This comment was posted on the recent CBC article about the children Autism being unfairly removed from PEI schools for extended periods of time.
Where is the Autism Strategy that the PEI government
have long been talking about? Families who have child(ren) with ASD are
faced with ongoing challenges and barriers from long before their
children even enter the public school system. By the time many of these
children hit the public system their families are exhausted by all that
they have had to do to get any measures of support in place for their
child. It seems that there are endless waiting lists to access what
little supports exist. Once a child transitions into the public school
system the supports and communications are often even further strained.
Of course, the school boards are trying to do the best they can with
the limited resources that they have. This is an issue not only on PEI
but across Canada. That said, sending children home because there is no
better way to deal with the challenges is NOT the answer. It is time
for PEI to start exploring a range of additional educational options
for not only children with ASD, but for ALL Island children. The truth
is that children and families have many different educational needs and
requirements. Children have a range of learning styles and there are
many special needs that must to be balanced. Why not start considering
things such as partially funded Independent school choices – like in
many other Canadian Provinces? This would allow a wider range of
educational streams to develop in a progressive manner. Also; how about
a program that allows children to be home schooled but still be
considered to be part of the public system – connected to a local
community school and under the guidance of a registered teacher.
Additional options like these would surely be progress in the right
direction. It is time for all Island families to expect more!
Do you wonder where the Autism Strategy for PEI is?
Would you like to see more educational choices for all children on PEI?
What does your family need?
I’d like to see a more individualized planning, one that would be more child centric.
I believe strongly in the importance of passion based learning and that children should be predominately self-guided through their learning. Wish I had more practical experience in the field, however, I am doing the best I can as a father to ensure that my four year old (and soon to be newborn) are empowered to think that they can learn about what they think is important and are supported by their parents to do so.
The issue with independence for us as a family would be the cost, which would be a deciding factor.
On an aside, I’ve picked up a book recently that I’m hoping to read soon (but not sure if I have the time)it’s solely out of personal interest (not related to my child) but more in terms of a personality theories – it’s called The Edison Gene Adhd And The Gift Of The Hunter Child (Thom Hartmann)… it seems quite interesting.
Hope this is helpful at least in in some little way.
Sincerely,
createpei
Scott W
Hi Scott,
Great thoughts. I also support children being very self directed in their learning. I think by “following the child” you can ensure that they truly are able to be both passionate and engaged in their school work and education.
Of course, cost is usually a factor when choosing to send your child to an independent school. In PEI the government does little to support or encourage this style of education, which is unfortunate. In several other provinces partial funding is provided to independent schools. This can help to keep the costs more affordable for families, saves the government $$ on a per child basis and also ensures that multiple options develop for students.
I use both the public and independent systems for my children and strongly feel that there is room for both types of education. As a family, both my husband and I see the benefits of having access to these programs in our children as they grow and develop.
Jane