5 Steps to Finding the Perfect Preschool for Kids with Disabilities

Finding the perfect preschool for your child can be an overwhelming task for parents, but moreso if you are the parent of a child with disabilities and exceptionalities. According to a study by Glenn-Applegate, et al. (2011), a common challenge among these parents is in finding schools or child care providers that can effectively and willingly accommodate the special needs of their children.

With the help of parents, educators, and school administrators from six progressive preschools, we list down 5 steps in finding the perfect preschool for your child.

1. Learn about your child’s needs.
Learning that your child has a special need is in itself a challenge. Three mothers share their experiences of finding out about their child’s disability or exceptionality.

Kay’s* youngest son was recently diagnosed with a special need. She says, “Being my third child, I noticed he was delayed in speaking, avoids eye contact with non-family members and is more interested in toys than interacting with other kids.” Kay immediately sought the help of professionals whom she believes could help her son learn to cope with this need and learn how to express himself. She also opted to send her son to a progressive preschool. Like many parents though, her concerns now include finding a progressive elementary school for Caloy* when he is older.

Jasmine Icasiano, a university professor and a mother of two, learned about Julian Magiting’s special need when he was 3.5 years old. After observing how her son behaves at home and in school, she decided to have him evaluated. The assessment revealed that Julian showed exceptionality in math skills and in music.

Nanay Jasmine says, “We were very apprehensive in the beginning because we had fears of how we were going to cope with such an exceptional child. Could we provide the right environment? Were we suited to teach him and would we be able to satisfy his needs?” When their initial worries have subsided, they decided that as parents, they needed to plan for the needs of both Julian and his older sister, Una Bighani.

Nanay Cecil had her son checked after observing that at age three, he still could not utter a word. Through the assessment of their developmental pediatrician, they discovered that he has mild autism spectrum disorder. Nanay Cecil’s concerns included, “Will our child have the chance to go to a big school? Can he have a normal life? Will he ever be independent?” Many parents of children with special needs ask themselves the same things, too.

Teacher Cynthia Acu of The Growing Place Learning Center, Inc. suggests that, “Before looking for the best educational program for their child, the parents should first reach the stage of acceptance of their child’s condition.” By doing so, parents tend to become more proactive in dealing with all the demands of managing special needs.

So my child is special… now what?

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2. We’re going on a school hunt.
Next step: find a school for your child!

The study of Glenn-Applegate, et al. (2011) stated that compared to parents of preschoolers without disabilities, parents of children with disabilities “…experience more stress related to their children’s out-of-home care.” Among the things that they worry about is identifying a school that would
willingly work with their child’s different needs.

The research also identified the qualities that parents look for in a school for their child:

1. The program’s ability to cater to the unique needs of their child,

2. The existence of a specific program for children with special needs, and

3. The presence of educators who are capable of responding to their child’s needs.


Here are some questions to think about when you go school hunting, according to experts:

a. What do I want? vs. What can the school give?
Prof. Francisca C. Lacanilao, founder and directress of The Learning Tree Child Growth Center, suggests for parents to understand their expectations from the school. "While you are in search of the perfect school, ask yourself too if your needs are a perfect match to what the school can give."

Prof. Elizabeth King-Santos of Roosevelt College and Kalayaan College for Early Childhood Education and Special Education says, “Choose a school that believes in what you believe in, too!” Often, schools are more than willing to share their school’s philosophy — their beliefs of how children learn and of their roles as educators in the development of your child — during parent orientations, or when interested parents inquire. For example, the Community of Learners Foundation of Feny de los Angeles-Bautista expresses the belief that, “Every child deserves a developmentally appropriate, culturally-relevant, and contextually appropriate education that respects his or her individual needs, abilities, and interests.” If you believe in the same ideas that a school does, that school is worth a visit!

By learning about the school’s philosophy, you could match your family’s perspectives & values with that of the school’s to see if a partnership with them could work. This strategy worked well for Nanay Jasmine who said, “We were so happy that we found a school willing to work with Julian's needs and we also admired that they were open to all types of learners.”

b. Could I visit?
Experts and educators alike highly recommend visiting your prospect schools to guide you in making an informed decision. Prof. King-Santos suggests for parents to ask for a tour, and if possible, ask if your child could sit in in one of their classes.

