Kids benefit from mainstream class
Travis Tendick hangs on to a table during a moment of rest during recess
A traditional school setting
teaches natural integration’
Like most young children, Jessica Aaron enjoys painting, she
uses her teeth because her joints are too stiff to move.
It could be a scene from any pre-school: children
romping together in playhouses, reading Dr Suess
and painting But in this class, two of the children are
handicapped and are being "mainstreamed ' into
normal activity
"We were really delighted with how sensitively the
other children treated the two handicapped kids,"
says Pam Perfumo. head teacher administrator for
the new program in clinical services, in the Universi
ty's education school
To build self-confidence in all the children, Per
fumo had the children talk about their bodies The
children also got a chance to use the special equip
ment of the handicapped children One handicapped
child uses loftshand crutches
The "mainstreaming" idea focuses on integrating handicapped and
non-handicapped children
and the other child uses a
scooter because her joints don’t
bend
' The non-handicapped
and handicapped preschoolers
had an opportunity to interact
with each other and learn from
each other,” Perfumo says
"Now the kids are integrated
really naturally.”
The children, who range
from three to five years old, are
given an opportunity to direct
their own learning. Perfumo
says she and her assistants will
loosely structure the environ
ment and allow children to take
their own initiative to produce
their own knowledge instead of
becoming dependent on adults.
Perfumo stresses that they
put a lot of thought into in
dividual observation and as
sessment of the children to
Pam Perfumo, the class instructor, reads some Dr. Suess.
make sure each child gets the maximum benefit from
the program Then the parents and teachers will meet
to plan the child's activities together.
Besides providing a learning environment for the
children, the preschool also allows University educa
tion students to interact and "learn from the dynamics
of a mainstreamed class," Perfumo says.
The parents can also benefit from the mainstream
program by educating them about the needs of han
dicapped children, Perfumo says.
Most of the parents with non-handicapped kids
were excited about giving their children the oppor
tunity to grow up with experience of accepting peo
ple's differences and to see the strengths of each
individual person The parents of the handicapped
kids were very eager to get them into an environment
when all the things about them which are normal will
be focused on," Perfumo says.
Space is available for three more children in the
12-student class. Cost is $120 a month for a half-day at
the preschool.
Story by Sandy Johnstone
Photos by Bob Baker
Travis Tendick struggles to keep pace with his
classmates on loftshand crutches.