I have a little bit of a whine today...
Camille had her yearly IEP meeting today. Her speech is going really well, actually. She definitely talks up a storm, and her ending consonants are great. She struggles a lot with the "G" and "K" sound, but we can understand almost everything she says. Especially if Audra and Claire are around to help translate on occasion.
She is also well loved by her teachers and classmates. There are only 5 total kids in her class (and one just started a week ago), and three teachers, so she is getting great one on one attention.
Overall, her IEP went really well.
But, there was one thing that was a bit nerving. They asked me what my future plans with Camille were. I asked them how long they thought Camille would need an IEP and speech therapy. They made it sound like it would be years. I asked them at what point I should hire a speech therapist because the therapy at school wasn't cutting it. Their answer was vague, so I decided to focus just on the next year or two.
I said (because it's true) that of course I would do whatever we needed to do to get Camille the help that she needs, but that we are homeschooling and I would like to homeschool Camille at the latest starting in first grade (I would really prefer to start in kindie, but it sounds like that is out of the question as they were quite confident that she would need it at least for next year at a minimum).
At that point her teacher said, "School is, of course, important for academics, and for speech, but it is also important for socialization and Camille really seems to love school." She is right that Camille loves school, but I was really frustrated at her condescending tone about socialization. Does she really think that we just sit at home and never see or talk to anybody? If there is one thing about homeschooling that I absolutely, 100% do NOT worry about, it is socialization! My girls have so much socialization- and it is healthy socialization! When I walked outside right after the meeting and saw the fourth graders chanting "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" and turned to see the boys having an actual water bottle fight. I thought- "Really? This is the 'socialization' I'm supposed to be excited about that for my kids? I don't think so!"
I have to remember that I used to think the same thoughts. Now, thankfully, I can see things from the other side. I don't take to bashing public schools, I think they are great for a number of reasons. I wish people would extend the same to homeschoolers. It's just frustrating to have people be so judgemental, when they obviously have no clue.
Sigh.
9 comments:
You know - you can get a private therapist any time and go through your insurance! Of course you have to check your policy, but it really doesn't hurt. FWIW, we have services through school, but we also have services at home, privately. There's no reason you can't do both or do them now. You can also access services through the school district WHILE homeschooling as well, I am pretty sure you don't have to be IN school to access those services you have through IEP! I get that it's working right now for you, but there is no reason IEP services are the reason you can't homeschool her!
I know you and I have different philosophies on this, but that's irrelevant for this comment. You are highly qualified to homeschool - you have a masters' in education, and you genuinely pour your heart and soul into it. Not everyone who homeschools is (in my opinion) qualified to do so - I sometimes cringe when I think about the potential cycle of ignorance that this promotes. Heck, *I* don't feel qualified to educate my kids. My guess is that that is what the school district is thinking about when they make these comments, probably not knowing your background. After all, they are (like it or not) in the business of educating kids, and they must truly believe in the system, so they would naturally find it an affront that you are not interested in what they have to offer.
That said, I have found school therapists to largely be very knowledgeable and helpful. And a lot cheaper than private therapy. :) In our area anyway, private therapy for children is SUCH an underserved profession. It is hard to find specialists, hard to get appointments, and nearly impossible to get insurance to pay for it.
Dani- I'm not at all worried about my qualifications, or even about homeschooling. I had a lot of preconceived notions before I started homeschooling, virtually all of which have proven false. And, I completely understand that of course they want kids to go to their schools. It was just the tone of her voice as she said, "Camille really likes the social aspects of school." Yes, of course at age 4 when they get to play all day she likes the social aspects of school. But, that's hardly relevant as they get older and I see what kind of "socialization" occurs in school (I don't at all dislike public schools- I'm a huge proponent of them, and if we lived in any other district we would be in public schools, but not being socialized in a school environment is actually a huge pro in the homeschooling category in my opinion). And, the idea that we just sit at home and never hang out with other people is, of course, laughable. Which is why it was so annoying.
Jenny- We have thought about doing private, and our insurance is actually pretty decent. Her speech has improved vastly, which is why I was surprised when she suggested she would be on an IEP for what seemed like several more years. I would have thought maybe 1-2 more years at most, but then she was talking about keeping her on for grammar and other things. If she isn't able to be off an IEP in another year, then I will get more serious about private help. Right now there are only 4 kids in her class, so she is getting a lot of 1 on 1 help, but with a class of 25 there's no way she will get that kind of attention, and if her speech isn't where it needs to be I think we will have to hire somebody on our own. So that's my game plan right now. But I might change my mind tomorrow.
True - you can always do private, but remember, you can access IEP services through the district even homeschooling. They will resist but it's within your rights. So do what works for you - as if you didn't know that already. :)
Jenny- excellent idea- I had forgotten. They did mention "dual enrollment" which in first grade might be a good option. If she just went for specials and for speech, that could be a really good compromise. She wouldn't be able to go to Cloverleaf (which is the homeschool program through the district that Audra and Claire attend), so that would be a bummer, but it would be better than going full time. Thank you for reminding me that there are a lot of options!!! I will need to research that when we get closer.
Why couldn't she do cloverleaf? She should be able to. An IEP is a legal document - you might have to go on a specific schedule but you should be able to access services while going to cloverleaf or any other program. I think you need to push them on this one.
I think it's because Cloverleaf does not provide services (and there's no way they could- they are not at all set up for it), so to get services she has to be enrolled in a public school, and if she's enrolled in a public school- even just part time- she can't also be enrolled in Cloverleaf. However, I have often thought that you should be able to be enrolled in both part time, so it might be something worth pursuing.
I'm not sure that's entirely true that you have to be enrolled at a public school, but it would be a fight for them to see it that ways. Maybe it will be a non issue but I know quite a few homeschooling families that access services in the school district without being enrolled. I'm just also sure the district doesn't want to do it that way.
Thank you for telling me that- I'm going to look into it! And I agree, I'm sure the district doesn't want to do it that way, which is why some research would be involved- but it would be worth it. I would love it if she could just go to school for speech.
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