simonmarkellis

Hi,

just wanted to know if anyone can tell me about the support structure in NZ schools? By that do they have "learning support staff" in place like many UK schools? The reason i ask is my son has Aspergers and it would be nice to know they have the structure to assist kids as they grow. Mind you the school he's at now aren't really providing the consistency he needs from all the staff particularly his classroom teacher - but thats probably down to her.

phil01

Hi,
can't speak for all schools but making an assumption. Yes they do. My daughter has Selective Mutism and they have the support and special ed needs teachers out here.
Debbie

simonmarkellis

Thanks Debbie, thats good to know. Obviously i'd need to go round the schools when were there and try and select the right school. Easier said than done. Do you get much/additional feedback from your daughters school as to her progress or do you find yourself asking?

phil01

They are really good at my daughters school, I don't need to ask anything, the teacher comes round to the house...just rings up and says put the kettle on I'm coming round...the first time I thought oh no what now, having gone through the whole special needs thing in the UK, we had a community paediatrician, clinical psychologist, speach and language therapist, special needs teacher, visits at home and at school only to be told sorry nothing we can do! She is not classed as special needs so the school she was in asked us to move schools, they felt she was SN but could not get funding so thought the best thing to do was for her to change schools and that might snap her out of it! She is perfectly normal out of school, gobby, loud, demanding little 9 year old, that we absolutely adore, but in school no expressions, no talking, no eating and no drinking.

Over here when the teacher turned up he said just wanted to say hi, see how you are settling in and get to know you all a bit, told us where he lived and made a real effort, said pop round I live on a farm and Em might enjoy seeing the animals. Now he gives regular feedback on how Em is doing and they try and include her in things, she got the Principals Award for effort in swimming, class award for maths, put in the newsletter being a new starter all the way from England, her special needs teacher put together a whole load of info on the UK and on NZ about the differences, she plays at playtime and participates fully in class except for the speaking bit! She even wants to take guitar lessons next term! They make sure she is involved and feels included.

She likes school, loves the sport and swimming and even does her homework without fail...A and A+ for everything so in all we feel it has been a positive experience for her, she is far more independent now.

I suppose to sum it up there is less emphasis (in Em's case) on having the outside bodies involved more emphasis on making the child feel happy and comfortable in an effort to encourage her to get through this barrier she has.

simonmarkellis

That's fantastic, sounds likes she's going to have a great time ahead of her, as it seems the school are showing her they care and not just you, which i think makes all the difference. Over here all we here is we must do this, we must do that, and i'm thinking what are we sending him to school for.
As an aside whereabouts are you located? We're trying to get to Wellington.

SavBlancGal

Hi

There is the autism support organisation www.autismnz.org.nz that may be able to give you an idea of what is available re support in schools for children with Aspergers.

I've seen them advertise social get-togethers so perhaps they could put you in touch with other parents who could share their experiences of what schools do to assist.

simonmarkellis

Thanks for that, i have tried to contact them, but as yet haven't had a reply via email, though i will pursue...

kato33

Deb thats really good positive news.

One of our twins has dyslexia & dyspraxia and we have no end of problems at school. I am hoping that the change will be good for us all especially him.

My sister-in-law made enquiries regarding my nephew who has a chromosone defect. He cant talk, is slightly deaf, his eyesight is very poor and yet he is a little trooper. She also had really positive replies from schools in NZ.
So much so, that she is joining us sometime next year.

Glad to hear everything is working in your daughters favour. Certainly not what we have experienced here in the UK.

Nici

uk+kiwi

That is fantastic. Best wishes to Em to continue doing well.

What a lovely teacher to say 'drop in' and see the animals. In the UK, I have heard that teachers generally prefer to teach in a different area to where they live, for privacy reasons mainly - either simply to shop unrecognised in Sainsbury's, or as my friend (a teacher) said 'so someone doesn't follow me home and put a brick through my window!' Nice.

phil01

Hi,
we are in Northland, just south of Whangarei a little place called One Tree Point, Ruakaka.
Deb

phil01

UK+ Kiwi & Kato, thanks for the good wishes.

I hope you have the same experiences we have had, with your son Nici and your nephew, it's so difficult when your child is different all you want is for them to be happy, you spend so much time being protective it is a real reward when you see them growing in confidence. Our experience over here has been really positive from the whole school, thankfully.

uk+kiwi

Firstly, that just about sums up parenting doesn't it - the endless quest and angst over trying to make ones children happy.

Secondly, re: your confidence comment - we could do with that! My eldest is a school's 'dream child' - very bright, well behaved and fairly quiet (in school!), yet could really do with a severe confidence boost. Thankfully her teacher is aware and supportive, but a change of school this Summer won't help. Personally speaking, if you look at most stereotypically successful people, the one thing they have is confidence. It is such an excellent quality to possess. Now that's not to say these people are necessarily happy though, so i'll take comfort from my own words.

Have a good weekend folks. The sun is shining here, it's gonna be great.