I don't know about your families, but my family is having a hard time readjusting to the new school year. I don't know if it's my schedule or if it's because Dermot and I had two months of very little scheduled time. My schedule changes every semester. Most of my colleagues get roughly the same schedule every semester, but I haven't been able to do that. This semester I've already had several meetings in one week, and I just got an email setting up a bunch more meetings. I have real work to do. I don't need to sit around in meetings. I'm teaching 5 classes face to face, and one online course. That's a lot of grading and preparing.
I haven't even added in Dermot's extra-curricular stuff yet, and I really have to do that. The thought of having to take him to math twice a week is just killing me. If I take him as early as possible with my schedule, then we get home late for dinner. If I take him to the latest possible session in the day, then we're rushing to eat dinner. I don't know what the right answer is for us. I could do math on a weekday and a Saturday, but Dermot has asked for a day off, and I don't blame him. I do want him to rest. He will be attending Magic class at the Montclair State University gifted weekend program from the beginning of October to the middle of December. I can choose Saturday or Sunday, and I think that Dermot wants Sunday. Since I'll be handling math during the week, magic will become Ethan's task.
I don't remember feeling so rushed and over-scheduled before. I have a feeling this is going to get worse before it gets better. How soon before Dermot can stay at home after school by himself? Can you imagine if he was an athletic kid too? I would go crazy.
September 17, 2011
September 12, 2011
Wait... What?
This morning I got to meet Dermot's teacher finally. He has to be there early all week because he is "classroom helper". He gets to set up the calendar and tell the students what the current temperature is. Because of his assignment, he has to be at school 15 minutes early. I took advantage of the empty school to meet his teacher.
Even better, I only teach one class today. I was home by 3:00 after doing some grocery shopping on the home. The phone rings around 3:30, and I assumed it was Ethan. Behold! It was Dermot's new second grade teacher. She was calling me to tell me that she had had a talk with Dermot's principal about Dermot's academic background. She told me that she knows things are too easy for him now, especially in math, but that she's working on it. She said that there's going to be a meeting on Wednesday when the gifted teacher is at Dermot's school to talk about what they can do for him. She asked me to be patient. Even better, she told me that she pulled Dermot aside today and she told him that she knew the work was too easy for him, but that he needs to be patient and she'll work on something for him.
I told her that when he came home on Friday, he asked me if I had told the teacher he was smart, because he was really irritated that the math they were doing was simple addition and subtraction. I told her that I told him that he was going to have to deal with it for a while. I reminded him that she needs to figure out where 21 different kids are. Plus, the beginning of school is always review because some kids really do forget stuff over the summer. I told him to not worry about the academic component for know and to just enjoy being around his friends. I told his new teacher that and she repeatedly thanked me for helping her out and being on her side.
I've never been against Dermot's teachers. I just always want a little bit more than they are giving. I am very aware that teachers have one of the toughest jobs on the planet. I am a huge believer in parents and teachers creating a team to work out the best outcomes for kids. In the long run fighting with a teacher is just going to hurt a student regardless of how it might make a parent feel.
I did have to remind the teacher that Dermot needs advanced work in spelling too, not just math. His school keeps forgetting that. I told her that I had test scores that I had sent to the principal, but apparently, he didn't pass them on to her. I, of course, have made a copy for her. She's the one directly working with Dermot. She's the one who needs all of the information that I can give to her.
His spelling words this week were plan, am, etc. I told Ethan that we need to demand that no spelling words be allowed to be one syllable unless they are really difficult or irregular (like weird). I'm kidding. I'm not that invasive. The teacher can figure things out on her own. She told me the spelling would take a few weeks too. Dermot seems to give teachers the benefit of the doubt when they talk to him one on one give their perspective. So hopefully the teacher's chat today, and my reinforcement of it at home will keep him happy for the few weeks it takes to get things up and running. We'll see. I am delighted, however, that she was lovely enough to make the phone call today. She certainly did not need to. I am hoping this is a sign of a great year.
Even better, I only teach one class today. I was home by 3:00 after doing some grocery shopping on the home. The phone rings around 3:30, and I assumed it was Ethan. Behold! It was Dermot's new second grade teacher. She was calling me to tell me that she had had a talk with Dermot's principal about Dermot's academic background. She told me that she knows things are too easy for him now, especially in math, but that she's working on it. She said that there's going to be a meeting on Wednesday when the gifted teacher is at Dermot's school to talk about what they can do for him. She asked me to be patient. Even better, she told me that she pulled Dermot aside today and she told him that she knew the work was too easy for him, but that he needs to be patient and she'll work on something for him.
