Sean McElwee was born with Down syndrome, and entered his neighborhood school as a general education kindergarten student with the supports, accommodations and modifications he needed to be successful. He was included in all aspects of his elementary school; learned to read, exceled in math, performed in Talent Shows and most of all made many friends. Elementary school was such a wonderful learning and nurturing experience-then the horrors of Secondary school began-and sadly never ended. Struggling to be included where the students were welcoming but the educational staff was ignorant of...

Sean McElwee was successfully fully included in elementary school with all of the supports, accommodations and modifications he needed to succeed. This book introduced him to all of the first grade classes, and facilitated his acceptance. He was included in all aspects of his school, learned to read, excelled in math, performed in talent shows and most of all made many friends. Sean continued his education and graduated from high school at 17 years old. You can read about his education experiences in Who's The Slow Learner? A Chronicle of Inclusion and Exclusion. Introducing the facts,...

Sean McElwee has lived a rich extracurricular life. As a student, he played every sport offered, joined Cub Scouts, attended dances, and even dated a celebrity. Sean, who has Down syndrome, functions according to a combination of the "it's easier to gain forgiveness than permission" principle and the Nike tag line, "Just Do It " Who's the Slow Learner? Adventures in Independence offers a series of poignant and often hilarious anecdotes about Sean and his parents as they support and facilitate Sean's life skills education at home through extracurricular activities. Follow along as he learns...