Day one

Well we all got through our first day... way too soon to tell yet BUT This morning the twins were very happy to get ready for school and as they are older now I changed their routine a bit to include them packing their own school bags. As we walked to the playground I chatted to Hannah about needing to find the Year 2 line etc. We ran into one of her new teachers just outside the gate and Hannah went happily although a bit shyly to her for a wee hug, then we greeted the principal who Hannah was also very happy to see. He mentioned that he had printed off the Victorian DSAs Guide for Schools re DS learners = and given a copy to Hannah's teacher. Once inside the gate I stopped to chat to another parent and Hannah happily went off to try and find where to put her bag (gotta love the independence!) after a bit though she seemed a little lost although she was in the right vicinity so I went over and helped her...then she sort of looked around, couldn't see anyone to play with and so went off on her own and was playing with some cardboard and leaves she found. It was almost time to line up so I headed over to guide her - and ran into her best friend Z (who is in another class this year) on his way to do the same thing. In the end I cuddled her and asked how she was feeling. I mentioned the Christmas cake that she had been so excited to take to school and share with her friends, and she happily held on to Z as they went over to the lines. Because he is in a different class I also went and made sure that she let him go to his line (!she was clearly excited but also a bit unsure). Anyway I couldn't stay until the end of the assembly to watch them go into class like I normally do because I had to get to my own work a bit early...I felt torn leaving and not seeing for myself that she was ok but at the same time I knew that she wanted to be a 'big girl' and that the school would take great care of her... The lyrics of a random song that I love happened to be going through my head all day: "I got a mother at home with a tear in her eye as she kissed her only baby girl bye bye She doesn’t want me to go, she doesn’t want me to try… You know I just gotta try…" It was sung by an Aussie band Flying Emus in the 1980s that I absolutely loved and although the context was different I could absolutely relate to them today - it isn't that I don't want her to try but I am terrified of her being hurt... I felt the same at the Powerhouse Museum yesterday watching her climbing high up on the roped dome structure in the playground...she has grown up and matured over the holidays. She is more confident with her skills and is wanting to do more. For example: At the beach she actually came out into the water (usually she gets dumped by a wave no higher than her knees right near the edge and quickly moves onto building sandcastles instead - not this time. My girlfriend and I were holding a hand each and she was 'jumping' waves - getting mouthfuls of sea water and occasionally 'drenched' by a wave - and laughing and looking for 'big ones' to jump - I got totally dunked on more than one wave trying to make sure that she stayed safe and fearless :) Then in the pool she swam without an adult in the water with her - in backyard swimming poodles with only a noodle for safety. Also she wants to climb. The first time was at a local park when before I had even realised she had shimmied up a small tree with great excitement and confidence. Next was the large roped dome play construct at the powerhouse which had my heart in my mouth! Then last night in returning to a more settled night routine she read her father a reader and then we all read a story book together - not only did she do pretty well on her reader - but she insisted on having her turn at 'reading' the story book. It was Room On The Broom and her reading level is nowhere near enough to read it but she followed the text with her finger and looked carefully at the pictures on the page and 'guestimated' some of the key words correctly and made sounds (with some clear words) as if she was reading... then Kit read a page, I read a page and her father read a page - we are such a lucky family that even though I desperately wish that learning to read was easier for her apart from the fact that she so wants to do it - I couldn't really care less...I am so very proud of her achievements and her spirit. And today she actually brought all of her lunch box home. And so it is that spirit that means 'she's just gotta try' and I hope that I can hide my tears and do everything I can to support her growing independence... PS I did take the obligatory first day of school photo - it looks surprisingly like the one at the top of this blog! Will post it later.

a gift

All our kids are gifts. I think most of us don't stop to put it into words though. I remember when we were going through the trauma that was finding a 'good' school for the twins one of my dearest friends kept saying that Hannah would be a wonderful asset tot he whole school community (wherever she went), a gift in fact. Well two years into the mainstream journey I can absolutely see her point. And here is one simple story about that.... Hannah has a 'wonky walk' as I describe it - she can unbalance and trip a bit more easy than her regular peers. Year 1 classroom was upstairs and so 2 middle school girls were asked to help out by taking her up in the lift - in the morning and the recess/lunch breaks and then at the end of the day. ANy additional trips downstairs are usually only with her class and so she manages the stairs. These girls have been awesome.

