Re: definition of cluster

[Guest guest]

A cluster is a group of classrooms. In Broward we have several types of clusters (such as the InD (Intellectual disability), Emotionally Disturbed, and the autism clusters). There are about 30 schools here with autism clusters. They are spread around the county.

The Broward model for the clusters involve 4 classrooms with an ESE teacher and an assistant. In addition there is a speech language specialist and the autism coach. There may also be additional assistants depending on how may students are in the cluster. Most schools (if not all) have visiting OTs, PTs, and behavior specialists.

Broward consists of several zones, such as the North Area, the South Area, the Central or is it South central, not sure. Each area has a Program Specialist and an ESE coordinator.

The autism coaches in Broward meet monthly, I think, for training and info. The SLP's and other professionals participate in workshops and receive their info that way.

Some schools have only 2 classrooms (Pembroke Pines? )and there are now a few schools with 5 classrooms (Coconut Creek, Foxtrail, maybe). Schools with only 2 classrooms may have started the clusters recently, and those with 5 rooms have probably been around for a few years.

The autism clusters were started when we finally got autism accepted as a diagnosis in the DSM. Does anyone remember when that was? In the nineties? As kids were diagnosed, they had a right to services. Many of them went to the Centers. In recent years, more and more have been placed in the regular schools, and the Centers have become "smaller".

Are the public schools appropriately equipped to deal effectively with our kids? Absolutely not. Many parents are clueless about clusters and classrooms other than what their own kid is in, and I am sorry to say, so are many teachers. How many years of experience do the teachers have and what kind of formal education do they have? I recently met one who has nothing. She took the ESE exam and passed. She is a cluster teacher with NO experience in teaching kids with autism and she has not one single workshop or any other training in autism. How is this possible? She was laid off from her school and "had to be" hired by another school as an ESE teacher. This is what parents are talking about when they complain about the cluster teachers. We have come a long way in Broward, but we have a long way to go here.

Liz

From: Lydia Glider- <mizlydiagmail (DOT) com>

Subject: Intro and requestTo: sList@ yahoogroups. comDate: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 11:35 AM

Hello everyone,I've been lurking for about a week now... and while I'm acquainted with and Ed (another newbie) and I met ever-so-briefly, I'd like to get to know everyone else, too.: )My name is Lydia but I perform as a singer/songwriter under the name Sister Sunshine. I also build websites and tutor computer-related stuff.I'm a 44 year old mother and wife in Hollywood, and I was diagnosed with Asperger's last year (2008) but have been studying Autism ever since I met Ed's beautiful daughter in 2006. None of my children have been diagnosed with anything... although I suspect they're not all neurotypical, they don't have any problems as a result and we operate on the basis of "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" around here. I feel that knowing their quirks so that they can be accommodated is half the battle. (Not that we don't have some REAL battles around here!)My request is in regard to my new

position with examiner.com as the Broward County Special Needs Parents Examiner.I'm writing my first article about education, and specifically about clusters, inclusion and homeschooling as our choices. I would like for everyone who has experience with these three choices to write me here in the group (or privately if there is something you don't wish to share publicly). However, ultimately I would like to include some actual quotes, with permission.. . so please let me know if you do NOT wish to be quoted and I won't bother to ask - I'll just include your information in the overall article (possibly paraphrased or blended with things other people said) rather than as a specific quote.Also, if there are some topics you'd like to see me cover in future articles, please feel free to bombard me liberally with them. I need all the ideas I can get. Especially those about

which one might have trouble finding the information sought. <~~ challenge me!: )I love the caring and considerate manner in which the members of this list relate to each other, and enjoy reading your posts and learning more as I do so. Thank you, , for creating this valuable resource... and thanks in advance to any who respond to my request(s).Sincerely,~Lydia-- Lydia www.rainbow- websites. com<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 "Every politician on earth claims to support freedom. The problem is so few of them understand the simple meaning of the word."~Ron <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 WE CAN DO THIShttp://www.nopom. info<3

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3Autism/Aspergers T-Shirts & Designshttp://www.cafepres s.com/autismrule s<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." ~~Mahatma Gandhi

-- Lydia www.rainbow- websites. com<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 "Every politician on earth claims to support freedom. The problem is so few of them understand the simple meaning of the word."~Ron <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 WE CAN DO THIShttp://www.nopom. info<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3Autism/Aspergers T-Shirts & Designshttp://www.cafepres s.com/autismrule s<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3"First

they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." ~~Mahatma Gandhi

[Guest guest]

Lizzie,

 

Autism was listed in the DSM as a diagnosis starting with the DSM-III. Said book came out in 1980.

