S/o integrated classrooms

[mcburglar]

Can anyone talk about the experience for neuro typical kids? I'm thinking of sending mcnugget to one when we move because I think it is an awesome idea but I worry about my kid being rough and not accommodating.

[kkfeb04]

I can speak on the behalf that it is not known that there are special needs kids in the classroom.

[imimahoney]

I want to send Ari to our town's integrated preschool but it isn't full day so that wont work for us right now.

My sister sent her daughter to an integrated preschool and talked very highly of it. She learned how to work well with others and had such empathy for all of her classmates of varying abilities. She also was happy that her daughter was able to be the recipient of all class therapies like music and movement.

[thedahliharpa]

Can I ask what the draw is for parents w/out special needs kids? I'm not at all familiar with these programs, which sound really great.

I'm struggling with not calling someone in this thread by a shortened version of a certain screen name. Btw

[thedahliharpa]

Mar 30, 2015 15:52:55 GMT -5 imimahoney said:

I want to send Ari to our town's integrated preschool but it isn't full day so that wont work for us right now.

My sister sent her daughter to an integrated preschool and talked very highly of it. She learned how to work well with others and had such empathy for all of her classmates of varying abilities. She also was happy that her daughter was able to be the recipient of all class therapies like music and movement.

I didn't see this. This helps with the question I just asked.

[steph196]

I have nothing to add, but I just wanted to comment on how much I love that LO is now "McNugget!"  :Y:

[The Foozzler]

Mar 30, 2015 15:55:20 GMT -5 thedahliharpa said:

Can I ask what the draw is for parents w/out special needs kids? I'm not at all familiar with these programs, which sound really great.

I'm struggling with not calling someone in this thread by a shortened version of a certain screen name. Btw

In my school, part or the appeal for peer role models is free preschool.  But only part time for the role models.  And it is taught by teachers certified in both early childhood and special ed.  And there is a good ratio of adults to children aside from the classroom teacher.

[The Foozzler]

Mar 30, 2015 15:47:17 GMT -5 mcburglar said:

Can anyone talk about the experience for neuro typical kids? I'm thinking of sending mcnugget to one when we move because I think it is an awesome idea but I worry about my kid being rough and not accommodating.

Most likely your child wouldn't realize or know that others were in the room with special needs, so I don't think that would be an issue.

[thedahliharpa]

Mar 30, 2015 16:02:24 GMT -5 The Foozzler said:

Mar 30, 2015 15:55:20 GMT -5 thedahliharpa said:

Can I ask what the draw is for parents w/out special needs kids? I'm not at all familiar with these programs, which sound really great.

I'm struggling with not calling someone in this thread by a shortened version of a certain screen name. Btw

In my school, part or the appeal for peer role models is free preschool.  But only part time for the role models.  And it is taught by teachers certified in both early childhood and special ed.  And there is a good ratio of adults to children aside from the classroom teacher.

You had me at free but I didn't realize the programs were free for all (not to be confused with free for alls). To be serious though, that makes sense. Thanks!

[imimahoney]

I can say my niece was aware of differences. There was a girl in a wheel chair and talked abut the special playground they used, there was a boy who had a lot of bad tantrums and she talked about how he would have more help so he wouldn't get too upset and doge was also aware of who used the potty and who didn't. 

I dont think being aware is bad. She called them all her friends and loved the program so much. 

[imimahoney]

Mar 30, 2015 16:06:44 GMT -5 thedahliharpa said:

Mar 30, 2015 16:02:24 GMT -5 The Foozzler said:

In my school, part or the appeal for peer role models is free preschool.  But only part time for the role models.  And it is taught by teachers certified in both early childhood and special ed.  And there is a good ratio of adults to children aside from the classroom teacher.

You had me at free but I didn't realize the programs were free for all (not to be confused with free for alls). To be serious though, that makes sense. Thanks!

For neurotypical kids the program it is not free in my town but cheaper than a traditional preschool.  

[mcburglar]

I don't think he would know kids were different. I just think I would struggle to handle it if he was being aggressive with other kids that I know have different abilities.

And I wondered what the experience was for kids who aren't pulled out of the class for any reason. This is an all day program.

