On Our Own Tracks

The reality of my mainstream schooling!!! What you might expect for your child… (Part 1- My Primary School Journey)

Mainstream schooling. If your child, or children, have some sort of disability then you would no doubt be very familiar with this term. You may be trying to decide whether or not mainstream schooling is the right educational setting for your child, or trying to make sure that your school is providing enough for your child to progress. Needless to say, it isn’t easy but in some cases it’s sure worth it in the end.

Up until about ten years ago, my parents and I were right where you are now, making very important decisions about my future. My journey of schooling really started in preschool. Around this time, I’d already had the most amazing support in both Adelaide and Sydney, due to my parent’s determination and this support meant that I was able to participate in a mainstream preschool setting from the age of about three.

Another amazing part about these days was when I came back to Sydney and had an opportunity to attend my local preschool where I met my oldest friend, Ashley, who is still my best friend that I see on a regular basis.  Already knowing someone was definitely an advantage because from the day we started Kindergarten, our friendship continued to grow as well as expanding to meeting the other kids in the class. These connections continued all the way through our first few years of school. I feel that these connections with my year group were the perfect key to the beginning of my schooling as it meant that I was able to slot right in. This was also enhanced with an amazing amount of help from my principal and my absolutely incredible disability adviser Linda Ferguson, who I am still friends with today.

My ability to integrate was significantly enhanced by the fact that I went to England to receive a special walker when I was in Year 1, funded by the Hawkesbury Lions Club, The Rotary Club and many other organisations around the Hawkesbury. Receiving this walker did absolute wonders for my abilities to interact in a mainstream environment as it allowed me to be at the same height as everyone else as well as enabling me to run around and play sport with my peers.

As I entered Year 4, my support network and I thought it was time for me to trial typing using a computer, rather than handwriting my school work using a “hand over hand” method with help from my teacher aids. It was at this point that we discovered that I actually had severe reading and spelling difficulties. These difficulties are sometimes actually part of Cerebral Palsy, as it’s to do with the movement of the muscles in the eyes. Looking back now, it’s clear that this was the moment that changed my life and helped me to become the person I am today as I then started three years of special individualised education programs. During this time, I received a huge amount of support from my amazing teacher, Robyn Ford, my family and my two incredible teacher aids, Tracey and Vicki, who I was extremely lucky to have supporting me until I finished high school.

By the time that I reached the end of the year it was decided that I was going to repeat Year 4, which was the best decision for me in the long run.

Even though I had to change year groups I pretty much slotted right into this new group making friends immediately. Despite this, there were times that I was bullied. This bullying was carried out by one individual who sadly had her own struggles. Unlike what you would expect, this bullying wasn’t targeted at my disability. It came in the form of isolating me from my other friends, calling me “dumb” and then threatening me or calling me weak if I was going to tell anyone what was really happening. I somehow managed to put up a massive front that everything was ok, however, this bullying decreased significantly once I told my parents and teachers some of the stuff that was going on. I also began spending time with other friends who were amazing people and suited my personality much better. The best advice I can give you if your child is being bullied is to: foster open communication; really encourage your child; work with the school and support your child to pursue what they are passionate about as they will be more likely to meet like-minded children.

When I entered Year 6, I could absolutely feel my class come together even more (See in On the journey to finding my personal pursuit of happiness…) It was decided that I was to have another teacher. Luckily for me this was David Richardson, who was one of the best teachers that I have ever had. Because we were the heads of the school it felt like we really bonded and made the most of our last year of primary school. This was despite the fact that my classroom was upstairs. I spent the year either being stuck in a Garaventa Stair Lift many times, trialling other Stair Climbers or even being lifted up the stairs by our amazing General Assistant, Terry Hayse, other teachers and teacher aids. Despite this, my last year was the perfect ending to my amazing eight years of primary school. I found myself in one of the top classes, on the School Representative Council multiple times and had turned those connections into life-long friendships.

For parents of primary school children who are currently considering if mainstream schooling is appropriate, some of the wonderful services I had supporting me included:

– regular individual learning program meetings

– an integration officer (District based)

– vision teachers (District based)

– full time teacher aid

– Cerebral Palsy Alliance regularly supplying me with equipment

I was lucky that this was the beginning of my schooling as it set me off on the right path in helping me with my integration into the mainstream world. This is seen in not only my abilities to write, read and academically succeed but in my social life, too.

Currently, I don’t have a week that goes where I’m not catching up with, or contacting someone from my primary school, high school or university.

Click here to see Part Two