 

-- Cheezem

aspieperspective.blogspot.com

A cluster is a group of classrooms. In Broward we have several types of clusters (such as the InD (Intellectual disability), Emotionally Disturbed,  and the autism clusters). There are about 30 schools here with autism clusters. They are spread around the county.

 

The Broward model for the clusters involve 4 classrooms with an ESE teacher and an assistant. In addition there is a speech language specialist and the autism coach. There may also be additional assistants depending on how may students are in the cluster. Most schools (if not all)  have visiting OTs, PTs, and behavior specialists.

 

Broward consists of several zones, such as the North Area, the South Area, the Central or is it South central, not sure. Each area has a Program Specialist and an ESE coordinator.

 

The autism coaches in Broward meet monthly, I think,  for training and info. The SLP's and other professionals participate in workshops and receive their info that way.

 

Some schools have only 2 classrooms (Pembroke Pines? )and there are now a few schools with 5 classrooms (Coconut Creek, Foxtrail, maybe). Schools with only 2 classrooms may have started the clusters recently, and those with 5 rooms have probably been around for a few years.

 

The autism clusters were started when we finally got autism accepted as a diagnosis in the DSM. Does anyone remember when that was? In the nineties? As kids were diagnosed, they had a right to services. Many of them went to the Centers. In recent years,  more and more have been placed in the regular schools, and the Centers have become " smaller " .

 

Are the public schools appropriately equipped to deal effectively with our kids? Absolutely not. Many parents are clueless about clusters and classrooms other than what their own kid is in, and I am sorry to say, so are many teachers. How many years of experience do the teachers have and what kind of formal education do they have? I recently met one who has nothing. She took the ESE exam and passed. She is a cluster teacher with NO experience in teaching kids with autism and she has not one single workshop or any other training in autism. How is this possible? She was laid off from her school and " had to be " hired by another school as an ESE teacher. This is what parents are talking about when they complain about the cluster teachers. We have come a long way in Broward, but we have a long way to go here.

 

Liz

 

   

From: Lydia Glider- <mizlydiagmail (DOT) com> Subject: Intro and requestTo: sList@ yahoogroups. comDate: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 11:35 AM

 

Hello everyone,I've been lurking for about a week now... and while I'm acquainted with and Ed (another newbie) and I met ever-so-briefly, I'd like to get to know everyone else, too.

: )My name is Lydia but I perform as a singer/songwriter under the name Sister Sunshine. I also build websites and tutor computer-related stuff.I'm a 44 year old mother and wife in Hollywood, and I was diagnosed with Asperger's last year (2008) but have been studying Autism ever since I met Ed's beautiful daughter in 2006. None of my children have been diagnosed with anything... although I suspect they're not all neurotypical, they don't have any problems as a result and we operate on the basis of " if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it " around here. I feel that knowing their quirks so that they can be accommodated is half the battle. (Not that we don't have some REAL battles around here!)

My request is in regard to my new position with examiner.com as the Broward County Special Needs Parents Examiner.I'm writing my first article about education, and specifically about clusters, inclusion and homeschooling as our choices. I would like for everyone who has experience with these three choices to write me here in the group (or privately if there is something you don't wish to share publicly). However, ultimately I would like to include some actual quotes, with permission.. . so please let me know if you do NOT wish to be quoted and I won't bother to ask - I'll just include your information in the overall article (possibly paraphrased or blended with things other people said) rather than as a specific quote.

Also, if there are some topics you'd like to see me cover in future articles, please feel free to bombard me liberally with them. I need all the ideas I can get. Especially those about which one might have trouble finding the information sought. <~~ challenge me!

: )I love the caring and considerate manner in which the members of this list relate to each other, and enjoy reading your posts and learning more as I do so. Thank you, , for creating this valuable resource... and thanks in advance to any who respond to my request(s).

