All children need allies.
They need adults who understand them and can advocate for their needs.
They need adults who can make sure they feel safe and seen, comfortable and capable.
They need adults who can open doors and smooth paths - especially when children are entering unfamiliar environments.
That's what our Program Coordinators do for our ABA clients who are transitioning to traditional classrooms.
Moving Students...
For many of our clients, beginning their educational journey in a typical classroom is far from easy. The unique social, communication, and behavioral expectations of a typical classroom often create barriers for students on the spectrum. When entering a classroom for the first time, the unfamiliar environment, ambiguous social patterns, novel routines, and sensory input overload mixed with sensory expression suppression can be jarring at best and unbearable at worst.
As parents of a child on the spectrum who transitioned from ABA therapy to a typical classroom at the age of 9, we understand how challenging meeting the demands of a classroom environment can be for the whole family. So, informed by our own experience, we designed our ABA Transitional Classroom as a bridge between the structure of ABA therapy and expectations of typical classrooms. In our transitional classroom, we practice the classroom readiness skills our clients must develop in order to have the best advantage in school.
...Forward!
We know we have reached success when the name of our classroom becomes reality - when our students transition to new settings.
We've had many such transitions recently! Some are transitioning into school classrooms (public and private), some are joining Supported Pathways Learning Center (read how this differs from our transitional classroom), and some are just beginning their journey by joining or moving up through the levels of our ABA Transitional Classroom. It's exciting to see this flurry of growth!
Our Program Coordinators have been instrumental in helping those transitions happen smoothly. After attending preliminary meetings with their clients' Behavior Analysts and the rest of the academic case committee, our PCs attend class with their client to serve as their transitional behavior technician. The amount of time that a PC remains in the classroom with their client is determined in advance when the Behavior Analysts prepare the transition plans. Our PCs are able to keep their clients' Behavior Analysts fully and accurately informed of all data needed to evaluate ongoing success of the transition and determine whether any adjustments are needed.
Spreading Understanding...
While in the classroom, our Program Coordinators are also able to interact directly with members of each client's educational community. Within these interactions, they are able to deepen school staff's understanding of our clients' unique and valuable traits and help bridge the gap between ABA practices and classroom routines.
While other service providers focus exclusively on reducing "disruptive and interfering problem behaviors" that can limit learning and "cause the child to miss out on social opportunities," we know from our own experience as parents that successful transitions require growth on both sides. We help our clients master skills and strategies to navigate environments successfully. We also help the members of our clients' support networks understand the autistic experience. We provide guidance on determining the functions of behaviors, identifying reinforcing factors of undesirable behavior, and using ethical and effective methods to address those reinforcing factors.
...Outward!
When more members of a client's support network, especially educators, possess this deeper understanding, they are able to respond more compassionately and effectively. Even more importantly, they are able to preemptively design more comfortable, accommodating environments that are structured for success from the start. As our Program Coordinators spend time in classrooms, they help spread this understanding.
The beautiful thing about spreading understanding is that it begins to spread itself.
Teachers learn from other teachers, and their students learn from them. Other students might never hear our Program Coordinators explain anything about autism directly, but they can observe how their teacher treats their new classmate. They can see that they are treated with respect and valued for who they are.
In an environment where social skills are just as important as academic skills, the outward spread of acceptance is critical.
Transition to Autism Acceptance
Once this foundation of understanding and acceptance is established for our clients, it remains in place for other students on the spectrum as well.
Gradually but meaningfully, we are not only making successful academic transitions possible for our students, we are helping classrooms transition to being more accepting, comfortable places for all students.
All children need allies.
Our Program Coordinators serve as dependable allies who help others become allies as well.
Connect with Our Transitional Classroom
Learn about ...
What else sets our ABA Transitional Classroom apart from other service providers
How we can help your child access their full academic potential while embracing their unique value
How you can access ESA funds for this service
Contact our Licensed Elementary Educator and Managing Director at: Courtnie@PartnersinAutism.com
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