Ren

I'm reading from a lot of parents here, that they have children with special needs using the school system for IEP's and what not. And one mother questioning whether or not school is the answer for her child.
HOW could this be?
How could an institution bent on molding children into little boxes be the answer for a child with challenges to begin with?

PLEASE, please, please read this article by Anne Ohman today!!
http://sandradodd.com/special/anne

And please remember that the things you see them being brilliant at, are the only things that really matter. These kids don't need their challenges focused on, they need (like all of us) their strengths and beauty focused on.
The school system is not designed to honor uniqueness and differences. How on earth can they truly help a child that has these special needs???


"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn."
Albert Einstein

Wife2Vegman

--- Ren <starsuncloud@...> wrote:
>
>
> And please remember that the things you see them
> being brilliant at, are the only things that really
> matter. These kids don't need their challenges
> focused on, they need (like all of us) their
> strengths and beauty focused on.
> The school system is not designed to honor
> uniqueness and differences. How on earth can they
> truly help a child that has these special needs???


Ren,

I agree with you, but wonder how you feel about
individual therapy as well, such as vision therapy or
speech therapy or physical therapy?




=====
--Susan in VA
WifetoVegman

What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children's growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools, but that it isn't a school at all. John Holt

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teresab42267

--- In [email protected], Ren <starsuncloud@n...>
wrote:
>
>
> I'm reading from a lot of parents here, that they have children
with special needs using the school system for IEP's and what not.
And one mother questioning whether or not school is the answer for
her child.
> HOW could this be?
> How could an institution bent on molding children into little boxes
be the answer for a child with challenges to begin with?
>
> PLEASE, please, please read this article by Anne Ohman today!!
> http://sandradodd.com/special/anne
>
> And please remember that the things you see them being brilliant
at, are the only things that really matter. These kids don't need
their challenges focused on, they need (like all of us) their
strengths and beauty focused on.
> The school system is not designed to honor uniqueness and
differences. How on earth can they truly help a child that has these
special needs???


I agree that school is the last place a child with special needs
needs to be. Parents may feel inept and overwhelmed at dealing
with a special needs child. They may feel that someone "better
qualified" can do a better job. BELIEVE ME, it's not true. YOU, as
their parent have thier best interests at heart, you know them better
than anyone else. School is a horrible place for children who do not
fit the social and academic norms. As daunting as dealing with a
special needs child on a 24/7 basis may seem, if they go to school,
the time you spend with them outside of school is going to be
severely compromised. The difficulties they have will only
intensify, not just magically disappear. Also, think of the
challanges of dealing with one special needs child. Special Ed
teachers have several students, it's very rarely a one on one
situation, and if it is, it is for only a breif part of the day.
Imagine dealing with a roomful of children who all have differing,
intense needs.. not a good situation. KEEP THEM HOME!

Teresa

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/14/2004 10:32:02 AM Central Standard Time,
starsuncloud@... writes:


> PLEASE, please, please read this article by Anne Ohman today!!
> http://sandradodd.com/special/anne
>
>

Oh, this was excellent, simply excellent. Brought tears to my eyes, I love
her passion.
Laura


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Elizabeth Roberts

Sorry..I should have explained a little further. Sarah's IEP with the school is NOT our choice, it is a compromise to keep DSS off our back in regards to her because of the school calling DSS when she was in kindergarten when we wanted her off the medications and they were saying she had Asperger's, ODD, and OCD and we said we didn't want to test/evaluate her for them. The school called DSS to force us to keep her on the meds, etc. claiming mental health and educational neglect.

We are working on options to get out from under the IEP and be on our own completely, but it just may not be possible while we are living here. Only 15 months (OR LESS!!!) til TRANSFER!!!

Now, this is NOT at all to say that someone shouldn't make a similar agreement with a school if that is what they and the child feel will be in their best interests. I'm simply saying that we'd rather not be but have been forced into it.
MamaBeth

Ren <starsuncloud@...> wrote:


I'm reading from a lot of parents here, that they have children with special needs using the school system for IEP's and what not. And one mother questioning whether or not school is the answer for her child.
HOW could this be?
How could an institution bent on molding children into little boxes be the answer for a child with challenges to begin with?

