Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

TPP 002: Alison Bower on When School Isn't a Fit: What to Expect and How to Handle It

Apr 4, 2016

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I’m sharing with you my go-to expert on raising differently-wired kids—my friend + educational / curriculum advisor, Alison Bower. Alison has been supporting, guiding, and advising me on all things Asher since he was a little guy, and her understanding of how children experience the world, ability to be frank and gentle at the same time, and warmth and sense of humor, has literally gotten me through some of the trickiest times in my life as a parent.

It was hard to narrow down what to focus on for this first conversation, but we ultimately decided to talk about how to navigate the tricky situations (yet common for parents raising differently-wired kids) that arise when it becomes clear that a school may not be the best fit for a child and/or that the way a school is supporting a child isn’t adequately meeting their needs. For many parents of atypical kids, school fit is a major issue, and often an incredibly frustrating one, as there is no manual for how to best navigate through it, let alone advocate for one’s child in a way that is best for everyone concerned.

For this episode, Alison brings her unique perspective as both an educator and a parent who’s been in our shoes, to share what it looks like from both sides of the equation.

Alison Bower is the professional development and communications manager for the ed tech startup, Enlearn, as well as a parenting, relocation, and educational consultant and parent educator through her own company, Alison Bower Consulting. Alison has more than 16 years experience in teaching, administration, curricular planning, management, and professional development for early childhood, elementary and middle schools.

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

What it means when a school says “We’re not sure this is the best fit for your child”
How and what to ask for in terms of accommodations and support for your child
What parents can expect in navigating school fit challenges, both in private and public schools
What a school’s responsibility is when there’s a question of appropriate fit for a student
Things to consider when looking at school options for a differently-wired child
How much parents should disclose about their child when applying to schools