Schools with a good "social curriculum" in the lower school?

[Anonymous]

My DS is socially awkward, but very smart. We are looking for a private that would help foster social skills. Are there any area privates that are particularly known for this?

[Anonymous]

Lowell seems a very kind and forgiving place for awkwardness.

[Anonymous]

Might consider a social skills class for your child. There is a great place in falls church that leads 16 once weekly sessions. I have heard great things.

[Anonymous]

McLean has it as part of the curriculum in the lower school.

I know of a socially awkward child who had a terrible time at Lowell.

[Anonymous]

I'd advise getting a great private psychologist for the child (if you don't already have one) to work on social skills and then finding a small and nurturing school with a kind atmosphere. I don't think any of the schools' "social curriculum" are going to be enough to truly help a kid who needs special help and I would focus on kindness instead and do the skill-building outside of school. I speak as a parent of a child with Aspergers at a private school.

[Anonymous]

What grade?

If you want a school that explicity teaches social skills, consider Maddux. But it ends after 2nd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd advise getting a great private psychologist for the child (if you don't already have one) to work on social skills and then finding a small and nurturing school with a kind atmosphere. I don't think any of the schools' "social curriculum" are going to be enough to truly help a kid who needs special help and I would focus on kindness instead and do the skill-building outside of school. I speak as a parent of a child with Aspergers at a private school.

Would you mind sharing the kind and nurturing school you found? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

McLean, Sheridan, Oneness

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd advise getting a great private psychologist for the child (if you don't already have one) to work on social skills and then finding a small and nurturing school with a kind atmosphere. I don't think any of the schools' "social curriculum" are going to be enough to truly help a kid who needs special help and I would focus on kindness instead and do the skill-building outside of school. I speak as a parent of a child with Aspergers at a private school.

Not every kid who is socially awkward has Aspergers. Sometimes a nurturing environment is enough.

[Anonymous]

If you're looking for a small school with a kind, caring culture that will recognize and work with social awkwardness, then I would recommend Grace Episcopal Day School in Kensington. Small classes, a culture that emphasizes a focus on the whole child, and a warm and caring group of teachers who know how to teach to young children.

[Anonymous]

Oneness might be a great fit. They are a very forgiving bunch of kids for the most part. And the teachers are with small groups of them so they can help with dynamics if necessary. I'd take a look at it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean has it as part of the curriculum in the lower school.

I know of a socially awkward child who had a terrible time at Lowell.

Really? Would you mind sharing a bit of their experience at Lowell, if you know details, and when this was? Also how old were they , please.

[Anonymous]

Grace Episcopal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean has it as part of the curriculum in the lower school.

I know of a socially awkward child who had a terrible time at Lowell.

Really? Would you mind sharing a bit of their experience at Lowell, if you know details, and when this was? Also how old were they , please.

A child who had to leave because of social problems and the school was not helpful. I don't want to identify.

As the mother of a child with AS I can tell you that there's a difference between schools that are progressive and tolerant and schools that have a social curriculum. Many of you love your DC's schools and thats great. You may find it a very inclusive, nurturing environment. But that is not the same thing as a school that actively works on pragmatics and social skills as part of its curriculum. And children who benefit from that are not necessarily on the spectrum. So if you are suggesting a school simply because you have a typical child there and it seems like a kind place, you may want to hold off because OP is looking for something more specific.

OP, you might post in the SN section. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd advise getting a great private psychologist for the child (if you don't already have one) to work on social skills and then finding a small and nurturing school with a kind atmosphere. I don't think any of the schools' "social curriculum" are going to be enough to truly help a kid who needs special help and I would focus on kindness instead and do the skill-building outside of school. I speak as a parent of a child with Aspergers at a private school.

Would you mind sharing the kind and nurturing school you found? Thanks.

I'm not in the area anymore, but I would focus on small schools. I don't think having a social curriculum matters nearly as much as the school's atmosphere. One of my children goes to a larger school with a touted social curriculum, and my experience is that the social curriculum is much more about managing the behavior of the class as a whole by working on cooperation, self-control, and focus rather than about helping individual children to negotiate social interactions more successfully.