They have developed such a lovely relationship with hannah. They are patient with her when she is reluctant to go to class, they sometimes seek her out to play with before school and they bring her little gifts sometimes too. So it is no wonder that she adores them. When we were on holidays O/S she would often say she wanted to come back to Paris with her buddies. (they are of course very beautiful young women too - so please forgive my crude attempt to capture their personalities while protecting their identity. The last day of school arrived a week ago on Friday. We'd got the school report, sung carols int he church, given Christmas gifts and cards... this day was movies and picnics to end the year. It was mufti so Hannah had chosen her own ensemble. While on the playground waiting for the morning assembly I noticed that her shoes were on the wrong feet. I told her and she sat down to change them over. As part of the giving her greater space and independence I moved away where I could watch her - I was hoping to see that after she had fixed her shoes she would hear the music call to line up and go line up with her class without prompting. One of her buddies noticed her sitting on the ground and came straight over. She helped Hannah change her shoes then they raced back tot he line up for the assembly. During the assembly Hannah sat encircled in her buddies arms and sitting on her lap...now that interaction was a lot more about Hannah's buddy, leaving the primary school where she has thrived to head off to High School with all the excitement and fear that that entails. And I am glad that for those brief moments Hannah was able to give her comfort and peace. I know she will do great at High School but Hannah is going to miss her and her friend very much...

We have survived

The title says it all really. It has not been a great year of inclusion for Hannah. Enough said. Maybe this is what to expect every year. God I hope not. In her 'Maths' book - there are 3 worksheets - incomplete at that. That's it. A whole year of work...it is better than her spelling book. It is blank - except for a /5 written in red on the first page which never ever got used. I know that Hannah has done a lot of work. I am actually pleasantly surprised by how well her maths is coming along - but all those measures are in the Resource room they are not in the class room. You know who next years great hope is? I already had a meeting with her earlier in the year when she was acting principal - and I was so very stressed and frustrated at what was not happening in the classroom - and I just went blllllllllllllllllluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Barely drawing breath with strategies that I would love to have seen tried but that never were. Anyway we have her next year At least she knows what to expect from me. She is a lovely calm and organised person. Understated but definitely not to be underestimated. She also LISTENS. Fingers crossed. What has been happening well is the continued acceptance of Hannah as Hannah by the other children in the class. She recently did the school swimming program which she loved. Her reading is progressing - slowly but surely. Her communication and confidence are improving also. I am hoping to do a few bits of work with her over the holiday to keep her reading level from falling. In an unusual decision I asked that the twins be kept in the same class next year. I had many reasons for this. Mostly I remember how hard it was earleir in the year when Kit could tell how unhappy and worried we were but was unable to help at all because he wasn't in the room - that is one of the key things having a child with communication difficulties. Her communication book is still the first thing I go to each afternoon even though her class teacher barely writes in it. There are other benefits though. I am hoping that it might encourage a bit more ongoing play between them at home - keeping some common experiences for them that might be good in developing their relationship at home. They have a lovely relationship but there are increasing differences due to gender and developmental levels. Not a problem but I think it would be nice to foster some common interests between them where I can. I definitely do not want Kit feeling responsible for her - even though he is!! I am vowing that I will not ask him directly how Hannah is for at least the first 5 weeks of term. Unfortunaltely just yesterday when they found out who their teacher and classmates would be one wonderful boy came racing up to me on the playground and said "You won't have to worry about Hannah next year because Kit is in the same class". Her best friend (a lovely young boy - Z) is in a different class - so apparently on the way home this first young boy was telling his mum that Zs turn was over and it was his turn to help look after Hannah next year. So yes we survived but it wasn't alone. There was an enormous amount of work put in by the support staff, the principal, Hannah's buddies, the other kids in the class and even the class teacher (I hope! and think) tried her best. Still I really would like to set up an INCLUSIVE class experience for Hannah next year...Here's hoping...and preparing...

