The Karlstad model and the importance of networks. Part three

In previous posts, I have described Doris' first three years in primary school (normal class). Those years were very positive. Doris had her mentor. We adults had a network (outside the school) with parents, grandparents a group leader with experiences of children with Down syndrome. Parts of the school staff were also present at each meeting, which was held about three times per semester. The dialogue between the class teachers and us parents was also very well functioning, as we as parents were given a basis to prepare Doris for future lessons.

When Doris was to start in fourth grade, it was unfortunately the start of three middle school years without an actual mentor in the class. One replaced the other while we parents held a network meeting with our supervisor in the "Karlstad model", responsible educator and resource. We went into it with everything we had and with a clear conviction that this was the right way. The reason for this was, of course, that by now we had the experience and found the form for how we would work with our daughter to get her as well prepared and competent as possible for the future and adult life.

We tried to explain to each new employee what we in the network group wanted and how we could be helped. We then noticed, however, that from the teachers' side there was extremely little understanding of what we as parents were looking for. We wanted a basis for the preparatory work and have guidelines on what would happen next in various subjects. However, it seemed disturbingly impossible to squeeze out the information about what would happen next for some teachers even though they worked in years 4-6 for fifteen years. No one should try to get me to think that unforeseen differences usually appear in year 4 from year to year. We wanted to know where to start and end our preparatory work, but even that was hopeless to find out.

Doris has every opportunity to learn new things, but then she must also get the right conditions. It takes longer for her than for normal children and we as parents are more than ready to make an effort in the preparatory work. Despite the fact that learning is actually the school's responsibility, we as parents have taken on the role and take care of some of the preparatory work that is required and must be told in good time what is to come. Otherwise we grope in the dark and burn both our and Doris time and energy.

Our supervisor in the network who had followed Doris for many years by this time apparently experienced it as a hot spot instead of seeing her as a resource and opportunity for further education. The school did not even have to pay a fee, but we parents did it together with the network group. We just needed time for our meetings to coordinate and make it all work together. Far too heavy a load was then placed on the resource person who was absolutely fantastic in his commitment and knew exactly what we were looking for. We got an absolutely fantastic collaboration with her, but without contact with the class teachers, it all limped.

The headmaster thought we had the right attitude and was very clear that he was aware that if the commitment from the network and the supervisor had not been so stable, Doris would never have been where she was in terms of knowledge. Now, instead of using the supervisor as a resource, they tried to make her a kind of intermediary who would take care of and be a link between the responsible educator and the resource. Good enough, perhaps, but as a committed parent you are considered both nasty and troublesome.

Brave attempts were made to sever the ties between us parents and the class teachers. One wonders what the school really means when one thinks that there is a "lack of parental involvement" in the school. We parents are simply not welcome. One of the school's basic principles is supposed to be that a student should have the right to develop as far as possible and another that the student's right to education must never become dependent on which parents you have. Catch 22 tells us here that we parents should go back and watch when the school leaves Doris behind and refuses to see her actual capacity and opportunities.

Being in the classroom requires preparation and time, but pays off in an understanding and participation that is a must for everyone. We lift in droves, everything else becomes in my eyes a failure. A failure for society.