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Special needs education VS Mainstream

I was very anxious through school and avoided social contact to GCSE level. After GCSE I had the option of going to a sixth form college rather than continuing at school. The best thing about college was that everyone there were new there too and were acting more mature. We were all there by choice and were now at a higher level of education doing A levels. My social anxiety was better accepted and understood there.

If you can find a nearby sixth form college then you can get someone to ask to talk to the teachers with you in preparation. Councils can often help with transport if there is a special need too.

At university level, the brightest guy on our course who got 1st distinction didn't socialise at all. It didn't hold him back.
 
I found online learning was the best method for me. In the online classes I experienced, we still had to interact with other students but the online environment allowed me to take time to analyze other's words and properly phrase my responses. My only problem was that I could make excellent grades without having to work at it. I don't think I learned as completely as I would have with more work
 
I get the impression that the real problem here is your social anxiety, which is preventing you from doing what you want to do (I relate, I dropped out of school at 17 due to social anxiety and depression). Are you receiving help (therapy, medication) for the anxiety? I think you mentioned that you have tried apprenticeships, but have you tried a vocational college that does National Diplomas or similar? Once I got over the worst of my social anxiety I went to an agricultural college which suited me very well because there were only 13 people on the course, and getting used to interacting with them prepared me for going to university.
 
Hello,

I really enjoy reading about this particular thread. I would also briefly like to share my experiences with mainstream and specialist education. I have been in special needs education for most of my life, a couple of months ago, I became a full fledged member of a UK Mainstream College, with just over 5000 students. A large majority of them are classed as NTs. Only about 50 of them have special needs. It was difficult for me initially, in the very beginning at this college. But now I am one of the most promising students, in my department.

People who are classed as NTs, can actually be quite nice people. They are quite welcoming to people with special needs, at my college. My course tutors and staff members, are also all very kind, supportive and welcoming. I guess that in some ways, I am now a blend of the two. I don't know why, but whenever I now communicate with a person like me, for some reason it is a bit difficult recently.

When I read some of the replies on this forum, I can deeply empathize with everyone on this website, and I wish I could help every one of them. I also enjoy listening to people's problems and getting to know people. Hopefully, one day the world will be a place, where everyone values one another.
 
edwardstpowell said:
Hello,

I really enjoy reading about this particular thread. I would also briefly like to share my experiences with mainstream and specialist education. I have been in special needs education for most of my life, a couple of months ago, I became a full fledged member of a UK Mainstream College, with just over 5000 students. A large majority of them are classed as NTs. Only about 50 of them have special needs. It was difficult for me initially, in the very beginning at this college. But now I am one of the most promising students, in my department.

People who are classed as NTs, can actually be quite nice people. They are quite welcoming to people with special needs, at my college. My course tutors and staff members, are also all very kind, supportive and welcoming. I guess that in some ways, I am now a blend of the two. I don't know why, but whenever I now communicate with a person like me, for some reason it is a bit difficult recently.

When I read some of the replies on this forum, I can deeply empathize with everyone on this website, and I wish I could help every one of them. I also enjoy listening to people's problems and getting to know people. Hopefully, one day the world will be a place, where everyone values one another.
Click to expand...

I've just managed to start mainstream college too! Well done :) I know how hard it can be and still continues to be. I'm glad to hear your tutors are so supportive, mine are the same. I couldn't have done it without them.
 
30 years ago I went to a mainstream school with a Special Needs "Unit", and to cut a long angst filled story short I hated all 5 years of it, if I hadn't made friends with my ex I would've walked out at lunchtime on the first day and caught the Bus home.
 
I'm told I couldn't have attended a mainstream school before the aide system was implemented, and this has given me the impression that those who went through school before then and got diagnosed as adults must be higher functioning than I am.

However, I mentioned it on another forum, and @Progster was that a useless go-nowhere discussion?
 
Rich Allen said:
30 years ago I went to a mainstream school with a Special Needs "Unit", and to cut a long angst filled story short I hated all 5 years of it, if I hadn't made friends with my ex I would've walked out at lunchtime on the first day and caught the Bus home.
Click to expand...
My kind of aspie sister got sent everyday at her original secoundry school because she was crying so much.
 
Hidden_1 said:
I found online learning was the best method for me. In the online classes I experienced, we still had to interact with other students but the online environment allowed me to take time to analyze other's words and properly phrase my responses. My only problem was that I could make excellent grades without having to work at it. I don't think I learned as completely as I would have with more work
Click to expand...
I do some alone learning at the moment (accountancy) as I am at special needs collage which dousn't have a maths teacher with a good enough insult teach me. I prefer it so much to maths at school as their isn't class disscusions, it is ok at to lie down and do my work and I never have to wait for other people to catch up with me.
 
Myrtonos said:
I'm told I couldn't have attended a mainstream school before the aide system was implemented, and this has given me the impression that those who went through school before then and got diagnosed as adults must be higher functioning than I am.

However, I mentioned it on another forum, and @Progster was that a useless go-nowhere discussion?
Click to expand...
I found your viewpoint to be too narrow and rigid, and it fails to take into account variables such as: the country you grew up and educational policy towards people with disabilities, when you grew up, the policy of the particular school you attended, and family circumstances. What might be true for you and your circumstances might not be true for someone else.
 
Well, our education system does follow the British model that was spread by colonial rule. As for when one grew up, I actually did consider that, as it was implied that I wouldn't have gone through a mainstream school if I had grown up earlier.

I'm told that an aide being a condition for attending school was a condition at all schools that would have me.

The crux of the matter seems to be things like school desks, drills, books and notes and even punishment in the class rooms. These are common throughout the developed world, or at least the latter (punishment) was in the past.
 
Myrtonos said:
Well, our education system does follow the British model that was spread by colonial rule. As for when one grew up, I actually did consider that, as it was implied that I wouldn't have gone through a mainstream school if I had grown up earlier.

I'm told that an aide being a condition for attending school was a condition at all schools that would have me.

The crux of the matter seems to be things like school desks, drills, books and notes and even punishment in the class rooms. These are common throughout the developed world, or at least the latter (punishment) was in the past.
Click to expand...
I am older than you, I was at school in the 70s and 80s. My school didn't have aides, it had 'slow learners' classes, and also special schools. After two really bad/difficult years in middle school, it was suggested by the school that I should be put in a slow learners' class, or perhaps a special school. My parents refused and insisted that I stay where I was in mainstream. Instead, they arranged for me to have private remedial tutoring. It was that teacher who told my parents that she thought I had autism, but the GP said that I didn't have it because I had no speech delay. Instead, he said that my difficulties were due to my mum having died and my living with my grandparents. I was considered to be lazy, spoilt and naughty/badly behaved. Had this happened today, it is almost certain that I would have been diagnosed with ASD.

So, actually, the reason that I didn't go to a special school was that my parents insisted I stay in mainstream, but I did have an 'aide' in the form of a private remedial teacher.
 
I went to a Special Needs College in Grimsby, England from 1993 to 1995, from being just turned 17 to a week before my 19th birthday.

It was mostly great, I just couldn't get on with shared living in the main Hall, too many disagreements about simple stuff like what to watch on TV (in fact I once got beat up for changing the channel from The A Team on ITV to Brookside on Channel 4, they asked me what I wanted them to do about it, by rights I should've had them send for the Coppers, but no, they moved him into one of their shared Houses!)
 
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