What school do you recommend & why?

In short, my 3 year old has PDD-NOS. He started school in Sept. and is doing fantastic. Problem is the program is very intesense and I feel to structured for him. He's starting to become relying on PECS (which he never used beforehand because he had langauge) and there are other things on my list that irk me. Ex- ALL of a sudden I have to break everything down- 1st we do this next we do that...I know the drill, I know ABA but really if you see a child that doesn't need to do that then why? It frustrates me that now he's always looking for a schedule where before this we had no problem transitioning.
So the things I want them to focus on they really can't because it's 1-1, he's the model so playtime is really himself. So he's struggling socially.
I think I want him in a larger setting, alittle more relaxed but he's not ready for a typical program. (yet)
Don't get me wrong it's a faboulous program- but for the right child. Plus I want to give another kid the chance to go there and benefit from it.
So I'm hoping for your opinions of why you chose your DC's school and why.
Oh and I need a school in Suffolk.
Thanks is advance!

Re: What school do you recommend & why?

Have you looked into an integraded program or a higher ratio school?

Re: What school do you recommend & why?

Can you ask the school if they are willing to move him to a larger class, or an integrated class? Do they not think he is ready for it, or has it just not come up?

Re: What school do you recommend & why?

Are you at DDI?? right? I know my son is in groups all day, he is rarely in his classroom, which is what i was a fraind of.He is socializing a lot more. Are they grouping your son?
Have you asked maybe doing an integrated preschool 1 or times a week with a staff shadowing him?

Re: What school do you recommend & why?

DS is PDD/NOS and started DDI in Huntington this past summer. We love it. We live in Port Jeff, but chose the further distance because of the integration opportunities. Plus, I work 10-minutes away so I can easily get to the parent training sessions.

In December he started going to one of the integrated classes for 2-hours a day. They just started increasing his time in there now. He will be in that class up to 4-hours per day by the end of the year (if all goes according to plan).

We were orginally scheduled for NIS, but went against it when we toured DDI in Huntignton and found out that have intergrated classes. NIS doesn't offer integration there. Plus, the one giving the tour of NIS was not very pleasant and didn't hand us so much as a brochure. My EI Coordinator had to ask her for one.

Good Luck....I would ask for integration opportunities.

Message edited 2/15/2012 11:40:52 AM.

Re: What school do you recommend & why?

Yes, DDI. Right now they just have him working 1-1 with another student (who's non-verbal) I am gonna ask though about a larger group, I didn't know they did that. (his teacher never offered) They want him to go outside of DDI next Sept. to a typical nursery school 3 days a week but Sept. is far away. I'm so on the fence- do I switch schools totally or maybe that's a mistake. ugh