Children's Institute for Learning Differences

 1. A 14 year old boy with Asperger Syndrome (high functioning autism) attended for three years.  Initially he was involved only in books and computers, with no sense of his impact on others when he made factual, but cruel comments about their appearance or habits.  He handled academic challenges exceptionally well, but could not understand the nuances of social interaction. In his second year, he was elected to be President of the Student Council, which gave him the opportunity to be legitimately "in charge" of something without bulldozing his way into the group.  He learned to listen to others, to consider the point of view of the administration, and to make excellent recommendations for action. At graduation he said, "I have always thought that I was completely unsuited for public school and my fate would be to float forever outside the world of traditional education.  Now I am ready to enter a public high school, and I actually want to go."

2. A 13 year old girl with Down Syndrome (mental retardation) first arrived at CHILD four years ago as a traumatized child, almost unable to be understood because of a severe speech impediment, daily falling to the floor in a dead weight heap when she didn't want to follow directions, and prone to loud tantrums whenever she was frustrated. Not only did she become far better able to communicate verbally, she made many friends and became a fully participating member of her classroom.  Best of all she began to sing, and was the hit of the annual Talent Show with "Somewhere Over The Rainbow".  She will enter a special education class in her home district this fall.

3. A 12 year old boy, with Asperger Syndrome and severe mental health issues, attended for three years.  Each was a particular challenge because of his extremely concrete logic and highly unusual interpretation of the intentions of others.  He became President of the Student Council, which is the first place he demonstrated the ability to stay within social norms for an entire hour. By the time he was ready to graduate this past June, he was able to self-regulate his language sufficiently to enter a special education class in his home district that allowed integration into regular education classes of his highest interest, science and computers.

4. A 10 year old boy attended CHILD only one year. He had been turned away by the private school he had attended the previous year because he "could not accept the boundaries and rules of the school". His history was overwhelming (at risk health status, medical trauma for himself and his twin who died, separation of his parents and abandonment by his mother) and his anxiety was a driving, constant force.  So much so that he talked almost incessantly in a rapid, sing-song style that caused other students to become exasperated and intolerant of him.  He joined one other similar boy in a 2 person study group where the level of work could be adjusted moment-to-moment. He began to calm enough to estimate his academic potential.  It turned out to be three years beyond his grade placement. When his father had a third unsuccessful back surgery, the grandparents were no longer able to afford medical support for their son and private tuition for their grandson.  The school district stepped up with an offer of a new program that could adjust for this boy's cognitive ability and his driven behaviors.  He was able to leave in June with a sound plan, his anxiety considerably lessened, and motivation to attend school on a regular basis.

5.  A 14 year old boy with Asperger Syndrome attended for three years. He was usually depressed and negative.  He criticized everyone and seemed to take delight in teasing, bothering, poking, and pushing others.  He quickly became a social reject in any group he was part of.  At home, he competed with his twin, who remained in public school, but also battled depression. The family experienced the separation of the parents, and the exposure of considerable depression on the part of the father.  With considerable coordination of mental health services (school, private therapist, and psychiatrist) and carefully structured teaching of concepts of cause and effect, this boy became a polite, socially included student who dropped the teasing for appropriate classroom and lunchroom behavior.  His academic progress was remarkable, and he entered a regular education program in his home district this fall.

6.  A 13 year old girl, with partial vision, impaired hearing, and a history of outrageous aggressive episodes, attended for four years.  Her school district had run out of placements for her, primarily due to her tendency to scratch, pull hair, and bite all who came near. The district sent a nurse/interpreter to assist this girl at CHILD School so that her feeding tube could be properly monitored and communication could be possible.  Many tantrums, physical attacks on staff, and long periods of out-of-control behavior were this child's daily routine.  With tremendous doses of nurturing and consistency, most of us learning sign language, and great patience from the other students, this girl began to relax enough to express her true thoughts and feelings. The amount of time she could be with others increased from minutes to hours to days without major incidents. She learned to wait her turn, to use gestures and her interpreter to talk to the children and staff, and to make terrific projects in our wood shop.  She made a wind chime, a whirly-gig, a garden decoration rabbit, a small shelf with key hooks, and a beautiful box with "I love you Mom" painted on the top. She also began painting amazing free-form compositions of deep. vibrant colors.  When offered a classroom with older peers, she improved even more.  Now she attends a special education program in her home district.  Her interpreter is still with her. He reports that she has had a very positive transition into a junior high school.

7. A 14 year old boy, who attended for three years, came as a disorganized, volatile, run-away. No one could keep him contained in a classroom, he wrestled and pushed against all adults who came near him, he could barely read, and he could not stay seated anywhere for more than five minutes.  He touched everything, broke many things, threw items at people, and became argumentative for no discernible reason.  There was abuse and trauma in his history, plus repeated school failure experiences.  His academic foundation was full of holes and gaps.  It took full-time one-on-one support to reach this boy.  He didn't trust and he covered it with being elusive.  He also had severe auditory processing difficulties that had never been diagnosed.  All focus had been on his behavior, rather that on his learning disabilities.  Once some balance was in place and consistent adults proved they would not give up on him, this boy began to express his desire to return to public school so he could be with kids from his neighborhood.  This allowed a long, slow transition plan to be put into place.  It included a support aide from CHILD attending classes with the boy at the home school in carefully spaced increments.  Each live and in color incident that occurred at either school was woven into a reality check curriculum which was carefully analyzed daily with the help of the aide.  The boy began to de-escalate his verbal warfare, to listen for directions, to ask questions when he did not understand, and to handle the bravado and teasing or put down by his teen peers  He demonstrated new resilience and healthy decision making.  He was fully integrated into his home school after six months of supported attendance. He smiled on his last day, let us all hug him, and said "You people really helped me.  I used to be really bad.  Now I know what to do and I can be good at school.  Thanks".