Post by LurkNoMore on Sept 23, 2004 10:46:57 GMT -5
Hi all,
We had "meet the teacher" night last night at C's new school. To catch some of you up to speed, he is in 5th grade in a self-contained class this year. The school has 3 self-contained classes...k-2, 3-4 and 5th gr along with 2 reg. ed. classes per grade. We got there early, so we could meet the "specials" teachers and talk to the social worker. All of them seem really nice and enthusiastic.
C had said the gym teacher looked like a teenager (and he was right)...it is his 2nd year teaching. His focus with the 5th graders is to build on the gross motor skills that they have learned in the past and do sports...right now it's "conditioning", next will be soccer. He also works on character education and sportsmanship (the kids in self-contained get divided up and go to the specials with one of the reg. ed classes...and into that class for anything they are mainstreamed for). We caught him in the hallway and briefly asked him about C...he said he is doing great...they are working on stretching (he has OT and has had PT in the past) because his muscles get tight.
We talked to the social worker (who I have known for a long time...since C was a baby). She said she thinks C is settling in nicely and asked what we think (we agreed). She said she could tell he had a rough time and is hard on himself based on some of his comments during "social group". She will work on that with him. She also mentioned at this point, they are still assessing his skills and abilities and, therefore, won't start mainstreaming him yet (maybe next month). Hubby & I are fine with that (we had just talked about it at dinner b-4 we went)...we want the focus of this year to give C the skills he will need to go to middle school next year (and don't want to be concerned or set a timetable for when he needs to be mainstreamed again).
Next we met the teacher...one funny thing was the kids were at a friend's house while we were going to the Open House, so Mr. Lurk and I went out for a quick dinner at a local pizza place. It was teacher night there (C's 3rd grade teacher and a 5th grade teacher from his old school, the TAG - Talented & Gifted - teachers, and (what we didn't realize until after we left) a table full of the 5th grade teachers (and the speech paths) from his current school. Mr. Lurk thought it was his teacher, but since I had only met her once, I thought she looked familiar, but didn't know from where. We had a good laugh at the Open House about that (joking that next time we see each other out to eat, we will say hello)!
Sorry to go off on a tangent...Mrs. L seems very nice - this is her first year teaching (she graduated last Dec. - this is her 2nd career...I think she is in her early 30's), last year she was at the school from Jan - June covering a maternity leave. The speech path. that is in the classroom most of the day has been with all of the other kids for years. She gave us an outline of what they do everyday, gave us a list of fieldtrips, special events and projects. She told us that C is doing well, since his reading is advanced, he will be his own reading group. She said since he has a wide range of interests (and knowledge about those interests), he's been teaching the other kids stuff.
We also spoke to the OT (thankfully, not the OT from hell from the other school). Mr. Lurk surprised me by remembering that this OT (who we only met once when C was in K) is a big believer in sensory integration so HE brought it up to her! I mentioned the OT from the other school and the fiasco with the weighted vest in K. She said at this point she is still getting to know C and is letting him "lead the way", but she will see if she can incorporate some SI with him. She has given him some fidget toys (HE actually mentioned this to me when he was doing his homework the other night...that when he is done with his work, he gets fidgety...never had that kind of self-awareness/communication from him before!). One of the things is for him to bite on...she said it is a pen-holder he can wear around his neck (like nurses will wear) and is meant to be bitten!
Basically, we were left with a really good feeling and that we made the right decision for his placement this year.
What a relief!!!
Sorry to write a novel...I just want to get it all down and keep you all updated!
{{{{{Hugs}}}}}
We had "meet the teacher" night last night at C's new school. To catch some of you up to speed, he is in 5th grade in a self-contained class this year. The school has 3 self-contained classes...k-2, 3-4 and 5th gr along with 2 reg. ed. classes per grade. We got there early, so we could meet the "specials" teachers and talk to the social worker. All of them seem really nice and enthusiastic.
C had said the gym teacher looked like a teenager (and he was right)...it is his 2nd year teaching. His focus with the 5th graders is to build on the gross motor skills that they have learned in the past and do sports...right now it's "conditioning", next will be soccer. He also works on character education and sportsmanship (the kids in self-contained get divided up and go to the specials with one of the reg. ed classes...and into that class for anything they are mainstreamed for). We caught him in the hallway and briefly asked him about C...he said he is doing great...they are working on stretching (he has OT and has had PT in the past) because his muscles get tight.
We talked to the social worker (who I have known for a long time...since C was a baby). She said she thinks C is settling in nicely and asked what we think (we agreed). She said she could tell he had a rough time and is hard on himself based on some of his comments during "social group". She will work on that with him. She also mentioned at this point, they are still assessing his skills and abilities and, therefore, won't start mainstreaming him yet (maybe next month). Hubby & I are fine with that (we had just talked about it at dinner b-4 we went)...we want the focus of this year to give C the skills he will need to go to middle school next year (and don't want to be concerned or set a timetable for when he needs to be mainstreamed again).
Next we met the teacher...one funny thing was the kids were at a friend's house while we were going to the Open House, so Mr. Lurk and I went out for a quick dinner at a local pizza place. It was teacher night there (C's 3rd grade teacher and a 5th grade teacher from his old school, the TAG - Talented & Gifted - teachers, and (what we didn't realize until after we left) a table full of the 5th grade teachers (and the speech paths) from his current school. Mr. Lurk thought it was his teacher, but since I had only met her once, I thought she looked familiar, but didn't know from where. We had a good laugh at the Open House about that (joking that next time we see each other out to eat, we will say hello)!
Sorry to go off on a tangent...Mrs. L seems very nice - this is her first year teaching (she graduated last Dec. - this is her 2nd career...I think she is in her early 30's), last year she was at the school from Jan - June covering a maternity leave. The speech path. that is in the classroom most of the day has been with all of the other kids for years. She gave us an outline of what they do everyday, gave us a list of fieldtrips, special events and projects. She told us that C is doing well, since his reading is advanced, he will be his own reading group. She said since he has a wide range of interests (and knowledge about those interests), he's been teaching the other kids stuff.
We also spoke to the OT (thankfully, not the OT from hell from the other school). Mr. Lurk surprised me by remembering that this OT (who we only met once when C was in K) is a big believer in sensory integration so HE brought it up to her! I mentioned the OT from the other school and the fiasco with the weighted vest in K. She said at this point she is still getting to know C and is letting him "lead the way", but she will see if she can incorporate some SI with him. She has given him some fidget toys (HE actually mentioned this to me when he was doing his homework the other night...that when he is done with his work, he gets fidgety...never had that kind of self-awareness/communication from him before!). One of the things is for him to bite on...she said it is a pen-holder he can wear around his neck (like nurses will wear) and is meant to be bitten!
Basically, we were left with a really good feeling and that we made the right decision for his placement this year.
What a relief!!!
Sorry to write a novel...I just want to get it all down and keep you all updated!
{{{{{Hugs}}}}}
Lurk, wow great news! Its so nice to start the year off and every one is so interested in the success of C. It sounds like you have a teacher who loves kids. The chew pen, on a string, who would have thought? My son just chewed off the erasers, and then worked on the pencil 
He also took the erasers, and flung them at other kids, but thats another story. 
Keep us updated. JV