I have officially changed my name to CONFUSED!
I spoke with Mrs. Williams (the principal) yesterday...and asked her if she had been updated on my situation and the situation involving Sam. She said she had talked to both Mrs Taylor (homeroom), Mrs Angel (reading) , AND Mrs Fullerton (guidance counselor and runs his friendship group)...and after speaking to them AND reviewing his files from last year....
He is doing ok, and fine.
Now correct me if I'm wrong but if a teacher calls you 3 or 4 times to tell you your son isn't socializing well, or is "disconnected" in class...wouldn't you want to find out WHY.?
So you try to look into it..speaking to everyone involved with your son to get their advice..(especially School personnel)
You have his MAIN teacher (the one who has called you those times)...tell you she has an issue and thinks Sam may be "to young" for 2nd grade..that his age seems to play a role in his level of comprehension.... and "maybe he isn't ready" or it's ADD.....
You hear from his main teacher that his reading teacher has ALSO said this...
So you call his guidance counselor to get advice..have her tell you SHE has actually been leading the friendship group and he has GROWN wonderfully..... and from the interaction SHE'S observed....he IS on the shy side...but gets comfortable quickly and seems fine. He DOES need a nudge every now and then though. Then goes on to say she has seen him in the hall and he actually STOPS and engages some of the 1st graders in conversation, and she says, seems EXTREMELY comfortable. Maybe, she suggests..he would be more comfortable...
SO..
You call the principal to arrange a meeting between all of you so you can sit down with everyone at once and make an educated decision...
She calls you back and tells you the above..."It's FINE"...
oh, wait....
she also said I should take him to an allergist....
lol
he MAY have developed allergies in the move here, and has a constant head cold that keeps him in a fog, and affects his hearing. Thus the feeling of "disconnection"
I tell her I am willing to do whatever at this point.... but I STILL want that meeting.
She has a call come up, has to go, and will call me back to schedule one.
Mmmm Hmmmm.
I'm so so sorry you are going through all this. I'm trying to get it all sorted out. Sam's teacher obviously cares about him because she *is* calling you to keep you in the loop. Too bad her info is so confusing.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't recommend moving Sammy back to 1st grade this year. As a former second grade teacher I would say it is simply too late in the year to make a change. Stick it out until the end of the year and do it next year.
I'm sure Sammy isn't happy with the idea (what kiddo ever is?), but honestly, holding him back a year won't hurt him at all. In fact, he'll be leaps and bounds ahead of his classmates, having had ALL the material the previous year--everything is REVIEW! This in turn SHOULD help boost his confidence in himself and his abilities. I used to take the retention children under my wing and tell them I needed them to help me model good behavior since they had already done second grade, and asked if they could please be my special helpers throughout the year.
I NEVER made a big deal about the fact they were "repeating" in front of the other kiddos, though, it was just between the two of us. The other kiddos didn't need to know and if the retainee wanted to share, it was his/her business, not mine.
Okay, I'm writing a book here. Email me if there is anything I can help you with. SERIOUSLY!! :o)
ugh!! i cant believe you haven't called me! I've been through this with kaleb!!! your a wonderful mother and some people just want to blame something and label a child so that they don't have to do their job to the fullest! talk to his doctor..they have questioners that you can fill out and that will tell you if you think he has add or adhd. DON'T let them label him before you have had a chance to research things. chances are...he's just taking longer to adjust to the move.....hang in there chika and CALL ME!!
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