Main Stream option?

[pigletwillie]

I will declare an interest as well as my cousin is one of those poor weak souls too.

Thankfully the days of locking away the "different" children in "special schools" is no longer the norm, Most kids who require a bit of extra help, be they autistic, physically or mentally challenged or just downright naughty will always achieve more in as normal environment as possible.

Being bitten, stamped, kicked and attacked perhaps is not that much of a measure of success either by the mentor or the school. Either the situation is being ignored by those at the school who should be addressing it or the mentor put in an intolerable position. Every situation is different, every child who does not conform to the norm is different and therefore putting them all in a one size fits all "special school" does not work, hence the enlightenment of recent years of putting these children into main stream schools, rather than singling them out for "special treatment" as has been suggested before and exposed so well by Seahorse.

[Incy]

After having read one interpretation of my sincere question. I decline to make any further comment.

Sorry if this sounds offensive but I'm glad you've finally shut up!
I'm sure that I am not the only person who has read this thread filled with fury at the ignorant ill informed rubbish you have been spouting. Frankly, I know for fact that I am not the only one on this forum who has a child with special needs and I also know first hand the kind of bullying and abuse that these children have to cope with at the hands of adults and children with your kind of views.
I would also point out that the root of aggressive behaviour in some of these children comes from the attitude of those around who create a huge level of frustration for them.
Your daughter chose to work in this environment as a support for these kids. I sincerely hope she does not share your insensitive views!

[PAULW]

We have Brengirl trying to put forward a valid concern about the education system as it is today, then you have the facist bookburning IF YOUR NOT WITH US YOU MUST BE AGAINST US group having a go at someone as I read it who want the best for all people involved,

[Brengirl]

We have Brengirl trying to put forward a valid concern about the education system as it is today, then you have the facist bookburning IF YOUR NOT WITH US YOU MUST BE AGAINST US group having a go at someone as I read it who want the best for all people involved,

Thankyou Paul.

[FionaH]

I dont think disagreeing with brengirls posistion is being a fascist book burner! Only thing I tend to burn is toast.
Lets try not to let this get any more personal.

[Rhona]

Mahatma Gandhi: "You can judge a society by how they treat their weakest members."

I'm not in the least suggesting children with special needs are society's weakest members, but you catch the drift.

I have a lovely, slightly disabled and severely autistic cousin who thrived in the same mainstream school as me, got better grades than I did. The idea of her being shut away from all the people who became her friends is not a pleasant one.

[PAULW]

Nowhere did I see Brengirl suggest that these special people be locked away from the rest of society, the question is again as I read it are some of these special people being neglected by being dumped in mainstream education is this just the cheap option or could some receive the best care by being looked after by specially trained educators and the best facilities for their needs.

[pigletwillie]

Is it possible to retract this choice by parents and make the classroom a fun and safe place for our children to be educated once more.

Personally, I think this is most poignant sentence of the whole issue. It somewhat insinuates that if you get rid of the children with issues, school will instantly become a fun and safe place for children to be educated once more. If not, then school is an unhappy dangerous place.

Perhaps not locked away from society but certainly locked away from their peers, If that book was ever written, it requires burning!!!!!!!!

[Brengirl]

NO NO and again NO! The child in my scenario is unhappy!! Does not understand why he cannot make friends!! Why he cannot understand instruction. He is sad sad sad and I wish I could help him !!!!

[pigletwillie]

What, by moving him into a special needs school?

[FionaH]

To be fair special needs schools do suit an awful lot of children. My sister and a friend work in excellent ones. The important point is to have the variety of well funded places in each wystem to choose from. The choice being dependant only on each childs needs. A one size fits all approach does not work.

[Jeanied]

There are very few specialist schools for autistic youngsters in the country - so only the most severely austistic youngsters are sent to these. There would not be a local autistic school for most children on the autistic spectrum. What Brengirl is talking about is clearly where the local system is not meeting needs for one reason or another -one does not know why. The annual review can be triggered and provision changed if things are not working - the management in the school needs to be doing this, along with support from the educational psychology service and health authority.

[pigletwillie]

I agree they dont, however for many children, the activity of a mainstream school gives them the opportunity to at least be with mainstream peers and that is an option, a choice that all parents and children should have. Reckless statements about how much better things would be in schools without these kids in them is very unfair.

[PAULW]

The annual review can be triggered and provision changed if things are not working - the management in the school needs to be doing this, along with support from the educational psychology service and health authority.

And how many headteachers say nothing so as not to rock the boat and have their scores reduced and be marked down as a failing school.

[selfraising]

I work in a Special Needs School with many autistic students. Clearly this child is unhappy but then it is down to the school to provide adequate training. We offer outreach support to mainstream schools who have autistic students. There are many ways to help an autistic child understand both his feelings and the impact it has on others AND this can be done very well in a mainstream setting. IMO it would also help if the other students had a lesson in understanding their classmates difficulties. I also feel it was wrong for your daughter, Bren girl, to be put into a class where her son is.