parent-teacher

Today was our first parent teacher conference.  I wasn't sure what we were in for.  It went easily and the teacher and speech therapist were pleased with Gavin's "progress", by which they meant many things he has been able to do since before school started, like counting to 10, shape recognition, colors, etc.  I was thrilled to hear that he is drawing things in class.  He requires me to do all the drawing at home.  I saw a little circle, a line, and an "x" that he made.  Amazing!  He likes the kids.  He attends well.  They alluded to him being one of the most adept kids in the class.  That's good, but bad too.  I know he is smart and eager to learn and knows quite a bit of the early school concepts.  I also know his language is very limited and hard for him.  The fact that he is probably more skilled in language than most of his classmates isn't going to help him learn.   And I really want him to be challenged so he can improve his listening, processing, speech.  On the other hand, he's getting great experience in being part of a group, scheduled learning and activities, and interacting with kids his age.

I'm very happy that he is meeting their academic and social goals for the class, but am a bit concerned (okay, terrified!) at the mention of "regular" kindergarten next year.  Now, absolutely, positively, certainly I am thrilled that they think he's ready, and that they aren't telling me that they see him repeating special ed preschool next fall.  Awesome!  Yes!  Woohoo!  I'm just scared that he might fall apart in a classroom with 30 kids and one teacher instead of 15 kids and 4 adults.  I'm scared that he might not be able to focus on listening well enough to function well and therefore be seen as disruptive or just plain bad-mannered.  I'm scared that the teacher won't take his needs seriously enough and he will fall by the wayside.  He would need support.  And a spot close to the teacher, so he can pay attention more easily.  He will also need to accept that he needs to pull up his pants after visiting the bathroom on his own.  Would he make it through without tantrums and tears?

 And one of those kindergarten teachers down the hall is mean!  All I hear from her when I'm waiting for G is "You've got a green right now, buddy, but you're well on your way to a red!  Do you hear me?!" and "Ferdinand, I don't think your mom would like to hear about how you're acting.  Do you want me to call her and tell her?"  Eeeeek!  No way am I placing my sensitive little guy who has trouble processing what he hears in her classroom.  I think I really need to check out all our options thoroughly, especially since it's looking like G will not be in a specifically special ed class next year.  I wish I knew someone who had a kid just like G but two years older....