In Community of Learners, a school visit is an integral part of their application process. They believe that a visit will give parents the opportunity to understand their program first-hand. During school visits, Prof. Lacanilao of The Learning Tree also suggests for parents to ask if the school has a center for special education and facilities for intervention.

c. How will my child be included?
Every school follows its own process and criteria for accepting applicants. To know how your child will be served by the school, call to inquire about their requirements for children with special needs. Some schools accept students on a case-to-case basis, while some schools accept one child with special need per class. Most of our school respondents request for academic records and assessment reports from professionals that reflect their diagnosis for the child and the recommended placement/program. Always keep copies of these reports handy and update progress reports from professionals annually.

Teacher Thumby Server of Toddlers Unlimited also recommends, “If you are hoping to mainstream your child, look for a school that has organized and clear guidelines on accepting, working with and assessing children with special needs.” Remember that the effectiveness of any program within a school, including special education, relies heavily on the systems the administration has established. Do not hesitate to ask for the specific ‘hows’ of their program! The more you know, the more you will understand how your child will fit into their school community.

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d. Are they lifelong learners too?
There are many questions that you can ask school administrators when you inquire about their programs, but among the most important ones are questions that involve the continuous learning and development of an institution’s faculty and staff. This will guide you in identifying who keep themselves updated with the most recent developments in the field of special education.

Prof. King-Santos encourages parents to check if members of the staff keep themselves updated with recent studies and teaching approaches in the field. In an article by Ray, et.al (2009) for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), it was suggested that professionals should learn to familiarize themselves with the disability by reading books and newsletters, and finding community resources (i.e. therapy centers, special needs advocacy groups) that could support the family in delivering programs for their child. Also, Prof. King-Santos recommends inquiring about the qualifications of the teachers and staff who will handle your child.

Teacher Cynthia Acu of The Growing Place said that staying updated helped them a lot in decision making and in planning for enriching programs for their students. Teacher Thumby Server also suggests for parents to work with schools that advocate early detection and early intervention programs. This practice is a reflection of the school’s knowledge in serving children with special needs.

e. Could they be my partners?
 Lastly, as you study your options, ask yourself if the school could be your ally for your child’s development. Teacher Cynthia Acu recommends, “Look for schools that can be your partners in honing your child’s potentials.” Prof. King-Santos supports this statement by saying that educators must emphasize helping children understand their different abilities, to love themselves, and to perceive being different not as a hindrance but as a trait to be valued. If your school could be a true partner for your child’s progress, you know that you have nothing but the best to expect for your child.

Nanay Jasmine has been working in partnership with Julian’s new school, Create and Learning Paths in Merville, for the past two years. “We were so happy that we found a school willing to work with Julian's needs and we also admired that they were open to all types of learners.” The quality of your partnership with the school will truly play a big role in achieving goals for your child.

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3. Go hand-in-hand with families and professionals.
For many experts, effective partnership with families and professionals is really the key to success. A school must be able to work with families and also with other professionals & specialists.

a. Working with Families
The article by Ray, et al. (2011) on “Partnering with Families of Children with Special Needs” reiterates that educators and administrators must remember to appreciate the amount of effort it takes for families to care for children with special needs if they intend to be effective partners for them. It is through the families that teachers can learn about the child as an individual, beyond how they are often characterized because of their disability/exceptionality. Reciprocal communication with families is the key to working with families, according to this article.

Teacher Giselle Santos-Elgincolin, Directress of Creative Explorers, shares that in her school, parents, teachers, and school administrators meet every semester to agree on the goals that they intend to work on with the child. This helps in clarifying the role each member of the team has in working towards that goal.

Teacher Thumby also believes that working effectively with families is a must. She shares, “Once parents know what their children’s special needs are, they seem determined to give as much early intervention, therapy, and support as needed. They are very dedicated and highly cooperative.”

Parents confirm the importance of establishing this home-school partnership too. Nanay Jasmine shares that her family is very fortunate to have an open relationship with Julian’s school, teachers, and the other professionals that her son works with. She also expresses her appreciation to Julian’s teacher who regularly communicates with her about her son’s progress in school and is very much willing to accommodate his individualized education program.

Nanay Cecil also recommends for parents to be participative in their school’s efforts for the development of their child.  She encourages parents to read the programs and to replicate the activities done in school at home.

b. Working with Professionals
Besides working effectively with families, schools must also be able to work well with other professionals involved in the team for early intervention. Kay, a parent with a child recently diagnosed with a disability, says that she communicates with Caloy’s therapists through written feedback. She uses this information for follow-up activities at home. Parents like Kay could also use written entries to turn over useful information from the therapists to the teachers. Doing so will allow the teachers to support activities done in therapy centers while the children are in school.