I told her that when he came home on Friday, he asked me if I had told the teacher he was smart, because he was really irritated that the math they were doing was simple addition and subtraction. I told her that I told him that he was going to have to deal with it for a while. I reminded him that she needs to figure out where 21 different kids are. Plus, the beginning of school is always review because some kids really do forget stuff over the summer. I told him to not worry about the academic component for know and to just enjoy being around his friends. I told his new teacher that and she repeatedly thanked me for helping her out and being on her side.
I've never been against Dermot's teachers. I just always want a little bit more than they are giving. I am very aware that teachers have one of the toughest jobs on the planet. I am a huge believer in parents and teachers creating a team to work out the best outcomes for kids. In the long run fighting with a teacher is just going to hurt a student regardless of how it might make a parent feel.
I did have to remind the teacher that Dermot needs advanced work in spelling too, not just math. His school keeps forgetting that. I told her that I had test scores that I had sent to the principal, but apparently, he didn't pass them on to her. I, of course, have made a copy for her. She's the one directly working with Dermot. She's the one who needs all of the information that I can give to her.
His spelling words this week were plan, am, etc. I told Ethan that we need to demand that no spelling words be allowed to be one syllable unless they are really difficult or irregular (like weird). I'm kidding. I'm not that invasive. The teacher can figure things out on her own. She told me the spelling would take a few weeks too. Dermot seems to give teachers the benefit of the doubt when they talk to him one on one give their perspective. So hopefully the teacher's chat today, and my reinforcement of it at home will keep him happy for the few weeks it takes to get things up and running. We'll see. I am delighted, however, that she was lovely enough to make the phone call today. She certainly did not need to. I am hoping this is a sign of a great year.
September 08, 2011
First Day - 2nd Grade
My baby started second grade yesterday, and it was a good day. We had some rain here, which makes for a weird first day of school, but it turned out nicely because the parents were less likely to hang around and let the little ones be clingy. Dermot, of course, didn't care, and I'm happy about that.
Here's the crazy part - we got tons of communication telling us how the first day of school was supposed to go down. All kids would line up outside by their new teacher, then the teacher will take them inside. For the rest of the year, the kids line up inside. So Dermot and I get to the school and every single class is outside except for his. His teacher (and I don't blame her) didn't want to wait out in the rain, so she had them go inside to wait. Unfortunately, this means that I didn't get to meet her. I was hoping to introduce myself to her on the first day, but it didn't happen.
The worst part about Dermot's first day of school was that it happened on the day of the week when I teach my night class. I wasn't home when Dermot got home. I didn't get home until 9:30. Of course, he was so excited and I knocked something over and made a noise, so he came down to see me just a little bit before he went back to bed. I didn't get to hear all of the stories that Ethan got to hear, though.
Dermot was so excited to be back at school and with his friends that he talked about it all night apparently. That makes me happy. We've had a really hard time getting his friends together. In a couple of years, he can walk over to their houses by himself, but for now, he still needs some parental involvement.
Last year he didn't get to pick who he ate lunch with, this year he did. So Dermot and his three friends sit together for lunch and they also got to sit together for art class which started yesterday. He's thrilled, and so am I. His teacher did some puzzle-y, silly things for day 1 and that really made a positive impression on Dermot, too. He's really looking forward to seeing what she has to offer.
Dermot likes to play cool and pretend that he doesn't like school during the summer break, but he really does. He likes having a purpose and being around his friends. I love that for him too. I'm not even worried about the academic component yet. I just want him to take his time re-adjusting and enjoying the social aspect of school. Now we're going to have to have talks about how great friends are, but goofing off with them at school will probably mean that they don't get to sit together. All things in moderation. Right?
Here's the crazy part - we got tons of communication telling us how the first day of school was supposed to go down. All kids would line up outside by their new teacher, then the teacher will take them inside. For the rest of the year, the kids line up inside. So Dermot and I get to the school and every single class is outside except for his. His teacher (and I don't blame her) didn't want to wait out in the rain, so she had them go inside to wait. Unfortunately, this means that I didn't get to meet her. I was hoping to introduce myself to her on the first day, but it didn't happen.
