1. The Educator: Whether public or private, the right school and the right teachers can and will make all the difference to a child with learning differences.
2. Knowledge Base: In public school, knowledge of the IEP process and the McKay Scholarship will help parents navigate the ins-and-outs of the ESE system.
3. Open Access: Attending private school? Your child is part of a classroom, not a magic act; nothing should be shrouded in mystery. I believe in an open-door policy.
4. Energy Management: For ADD/ADHD students, pent-up energy is successfully released with frequent, controlled movement breaks throughout the day.
5. Read Right: If a student has difficulty with decoding words and reading, a multisensory approach in the classroom can help increase retention.
6. Math Matters: When mathematics is the deficit, hands-on lessons often facilitate the connection between concrete and abstract concepts.
7. Planning Ahead: Kids on the autism spectrum frequently exhibit rigidity with time and space; a classroom that breaks that pattern may be a better preparation for “real life.”
8. Productive Challenges: Dittoes and busy work are the archenemies of any creative mind. That’s why it’s important to seek out a school that challenges your child.
9. Open Mind: Don’t allow a particular diagnosis to box your child in; to me, that’s akin to saying every child with blue eyes will have the same potential.
10. Can-Do Attitude: If any professional uses the word “never” regarding what your child can achieve, move on to someone who understands the concept of “no limits.”
11. Innovative Approach: Small tweaks change everything. We have a student who struggled at her previous school; she’s now allowed to work while leaning over her desk and has skipped several grade levels.
12. Have Confidence: No one knows your child better than you. Believe in yourself. Believe in your child. You will find the right path.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
› Lainie Hansen is the Owner & Director of Rosemont Academy. Her groundbreaking, multisensory approach to learning, The Rosemont Method, serves as a bridge between exceptional student education and mainstream classrooms and schools; RosemontAcademy.com.
