"I'm so excited mom!"
"....now what?"
"Mom, that's nuff pictures!"
First Day at her New School ~ I was buzzed in at the security gate with the door ringer and I stepped in at the front office to say hello to the school secretary. She said, "it's OK to go ahead and take her to her classroom." I snapped a few pictures of Mariah, as she was rushing me saying, "come on mom that's nuff pictures!" Mariah was so excited and happy to finally be starting at her New school this morning! I opened the door to her classroom and saw a few students already sitting in desks. Her new teacher greeted her "by saying her name" and asked her to come in and take a particular desk.
Mariah Elizabeth was so excited and eager to meet her new classmates and go to school today! I am excited for her to make new friends and capture new academic growth here at this school that she desperately needs. (Back to the basics of learning and including her in a 'regular' classroom without any hassles about it.
Inclusion should be Natural!
Mariah has a ton of confidence and a strong desire to learn. With just enough support, I know she'll be showing off her independence at this new school. She'll blossom here I'm sure of it!
I gently closed her new classroom door behind her and was glad things went so smoothly this first morning drop off. As I was walking away and going out the security gate, I felt very much at ease at how welcoming it all felt dropping her off there on her first day of school without having to WAIT or wonder would she be safe today. This school operates how schools used to be ~ FRIENDLY & WELCOMING....I call this our LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE SCHOOL. They join 2 different grades together and they all eat at the same time together, so everyone gets to know everyone in the entire school. There is a FAMILY FEEL at this school for sure! After dropping her off her first day of school it took me less than 4 minutes to drive back home. Drive time there in the AM even in the busy AM traffic is 12 minutes at the most.
This is where she is getting to know all of her new school & classmates! Yes they have SWINGS and the "big kids" still like swinging! It's like going to the Park everyday...in fact they DO GO TO THE PARK for some of their PE classes down the street!
The first thing she said when I picked her up after her first day of school was..."Mom!!!!! Guess What!!" " I PLAYED BASKETBALL! I LLLLLLLOVE SPORTS!!!" She was bout jumping out of her skin with excitement that she gets to do SPORTS at school!!! Basketball being her favorite "sport" right now!! Her homeroom teacher is also the PE Coach!
Mariah's at a great place! She is welcomed and valued as the individual she is! Her being a person with Down syndrome is not an issue here at this school!!!
2nd Day of School for Mariah Elizabeth ~ I asked for a home set of class books this morning. Her teacher said, "That will be fine, I'll have them for you. A set will be ready when you pick her up this afternoon." .....and that was that!!! Now THAT'S Customer Service!!! "The way it should be", someone said to me on my FB page. I have to agree, yes the way it should be! No big deal!
Today is Tuesday, the day I pick her up early to take her to her OT-PT-SPEECH Therapies every week. I arranged with the school that I would be picking her up on Tuesdays 15-30 minutes before school lets out. This way she is able to continue attending her Private OT/PT/ST Therapies and won't be missing from her Academic class time at school anymore. No more therapies when she's in school anymore, she receives the best therapies where she has been going for the past 7 years now!
School Day #3 for Mariah Elizabeth
~ FAMILY FEEL!!!! With absolutely NO HASSLES thus far!!!
*Mariah's mommie oh so needs this from a school!!!
Takes me no more than 10 minutes or less to go pick her up after school!!
Mariah keeps telling me how much she LOVES her New School!!
Her very first homework is to memorize a little prayer. Now that can be any more PERFECT for her first homework assignment!!!
Below is her MEMORY Homework due on Friday 8/23/13. She wrote it out a few times, in a little notebook and also on 2 index cards. Today she typed it into an email to her teacher. At home I am teaching her how to use an email program and will eventually have it set up to send 'homework' over to her teacher this way. This is to continue to help Mariah with her computer and keyboarding skills she will need to be successful in life.
Here is what her Memory homework is ~
Dear Father in heaven above,
Fill our minds and hearts with your love,
Watch over us as we work and play
and be with us throughout the day.
