an extraordinary school for children with autism
Philososphy
We believe that all children develop and grow in a language rich, project based school which emphasizes thinking, reading and writing, cooperation and creativity. We help children with autism access this environment by using an eclectic toolbox of teaching methods and technology.
We believe everyone needs to communicate. We provide a variety of supports for language learners at all levels including visual supports, speech language therapy, PROMPT, assistive technology, rapid prompt and typing text.
We believe all children should be challenged to be as physically fit as possible and have daily swimming, hiking, ice skating and movement programs. We also work with experienced speech and occupational therapists to develop movement and sensory programs for each child to insure they are regulated throughout the day and able to sustain academic learning.
We teach with the brain in mind, integrating our curriculum into thematic studies and respect each learners’ right to meaningful learning. Children have access to a variety of technology and many kinds of experiences, from gardening to cooking, and learning across a variety of settings.
We believe in using a variety of research based strategies to teach children with autism including functional behavioral assessments, structured teaching, discrete trial, video modeling, visual supports, social stories, the use of schedules and routines and the direct teaching of social skills.
Teachers, parents and students are committed to learning together and bringing the latest research and best teaching methods to the Camellia School.
Thematic Learning
Many children learn best when things fit together into a motivating and fun package at school. Last year we embarked on a year long study of food. This provided many opportunities for learning: the social cultural study of foods around the world, the meaning of enough food and providing for others and the understanding of where food comes from and how farms produce foods. Students learned to read maps, collect data and write reports.They used
technology to create reports and share what they learned with others.
They were also actively involved in exploring the world of food. From the fish market to the sushi bar and bakery, they saw and tasted a wide variety of foods. They learned to read recipes, write grocery lists, shop for ingredients, and cook everything from apple pie to stir fry. Through these experiences, children learned who they were and how to participate in their world. They also become caring people, who felt for a hurt friend and wanted to feed the hungry.
