How We Achieve Success
The most important thing any one person can do to improve the lives of children with autism or other special needs is to accept them for who they are and to celebrate their talents. Too often they are judged as low functioning, unable to learn, or severely behaviorally impaired, when in fact they are on sensory overload, frustrated by an inability to communicate, or being asked to perform a task that developmentally they are not ready to do.
The culture of understanding and acceptance at The Arbor School helps to foster each child’s self-esteem, allowing them to truly shine. In this atmosphere, children know that they are safe, cared for, and understood, which in turn provides confidence to increase academically, improve socially, learn to self-advocate, and develop leadership skills.
The lives of the children can be improved through the availability of the supportive therapies such as OT, Speech/Language, and Music. These therapies are vital to the development and well being of children with disorders like autism.
Having these therapies built into our curriculum contributes both directly and indirectly to the school culture. Teachers benefit by improving their understanding of the children they teach by being able to recognizing triggers, developing effective teaching strategies, and establishing classroom management techniques, etc.
The therapies are critical, but the children benefit directly from an informed culture, an element that's sadly too often limited or completely missing in many schools. Within an accepting and nurturing environment, and along with supportive therapies, children with autism can develop to their full potential and have amazing lives.
A typical learning experience at our school includes:
- Small Classroom Size
- Small Group Instruction
- Sensory Sessions
