recess---update on pg 2 | Autism PDD
Recess is one of the most difficult times for our kids because it is unstructured play. Lots of them just tend to roam and don't know how to initiate play with other kids. This is a PRIME TIME to teach them social skills, but few schools do this. I understand the staff need a break - but then perhaps they should have one para assigned for recess and lunch and another para for the rest of the time. Might be a bit confusing for the kids at first, but something has to be done! Our kids will not learn social skills as well if this daily opportunity keeps being missed. Just my opinion!
No, I don't think it's too much to ask! The para's role really should be spelled out.
My son is 9 years old. Chasing is interaction that comes easily for him, so that's what we've seen most of. His mainstream girl classmates still enjoy it.
However, I do get the impression that he's often alone during recess -- by choice. The classroom and special ed lessons are demanding, and he's not always in the mood for more demands/challenges during recess.
Good luck with everything.
Good for you! You should speak up. I never understood why some kids on the spectrum are with NT kids only for recess or gym or any other unstructered time of day.What do your kids do at recess? My son, 1st grade, runs back and forth between the play equiptment and the teacher. He draws names of a friend to play with. Well he only "plays" with the friend for 5 mins and than back to his own thing. I say "play" becasue he just chases the friend.
He has a full time para, but for some strange reason, she does not go to recess and if she does she just stands by the teacher. I sent and email today to the Behavior Specialist to ask for some help. Am I asking too much to have the para "help" him play???
Thanks
He is main-streamed all day
Recess is THE WORST unstructured time for our kids.
Try to get it into your IEP if at all possible to have someone at least SOME of the time, on the playground and in the lunchroom, to provide structure.
Can the Aide take her breaks at otehr times?
hmmm, jeeze I love posts like this, kinda brings back some memories, in elementary school, the entire career of it, the only things I remember ever doing is really chasing kids around (we had a game, half were TMNT and the other half were the bad guys) and we chased eachother around, but when everyone got sick of the game, i kept playing it, ALL YEAR LONG, its all I would ever do. As I got into the higher elementary grades I did homework during recess
, but in 5th and 6th grade I actually learned to finally kick back a bit and do a little bit of interaction, seemed around this time I got better at it, whereas before, well... I guess I acted very similarly to what is discribed prior to my post. Everyone is different I suppose...
I love posts like these!!
Thanks for all the responses. I find it interesting that so many of the kids run or chase.
Woodsman- Last year my son would chase the girls and they laughed, so I think he still wants this same reaction. It is encouraging to me to hear you say that by 5th or 6th you learned to interact.
The Behavior specialist has yet to respond....
Oh and I forgot to say he is mainstream all day.
Social skills deficits are at the core of EVERY autism spectrum disorder. There should be FUNCTIONAL goals in each child's IEP (IDEA 2004 emphasizes functional goals, BTW). These need to include how to spend "leisure time" productively, including recess. I would reconvene the IEP Team and ask that functional recess goals be included. Also, clarify the role of the aide. If need be, have the specifics of the aide training included on the IEP. ONe of the "tricks" that can work is to get assistive technology -- Yes, assistive tech. Many of our kids have Central Auditory Processing Disorder. This is tested for by an audiologist. The usual recommendation for help with CAPD is for the child to have access to an FM audio system. This means the child has earphones of some kind and the teacher/aide have the mike. It can work VERY well for the child to wear the FM system at recess and have the adult prompt him, from a distance. The prompts go directly into his ears. For example, the aide can say "Johnny, go over to Joey and say, 'Wanna play tag? You're it'!" You can also try this at home (or in school) using walkie-talkies. I used to strap a walkie-talkie to my son's waist when he played soccer. Jamie has moderate hearing loss and I didn't want to let him wear his hearing aids on the playing field, lest they fall out, so we came up with this as a substitute. I would yell my directions into my walkie-talkie (NO!!!RUN THE OTHER WAY!!!) and he would be able to hear me. Another mother of 3 ASD kids whose boys had perfectly fine hearing did the same thing (this was a NT soccer team, so some people had their noses out of joint, but they got over it). If the school is willing to use this method, you can try it.
Whatever way the encourage your son to have more appropriate social skills, they should. And this starts with the specifics for recess being included in the IEP.
[QUOTE=ksurocks] Thanks for all the responses. I find it interesting that so many of the kids run or chase. 
My son has two paras one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I just want the morning para to help. I understand the need for a break so he can do his own thing at the afternoon recess.