[The Foozzler]

Mar 30, 2015 16:06:44 GMT -5 thedahliharpa said:

Mar 30, 2015 16:02:24 GMT -5 The Foozzler said:

In my school, part or the appeal for peer role models is free preschool.  But only part time for the role models.  And it is taught by teachers certified in both early childhood and special ed.  And there is a good ratio of adults to children aside from the classroom teacher.

You had me at free but I didn't realize the programs were free for all (not to be confused with free for alls). To be serious though, that makes sense. Thanks!

It is free in my district, but not free everywhere

[TrudyCampbell]

The appeal for typical kids in my area is that it is FREE.

[mcburglar]

Not free where I'm looking. Free for the special needs kids not for others.

[Regina Philange]

Louie's program costs money. If he didn't qualify he could have gotten in on the lottery and paid tuition but just not received the extra speech services.

The lady who did zoeys newborn pics yesterday actually sent her child to the school on tuition and said it's amazing!

[dojo]

This sounds like a really lovely idea so kids get used to each other's differences and it's just NBD. I like that a lot.

[bigapple]

Mar 30, 2015 16:14:11 GMT -5 TrudyCampbell said:

The appeal for typical kids in my area is that it is FREE.

Where do I sign up for this?

[teamhayes]

K starts at one in September

Not free but it is rated the best preschool in our town and we loved it for him. It's a lottery to get in and very sought after and hard to get in 

Hopefully he learns to behave better etc

[shevacc]

If it were full day I would totally consider it for G. Not free here but not too expensive, great teachers and great ratios. It's also held at our local elementary school so she'd get used to the building sooner.

[badgermom]

In my district it is half day for peer models. It is free. Parents like the small teacher-student ratio, the education level of the teachers and the fact that since it's part of the district, the curriculum feeds well into the kindergarten program. If it were full day, I'd definitely do it for my boys.

[devonpow]

H went to an integrated preschool for a year ( and E will be starting next year). He had a range of students with different needs in his class - Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism. Also H's school has the autism program for our district so a majority of classrooms are integrated. He currently has two kids with autism in his class - one with an aide and one without.

I loved hos preschool experience. It was basically a non issue for him, but he got to see a lot of different learning and communication styles. The different therapists would work with different groups of kids on different days, so one day Henry would be able to join the kids doing physical therapy, another day the kids doing occupational therapy, etc. He loved it.

[devonpow]

Also we had no specific draw to an integrated classroom. The public preschool program in our town is all integrated classrooms, and the program is very highly regarded so everyone wants to get in ( it's a lottery system). Definitely not cheaper. H happened to be in a classroom where the kids tended to have more severe disabilities, but that was pure luck of what school we were closest to.

[mcburglar]

Thanks, devonpow that is really helpful. We are going to your this place. I was having a hard time imagining what the day would be like since they are clear that students are pulled out as needed. So, would mcnugget still get to have music and library, etc.

[devonpow]

Mar 30, 2015 18:29:35 GMT -5 mcburglar said:

Thanks, devonpow that is really helpful. We are going to your this place. I was having a hard time imagining what the day would be like since they are clear that students are pulled out as needed. So, would mcnugget still get to have music and library, etc.

Yeah for ours kids weren't pulled out by themselves. Instead if the OT was there to work with Johnny she would say "today Johnny, Henry, and Sally get to play with me!" etc. And they would all work together. H LOVED this part of it. A lot of the therapists were there all day, so it was like he had 5 teachers. The therapies were built into the "working" portion of the day. They all had specials like art together. The only issue we had is that H was super jealous of one girls iPad ( that she used to communicate with ) lol.

[spaghetticat]

The district I teach in just started one. It is about the same price as other preschools around here and they don't offer full day.

If it was full day, I would consider it. I think it's a great opportunity.

[jenbelle]

This is very interesting. I have never heard of this, and doing some research, I was only able to find one in our county. One. I'm really surprised.

[aubreyann]

I've subbed in preschool classes. It cost between 10-15 dollars a day here for 1/2 day, M-Th. I was going to send Aubrey next year to the one in my district as a peer model, but I really like her preschool now. She had a rough transition at the beginning of the year and now is comfortable with the teachers and has made friends that will eventually go to Kindergarten with her. Being in the special education preschool as a student is a great thing as either a peer model or student with an IEP. There are always 2-3 adults in the room working with all the kids. The classrooms I've been in are wonderful!

[Dorothy Zbornak]

We wanted to send Butters to an integrated preschool, but he didn't get a place. I think it's awesome concept.