So we were given the opportunity to be a part of a "Special Needs" dance class recently. It all seems like a great idea for McKenzie. Yes well, it should have been an awesome experience for her, because she is such a music lover and dancer.
So according to the owner of the dance studio, (I will not say names; but if you live in the Ontario area and want to know, just ask me), this was a class for all special needs where there would be a helper for each child. They wanted to have the children learn the basics of ballet. Sounds great right???
Well, for the first couple of weeks we had a young girl helper for McKenzie. But I think if you know McKenzie, well let's say dance structured class for 45 minutes made her a bit restless. This class really was taught exactly how a normal dance class would be taught. No free dance, just floor stretching, and pointing, and lining up in front of the mirrors to do the positions. Sounds like fun right?
Well, Kenz did have fun, but she would get a bit distracted and start running around the room. Which would have been fine in a class actually made for special needs kids, but a definite no no in this one.
So by the time the third week rolled around she didn't have a helper. There were two children who had something wrong with their legs, (one used a walker and the other a leg board), which was awesome to see them working hard in the class, but Kenz' helper was moved over to them, giving them two helpers a piece. Don't get me started about the time I came home in tears, because when Kenz was being herself and goofing around, these two kids mothers were whispering to each other and staring down Kenz; shaking their heads and giving the condescending look at me. (Might be my imagination like everyone seems to think, but I don't think so.)
Sometimes the teacher would work with Kenzie, but for the most part it was me. Even though I was never asked to be her helper, which I would never had had a problem with helping her considering I took years and years of dance as a child. But on the other hand, she was suppose to have a helper.
Whatever, I overlooked this because she seemed to really like this class. But then they started to cancel classes, (which right now I am wondering if they just cancelled for her; you'll see why in a moment).
Then a couple of weeks ago, we go to class, and the teacher is working somewhat with Mckenzie, (even though there is another helper just sitting on a chair in the back of the room, because her kid wasn't there.) So the teacher has the kids start working on their Christmas concert routine. Wait what? What Christmas concert? We were never told about it, and had never worked on anything. As I said above, was this because they cancelled McKenzie's class, but not anyone else's. Or did they just fail to tell me about it? Either way, makes you think that they didn't want her involved with it.
So during this class, Kenz starts to run around again, and the teacher actually asks me to help, because she has to watch the rest of the class. Wow really? Even though there is another helper just sitting? Okay, sure. But of course she gets away from me, and the teacher grabs her from around the back leaning over her head....and bounce. Kenz, not on purpose, jumps and hits the teacher's chin.
Well, we all know it was an accident, but............
Dear Lana
It is with sincere regret that I have to ask you to withdraw MacKenzie from the class.
Our volunteers are just young kids and are not able to provide the help that MacKenzie needs.
As I have to supervise the entire class I am not able to spend the necessary time with MacKenzie.
She is very sweet and I know that she responds well to me and I wish I could have been of more help to her and yourself.
I am hoping that there is another program that will meet MacKenzie's needs better than ours could offer.
I wish you all the best,
Sincerely
Melanie
Two classes left is all we had, but I got this after she bonked the teacher, that was the only difference this week. So give me your opinions. Kenz was the only autistic child in the class that I know of. But I really think she got the short end of the stick, because she doesn't talk, and the class was not structured in a way she could work with. And she is just different.
I don't know, I am still a little mad about it, because it was an accident. So like I said I won't say the name of the studio, but if any parent wants a dance class for their special needs child or even their neurotypical child, I will never recommend this place. Never ever ever.
