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| Mailman Segal Institute’s Baudhuin Preschool for children with autism |
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| I was very privileged to be In Florida recently as the keynote speaker at the Snowflake Ball Luncheon at Nova Southeastern University. The purpose of the lunch was to raise money for the Mailman Segal Institute’s Baudhuin Preschool for children with autism.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am extremely sceptical about schools which purport to offer interventions for children with autism. The trouble is that preschoolers with autism quite often need so much intense, one-on-one work that a school environment is not always suitable.
Furthermore, it is so important that the parents of these children, themselves, become able to teach their children in both ad hoc situations – that is, “on the fly” – and often in more structured sessions as well. Usually schools preclude parents from learning what they need to know to significantly help their young children.
However, at the Baudhuin School we see an entirely different model. First, the classes for the youngest children (as young as 22 months!) invite parents or carers into the school to be the assistants for their child through the day. This means that the bond between child and parent/carer is intensified and that the learning happening at school can be generalised through the remaining hours of the day as well as at weekends. It also means that the parent or carer learns a lot about how one might teach a child with autism and can use that as a basis from which to learn more.
The Baudhuin School has over 140 children with autism and is located in the same state-of-the-art building as an excellent, general preschool, so children with autism are often mixed into mainstream classes. The faculty in both schools is excellent and I was invited to watch some of the teaching. I could write pages about what I saw, but let it suffice to say that I wish such a provision were available to my little boy when he was diagnosed in 1999. Of course, the Baudhuin existed, but I didn’t know anything about it, and of course did not live in South Florida (although I think we would have moved just to have him in this school!).
So what was I doing there? I was incredibly honoured to be a speaker at the annual luncheon that raises money for the school. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a room with so many generous, big-hearted guests in my life (there were 470 guests) and the fundraiser was incredibly successful.
Those of you who would like more information about the Mailman Segal Institute’s Baudhuin Preschool, either because you have a child with autism or because you would like to donate to this excellent, ambitious project, here is a link.
http://www.nova.edu/msi/baudhuin/index.html
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| Friday, November 24, 2006 | 07:11:03 |
