Big Changes in Store for Taylor

A while back, I promised a huge update on Taylor’s schooling.  I’ve been meaning to write this post for ages, but I’ve been distracted with other things.

No matter, now…on with the update!

Starting in January, right after Christmas break, Taylor will be moving to a new classroom!

There are many reasons for this move:

• Come July, she will be too old for her current classroom.
• This new classroom is a pre-kindergarten classroom, so this will be her transition stage between  “preschool” and kindergarten.
• She’s ready for new and exciting things!

Doug and I met with her teachers and therapists (speech and occupational) last month, and decided that she is definitely ready for this move.  She is doing so well where she’s at, but now the focus is on readying her for kindergarten.

Lots of things are taking place, even now, to ready her for the move to the Group Skills class.  Starting today, she’ll start visiting the new room  (which is right next door to her current room) everyday to familiarize herself with the new room and teachers.  Fortunately, she knows the other students (there’s only 4) because they all used to be in the same room that Taylor’s in now.

As it gets closer to Christmas break, her daily time in the new room will increase.  Then, she’ll start in the new room in January.

Doug and I are so excited for Taylor.  She’s worked incredibly hard for the last three years and we are happy to see her progressing so much.

So, how does the GS class differ from her current class (Discrete Trial)?

• In her EECD classroom, the children work one on one with practicum students from Western Michigan University. A group of 5 teachers/paraprofessionals oversee the workings of the entire classroom.  She has been learning skills such as matching, identifying objects, identifying actions, communication, manipulating objects, and imitation (plus loads more!).  She has gym, speech, occupational therapy and music weekly.
• In the GS class, there will only be 5 (but can be up to 7) students, 1 teacher, and 2 paraprofessionals.  It is more of a preschool or kindergarten setting.  She will be learning skills such as identifying herself (matching a photo of herself to her name), weather, calendar, and learning how to do art projects (plus loads more, I’m sure!).  She will continue to participate in gym, occupational therapy, speech and music in addition to weekly pool time (how lucky is she?).

This move to the GS class is setting the stage for her move to kindergarten, which will happen next fall.  We have the option of keeping her at her current school for kindergarten (where she’ll have the opportunity to attend full day classes, right now she just goes half days) or sending her to my town’s public school.  Our public school has a K-12 autism program that is a satellite program of Taylor’s current school.  The only drawback is that she’ll most likely have to attend half day, because our school does not do full day kindergarten.

I, personally, would like to have her in full day school.  It’s not like we’d be throwing her into something she can’t handle.  She’s been attending school since she was 2 1/2.  I know she’s ready.  Besides, it will only benefit her in the end.  She’d be receiving 6 hours of school a day instead of 3.  It would double her weekly schooling from 15 to 30 hours a week.  The only drawback to that is that I would miss her terribly! 

So, If we choose to keep her at her current school another year, she’ll start 1st grade in the fall of 10 2010 (10 just didn’t look or sound right) at our public school.

As excited as I am for her, I’m also a little nervous.  This is a lot of change for her.  Autistic children are noted for not liking a lot of change.  Although, I think Taylor breaks the stereotype when it comes to change.  Her (mostly) easygoing nature makes most transitions (almost) flawless. 

I hope the same goes for her new adventure.