Special Needs School in New York City

Yesterday in the subway, I met a special child. His cute smile, quirky eyes and the lovely voice he spoke in.. He was indeed special. After coming back home, I thought of children like him and realized that we so-called ‘normal’ humans, in chasing what is called a ‘normal life’, have somewhat forgotten about them. Regrettably, some members of our society perceive them as a burden, a problem. But I believe that children with special needs are not a problem at all. In fact the problem lies within our own society who perceives them as abnormal. I feel that all of us have the responsibility to make this world a better place for everyone, including them. A world where they can shape their own lives the way they want. For that, we need to help people become educated and aware of the major developments that are happening in the world of special needs services. Specifically, I recently learned about the DIR model (developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan) that can help them become the best version of themselves that they can be. Many highly successful members of our society suffered from developmental delays. One example that comes to mind is Stephen Hawking, the famous physicist who became a leader in his field despite his disability.

‘D’ stands for – Developmental. According to the DIR model, there are six developmental levels that are quintessential for a child’s emotional as well as intellectual growth. These include two-way communication, complex communication, emotional and logical thinking, self-regulation and interest in the world, emotional ideas, intimacy, engagement and falling in love. So, ‘D’ denotes the method to identify the developmental stage the child is in and accordingly design his education plan.

‘I’ stands for - Individual differences. The model believes that there are certain unique qualities and talents that every child possesses. Each child is different in the way he/she responds to any given situation. The model thus recognizes and gives due significance to the individual differences that all children have. Hence, their way of learning should also be designed differently. Each child must be dealt with individually and should not be compared to others.

‘R’ stands for - Relationships based. It is an integral component because if you want to be helping a child with their emotional or cognitive development you first need to know how much he/she are comfortable with other children, their parents, caretakers, therapists, etc. This approach focusses on increasing self-esteem as well as the confidence of the child.

Floortime is very crucial element in the DIR model which is used for applying the model into practice. It accredits a greater role to the parents and family members in the development of the child as he/she have an emotional relationship with them. In the words of Stanley Greenspan, “Floortime is the cornerstone; the engine that drives the DIR model and drives the developmental process.

When I started my carrier, I haven’t heard about ‘floor therapy’. For me, like most others, “floor” was only a simple surface which witnesses continuous foot traffic all day long. From a dirty walking surface of caves to many layered and imported stone-wood-metal-concrete floors, today's floors are varied and offer advanced features with the help of modern technology. That was all I knew. As I began working in the Autism field, my research introduced me to the intriguing work of Dr. Stanley Greenspan, and specifically the Floortime Approach. It never crossed my mind that a floor can be a source of rejuvenation, repose and relaxation. That it could bring back tranquility to many individuals.

It’s fascinating how babies enjoy their time on the floor, exploring their own world. On the contrary, as adults we are so busy with juggling our social and professional lives, that we have lost the magic and joy of play time. We hardly have any time to get down on the floor and play with our kids. Being a counsellor, I have come across many unsettling beliefs and opinions that adults hold when it comes to the value of such activities. Parents who discover that their child suffers from neurodevelopmental delays are often baffled with the many studies and researches available on this condition on the web and beyond. Many of those studies question the effectiveness of floor time therapy. How can floor time help them understand their child? How can playing on the floor help their child in terms of achieving developmental goals? To an extent, it’s not their fault because in today’s world we tend to focus on the end result of any given process, rather than on “the journey”. So much, that we have forgotten that there is a ‘process’ on the way to the “result”.

As a counselor my role is to suggest therapies, developmental pediatricians, neurologists and most importantly schools to my clients that will help their child understand and meet his/her unique needs. My preference has always been a school that follows the DIR model, such as the Rebecca School in New York City. Following Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s floor therapy, schools that follow this model encourage educators and parents to follow their child into his/her world. Instead of instructing children that they will be doing one exercise followed by another activity, the faculty at institutions that follow this model pay attention and understand the behavioral pattern of each individual child. They communicate with them, obstruct them playfully and persuade them towards their goal.

