E is for Education

E is for Education

   This quote sums up how I feel about Education and my children and especially my Autistic child. "If a child Can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." 

   Education within the Autistic community can be a hot topic. Everyone always has their own opinion on how you should teach an Autistic child. But after self containing my son, mainstreaming my son and doing ABA with my son. I have come to realize that quote is soooo true. We truly need to teach a child the way they learn. Lets forget what we think we know about education. And lets really look at the child and evaluate how they learn. 

   The problem is in most Public School settings, it is a one size fits all problem. Even with an IEP you will still see most children taught all the same way. And why? Because of Common Core and state standards. The States are so worried about scores they have forgotten how to teach children. And children with special needs keep getting left behind. At least that was the case with my son. 

   My son was in second grade in Public School at the time and still pretty much non verbal. No matter what they did. It was a struggle. And why? Because even with that IEP it was a struggle to get him the attention he really needed. And they wanted him to fit into that cookie cutter learning environment. It just was not working out. In fact his teacher even recognized that it was not working out.

   The fact was they had my son in second grade yet he was still at a pre-k level. And they ignored this. They wanted to push him along. Because no child is left behind. But this indeed makes them left behind. Because they are not properly taught. After his teacher frankly told me that he can't function in these class sizes. And we agreed self contained would send him over the edge. I had to seek out other options. 

   At the time that was a private special needs school. And at the time that was my saving grace. Within the first year of him being there he was speaking full sentences. Yes he was still behind. But the kid was speaking. That was a miracle in its self. My son spent the next two years in this private school. And we learned that you have to teach the way the child learns. 

   He stayed there up till the school did eventually shut down. Due to the owner moving out of the city. The school just was not able to stay opened. I was heart broken. I had no clue what I wanted to do. And I knew I was not putting him back into Public School. But small town issues. I did not have much choices for schooling. 

   Homeschooling was then brought up to me. Now, I suffer from multiple disabilities on top of dyslexia. I always judge my abilities based off my disabilities. I learned fast that I was very capable even with my struggles to do something I thought I would not be able to do. And that is schooling my children at home. I most likely will talk about Homeschooling when we get to the Letter "H". 

   But this is where we are. I was able to hire his old teacher from his old private school as his parapro here at home. With her help we are teaching him the way he learns. And if one method does not work we find other methods that will meet his needs. He is taught on his level. Not on the grade level that society thinks he should be at. He is at a Kinder level currently and he will be 10 this year. 

   But we are doing it. We are customizing his own educational plan around his abilities. Around his schedule. I will get more into homeschooling and what we do later. But this is where our Education as taken us to. There is no one size fits all. It's about finding what works best for your child. If Public School is what works best, then do it. If Private School is what works best, then do it. If Homeschooling is what works best, then do it. But make sure it is what works best for your child and NOT you.