Amen
*She typed this herself with a little help from me, to make sure she was using Capitals and punctuation correctly. I copied and pasted it from the email she sent to my email first. My goal is to help her learn how to independently use an email program this school year. Something her past schools were not interested in. Emailing is a skill she has to be taught and without a reason for using it via sending in homework once in a while, she will not gain that important "life skill" that I think is important for her to lean now. I will keep you posted on how the idea goes over when I ask her teacher about this idea.
Reading and practicing her Memory work on the drive to school each day this week.
Picked her up a tad early today to take her to her 1st day back Horse Riding at the Ranch!
Thursday is her HORSE Riding Day! This was 1st day back at the ranch with Katie is the new Riding Instructor for the group lessons. New this year, each rider will now be receiving some 1:1 independent riding lessons on a rotating schedule! This place is our favorite place to be each week! Glad to be back "in session" again!!
Mariah's at a great place! She is welcomed and valued as the individual she is! Her being a person with Down syndrome is not an issue here at this school!!!
2nd Day of School for Mariah Elizabeth ~ I asked for a home set of class books this morning. Her teacher said, "That will be fine, I'll have them for you. A set will be ready when you pick her up this afternoon." .....and that was that!!! Now THAT'S Customer Service!!! "The way it should be", someone said to me on my FB page. I have to agree, yes the way it should be! No big deal!
Today is Tuesday, the day I pick her up early to take her to her OT-PT-SPEECH Therapies every week. I arranged with the school that I would be picking her up on Tuesdays 15-30 minutes before school lets out. This way she is able to continue attending her Private OT/PT/ST Therapies and won't be missing from her Academic class time at school anymore. No more therapies when she's in school anymore, she receives the best therapies where she has been going for the past 7 years now!
School Day #3 for Mariah Elizabeth
~ FAMILY FEEL!!!! With absolutely NO HASSLES thus far!!!
*Mariah's mommie oh so needs this from a school!!!
Takes me no more than 10 minutes or less to go pick her up after school!!
Mariah keeps telling me how much she LOVES her New School!!
Her very first homework is to memorize a little prayer. Now that can be any more PERFECT for her first homework assignment!!!
Below is her MEMORY Homework due on Friday 8/23/13. She wrote it out a few times, in a little notebook and also on 2 index cards. Today she typed it into an email to her teacher. At home I am teaching her how to use an email program and will eventually have it set up to send 'homework' over to her teacher this way. This is to continue to help Mariah with her computer and keyboarding skills she will need to be successful in life.
Here is what her Memory homework is ~
Dear Father in heaven above,
Fill our minds and hearts with your love,
Watch over us as we work and play
and be with us throughout the day.
Amen
*She typed this herself with a little help from me, to make sure she was using Capitals and punctuation correctly. I copied and pasted it from the email she sent to my email first. My goal is to help her learn how to independently use an email program this school year. Something her past schools were not interested in. Emailing is a skill she has to be taught and without a reason for using it via sending in homework once in a while, she will not gain that important "life skill" that I think is important for her to lean now. I will keep you posted on how the idea goes over when I ask her teacher about this idea.
Day #3 ~ On Wednesday's they go Chapel and have to wear their white uniform shirts on that day. They have several colors to choose from for their UNIFORM shirts, white, light blue, navy blue, green, red. Their shirts have to have the school logo...and their logo is so gosh darn cute!!! Mariah Elizabeth is used to wearing a uniform to school, so it's no big deal. She was actually impressed and happy when she took a good look at her New School LOGO on her shirt. On the car ride home her 2nd day she looked at it so proudly and said, "I LOVE THIS SCHOOL MOM!" ....with the cutest smile when she said it!
The school office has a box full of "pre-owned" uniforms in their front office. I was able to purchase a few items really cheap. For me it was like going shopping at a thrift store, which Mariah and I love to do anyway! Picking up a weeks worth of shirts really helped alot! That gurl of mine, she is hhharrd to find clothes that fit her right. We have learned to get creative on where we shop for her clothes. Woman's Capri's fit her legs like long leg pants. We are grateful for Capri's!!
The school office has a box full of "pre-owned" uniforms in their front office. I was able to purchase a few items really cheap. For me it was like going shopping at a thrift store, which Mariah and I love to do anyway! Picking up a weeks worth of shirts really helped alot! That gurl of mine, she is hhharrd to find clothes that fit her right. We have learned to get creative on where we shop for her clothes. Woman's Capri's fit her legs like long leg pants. We are grateful for Capri's!!