Every time I visit schools that follow the DIR Model (Such as Rebecca school) I am left spellbound by the unparalleled enthusiasm and positivity of the therapists, trainers and special educators. The vibrancy of both the parents and the children participating in floor time therapy activities is always very inspiring for me to witness. Floortime therapy is not just an another approach developed to help children with autism but a model that offers long lasting benefits that go beyond a regular day at school.

Before signing off, I would like you to have a look at this awe-inspiring video of Katy Perry performing live with 11 year old Jodi who is fighting autism. And always remember that beliefs hold weight only when you decide that they are true. Believe that your child can pursue any dream, breaking off all the barriers of neurodevelopmental disorders along the way.

Each in his own opinion

Exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right,

And all were in the wrong!

These lines from John Godfrey’s poem apply to our understanding of autism as well. In relation to Autism, the interpretation and attribution are inextricable in a way because there is much more to it than science. For a child with autism, their condition is not a disease or illness but a long term symbiosis rather than a temporary alliance. They have their own perspective of doing things that can change the way we ourselves see and do things. Autism brings to life fresh insights and a perspective that offer us a new way of looking at, and interacting with certain life situations.

In many cases, autism is diagnosed on the basis of certain behavioral patterns like issues related to socializing and bonding with others. We all have a natural – intellectual gift. We can figure out what other people may be thinking on the basis of different cues that we pick up from their actions and body language. Children with autism have problems with these types of intellectual abilities that may lead to difficulties they face in forming social relationships and bonding.

Autism schools provide tailored programs for children with neurodevelopment disorders that focus on the variations in individual motor and sensory processing systems. When educators, trainers and parents work together to deal with students with ASD, the children can develop a remarkable sense of resiliency and, over time, develop tools and strategies that can help them in dealing with others.

The main challenge that educators and trainers at any autism school in NYC have to face is to develop a sense of affinity among the children with neurodevelopment disorders. Through an individualized training plan an educator can help them relate to their friends, family and teachers with meaningful and emotional words and gestures. To nurture children’s social and academic growth, it is important to work on their weakness and difficulties rather than focusing only on strengths.

When adapting this type of approach, we can all free ourselves from the bars of narrow-mindedness and offer these children ways to further their personal development.

“The job of schools should be to help children relate to others in a meaningful way, use language and ideas creatively, and become abstract and creative thinkers, as well as master academic subjects.”

- Stanley Greenspan, Developer of DIR/Floortime Model

Every child deserves to be understood from a developmental perspective in order to elicit the individual strengths and vulnerabilities of the child and their family. Developmental interventions not only help to invent the child’s unique personality, but it also help in establishment of relationships.

At Rebecca School for children with special needs, the staff's primary focus is on developing the child's strengths and needs. In support of that, the school follows the ‘Developmental, Individual – Difference, Relationship based approach (DIR Approach)’, providing support and intervention to every child, helping them reach their fullest potential.

The objectives of DIR model are not limited to skills or isolated behavior, but also to build healthy foundations for social, emotional, and intellectual capacities.

Explaining DIR with our point-of-view -

Development - There are six developmental levels in DIR model. Following each, the model helps children –

· Develop capacities to remain calm and regulated

· To initiate and respond to all types of communication

· To engage in shared social problem solving and intentional behavior -to be able to build bridges between ideas in logical ways.

This way, we can help children in spontaneous and empathic relationships as well as to master the academic skills.

Individual Differences - Our next target is to focus on the ‘Biological Challenges’. Biological challenges, are the processing issues that may be interfering with the child’s ability to grow and learn. Like –

· How a child takes in, responds to, and comprehends sensations such as sound, touch.

· Struggle in the planning and sequencing of actions and ideas.

Relationship based - Relationships are an important component of a healthy life; we experience life through shared experiences. But for children with autism, understanding of relationships could be a problem. At Rebecca School, teachers help children explore relationships with their caregivers, family, and peers so that they can master the essential foundations of their life.

Above mentioned milestones can only be achieved if parents and caregivers participate in Floor time approach. As the name suggests, Floor time approach is all about playing on the floor. Yeah, you heard it right. The idea is to promote a child’s ability to think critically about their world, and the Floor time approach is the key to that goal. This approach includes 1:1 teacher interactions as well as small and large classroom activities. This approach helps caregivers to incorporate the intervention strategies into play-based interactions.

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