If you have an autistic child, then you are aware of the many challenges you face raising your child. With the behavioral problems that many autistic children suffer from, raising an autistic child may feel like two full-time jobs at times. Educating an autistic child is also a difficult task that must be fully thought out.
While public schools are funded to handle children with special needs, these locations are not always the best arenas for autistic children. One of the reasons that home-schooling your autistic child is a good idea is because special education programs may lump autistic children in with others who have maladaptive behavioral problems.
Remember, autistic children have behavioral problems due to their developmental inability to properly function normally in social situations. If they are placed in with others who have emotional problems they may regress instead of progress. However, if home-schooled, parents can control the social influences that are likely to either help or hinder the progress of their child. They can keep them away from insensitive teachers, bullies, and have greater control of their education.
Due to their obvious differences, many autistic children are treated with cruelty. This horrible fact of life can undo much of the progress that your child may have already made. Most autistic children function best when routines are set. Home-schooling is the best way to ensure these routines are established and followed.
In addition, home-schooling is a good choice because many autistic children are sensitive to sound. If they are in a classroom with a bunch of other children making noise, it can be difficult for them to focus.
The home-schooling setting is normally more quiet and conducive to learning, besides, it offers autistic children a typically 1:1 teacher to student ratio. Plus, if you’re following a GFCF diet it’s much easier to implement this at home and you can be sure that your child is only eating what you’re giving them.
Furthermore, research has demonstrated that autistic children who are home-schooled score better on problem behavior assessments.
In order to make the most out of your child’s home-school experience, it may be a good idea to keep a journal. Write down anything about your child’s behavior and performance that is important. For instance, you can keep track of when your child is most productive, when he or she learns best, and what are the potential distractions. Remember you’ll need to adapt your teaching style to suit their learning ability. Trying to make them learn ‘your way’ will just lead to a lack of progress and frustration all round.
As a parent and a teacher it is important for you to read up on recent literature involving the education of autistic children. There are many resources that provide information on teaching strategies, learning methods, and the different types of intelligence. Knowing this information will enable you to tailor a home-school program that will meet your child’s needs.
The beauty about home-schooling is that if one approach doesn’t work you can adapt your style until you find an approach that does work.
Home-schooling is fast becoming a common educational choice for parents of autistic children. The research involved clearly outlines the benefits of home-schooling. However, you must ensure that you will have the time and the dedication to follow through with home-schooling. Simply keeping your child at home is not going to do any good if learning is not occurring. It is important that you address academic, behavioral, and social needs.
By: Rachel Evans
Posts Tagged ‘Special Education Programs’
3 Ways to Use Tape Recordings to Help Your Child in Special Education
December 29th, 2009
Are you the parent of a child with autism? Are you the parent of a
child receiving special education services? Would you like to learn
parenting tips that will help you become an equal participant in your
child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting? This article will
discuss 3 ways that tape recording can help you in advocating for an
appropriate education for your child with a disability
3 ways to use tape recording:
1. Tape recording can allow you to focus on what is happening during
the meeting, rather than focusing on taking notes. Listen to
everything that is going on, and do write down important things. Speak
up and give your opinion as often as you need to, for the benefit of
your child.
2. If an IEP meeting is tape recorded, you will be able to go over it
at a later time, and fill in your notes. It will also allow you to
remember things that may have happened that you missed. IEP meetings
can be adversarial. A tape recording allows you to listen to the
interactions in the privacy of your own home.
3. Tape recordings of IEP meetings can be used as evidence at a due
process hearing. In order to use a tape recording, as evidence, it
will have to be transcribed. Tape recorders should be digital, and
powerful enough to pick up several different people’s voices.
A lot of special education personnel become very resistant when
parents want to tape record IEP meetings. Below is an interpretation
of tape recording under IDEA, by the Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP).
OSEP published its question #12 opinion in the Federal Register Volume
57, No. 183, Sept. 29, 1992 interpreting tape recording IEP meetings
and stated “that it is permissible to tape IEP meetings at the option
of either the parents or the agency.”
There have also been several law suits that have given parents the
right to tape record IEP meetings. One of these court cases in
Connecticut V.W. v. Favolise had the court reason that parents have a
statutory right, to attend and participate in IEP meetings, and the
district could not legally engage in an act to limit the parents
rights.
If special education personnel refuse to allow you to tape record,
because they say that they have a district policy, ask for a written
copy of the policy. OSEP in a memorandum 91-24 July 18, 1991 stated
“Thus any policy limiting or prohibiting a parent’s right to tape
record the proceedings at an IEP meeting must provide for exceptions
if they are necessary to ensure that the parent is able to understand
the proceedings at the IEP meeting. . .” Ask your school district for
an exception, so that you can understand the IEP meeting.
With the written policy in hand, cancel the IEP meeting, and send a
state complaint to your state department of education. Tell them that
you asked school personnel for an exception and they refused. The
state will have 60 days to resolve your complaint.
Tape recording can help you be an active participant in your child’s
IEP meeting. Your child is depending on your help, do not let them
down.
By: JoAnn Collins