This is a page from her Social Studies book that was sent home. I do believe my daughter, Mariah has had the best first hand experience in CIVIC these last few months. Mariah's very first public speech at the State Capitol in front of the Florida Senate Education Committee March 18th, 2013 on Senate Bill 1108 was an experience in Civics that could never be learned in any classroom.
Mariah knows about..."meetings" and "public speaking" and doing things to help change laws already. She has told me she wants to do more Public Speaking because of that experience. She has spoken before the School Board too! Want to see Mariah speaking before the Senate Education Committee 3.18.13 ~ Go to 21:07 - 22:57 on the video. http://thefloridachannel.org/video/program-201311/
Listen to Mariah & her Mom speaking on NPR-National Public Radio
"Mom, I couldn't get into the swing, I need help." "The swings are for big kids, I'm a big kid."
Mariah and I both are looking forward to a wonderful school year ahead!
GO TIGERS! *Great MASCOT!!
.....Does that make me a TIGER MOMMA???
Day #4 ~ Thursday
She was asked to be part of the after school Jewelry Making classes!! Yes yes yes she will be there!!
This is the beautiful bulletin board by the front office! Isn't it pretty? Read what it says!!
Singing and talking on our weekly car ride to the ranch 18 miles away! She is so glad to be back to school and starting back with her weekly horse riding lessons!
This is Katie her new riding instructor this season.
Back sitting on FIRE!! She has been riding FIRE now for a few years!
Mariah is so HaPpY here at the Ranch!
Day 5 ~ 1st Week of School
Friday is PIZZA DAY for Lunch! The lunches are homemade and cost $4 daily. Mariah being on a restricted diet to keep her weight down, she will be taking her own fresh salads and low calorie lunches 3 times a week. She will get to eat Pizza on Friday's with everyone. Mariah likes making her own lunches and deciding what to put in her lunch container. Making her own lunches teaches her responsibility and how to make healthy choices on her own and how to COUNT HER CALORIES that she will have to do for the rest of her life if she wants to be in control of her 'healthy weight'!! She loves salads and eating healthy.
BIG big difference the first week in a Private school compared to Public school first week! There is a calm and trust that she is respected and not babied or denied access to regular classes. Mariah is fully included in all regular general education classes and not segregated into an all special needs only classroom. She no longer has a 1:1 adult aide sitting so close and on top of her. Mariah is proud to be herself here at this school. I think this school is the place where Mariah is going to blossom on so many levels academically and in so many ways as a typical teenager! Mariah has had an absolutely awesome first week at her new school!
Mariah is HaPpY at her New School!!!
......so is her "Tiger Momma!"
"If a child can't learn the way we teach, ...maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Ignacio Estrada
VIEW & SHARE this NEW Video about Down syndrome!
Just Like You! http://youtu.be/5M--xOyGUX4
Down syndrome good practice guidelines for education
To read more about Mariah go to her personal blog at:
321 FUN ~ Mariah's Life Blog
DS Advocate Blog
Down Syndrome Inclusive Education
POD Angels ~ Down syndrome Family Support
Do you have a student with Down syndrome in your classroom? Great Resource out of Michigan! Supporting the Student with Down Syndrome in your Classroom. To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily” 20 U.S.C § 1412(a)(5)(A).
The Florida Channel ~ Mariah Speaking before the Florida Senate Education Committee 3/18/13
The National Center on Inclusive Education (NCIE) at the Institute on Disability/UCED at the University of New Hampshire advances the view that disability is a natural part of the human experience and promotes the inclusion of all students within general education classrooms and school communities.
Inclusion applies not just to schools, but to every aspect of everyday life, including school boards... where we need to hear and see more from ESE children and adults too. Inclusion is absolutely critical and needed for the complete emotional and intellectual development of children - otherwise they will be stunted and never fully develop to their full capacity. I am speaking, of course, not of ESE children, but of mainstream children. They stand to benefit far more from inclusion programs, arguably, than do ESE kids.Thank you Mariah and Mom for not being quietly invisible as many misguided persons would prefer you to be. PS> I am jealous of Mariah's penmanship, sigh!
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