PLEASE, please, please read this article by Anne Ohman today!!
http://sandradodd.com/special/anne

And please remember that the things you see them being brilliant at, are the only things that really matter. These kids don't need their challenges focused on, they need (like all of us) their strengths and beauty focused on.
The school system is not designed to honor uniqueness and differences. How on earth can they truly help a child that has these special needs???


"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn."
Albert Einstein



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

gehrkes

I have three of my kids that would qualify under special needs at
the school. Rob was in almost fulltime. Levi was in for lack of
emotional and impulse control. Ashton was getting evaluated for her
learning disabilities when I said enough.
I have only been unschooling since this fall. I did school at home,
with frustration for all.
Here is my perspective.. My kids are unique. They are all unique. I
want them to be the best at whatever they enjoy. RIGHT now the boys
are into Diablo. And clay. Ashton is into writing. Everyones
confidence is growing every day.. Ashton asks how to spell the as
she writes. But reads the guide on the tv fluently. ROB played
Cranium today. He wanted to read every card with me.. ALthough his
reading is very jumbled and dislexic. He played the game as well as
any of us. Levi was up until 1.30 am watching a movie and had a
small meltdown today.. He needed to snuggle for a bit on the couch
and have his back tickled. I am going with the full confidence that
as they get to not worry about what they do not possess they will
get what they need.
When I see my kids I see their birthparents many times. Birthparents
that if they had experience kindness would not be so hurt and
damaged. My kids are amazing people they do not need to be fluent
readers or math geniuses they need to be secure and they need to
have joy and live their lives.
I had a woman ask if Olivia my three year old was retarded.. Very
funny. Olivia is delayed about nine months. She is also the most
whole person I ever met.
Kathleen








--- In [email protected], Elizabeth Roberts
<mamabethuscg@y...> wrote:
> Sorry..I should have explained a little further. Sarah's IEP with
the school is NOT our choice, it is a compromise to keep DSS off our
back in regards to her because of the school calling DSS when she
was in kindergarten when we wanted her off the medications and they
were saying she had Asperger's, ODD, and OCD and we said we didn't
want to test/evaluate her for them. The school called DSS to force
us to keep her on the meds, etc. claiming mental health and
educational neglect.
>
> We are working on options to get out from under the IEP and be on
our own completely, but it just may not be possible while we are
living here. Only 15 months (OR LESS!!!) til TRANSFER!!!
>
> Now, this is NOT at all to say that someone shouldn't make a
similar agreement with a school if that is what they and the child
feel will be in their best interests. I'm simply saying that we'd
rather not be but have been forced into it.
> MamaBeth
>
> Ren <starsuncloud@n...> wrote:
>
>
> I'm reading from a lot of parents here, that they have children
with special needs using the school system for IEP's and what not.
And one mother questioning whether or not school is the answer for
her child.
> HOW could this be?
> How could an institution bent on molding children into little
boxes be the answer for a child with challenges to begin with?
>
> PLEASE, please, please read this article by Anne Ohman today!!
> http://sandradodd.com/special/anne
>
> And please remember that the things you see them being brilliant
at, are the only things that really matter. These kids don't need
their challenges focused on, they need (like all of us) their
strengths and beauty focused on.
> The school system is not designed to honor uniqueness and
differences. How on earth can they truly help a child that has these
special needs???
>
>
> "I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions
in which they can learn."
> Albert Einstein
>
>
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this
group.
>
> To unsubscribe from this send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnschoolingDiscussion/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service.
>
>
>
> Why not?!
>
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/15/04 3:12:11 PM, teresab42267@... writes:

<< School is a horrible place for children who do not

fit the social and academic norms. >>

It's not all that great for the rest of them either.

Unschooling will work for all KINDS of kids regardless of the perceived
needs, if the parents will just really calm down and look at their children
directly, not through the lenses of scores and diagnoses and labels. Being with
children in a very close and direct way isn't what most people are used to or
expecting. I think it's what gives attachment parenting families a head start,
if they can make the transition smoothly (and don't just end up putting their
kids in school).

Sandra