Parent Teacher Conference

Yesterday evening I went to The Boy's school to visit with his teachers. The parent teacher conference. I think his attending preschool since he was three did more than prepare him for life after preschool. I remember the first one I went to. I was so nervous. I don't know why. I'm weird, I know.

All kindergartners are sent home everyday with a "behavior chart." Sometimes his para will write a note letting us know what mischief he's been up to. At the beginning of the year this often consisted of him not wanting to go to the carpet. They eventually got him a little chair to sit in at the carpet and that seems to be helping.

As of late the notes usually deal with his unwillingness to come in once recess is over. I always try to talk to him about his behavior on the days that he gets those little notes. Apparently when it's time to come in he'll go and lay down on his stomach in the tunnel and rest his hands on his chin and grin. He knows exactly what he is doing. I later learned, from Granny, that they've had him miss recess when he does this. I think a lot of this behavior is him still testing the waters. To see what and how much he can get away with. There are some days, though, with no notes just a sticker. Being a mother, his mother more specifically, this doesn't always sit well with me either.

These are things that I had planned to discuss with his teachers. First, though, was their orders of business. In the conference was his Kindergarten teacher and his Resource, or Special Education, teacher. Generally, it seems, they find that he is a joy to work with. They love his personality (something I assured them he has a lot of). And they are thrilled with the progress he is making. He loves doing letters and has already exceeded the goal on his IEP for identifying at least 7 letters. Unfortunately he doesn't quite have the same enthusiasm for numbers. It appears that math won't be his strong suit. At least not at this point. At home we read a lot and I find him pointing out letters and identifying colors like there is no tomorrow. I think I need to shift more of our focus and activities to involving more numbers.

Another item of business they were informing me of is he will be having some testing done in the next couple of months. Every three years he will have to be reevaluated to determine the need for him to have all these "extra" services. Including in this test will be his first ever IQ test. Haven't decided how I feel about this. I think I'm OK with it. With this IQ test will come the inevitable "label." For now, since he is still young, they'll call it a "developmental delay." As he gets older they may attach another label. One with a much more negative connotation. I suppose we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I think what it comes down to is it is something for someone to have something to write down so that my boy can have the extra help that he needs. For that reason I don't think I'm ready to get worked up over a label.

After we went through all of this I discussed my concern over not really knowing how and what he is doing all day. It isn't as if he comes home and tells me everything that he's done (and not done) during his school day. I do recognize that his teachers both have many students that they work with during the day. The solution, for now, is to have a little notebook in his folder that is sent home everyday for one of his para's to write a note or two about how he is doing. This is something that we did during preschool. I think it is the best solution for us.

In the end I feel like it went well. I'm happy to know that he isn't driving everyone crazy. That he is better behaved at school than he sometimes is at home. That everyone there is as pleased with his progress as I am. Again I count my blessings that he has another educated, dedicated and loving group of people to work with.