From the article: Preparing the School for Your Child with Autism
What information do you give to your child's teachers about autism? Share it with your fellow readers, and find some new resources from other families. Share Your Strategies
Location of school
- My son is always getting moved around to a new school each year and I often don't find out where until mid August. When I do find out the location I start taking him to the schools playground and familiarize him with the place and with going to that building. It may seem like a small thing but it has made all the difference in the world on the first day of school.
- —RainMomKelley
Strategies for Your Child with Autism
- Now that there is universal Autism awareness, some teacher awareness has increased as well. Each year, during the first 2 weeks of school (not before because a week or so gives you a chance to get an idea of how each teacher operates) we set up a meeting with all the teachers, aides, and support personnel to review how each one plans to implement the items in my son's IEP by subject, since he has subjects that need more attention than others. All during the year, I collect adapted assignments and examples of how special accommodations were made, what was successful and not, and then give the new teachers a copy of these. This has proven to be very successful because we are all aware of expectaions/outcomes. We exchange emails and phone numbers and I USE them!! By the time parent conference rolls around, the rapport is there to plan for future events instead of trouble shoot present problems. Your preparedness and persistance are key to advocate for your child's needs in school.
- —Guest Momonamission
ABA
- ABA is the only documented technique that helps Autistic people. It it were up to me I would dismiss all the Teachers and Psychologist who did not learn ABA. Parents who are Educated must find other Schools and higher Lawyers to win Hearings.
- —Guest Ros Kapj
Online resources
- I haven't used these resources myself since I don't live in America, but I was impressed over Autism Speaks' "School Community Tool Kit." It even has resources specifically written for bus drivers. Here's the link: http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/family_services/school_kit.php
- —Guest NorwayMom