Nanay Cecil applies this principle by following all advice given by her son’s developmental pediatrician. She makes sure to provide all recommended therapies and she also considered her doctor’s advice about identifying when her son will be ready to attend school with regular children. Feedback from her team is also useful as she creates activities for the home to support the skills being developed during her son’s therapy sessions.

Prof. Lacanilao said that they require their faculty members to have a functional knowledge of all special needs. This practice could be most useful for teachers when they meet with the early intervention teams. Having a background on special needs ensures that teachers will be able to contribute to the team by documenting relevant experiences of the child in school, as well as providing activities that would promote progress in skills development.

At Nest School for the Whole Child, Directress Anna Kristina S. Zamora establishes close working relationships with a child’s intervention team. By communicating through regular panel discussions, she is able to ensure that all professionals working with the child are clear on their roles for the child’s progress.

Teacher Giselle also abides by this principle in her school. She welcomes visits to the school by the other members of the intervention team whenever the need arises. She also encourages her administration and her teachers to exchange journal entries and progress reports with other professionals working with the child to streamline the efforts of all the team members.

Teacher Feny of Community of Learners shares their principle in working with professionals, “Seek and build partnerships that are anchored on trust and a mutual commitment to the care and education of your child.” She further recommends that relationships between the home, school, and allied health professionals must be effective and dynamic. Teacher Feny believes that the communication and coordination among these professionals are the elements that are crucial in the partnership. It is this principle that allows her teachers to address issues collaboratively.

All these are great practices to look for when searching for a school that can be effective for your child.

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4. Be the Leader!
Who else could make a better team leader for intervention than the child’s parents?

Teacher Giselle encourages parents to “be vigilant team leaders”. Parents are at the center of coordinating intervention sessions for their child. It is the parents who bridge communications from one professional to the other. Being a vigilant team leader makes all efforts for your child as effective as they can possibly be.

As Nanay Jasmine puts it, “An educational program can be a formal one – one made by professionals - but it can also be one designed by parents to help their children reach their true potential.” With Julian Magiting and UnaBighani, she aims for to provide them with as many opportunities as possible to develop their unique skills and interests. Although Julian has a program designed specifically for his needs, his parents work hard to expose him to various enrichment activities apart from his music lessons. For parents who worry about additional costs that may be incurred from more extracurricular activities, Nanay Jasmine suggests, “It need not be expensive either. One just has to be resourceful and creative in presenting subjects to kids. Everyday commute, Youtube, bargain bookstores are just some resources we can tap into.”

At the end of even the most tiresome day, parents have only to think that no effort given to a child by his parents is ever wasted.


5. A Ten-Fold Reward…

If there is any doubt that working with children with special needs is tough but rewarding, here are some anecdotes to inspire you to remain headstrong in this journey:

Our expert, Prof. Eizabeth King-Santos shares the rewards of working with children with special needs, “There were times when I cried and felt that I failed, but the simple “rewards” (like hearing a child utter his first recognizable word) truly make working with them a fulfilling endeavor. “Teacher Cynthia Acu of The Growing Place admitted that it can be challenging to work with children with special needs when the family has yet to accept the situation of the child, but once acceptance has been achieved, the whole process proves to be very rewarding, most especially when they witness how their children improve.

Teacher Giselle Elgincolin of the Creative Explorers expressed, “It has been a learning experience for us, a work in  progress, but it has been definitely fulfilling, especially if parents are open and partner with us in the development of their child with special needs (CSNs). When parents brainstorm with us, communicate with us, heed our recommendations, and are basically open, it is when our efforts are most successful.”

Lastly, Teacher Feny shares out of her more than 30 years of experience, “It has been rich in learning and has been one of the most valuable aspects of the life of our organization both as a learning community and an educational institution committed to service. We continue to study and learn since there is always so much to learn about [how] to improve the quality of our programs.”
 

About the author:

Lois Flores is a college instructor at the University of the Philippines, Diliman for Family Life and Child Development, currently taking her Mastersdegree in Special Education in the same institution.

Journal References:

• Glenn-applegate, K., Pentimonti, J., & Justice, L. M. (2011). Parents' selection factors when choosing preschool programs for their children with disabilities. Child & Youth Care Forum, 40(3), 211-231. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10566-010-9134-2
• Ray, J. A., Pewitt-Kinder, J., & George, S. (2009). Partnering with families of children with special needs. YC Young Children, 64(5), 16-22. Retrieved from search.proquest.com