I was also impressed with how friendly the other kids are with my daughter! She is well-liked by her classmates and by other kids in the school. I hope this continues as well. While my daughter is VERY high-functioning with her autism, she still can be quite a bit different than the other kids. So far, either the other kids don't notice, or they just don't care. I'm assuming it's the latter, and I'm hoping it continues through her school-life.
After we saw all of her cool work and the snails, caterpillars, and sprouting beans (or non-sprouting, as is currently the case), we meandered to a first grade class to check out what the work is like there. Now the particular class we visited is known as being the advanced first grade class, but yikes! I was blown away by the level of work being done in that class! It looked on par with work I did in the fifth grade! It was pretty mind-blowing. I don't know if my daughter will be placed in the advanced class next year--or if there even will be an advanced class next year (we have a new principal, so we don't know how she's going to arrange the classes), but I'm a little nervous. My daughter is extremely smart, but it might be challenging getting her to perform at that level. Or maybe not--she's never ceases to amaze me!
I have a kindergartner too! She has NF and a prosthetic eye. People who know are asking me if the other kids tease her for wearing glasses and a fake eye. And I tell them they don't notice or don't care-whichever, its just not an issue. I think we're raising more tolerant children. I'm sure your daughter will do great. Children ALWAYS amaze us. Don't they?
ReplyDeleteBridgette
Aw I can't wait for all the school updates when my little man starts!! He will be starting nursery (in Ireland I think that's what they call pre-school...he goes when he is 3) in less than a year and a half!!
ReplyDeleteYou sound happy about it all though which is so great and friendly kids must put your mind at rest!
Stopped by from SITS... hope you have a lovely day!
I love kindergarten teachers. Wouldn't it be nice if they could just stay in K forever? What a wonderful world it would be...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful place! So glad your child is finding a home away from home!
ReplyDeleteStopping by from SITS
http://mommamaybemad.blogspot.com/2010/05/home-sick.html
Sounds like the teacher knows what she's doing!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a good teacher. It's great that you got home happy.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's bean never sprouted ;( I actually checked it and found it was just mush in the soil. I have no idea what went wrong.
Why are you having this open house so close to the end of school? Wouldn't it have been more useful at the beginning of school?
Melissa:
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the school year, they have a parents-only meeting where the teacher lays out the info how what her rules are and how the class operates, etc. The open house is at the end of the year where they pretty much show the kinds of things your child did during the year. The teacher doesn't talk with parents about how their child is doing. You have to set up a one-on-one meeting for that! My daughter's preschool had an open house also at this time of year. Maybe it's an L.A. thing?
does your daughter attend regular school? she sounds pretty amazing! i suppose your child's teacher was very much appreciated this past teacher appreciation day :)
ReplyDeleteshuttling in from SITS :)
How exciting! That is wonderful that your daughter has such a great teacher.
ReplyDeleteHappy SITS Saturday Sharefest!
Aha! The Cheryl D. I keep seeing popping up at SITS and elsewhere! I'm also a Cheryl D. but only use Cheryl (I'm a minimalist).
ReplyDeleteSounds like your daughter is flourishing. I agree, kids could stay in kindergarten forever.
i used to live in africa. we left when our two year old son was electrocuted. although he was revived his right hand was almost burned off and the part of the brain that controls language function was destroyed.
ReplyDeleteafter returning to the states he was immediately put into a pre-primary program for kids with severe learning problems. from that point until he went to middle school and we put him into a christian school he had an IEP. if your daughter has autism she must have one too.
i also have a phd in education and have taught at the university level on equity in education. one thing i deal a lot with is PL 94 142. and what i tell my students when i teach is that the law can be interpreted in so many ways--least restrictive environment--what does that mean?
once a district goes past the federal funding they receive for children with an IEP there is documented case after case where the best decision has not always been made in favor of the child. i certainly ran into teachers of my own son who (for whatever reason) did not have his best interest in mind when they'd make decisions about his schooling.
unfortunately, the self-fulfilling prophecy "oh he has an IEP so...he has little to contribute..." got played out more than once by his "regular" classroom teachers. and i had to fight teachers every step of the way who felt that way about him.
do not forget because she has an IEP YOU are in charge of what happens to your daughter in terms of her educational program. YOU and her father are the only ones who will fight for her.
i believe that a good many of the teachers and principals want the the best for the children who have an IEP--but not all do. and there are other factors that influence decisions about what happens to the children with special learning needs.
i urge you to be that tenacious advocate for your daughter. if you are not happy with her placement--become that protective lioness.
my son, ted, finished college. he had to work three times as hard as his siblings and most kids. but he had phenomenal resource room teachers who helped him learn how he learns (meta cognition) and to build on his strengths to compensate for his weaknesses. he's a wonderful, kind human being with a rich and happy life.
i hope your daughter has a wonderful first grade experience---and as long as you're there as her advocate and fight for her--she'll blossom.
good luck. found your blog on SITS. drop by mine anytime. love folks dropping in and leaving comments. dianeswords.wordpress.com
Don't you wish the whole world was as accepting as a kindergartener? If we all just took each other as we are instead of trying to compare them to some template, we'd all be so much happier. (Who made that template anyway?)
ReplyDeleteSITS sister.