Open House at Leo's School or Invasion of the Body Snatchers

I’m late in my report on open house at Leo’s school last week.

He attends an amazing school, which I’ve spoken about here before. It played a large part in our decision to choose the town we did. About 95 percent of the children who attend it have Down syndrome, the rest have some other kind of cognitive disability. I feel strongly about inclusion for when Leo is a little older (say, kindergarten) but for now, I think this is the best place for Leo. There are eight students in his class, one teacher and four aides. Let’s just say he gets a lot of attention.

So far I have enjoyed visiting Leo's school. We are usually showered with compliments about what a sweet, cooperative, adorable little boy Leo is. The only not so good news we got is that Leo's P.T. thinks he may need orthotics, which is no big deal it's just a matter of making some calls and seeing who takes our insurance, making appointments. I did find myself getting annoyed when the P.T. asked us if we noticed if Leo stumbles a lot at home. I said no, Erin said a little. Then Erin told her she notices sometimes Leo will walk with his head turned to look behind him, looking at his shadow. The P.T. said Oh no you don't want him doing that, that's sensory!

I'm sorry, I know that sensory issues are true issues for some kids but I really think too many things get labeled as such. If a typical four year old was walking down the street, curious of his own shadow, playing in the sunlight, it would be labeled "adorable." A child with Down syndrome? Gasp, it's sensory!

Anyway, rant over.

***

So our boy is a busy guy at that school. Here’s a peek at his schedule (I'm curious what sorts of therapies/schooling others are getting so I thought I'd post Leo's here. Skip to the bottom if it's too much detail for you):

8:50-9
Arrival (from busses)
9-10:
Sensory play, cognitive basket work (sounds complicated!)
10-10:30
Art project: (Varies) Last week it was: Make pumpkins from orange and green construction paper, red and yellow paint, shaving cream, glue sticks, scissors and smocks. Method: warm-up, name the material and the colors used in the project. Have the students cut the pumpkins, glue a green stem. Have them mix the two colors in the shaving cream and watch how it changes color. Press pumpkins down and let them dry.
10:30-11
Circle Time: Pledge of Allegiance, America the Beautiful, Calendar, Weather. Identify and name pumpkin, its color and size. Identify “big” and “little” pumpkin. Read sight words for “big” and “little.”
11:00-11:15
Snack/Toileting
11:15-12
“Center” (short, timed lessons consisting of:)
Numbers: Matching or placing numbers in order on the number line (1-10), (1-20)
Letters: Match/select/name letters A-H, A-Z (a-z) on the alphabet chart.
Reading: All About Me Book: (book that contains photos of family members and every day objects.
Writing: Each student works on individual goals (writing first and last name, etc.)
Computer: Toddler’s Fun, Signing Time,
12-1
Nap
1-2
Lunch/Toileting
2-2:30
Group physical therapy (alternates with speech and O.T,)
2:30-2:50
Facilitated play (this week it was babies and strollers!)
2:50
Dismissal

Each child also has a “job” for the week. This week Leo’s was pushing in the chairs. Also within this schedule each child receives individual speech, physical and occupational therapies.

***

So at the open house we met the entire school staff in the auditorium (where we were asked to go around the room and say our names, ugh!). We then broke into smaller groups and went to our child’s classroom. At the tiny tables each seat had a placemat that our child had colored in. It read “Welcome Mom and Dad,” only ours read “Welcome Mom,” which I thought was quite sweet and thoughtful. They could have added an “s” making it “Moms” but I was touched that they weree sensitive enough and remembered to do anything at all.

Then they teacher told us about a typical day for our children.

Here’s a few things that stood out for me:

1) Leo eats vegetables at school Carrots. Cucumber. Celery. They are big on oral motor “therapeutic eating” to get the kids to use different muscles to help encourage and improve speech. But back to my main point. Leo. Eats. Vegetables.
2) Leo not only sleeps during naptime but he apparently claps and dives onto the carpet where said nap takes place, when the announcement is made that it’s naptime. This is the same kid who will whine and cry and moan and attempt to dismantle the baseboard heater at home to avoid sleep. It’s hard enough to get him to bed at night but nap? No way, no how.

The whole thing was hilarious. None of the parents could get past certain points, that their kids did certain things (ate veggies, took a nap) that they absolutely refused to do at home. I almost felt the teacher getting frustrated. She wanted to move on and we just wanted to clarify that our kids truly did eat carrots and nap.

Like I said, Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Who is this vegetable eating nap taking kid that the teacher speaks of?