The school year has started here with a few minor speed bumps. Just a week and a half before school started Irene hit. Lots of flooding throughout the area. The rain would clear up for a day or two just to come back with a vengeance. School started the way it had ended in June...on a humid, dreary day. A bit disappointing but we met it straight on with positive determination. Two days later, schools around the area were closed due to flooding. It seems Mother Nature has had her panties in a bit of a twist. The weather will be cool one moment, hot and humid the next, followed by rain. Sigh. I just want fall to be cool and crisp without the heat and humidity. We've gotten a tease of it but it's left me begging for more.
Weather news aside, the school year has gone really well so far. I'm almost afraid I'm going to jinx it by feeling so positive. Goalieboy has been right in sync with things with little or no complaint. That's a major accomplishment here. He's very opinionated and full of boy drama. So far, most of it hasn't been over the top.
I thought we would have some issues with him wearing his new (purple!) hearing aids to school but amazingly that has been a non issue. He seems more comfortable and confident with them. I think the timing was right getting them right after school was over in June. He was always self conscience of his old one (he only had a single loaner one for three months). I think he's really embraced them. They are really helping him in so many ways. I'm amazed that I rarely have to remind him in the mornings to put them on. The only issues we seem to have is the tug of war after he's taken them off because he's been playing outside. At that point, I think he's just done with them for the day. I think what works best for us is just keeping a routine then he knows what's expected.
School is going (dare I say) great so far. He likes most of his classmates and his teachers. He's in a co-teaching model classroom. Before this year it was called a collaborative class. For those unfamiliar with this (these didn't exist when I was in school) concept: It's a classroom with two teachers. One is regular ed(ucation) and the other is special ed. The class they teach is a mix of regular kids and kids with IEP (Individual Education Plans). Most of the IEP children have always been in the general ed setting while a few are graduated into it from the special education classroom. It's great in theory and potentially fantastic with the right mix of teachers and kids.
Third grade is the first grade it is offered to children in our school if there are enough students (and teachers) to make up a class. It didn't go that well for us last year. The class was big (26 students) and chaotic. The teachers didn't teach as well together as I had heard they had done in years past. Nothing seemed to mesh and it was frustrating for everyone. It just didn't work and Goalieboy suffered from it.
This year seems to be a different case. As I observed the two teachers during last weeks open house I was very impressed. They appear to work well together and have good chemistry.
I'm excited to say, Goalieboy seems engaged in class. I can ask him several hours after pickup about his day and he can give me clear details. Last year, it was mainly the dreaded, "I don't remember." response. Last night, during dinner, he regaled me about what he was learning in social studies. He was giving me names of states, oceans and lakes. His teachers are reaching him! What a wonderful thing. I'm so excited!
His teachers seem to really care about their students. Today I emailed them after school (which I've never done before) because Goalieboy had a meltdown over a math worksheet. He knew how to do the work and didn't get why he needed to show it a certain way. I put out the fire the best I could by telling him to do it his way and I would ask the teachers about it. One of his teachers called me at 6 pm because she didn't want him upset over it. She said she read the words homework and meltdown and felt she had to call me right away. She didn't want him upset over this. We cleared up the issue (which was nothing major, which I figured). We also discussed a few things such as, sometimes he will take a quiz/do a worksheet and not fully comprehend what a question is asking. He'll get it partly wrong because he didn't answer it completely. When I reviewed a few papers with him he instantly knew what the correct answers were. So, his one teacher will be discussing this with the Special Ed teacher to see what we can do to make sure he is fully understanding what the question is asking. I'm in awe. I think we're on the same page. It's frustrating for him to get something wrong that he knows but is not answering it right because he doesn't understand the question. Hopefully we can come up with a workable solution.
We've agreed to set up a face to face meeting in a few weeks and review how he's doing. I have a good feeling about this year. I think it has potential to be a year where he progresses to where he needs to be. I'm excited and filled with hope.
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