Ayla
14-12-2008, 05:49 PM
http://www.examiner.com/x-2007-Homeschooling-Examiner~y2008m12d10-Love-a-Child-with-Autism-Homeschooling-May-Be-Your-Best-Option
Our son Tom was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) when he was 3. I didn't fully understand, when he was diagnosed, how the world would change. After all, he was verbal, bright, fun, affectionate... and while he had a very odd way of speaking, and an even odder way of playing, I couldn't imagine that would make a big difference in the long run.
I was wrong. Within two years, Tom had been booted from two preschools because "they couldn't help children with his issues." He started kindergarten locally, but by the time he was in second grade he had been booted from the district to a county program "because they had the resources to help him."
By the time he was in fourth grade, he had attended three different elementary schools, though we hadn't moved even once. He was in a self-contained classroom with nine children, all of whom were autistic - and bright - and verbal - and apparently unacceptable outside of their little world.
After years of struggling with IEPs (individualized educational plans), advocacy, parent-teacher meetings, and paperwork, I realized I needed to actually hand Tom's teacher the curriculum that worked for him. I needed to create the "communication forms" on which the teacher could describe Tom's needs and successes. I needed to check, every week, to see whether the aides were bothering to escort Tom to band practice (as the ONLY special needs kid in band, it was a bit of a struggle to be sure anyone noticed him - even though he was the best clarinet player in the group!).
Finally, it became crystal clear that we, his parents, could do a far better job of teaching Tom than anyone else. And by golly, we were right.
After a year and a half, Tom has read over a dozen full length novels (he'd never read one in school). He's written reports, presented his work at a homeschool biography fair, won two bowling trophies, and learned to climb rock walls. He's explored birding, impressionism, American history, and learned to make his own lunch. He plays clarinet with a terrific jazz musician, and is part of the middle school jazz band.
Most importantly, Tom is relaxed, positive, and enjoying his education.
Of course, he's still autistic - and always will be. But that's really not the most important aspect of who he is. He's a storyteller. He's an artist. He's a musician. He's a scientist. He's our son.
Our son Tom was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) when he was 3. I didn't fully understand, when he was diagnosed, how the world would change. After all, he was verbal, bright, fun, affectionate... and while he had a very odd way of speaking, and an even odder way of playing, I couldn't imagine that would make a big difference in the long run.
I was wrong. Within two years, Tom had been booted from two preschools because "they couldn't help children with his issues." He started kindergarten locally, but by the time he was in second grade he had been booted from the district to a county program "because they had the resources to help him."
By the time he was in fourth grade, he had attended three different elementary schools, though we hadn't moved even once. He was in a self-contained classroom with nine children, all of whom were autistic - and bright - and verbal - and apparently unacceptable outside of their little world.
After years of struggling with IEPs (individualized educational plans), advocacy, parent-teacher meetings, and paperwork, I realized I needed to actually hand Tom's teacher the curriculum that worked for him. I needed to create the "communication forms" on which the teacher could describe Tom's needs and successes. I needed to check, every week, to see whether the aides were bothering to escort Tom to band practice (as the ONLY special needs kid in band, it was a bit of a struggle to be sure anyone noticed him - even though he was the best clarinet player in the group!).
Finally, it became crystal clear that we, his parents, could do a far better job of teaching Tom than anyone else. And by golly, we were right.
After a year and a half, Tom has read over a dozen full length novels (he'd never read one in school). He's written reports, presented his work at a homeschool biography fair, won two bowling trophies, and learned to climb rock walls. He's explored birding, impressionism, American history, and learned to make his own lunch. He plays clarinet with a terrific jazz musician, and is part of the middle school jazz band.
Most importantly, Tom is relaxed, positive, and enjoying his education.
Of course, he's still autistic - and always will be. But that's really not the most important aspect of who he is. He's a storyteller. He's an artist. He's a musician. He's a scientist. He's our son.