Woodsman- Last year my son would chase the girls and they laughed, so I think he still wants this same reaction. It is encouraging to me to hear you say that by 5th or 6th you learned to interact.
The Behavior specialist has yet to respond....
Oh and I forgot to say he is mainstream all day.
[/QUOTE]ahhh... well by 5th and 6th grade (my first mainstream years) I had gotton better at interacting compaired to all the years past but still would not consider it sucessful, but it was a start. Often this time I was the one who was being chased around, but around this time the bullies were around and their was more roughhousing. I did use some of the equipment and did start playing sports with others like b-ball and kick ball. I was just starting out and it would be many MANY years b4 I got it down, really my whole school (and collage) experience, to get to this point. Im good, but not great, still have issues and feel at this point ill never get any better, but in my opinion, im good enough for everything I need/want to do.LOL my daughter loves running. If you told her to go she would probably just keep running like the dog in the movie "Funny Farm".
Sometimes I think she needs a fenced in dog run and let her go!
I always say she is gonna be great at track and field.
Recess is great for C! He loves it and it's a much needed sensory break.
Last year, while the boys were in separate kindy classes, their classes had recess together. This was huge for C. Remember back in school how there were always those couple of kids that seemed to be at the center of everything? That other kids flocked to like moths to a flame? The ones all of the other kids hovered around seeking their attention? The kids who everyone wanted on their team? The one that everyone wants a playdate with? Well, my son R is that child. When I see R "holding court" on the playground with the rest of the group hanging on his every word I'm like who is this child? Not sure where this innate popularity comes from, but C really benefits from it. If people want to play with R, the "quirky twin" comes with the package. C was always included in everything and would typically follow his brother's lead in whatever "game" was going on. Occasionally he'd want to go off by himself (get distracted by a stick on the ground or something) but then R would usually go get him and pull him back into the fray. I've watched this happen multiple times.
This year, C's teacher says he's doing really well at recess. He and 2 boys from his SpEd class play tag every day. I was a bit worried as to how he'd do without his brother but apparently he's holding his own!
On Tuesday we arrived at soccer a little early so I let the kids go to the playground. There were 3 other boys there, various ages, all doing their own thing. R marches onto the playground and says "hey guys, come here, let's all play tag together" and soon there was a heated game on, C playing right with the other kids.
I know that sometimes R can be annoyed at C following him, but right now C is getting HUGE benefit from his brother's effortless social success.
In my son school they pretty much have a busy schedule.
They have free play time about 15 min. after they sing the good morning song in english and spanish and have to get up and spell there names. During the day they get another 10. min, after lunch i would say. Before school ends they go to the gym indoor or outdoor depending on weather.
I got a call last night from DS Behavior specialist. " the para tried to help M at recess, but he must be tired of her by than, cause he did not want to do what she said"................ The para was at recess for one week onlly in the morning!!!!! SO now Ds will be on his own at recess.
The fight is on...
[QUOTE=SaKa]
Don’t hesitate to say – well, that just doesn’t meet my son’s/daughter’s needs; my son/daughter needs someone to help him learn how to act in unstructured settings.
[/QUOTE]
You rock!! You put into words what I was feeling. I feel justified now.
Thanks!
I'm really concerned about this as well.
I take Clarissa to school every day. I take her to where the kids drop off their bags (where they line up when the bell rings). Clarissa just stands there.
I just stand there.
Clarissa doesn't have a clue. I just don't know what to suggest. She really should be doing SOMETHING. I don't know what. Not just standing there like a blob and staring.
I know some sixth-graders take Clarissa at recess. It makes them feel very responsible and they say "hi" to her when I go to pick her up, so that makes me feel good. Really we need a program, though.
I wouldn't know where the EA's would begin. She's completely unable to engage.
For my son, the unstructured time (recess, before school, lunch) are the HARDEST times for him. It is the time when the social rules are made by the other kids, not clearly spelled out by the teachers. I have had to think creatively and be a bit of a problem parent in order to make sure that the TSS (maybe the same as a para in my state???) is actively looking for opportunities to help my son socialize appropriately during unstructured time. In my son’s case, the TSS has plenty of time to use the restroom or whatever when my son is in a more structured classroom setting. The problem is, the that support services are not set up for to provide coverage in the 20 minutes before school starts, or the 15 minutes after school, and sometime lunch and recess are perceived as “break time”. We had to work to make it clear that is was NOT. Don’t hesitate to say – well, that just doesn’t meet my son’s/daughter’s needs; my son/daughter needs someone to help him learn how to act in unstructured settings.
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