Thursday, September 13, 2007

And so it begins!

Well, the twins will be three in December, and the powers that be would like me to send them to PPCD (preschool program for children with disabilities). Having taught special ed in this district, I've formed the opinion that for kids with HFA (which we don't have), PPCD can be great. For others, it can be less than great, to be polite. There is one program for kids with language issues only, and another for everyone else. My guys would be part of "everyone else".

I'm generally a soft-spoken type of person, and right now I need a potion to drink which will make me ferocious, or at least, assertive and articulate. I know my reasons, but I want to be able to express them in a way that doesn't (completely) alienate the school district, while letting them hear what could be better.

Right now the twins get hours of 1:1 services, and to sign them up for PPCD, I'd have to give up many of those hours.

What I need to do now is sit down and write out my reasoning, read it over, and practice (each time an ECI therapist brings it up) expressing what I know is best for the boys.

7 comments:

burgiboogie said...

I hate when they think they know more than us! I hate it even more when they change what is working!! For some reason when our kids turn 3, they are suppose to be ready for a classroom. How does that work again? grrr... I know you will let them know what you want, without burning any bridges, it is such a fine line. Good luck

Angela said...

Good luck with the system. I had to fight it myself because of my blindness.

KAL said...

Good luck with this, it is hard. Wish I had the magic potion, but just trust that you'll say what you need to say when it must be said. Are there any other, maybe private, options that the school district could fund? Wishing you the best. I can't believe your boys are almost three!

Mom without a manual said...

ggrrrRRRR!

You can do it! We wasted a year and a half in such a setting. We weren't HFA at the time and the classroom stuff just went over our head.

Cut forward 2 more years with a lot of one on one. I think we've become a pretty good chameleon. We can survive in that type of setting now but it is still not ideal.

Myself, I am not convinced that special ed is right for autism. I think our kids need specific autism classrooms. Anyway, that is my 2cents.

Good luck! Don't give up the fight!

kristen spina said...

Oh, good luck with this...

And keep us posted.

Niksmom said...

My two cents? Start working with an advocate NOW. Seriously. A good advocate can help you find all the loopholes and reasons why the school district needs to provide services in a non-school setting, or why your insurance needs to continue to provide 1:1 services. Our experience in this week alone has been an exhaustin but eye-opening experience. Don't do it alone! (Steps off soapbox)

Christine said...

Why does it all have to be so stressful?! You'll do a great job though. We're all pulling for you. Let us know how it goes.