The worst part about Dermot's first day of school was that it happened on the day of the week when I teach my night class. I wasn't home when Dermot got home. I didn't get home until 9:30. Of course, he was so excited and I knocked something over and made a noise, so he came down to see me just a little bit before he went back to bed. I didn't get to hear all of the stories that Ethan got to hear, though.
Dermot was so excited to be back at school and with his friends that he talked about it all night apparently. That makes me happy. We've had a really hard time getting his friends together. In a couple of years, he can walk over to their houses by himself, but for now, he still needs some parental involvement.
Last year he didn't get to pick who he ate lunch with, this year he did. So Dermot and his three friends sit together for lunch and they also got to sit together for art class which started yesterday. He's thrilled, and so am I. His teacher did some puzzle-y, silly things for day 1 and that really made a positive impression on Dermot, too. He's really looking forward to seeing what she has to offer.
Dermot likes to play cool and pretend that he doesn't like school during the summer break, but he really does. He likes having a purpose and being around his friends. I love that for him too. I'm not even worried about the academic component yet. I just want him to take his time re-adjusting and enjoying the social aspect of school. Now we're going to have to have talks about how great friends are, but goofing off with them at school will probably mean that they don't get to sit together. All things in moderation. Right?
September 04, 2011
The Start of School
I have never been so ready for Dermot's school to start. He only gets two months off, but he never wants to do anything during those months. I also come up with plans that just don't happen. I need to be more forceful and ignore his whining, but it's my summer break too.
Anyway, Dermot starts school on Wednesday, and because of all of the flooding out here, I start school on Tuesday. He'll be at his daycare on Tuesday, which will give all of us a break.
I'm excited for Dermot to start second grade. Every year I keep thinking, this will be the year where they get it. I sent off Dermot's test scores from the Gifted Child Clinic and all we got back was a "thank you" note from the principal. I did mention skipping a grade, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. The social scientist in me is so angry that educators don't make decisions based on research, but based on their gut feelings. What is the point of research, especially well-done research, if no one heeds it? But again, my self-righteousness is a common characteristic among gifted people. If grade skipping was so bad for kids, then why are thousands of kids skipped each year with minor problems? I'm sure it isn't for everyone, but if it was bad for everyone then it wouldn't be happening to several thousands of kids. My mom was skipped, I was skipped, my mom agreed to skip several children - all successfully - when she was principal, and everyone was fine.
Oh well, I will continue to advocate for Dermot in different ways. The saddest thing to me, is that it seems as if Dermot's curiosity has disappeared, and that kills me. He doesn't want to learn about anything anymore. He doesn't want to dig around on google or wikipedia to see how things work, or why things happen, or what has happened in the past. That to me was what was so beautiful about my childhood. There were so many things to learn and know. There still are. I don't know if Dermot just has the end of the summer blahs (which is what I am hoping for) or if it's something else. I guess only time will tell.
Anyway, Dermot starts school on Wednesday, and because of all of the flooding out here, I start school on Tuesday. He'll be at his daycare on Tuesday, which will give all of us a break.
I'm excited for Dermot to start second grade. Every year I keep thinking, this will be the year where they get it. I sent off Dermot's test scores from the Gifted Child Clinic and all we got back was a "thank you" note from the principal. I did mention skipping a grade, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. The social scientist in me is so angry that educators don't make decisions based on research, but based on their gut feelings. What is the point of research, especially well-done research, if no one heeds it? But again, my self-righteousness is a common characteristic among gifted people. If grade skipping was so bad for kids, then why are thousands of kids skipped each year with minor problems? I'm sure it isn't for everyone, but if it was bad for everyone then it wouldn't be happening to several thousands of kids. My mom was skipped, I was skipped, my mom agreed to skip several children - all successfully - when she was principal, and everyone was fine.
Oh well, I will continue to advocate for Dermot in different ways. The saddest thing to me, is that it seems as if Dermot's curiosity has disappeared, and that kills me. He doesn't want to learn about anything anymore. He doesn't want to dig around on google or wikipedia to see how things work, or why things happen, or what has happened in the past. That to me was what was so beautiful about my childhood. There were so many things to learn and know. There still are. I don't know if Dermot just has the end of the summer blahs (which is what I am hoping for) or if it's something else. I guess only time will tell.
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