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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

If kids are having behavioral or academic issues it makes sense to have them evaluated. [/quote]

Sure - particularly if a kid is struggling in multiple settings.  However, when a kid is only struggling in one particular setting and when it is not just that kid, but half the class, it makes one wonder.  It's both, and.

There is also an issue of how such a message is delivered.  Had a teacher said, "oh, I wonder if this might be an issue with your child, have you considered an evaluation?" that's a very reasonable message.  And if the parent said, "oh, huh.  That's interesting, I've never seen that behavior before, I wonder if they are struggling with something about the school day," it would also be reasonable for a teacher to reflect on that and what structural changes might support the child and then go from there.

These are not the sort of conversations that parents were having with the lead teacher.  The conversations went more like, "You must take Jimmy to the pediatrician."  Parent, "Whoa... what's going on... I had no idea there were any issues.  We didn't notice anything at home and Jimmy did great at preschool."  Teacher:  "I can see that you are also concerned about Jimmy's behavior, I'm so glad that you plan to take him to the pediatrician and then report back to me."  Parent: "No, I'm saying that I've never seen that behavior before.  Could there be something happening in school that Jimmy is struggling with?"   "Oh, well, its nothing that is happening at school.  This is your child's problem.  Your child is acting very unusually.  All the other kids are fine, just Jimmy is struggling.  All the teachers agree on this.  We all think there is a problem that must be urgently addressed by your pediatrician.  I really must insist.  Parents are often in denial, but I am a professional."

What's funny, is that other parents reported having similar conversations.  Almost all of us coop in the classrooms too and see a fair range of behavior.  It is simply not true to say that one kid only is struggling.  The quieter kids seems to do okay, and the livelier (or bored) kids don't.  I'd say it was somewhere between 1/3 to a 1/2 of the class.  So, if the school is really designed for quiet kids who prefer to learn by listening or independently, that's absolutely fine, but perhaps that should be in the promotional material or part of the admissions screening and perhaps parents should be informed that if they have a livelier child, that child might be considered a problem.

It is really important to this discussion to note that the founders are really into the Aha Parenting approach and the school operates with an absence of traditional discipline or reward structures.  This was a selling point to many of the parents who joined, including myself.  I don't know if it is the theory or the implementation of this approach, but it seems like many of the young kids struggle to get the memo on what behaviors are acceptable.  Or maybe they get the memo but aren't motivated to follow it.  (and even if they say there is no memo... clearly there is.)   If the non-coercive behavior program isn't working, does that necessarily indicate that a child has a intrinsic problem requiring medication or therapy?  Maybe the method isn't working?  Maybe the implementation is off?  Or maybe it only works for half the kids?   Whatever it is, this is something that the school should be curious about.  I'm certainly curious about it.

What doesn't make sense is to say that the method is perfect and that all kids are allowed freedom to grow and develop at their own pace, and then be telling the parents of 1/3 to 1/2 of your students that their children have problems and referring them out to medical assessment/intervention.    
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