Aspie kids in Waldorf?

[Katielady]

My son has SPD and I'm starting to suspect high-functioning Aspergers. He's only 5 so I'm trying not to pathologize him too much, but still, I'm noticing stuff that seems to fit a certain pattern. My daughter (3) is attending a Waldorf preschool and I absolutely love it for her. I would love to send my son too, but I'm wondering whether it would be a good fit for him. He is not interested in imaginative play, never has been, except maybe when a peer leads it. He's fine-motor delayed and not super interested in art, so I wonder how he'd do long-term with the focus on art. There are so many positives for him, of course. His tendency to get overloaded by too much sensory input would be instantly addressed by the soothing calm environment, and he would flourish with so much opportunity to move. We're also working out whether we can afford it, and my husband is hesitant about the media policy.

Anyway, I'm just curious if anyone out there with a kid with similar issues has been part of a Waldorf school, and how that has worked for your family.

[Melaniee]

Have you taken any tours of the school yet? You might want to start there to give you a better idea of what a typical Waldorf classroom and lesson looks like.  When you speak of sensory overload I was immediately thinking of lessons where the kids stand in circles clapping and stomping to do math lessons. Of course perhaps not all teachers do that, but my point is that the calm and soothing nature of the Nursery and Kindergarten do not necessarily extend to all of the grades.  They may also discuss any tuition assistance programs they have on the tour, as well. 

[Rik-E]

My son attends a waldorf inpired school. He is an aspie with SPD & anxiety issues. The waldorf style of teaching is awesome for special kids in my opinion. All the arts, handwork, and extra movement are especially nice for the SPD issues. Yes, he does have his 'bad days' when he has a hard time. But overall he loves his school & really wants to keep attending. And of course the academics - although becasue of his anxiety issues he often thinks the opposite, he is doing very well with the academics too.