An Autism Update- School Integration
It’s been a while since I’ve posted an update about our son Jumpy and autism.
Things have changed quite a bit for him in the past months. You’ll recall that we started the school year with mommy wondering if classroom integration was truly possible. After almost 4 months of school, I can pronounce myself and say: “it depends”.
For my boy, integration in a regular kindergarten classroom has gone well. His language skills have allowed him to understand what his teachers are asking of him and he has started speaking and understanding French! Who would have thought that a boy considered non-verbal at age 3 1/2 would be learning a second language at age 5. I am grateful. Even with the advances in language that he’s made and with the confirmation that he does not have an intellectual disability (low IQ), I am always aware that the situation re integration can change from year to year. Successful integration depends on many things.
- The skill of the child: I don’t believe that a regular classroom is the place for a non-verbal child with autism and an intellectual disability, even with a full time integration aide. If a child suffers from sensory overload and cannot express or understand language then I believe it is a disservice to such a child to have them participate in a regular class. My children attend a school where this occurs. Parents insist and the government gives them the right to choose but the children look miserable. They cry and act out because it is simply too overwhelming. They need to be removed from the classroom often, cannot interact with their peers and do not follow the curriculum at all, not even if it is adapted. There are excellent schools that can accommodate such children and that are experts in their field, knowing exactly how to teach children presenting such difficulties. There would be much more learning and much less stress for the child in a school catering specifically to special needs students. I had the opportunity to visit such a school in Montreal last year and I was blown away by the care of the teachers, their expertise in their fields, and the success of the students. Every aspect of the curriculum was adapted to the child on an individual basis. It was remarkable.
- The skill and training of the Integration Aide: This is a sore point for me. In our system (the English school system in Montreal) there are no special requirements for integration aides. Some have backgrounds in psychology with extra course work related to autism but many of them are mommies whose kids have started school and who are looking for some extra pocket cash. The position does not pay well and therefore does not attract the most qualified people. If an integration aide is not qualified in teaching techniques, then the best service they can provide is that of extra child care- help with zippering a coat, bathroom help and simple academic help. It is my belief that if all integration aides were trained in simple behaviour techniques and taught TEACH , PECS and other widely accepted teaching methods, we’d be looking at far more success stories when it comes to school integration.
- The dedication and perseverance of parents: If you have a special needs child, you know that he or she is your full time job. If you are going tor receive services, make sure that your child is not passed over when it comes to help, ensure that he or she is receiving the best quality care then you need to dedicate yourself to the cause. Principals and teachers try their best but at the end of the day, they have budgets to respect and they will try to get away with eh least amount of help possible. As a parent I want the MOST possible. Therein lays the conflict. I have sat across from our school principal explaining that I send my boy to school in the hopes that he will reach his MAXIMUM potential, not just a passable level. Every child should be given the tools to maximally perform and it’s the same for special-needs children.
For now, mainstream integration is still my choice for my boy. The integration aide is open and willing although I often have to write notes about what I want specifically worked on. Otherwise, she just makes sure he follows the class. I have higher expectations! I want him to converse with peers, answer questions and ask questions, I want him to play turn-taking games with others. These are all things the aide needs to plan for and work on. I am the one that keeps reminding and making sure that these goals are in the forefront of the staff’s mind. Who knows what the future will hold? I am not opposed to sending him to a special-needs school if I see that he is lagging behind his peers in reading and math skills. That’s the key to educating kids on the spectrum: attentiveness and flexibility. Combine those and you can be sure that you will be doing the best for your child.
