Special needs schools

Special needs schools have had a stigma or negative connotation attached to it, like it was something to be ashamed of. In more recent times, special needs schools are much more accepted and understood. Some children cannot cope in mainstream schools, this could be due to a visible disability like blindness or a less apparent disability like ADHD. Many kids need extra help and attention to be able to perform well academically and keep up with the curriculum. Special needs schools provide this extra attention and support that kids with special needs need in order to thrive.

A student with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. Symptoms of ADHD can range from mild to severe, it depends on the person’s unique genetic make-up and environment. Some people are somewhat inattentive or hyperactive when they perform a task they don’t like, but they have the ability to focus on tasks they do like. Others can experience more severe symptoms during both enjoyable and disliked tasks. These symptoms can affect a student at school, at home and in social situations.

A student with ADHD will struggle in the classroom as the tasks that these students find difficult such as sitting still and concentrating are the ones they are required to implement during class time. These students will also struggle at home when it is time for homework and completing assignments.

These students will also struggle with their confidence in themselves and their capabilities. Special needs schools also play an important role here as the students are in an environment that supports them and gives them the attention they need as well as they are surrounded by other students who also struggle in a similar way to them.

At Catch-up Kids we help students who are falling behind in their classes, whether it be mainstream schooling or a special needs school. A few of these students have ADHD or struggle with similar symptoms as ADHD. These students come to Catch Up Kids in the afternoons after their day at school.

Each catch-up kid will have a supervisor, a team lead as well as a team that is dedicated to helping the student keep up with their school curriculum as well as build the skills that the student is lacking such as memory or attention. The supervisor will develop a program that targets these specific problem areas so that the child can practice and develop those skills at the centre after school.

A typical afternoon for a catch-up kid would include doing homework as well as the lessons recommended by the supervisor. These lessons can be auditory memory, sight words, sustained attention, emotional coping strategies and more.

In conclusion, special needs schools provide students with the extra attention and support they need to cope with the curriculum. Catch Up Kids also provides this support by helping students with homework and also running lessons that target the deficit areas of the students to not only help them along but give them the tools they need to develop and grow.