Learning Disability and Montessori

It really depends on where you are, and which schools you are talking about. I had a friend with a kid with mild Aspbergers, and the Montessori school he was in did not want to deal, and basically kicked them out. They did not want to bend "the Montessori way" to adapt to his challenges (he had to play with the toys only the Montessori way eg). Some Montessori schools are very rigid, and might not be a good fit. Others might be fine.

If you have an opportunity to put him in a private school-do it now. I could write for days and days on the benefits and would be hard pressed to find something negative to say. You can get a plethora of help for your son outside of school to augment his needs and he won't be "labled" and stuck in something that isn't right for him to begin with.

There is a lovely book, "Discover Your Child's Learning Style," that helped me better understand my LD babies. After much research, prayer, and consideration, our family chose to homeschool. It ended up being a blessing for everyone involved. You and your husband will need to observe your son, see how best he learns, then see what school might be a match. This is not to imply that everyone should homeschool. It is a great deal of work and a commitment. But, the more you know about your son and how best he truly learns, the better choice you will make about the environment. There's not enough information provided to really offer any suggestions. You also asked about testing. Some tests will not be administered until he is 9 years old. You might be able to receive a partial diagnosis if you suspect there's something going on beyond the speech/language diagnosis, but I've learned that it's best that you do wait. I believe the medical community delays some testing to see if there are developmental delays versus full blown disabilities and do not want to rush to label children if there is a chance they will outgrow what might be quirky behavior. As for teaching approaches, Montessori is a wonderful technique for LD children; however, my family found after meeting with several directors that the approach could have left our son further behind in his educational milestones. We then tried a Christian school, but the pace was too fast and there were no special services, as you wrote. Public school offers the therapy, but, unless he's in a special education class, the size of a typical classroom would have overwhelmed our children, and they would have gotten lost in the distractions. There are some private schools that specialize in working with twice gifted children, but they are very far from our home, and are very, very expensive. There are other options, and I'd be happy to share what I've learned. Feel free to send me a direct message.

I re-read your post and am a little confused. If he has an IEP, I am assuming you've already had him tested, and the test that would have led to his needing speech services should have given you data on his receptive and expressive language skills. I'd have to look through my records to see which battery of tests specifically reveal deficits in receptive/expressive language, but he should have gotten those tests. What additional data are you seeking when you question whether or not you should request tests? You could get him re-tested, if you believe something has changed since his last evaluation if it was conducted when he was in the Infant/Toddlers' Program or Child Find. And, if he was tested then, has been receiving speech and is regressing, then you might need to re-check/evaluate the therapy he's receiving.

It is not too early to test him. If you are able to afford it, it would be best to get a private evaluation completed as opposed to relying on the public school system. The Kingsbury Center (www.kingsbury.org) is a good resource for this. You could also receive recommendations on what type of school would be the best match given your son's needs.

Hi A. - I think the first thing to do would be to schedule a meeting with your special ed people at the public school where he would be attending and ask them these very questions. It all depends really on your school and on the teachers he will have next year. The law states that children should be taught in the "least restrictive environment". The schools in my area are all very accommodating of kids learning styles and deficits. You might get a pleasant surprise.

Hi A.,

I would definitely keep him in the public school. As a public school teacher, I have seen children who came from Montessori schools, and even though they did not have special needs, they struggled EVERYDAY. They became accustomed to working at their own pace and could not keep up with the public school pace. It wasn't so much that they were behind with the content, they were behind because of the difference in the work ethic. They were taught to do their own thing at their own pace, and then the public school demands did not match their Montessori learning style.

I would love for public schools to have more of a Montessori attitude. It is an amazing concept, but in most areas, Montessori schools only go up to sixth grade or eighth grade. Your son would then have to go to another non-Montessori school. The adjustment may take away any progress he made. He may thrive in a Montessori environment, but unfortunately, every
else in the world is not so flexible.

I wish you luck in his schooling! Six years old is NOT to young to test - I would get any tests done that the school offers and I would stay where he has the IEP. Then he can get all of the extra services he needs.

Be strong,
L.

I agree with Robin. Especially since you are in Montgomery county. I will disagree with Colleen. The public schools here say that have to match the child's learning style. Not so in practice!. Oh yes, you will hear that we have such a great school system for children with special needs etc. That is not usually true. My son was in the county public schools. He has language issues, some similar to your son, some not. Not too early to test your son either. Trust me, the public schools will not go very far for your child. It's a fight, each year. That is why I pulled my son out to home school him. I had enough of fighting and so did he. Feel free to contact me if you want more info. I know this system well.
L.

all montessori schools are not created equal, however the montessori approach is so sensitive and child-friendly that it's very likely they will be a great asset to your son's ongoing educational needs and challenges. the public schools need all the special ed help because they're not set up to address individual needs (that's not a slam, just a reality when one deals with large numbers.)
khairete
S.