Sincerely,~Lydia-- Lydia www.rainbow- websites. com<3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3 " Every politician on earth claims to support freedom. The problem is so few of them understand the simple meaning of the word. "

~Ron <3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3 WE CAN DO THIShttp://www.nopom. info<3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3

Autism/Aspergers T-Shirts & Designshttp://www.cafepres s.com/autismrule s<3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3  <3 " First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. "

~~Mahatma Gandhi

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Liz. This will be very helpful in crafting my article.: )

 

A cluster is a group of classrooms. In Broward we have several types of clusters (such as the InD (Intellectual disability), Emotionally Disturbed,  and the autism clusters). There are about 30 schools here with autism clusters. They are spread around the county.

 

The Broward model for the clusters involve 4 classrooms with an ESE teacher and an assistant. In addition there is a speech language specialist and the autism coach. There may also be additional assistants depending on how may students are in the cluster. Most schools (if not all)  have visiting OTs, PTs, and behavior specialists.

 

Broward consists of several zones, such as the North Area, the South Area, the Central or is it South central, not sure. Each area has a Program Specialist and an ESE coordinator.

 

The autism coaches in Broward meet monthly, I think,  for training and info. The SLP's and other professionals participate in workshops and receive their info that way.

 

Some schools have only 2 classrooms (Pembroke Pines? )and there are now a few schools with 5 classrooms (Coconut Creek, Foxtrail, maybe). Schools with only 2 classrooms may have started the clusters recently, and those with 5 rooms have probably been around for a few years.

 

The autism clusters were started when we finally got autism accepted as a diagnosis in the DSM. Does anyone remember when that was? In the nineties? As kids were diagnosed, they had a right to services. Many of them went to the Centers. In recent years,  more and more have been placed in the regular schools, and the Centers have become " smaller " .

 

Are the public schools appropriately equipped to deal effectively with our kids? Absolutely not. Many parents are clueless about clusters and classrooms other than what their own kid is in, and I am sorry to say, so are many teachers. How many years of experience do the teachers have and what kind of formal education do they have? I recently met one who has nothing. She took the ESE exam and passed. She is a cluster teacher with NO experience in teaching kids with autism and she has not one single workshop or any other training in autism. How is this possible? She was laid off from her school and " had to be " hired by another school as an ESE teacher. This is what parents are talking about when they complain about the cluster teachers. We have come a long way in Broward, but we have a long way to go here.

 

Liz

 

   

From: Lydia Glider- <mizlydiagmail (DOT) com>

Subject: Intro and requestTo: sList@ yahoogroups. comDate: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 11:35 AM

 

Hello everyone,I've been lurking for about a week now... and while I'm acquainted with and Ed (another newbie) and I met ever-so-briefly, I'd like to get to know everyone else, too.

: )My name is Lydia but I perform as a singer/songwriter under the name Sister Sunshine. I also build websites and tutor computer-related stuff.I'm a 44 year old mother and wife in Hollywood, and I was diagnosed with Asperger's last year (2008) but have been studying Autism ever since I met Ed's beautiful daughter in 2006. None of my children have been diagnosed with anything... although I suspect they're not all neurotypical, they don't have any problems as a result and we operate on the basis of " if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it " around here. I feel that knowing their quirks so that they can be accommodated is half the battle. (Not that we don't have some REAL battles around here!)

My request is in regard to my new

position with examiner.com as the Broward County Special Needs Parents Examiner.I'm writing my first article about education, and specifically about clusters, inclusion and homeschooling as our choices. I would like for everyone who has experience with these three choices to write me here in the group (or privately if there is something you don't wish to share publicly). However, ultimately I would like to include some actual quotes, with permission.. . so please let me know if you do NOT wish to be quoted and I won't bother to ask - I'll just include your information in the overall article (possibly paraphrased or blended with things other people said) rather than as a specific quote.

Also, if there are some topics you'd like to see me cover in future articles, please feel free to bombard me liberally with them. I need all the ideas I can get. Especially those about

which one might have trouble finding the information sought. <~~ challenge me!: )I love the caring and considerate manner in which the members of this list relate to each other, and enjoy reading your posts and learning more as I do so. Thank you, , for creating this valuable resource... and thanks in advance to any who respond to my request(s).

Sincerely,~Lydia