying to change this situation. Unfortunately we have a new ESE

>specialist, Autism coach, and cluster teacher. It seems as though

>they don't " believe a child should be included unless they don't need

>an aide to assist them and they are independent " . I, of course, feel

>that this is against IDEA and the LRE laws. It is not only my son

>that this is happening to. I wonder if it is any different at other

>schools. I know that lunch is

> supposed to be inclusi on time as well, but I see the cluster eating

>as a group at the end of a table with a gen ed class. There is no

>interaction at all. I would appreciate if any of you can share your

>experiences trying to get your child in the cluster to have inclusion.

> Unfortunately, my son has a Dynamo to help him speak and he has

>apraxia, so it's tough to understand him. Thanks.

>

> Jodi Neuhof

>

>

>

>---------------------------------

> Do you Yahoo!?

>Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.

>

>

>

>

>---------------------------------

> Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and

>30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.

>

>

>

>---------------------------------

>

>No virus found in this incoming message.

>Checked by AVG Free Edition.

>Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.7/438 - Release Date: 9/5/2006

>

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>