It's been a while

Well things are tootling along in the world of Year 1. Some changes at school have been implemented and I can see that Hannah's little aid time is being used more effectively. Basically one of her aids goes into the classroom in the morning with the goal of settling her to work at her desk with the other students... with varying degrees of success. Last week I was outside the room helping with one of the reading programs (as a parent volunteer) but it was almost recess when I went into make sure Hannah went to the toilet that I found her at the side of the class refusing to do any desk work. I quickly and as quietly as possible got her to the loo and then settled her back in the room - this time at her desk with some simple work. I wished they'd let me know at the start of the morning....FFWD to today. I am outside the room doing my volly thing when Hannah's teacher comes and asks me to help the aid as Hannah is lying at the back of the room rolled up in a ball, refusing to cooperate. I went in and knelt down near her. I asked her to sit up, then look at me... and tell me what was going on. She soon managed to regroup enough to tell me that her aid had 'hurt her feelings'. I got her to stand up and talk to the aid about this which she did. From the aid and Hannah's tears (crocodile ones!) I was able to ascertain that after warnings to turn off the ipad until later the aid had leaned over and turned it off herself. The key issue had been the volume of the ipad as the teacher tried to have her whole class time. It didn't take long for us to chat about that and for Hannah to go to her place and start work. She even voluntarily put the ipad aside.

Later on in the afternoons another aid spends some time with her specifically on the ipad - and using some of its apps. I bet hannah loves that.

While I was there I got the chance to chat with the aid a bit more - before I left - she was basically asking for strategies... said that she had watched me but found copying my technique (I think she meant my 'Mum means business' voice :-)) difficult. She wanted to discuss how to handle the mornings incident differently. So we chatted about that - she had done what I would have done anyway - warnings and count down...so really I said perhaps the only thing left is to head it off at the pass, ie make sure the little bugger doesn't get to sit down with the temptation of the ipad straight away. She did say that for a while threatening to call me worked quite well but at one point Hannah started to say "No, ring Daddy". We then quickly talked about Hannah's multilit lists - Yes Hannah has started on the multilit program. She is stalled on List 2 - they, that and with. Having (undiagnosed) dyspraxia does NOT help with reading - I can almost see the misdirections happening from what she is seeing, thinking to saying. Anyway as part of that discussion the aid showed me how she gets Hannah to write out the words she is having difficulty with - and how the last list - her writing went from quite small to larger and larger - because Hannah knows once she reaches the end of the writing page the aid lets her stop that activity. If only she could harness that sort of intelligence to consistently recognise and say they, that and with!!! Still the aid and I are impressed with her guile.

Nothing much else has been happening. Last week I arrived at school in the middle of lunch to take the twins to an appointment. When I went to the playground to collect them - Hannah was sitting with a boy from middle school (who Kit tells me is one of the vice captains) He was quietly interacting with her while she collected bark in a glad bag. I love watching how gentle the other kids are with her. Also this week I saw one of her friends AS smiling and obliging her in a game of duck duck goose - even though there was only the 2 of them playing. He looked so sweet deliberately 'running' slowly so that Hannah could catch him.
Today as I left school Hannah's class was working in smaller groups. Her class teacher came and got her because she had a couple of year 3 boys there and she thought one of them could work with Hannah for the last 15 minutes before recess.
On Monday when I picked the kids up from after school care one of the carers was telling me how she enjoyed playing with Hannah. She had been playing ball. The week before she said they had been running. She basically said that noone could get her to run but Hannah's innocence as she asked her to run 'together' was irresistable and so she had run with my daughter. A little piece of Hannah magic as people see the gifts she has to offer... not that I think she is 'innocent' in the way the carer seemed to mean but she sure can bring out a lot of good in the people she interacts with.

Homework

Yes she dressed herself - note the tie - perfect for going to 'work'. Here are the blocks that I am loving - I give Han the letters and she unjumbles them to spell the sight words she will need for the reading activity. It is working a treat at the moment.
Using the blocks to help complete a reader accurately.
Check out her drawing and her colouring in - I think it's very good!
Gluing the words from one of her readers into a logical sentence.
Lots of teddies for a great effort!
Hannah had some homework sent home by her spec ed teacher. Being the first week back I hadn't really done much reading work with her so on Sunday we sat down and did about 45 minutes of literacy and writing activities. I was so pleased with how she did. She read her level 2 reader well. I got her to spell out key words with the blocks first as that seems to really help. Sometimes if she is looking at the printed word and not sure all I do is point to the blocks and she gets it right. She drew a lovely house based upon the level 1 reader I had been doing with her - all in pencil and then she insisted on colouring it in. Her colouring was fantastic (I though) - she kept in the lines for most of the picture and then had a reasonable go at writing her name on it.

