So I have been thinking...would Tyler benefit from a full day kindergarten or not? He struggles so much with social skills that I was thinking maybe being with kids all day would help him in that area. But on the flip side it is a long day and he still struggles with half day preschool. In all honesty a full day kindergarten would be beneficial to me as well, but I would miss him terribly.
I recommend full day kindergarten. If he could get it, have him mainstreamed or inclusioned for half of his day and in the Special Education classroom for half the day. Kindergarten has more academics than it did five or ten years ago. It can enable him to receive all his services along with getting the academics he needs in school.
But in Kansas City which is an hour from me, you have to pay to have your child attend full day. And that's if they even get in. They do a lottery to pick the kids that can come all day.
Both my big kids did full day and were fine. My son started when he was almost 6 so he was older. But my dd started at 5 yrs 3 months.
I have full intentions of sending my youngest full day. I think that if it were me, and I had a choice, that I'd start out full day and then switch to half day if it became too stressful.
Would it be allowed to start him at half day and then switch him to full day in January?
I just think it would have been hard on my kids to do half day, then come in the next day and see some fun project they missed out on that all the other kids had done.
I may have the option of sending him full day. some of the puplic schools have full day and some have only 1/2 day. He's been going Mon - Thurs. 1/2 day. If he did do full day kindergarten it would be Mon - Fri. all day. I would have to talk to the IEP team and see what they recommend too. I just don't know how he would respond going from 1/2 day Mon. - Thurs. to full days Mon - Fri. Seems like a lot, but on the other hand he could use being around kids to practice his social skills. I am just brainstorming now...I have until May to decide.
Thanks for your thoughts.
We are in a west suburban Chicago school district. DS ASD 6yo started on his 3rd bday at the school district preschool(special ed) it was 4d a wk 2 1/2 hours each. I did not think he could do it. He did. This past Aug he started FT K (9am to 3:30 pm). I did not think he could do it,he did. I always seem to underestimate him. He is an Autism classrm so he has lots of support and therapy. They have 2 snack breaks,lunch,PE and recess every day,so I don't have to worry about him being overloaded. He is quite worn out by 4pm and sleeps about 6am to 5pm straight thru. He is reading,writing. They have social skills with the social worker. It was HARD to let him go! He loves it! We have had our share of "no school-stay home" days but he has never melted down where I had to come get him early or anything. They do so much. He is academically doing K work ! There is such benefit to FT K. I'm only working PT,I thought the days would be long w/o him,but there is still so much to do around the house,groceries,appts. I can even get naps.
We decided on 3 full days instead of 5 like the other kids do, and the school was alright with it. We started with 2 hours for the first month, 3 for the second, 4 for the third, 5 for the forth and now she's up to the full day. I think its great, she is doing wonderful and of course we miss her, but its so good for her to be there for everything going on in the day. She's tired when she gets home, so she will have a nap sometimes. Its been really positive, I thought it would've been harder for both of us.
Violet's Mom
Twitter @autismnotebook
I tend to underestimate Tyler too! When I sent him to pre-school 3 days a week for 2 1/2 hours I thought it would be so hard for the both of us...but he did GREAT! Better than me for sure. But I got used to it. I am scared that a full day of Kindergarten would be too much, but I like your idea of maybe 3 days a week and build him up...I will definitely talk with the IEP team about that. In all honesty it will be hard for me to let him go. I keep saying what is best for him, not me and my answer is full day.
Quoting SandyLaxner:We are in a west suburban Chicago school district. DS ASD 6yo started on his 3rd bday at the school district preschool(special ed) it was 4d a wk 2 1/2 hours each. I did not think he could do it. He did. This past Aug he started FT K (9am to 3:30 pm). I did not think he could do it,he did. I always seem to underestimate him. He is an Autism classrm so he has lots of support and therapy. They have 2 snack breaks,lunch,PE and recess every day,so I don't have to worry about him being overloaded. He is quite worn out by 4pm and sleeps about 6am to 5pm straight thru. He is reading,writing. They have social skills with the social worker. It was HARD to let him go! He loves it! We have had our share of "no school-stay home" days but he has never melted down where I had to come get him early or anything. They do so much. He is academically doing K work ! There is such benefit to FT K. I'm only working PT,I thought the days would be long w/o him,but there is still so much to do around the house,groceries,appts. I can even get naps.
I think the IEP is the critical piece, regardless of 1/2 or full. My son is in full since that is a smaller class size and the teacher spends more time on each topic and not combining them "to fit them in"... he would have social problems regardless of the time in the class.
Quoting hapikat26:
I may have the option of sending him full day. some of the puplic schools have full day and some have only 1/2 day. He's been going Mon - Thurs. 1/2 day. If he did do full day kindergarten it would be Mon - Fri. all day. I would have to talk to the IEP team and see what they recommend too. I just don't know how he would respond going from 1/2 day Mon. - Thurs. to full days Mon - Fri. Seems like a lot, but on the other hand he could use being around kids to practice his social skills. I am just brainstorming now...I have until May to decide.
Thanks for your thoughts.
We did not have a choice. Ashton could only do half day and honestly he benefited much more when he went full day in first grade. Had I had the choice I would have gone full day.
Elementary school visit + pic
- hapikat26
on Mar. 18, 2013 at 9:05 AM