It's 2014, right? This means that Fischer will start kindergarten this year. For many of my friends and most people that I know, this is something that is not given a lot of thought. Most people that I know send their kids to the closest public school. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big believer in "public schools work", but right now, public school will not work for my sensory tot. I'm a prodigy (translate: product) of public school, and I turned out just fine (jury's still out).
Even before I had Fischer, I believed that I would send my kid(s) to Montessori school (or a similar private setting). I believe in the teaching style and the beliefs, but since I am apparently a consultant, I have no idea if I can afford it forever. I wouldn't want him to get used to a particular, "less-structured" regime and then have to transfer to public school.
Currently, Fish attends an absolutely amazing preschool and he's doing phenomenally well. Development and growth occur through active learning environments and choice. Inspirational discovery takes place with teachers engaging the "whole child." The teacher to student ratio is 1:7 and he has 13 classmates. The playground is natural, built from trees and items that fell naturally on the property and contain a log cabin, covered bridge, a path for tricycles, and a massive sandbox. (All amazing for the sensory soul). He gets outside time every morning and it is also how he ends his day.
His school is extremely costly for only 2 full days per week, but I'm doing alright on a diet of ramon noodles and boxed mac-n-cheese. The school is hoping and likely to have their pilot Kindergarten program (project based learning) next year. I just got word yesterday that we have received a scholarship. It will still be costly, especially since I will have to drive him 45 minutes to and from school 5 days a week. We are not sure if we will be able to afford it, but I'm praying we will. I'm touring a few other schools just in case.
For preschool, I did hours of countless research in the spring and ironically ended up choosing a Christian school 1/4 mile from where I grew up. The day I called to put down the deposit, the school informed me that they cancelled the pre-school program due to low enrollment. It was 2 days before school let out so I didn't have time to scope out another. After several moderate panic attacks and an emergency phone consult with Fishs' OT, I realized that I needn't make my choice right then. It wasn't a huge deal if he missed the first few weeks of the school year. I made the right choice with his current school even though it's put me in the poor house. Now it's time to make more decisions about K and the anxiety returns. No one told me that these decisions were going to be so tough.
What I decide for Fish now sets the foundation for success for the rest of his life. He isn't ready for public school...he can't sit still and the amount of people and noise is still too much for him to handle at this point. Classroom size is too overwhelming and he won't get the encouragement he needs. He isn't special needs- he needs the type of learning environment which fosters freedom and choice in development. K in public school settings is intense (from those I have scoped out). When I went to kindergarten, it was a half-day, and I played most of the time. Now kids sit in a desk for hours at a time and get 1 short recess and an extremely short lunch with little time to eat and socialize. What 5 year-old can sit at a desk for the majority of a school day? If your kid can, you suck.
What if I can't afford private school? I'm giving myself an ulcer. And I'm consuming enough anxiety flower oils and drops to scent my neighbors yard. (They don't do near as well as the tranquilizers and psychotropic meds, but I suppose they are a tad healthier.)
A teacher in a public school stated that she had "experience" teaching a child with SPD. Her experience entailed one child with extreme issues due to never having received any OT or help. He could not role/pretend play at all and was destructive and violent. The teacher suggested meds for ADHD because she didn't have the extra time to spend with this child to develop a plan to ensure his success. It's so cliche', but it's where many educators go. In the teacher's defense, state funding & classroom size verses teacher:student ratio makes it difficult for a teacher to spend the necessary time with a particular student. And I am speaking generally; not all teachers do this- there are a lot of great public educators out there who understand SPD.
A few simple adjustments makes all the difference, but sadly, a lot of the time, these minor adjustments do not happen and these kids fall through the cracks or end up being medicated for "issues" they do not have to begin with. On a side note, my heart goes out to this little boy-he was made out to be the bad guy, when all he really needed was some help. This could have been Fischer had he not gotten OT. Now, he's thriving in a learning environment that fosters his development naturally. I just hope I can keep it up.
Even before I had Fischer, I believed that I would send my kid(s) to Montessori school (or a similar private setting). I believe in the teaching style and the beliefs, but since I am apparently a consultant, I have no idea if I can afford it forever. I wouldn't want him to get used to a particular, "less-structured" regime and then have to transfer to public school.
Currently, Fish attends an absolutely amazing preschool and he's doing phenomenally well. Development and growth occur through active learning environments and choice. Inspirational discovery takes place with teachers engaging the "whole child." The teacher to student ratio is 1:7 and he has 13 classmates. The playground is natural, built from trees and items that fell naturally on the property and contain a log cabin, covered bridge, a path for tricycles, and a massive sandbox. (All amazing for the sensory soul). He gets outside time every morning and it is also how he ends his day.
His school is extremely costly for only 2 full days per week, but I'm doing alright on a diet of ramon noodles and boxed mac-n-cheese. The school is hoping and likely to have their pilot Kindergarten program (project based learning) next year. I just got word yesterday that we have received a scholarship. It will still be costly, especially since I will have to drive him 45 minutes to and from school 5 days a week. We are not sure if we will be able to afford it, but I'm praying we will. I'm touring a few other schools just in case.
For preschool, I did hours of countless research in the spring and ironically ended up choosing a Christian school 1/4 mile from where I grew up. The day I called to put down the deposit, the school informed me that they cancelled the pre-school program due to low enrollment. It was 2 days before school let out so I didn't have time to scope out another. After several moderate panic attacks and an emergency phone consult with Fishs' OT, I realized that I needn't make my choice right then. It wasn't a huge deal if he missed the first few weeks of the school year. I made the right choice with his current school even though it's put me in the poor house. Now it's time to make more decisions about K and the anxiety returns. No one told me that these decisions were going to be so tough.
What I decide for Fish now sets the foundation for success for the rest of his life. He isn't ready for public school...he can't sit still and the amount of people and noise is still too much for him to handle at this point. Classroom size is too overwhelming and he won't get the encouragement he needs. He isn't special needs- he needs the type of learning environment which fosters freedom and choice in development. K in public school settings is intense (from those I have scoped out). When I went to kindergarten, it was a half-day, and I played most of the time. Now kids sit in a desk for hours at a time and get 1 short recess and an extremely short lunch with little time to eat and socialize. What 5 year-old can sit at a desk for the majority of a school day? If your kid can, you suck.
What if I can't afford private school? I'm giving myself an ulcer. And I'm consuming enough anxiety flower oils and drops to scent my neighbors yard. (They don't do near as well as the tranquilizers and psychotropic meds, but I suppose they are a tad healthier.)
A teacher in a public school stated that she had "experience" teaching a child with SPD. Her experience entailed one child with extreme issues due to never having received any OT or help. He could not role/pretend play at all and was destructive and violent. The teacher suggested meds for ADHD because she didn't have the extra time to spend with this child to develop a plan to ensure his success. It's so cliche', but it's where many educators go. In the teacher's defense, state funding & classroom size verses teacher:student ratio makes it difficult for a teacher to spend the necessary time with a particular student. And I am speaking generally; not all teachers do this- there are a lot of great public educators out there who understand SPD.
A few simple adjustments makes all the difference, but sadly, a lot of the time, these minor adjustments do not happen and these kids fall through the cracks or end up being medicated for "issues" they do not have to begin with. On a side note, my heart goes out to this little boy-he was made out to be the bad guy, when all he really needed was some help. This could have been Fischer had he not gotten OT. Now, he's thriving in a learning environment that fosters his development naturally. I just hope I can keep it up.
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