The Best of Both Worlds
Submitted by Joanne Bregman
My daughter, Maya, has attended Blakemore Children’s Center in Nashville, Tennessee, for the past two years. Maya has a rare metabolic disorder and a constellation of difficulties. After spending almost three years in a center with only children with disabilities, we decided it was time for her to be educated with her typically developing peers so that she would have other children to learn from. We were turned away from several centers, but how lucky for us since we ultimately found Blakemore, a multi-age, fully inclusive, NAEYC-(National Association for the Education of Young Children-see Resources for contact information) accredited early childhood daycare and education program.
While the teachers and director were not “special-ed trained,” they had a belief system that all children belonged and that every child had needs that they would work to meet. The staff believe so strongly about maintaining a diverse student population that the center reserves 20 percent of its enrollment capacity for children with special needs. They are also undertaking a major fundraising effort to renovate their playground into one that is universally accessible. They partner with the local school system so that my daughter has the best of both worlds: being included as an equal and valued peer, while at the same time receiving the supports from speech, occupational, and physical therapists.
My daughter has blossomed in this setting and will have the best foundation to be included in kindergarten. Equally important is that Blakemore serves as a practicum site for student teachers and other early childcare providers in training so that they can learn, firsthand, the benefits gained for all children when children with disabilities are included. A million thanks to Miss Bonnie, Geraldine, Barbara, Fran, Rita, Mary, and Michelle for all they have given my daughter and all the other children lucky enough to attend Blakemore Children’s Center.