I love the ipad and at the moment there is an app called Teach Me Grade 1 which I particularly like for her because it has some numeracy and literacy. Each activity has a ? at the top so she can ask for help if needed for example if the activity is to write 1 she doesn't need help but for 5 she can touch the ? and a faint 5 appears for her to trace. Anyways while I love the technology it was also good to see her concentrate and work without any technology just pens and papers blocks and motivators. The motivators are counting teddies and each small task completed gets a bear.... I'll attach a pic above.

So I am still unhappy with her class teacher. I just don't think she has the interest or the passion I would like to see and that is needed to really make inclusive ed work. I can't do anything about that but keep meeting with the principal and voicing my concerns... but I am so glad that Hannah is still progressing very well given the circumstances.

Reading

Today Hannah went back to school. She was happy to go and obviously looking forward to seeing her friends. I hope she has a good term.

I have been doing some reading with her over the break. Her spec ed teacher said in our last meeting that level 3 of the PM readers are the ones she is using with Hannah - they are more challenging for her. I have some level 1 ones that I was using over the holidays. I have videoed her reading - will try and upload one later.

Hannah loves books - always has. Her reading though seems idiosyncratic to me - The level 1 readers are very repetitive - eg Every page in the book we have just done has "Look at the ..." and the child uses the picture to decide on the last word. When I started with Hannah I had to prompt her every single time for the word look. It was starting to drive me crazy. I tried a couple of things to try and help her recognise the word more automatically and in a variety of contexts. The most successful was the blocks from Make a Word. I haven't got her to write it out yet but that is probably what I will try next time the opportunity arises. She has almost conquered that one so I have begun the new book which has "Look at the ... said the pencil" in it. This time I began using the blocks for support.

There is a sight word app on her ipad that I like - she is going quite well with it although 10 is her prime, 15 on a good day and by 20 she is over it - I try to work with her until she gets 10 right first go. Her error rate is usually between 5%-33% depending on how hard the settings are. At the moment I have it on preschool and Kindy words with a min choice from 3 and a max choice from 4 words. It has been interesting to then test her vocab with the flash cards from the Make a Word set - I simply ask "What word?"

Sometimes she is clearly looking at the holistic shape of the word - so bag often gets confused for dog.At other times I think she sees the last letter and then guesses at the word. Too often if in doubt she says 'down' so I have also started to go over that one using the blocks although I think I might just avoid it for a while until she is stronger on the ones in her books. I have also been impressed with her letter recognition skills and her knowledge of phonics although she needs help to 'put the sounds together' in a 3 letter word she can do it fairly easily. She finds cued artic and signed english helpful so in the video (when I find out how to upload it) you can see her sign 'the'. We are also using these to help prompt her sentence structure and length of utterance in speech...

I worry that there are so many gaps in her ability to 'read' yet I know her understanding and comprehension are quite good. It must be very frustrating for the little girl - it sure is for me!

In the video you can see her referring to the blocks and using signed english as well. The last page is bird but she often just looks at the 'b..' and says 'bat'. She was worried her father was going to go out without her so is a little preoccupied in this clip - but you get the idea....

The Follow Up

Well we had our meeting - so long ago now I'll have to think back.... We walked out feeling good. The principal is a great listener. He also supported his teacher - both positions that I am satisfied with. We got to say why we were concerned/unhappy and I think got it across that our main concern was with the class teacher without sounding vindictive about her. He agreed that she was struggling but reiterated his belief in her best intentions. He is pinning a lot on the new furnishings that are arriving over the break - he is really tackling the whole school environment having put up a whole heap of pictures through the building.

We discussed a bit further Hannah's so called 'behavioural issues' and I think that point came across ok.
Sorry - obviously the break has been good cos the rest of it has gone - we were there for about 30 minutes and he allowed us to voice our concerns. I asked about moving classes - and he stated very clearly that he had already thought about that - but then gave me the reasons on why that wasn't his preferred option at this stage.

So back to school next week - brand new setting - plus the teacher has been to visit another local school with a student with DS in the mainstream...we'll have to wait and see if any epiphanies have happened over the break...
Hannah obviously really likes this teacher - she has been chatting about having her own house - where she wants to live with her Grandpa, her two best friends from school - and you guessed it - her class teacher. I hope that that teacher realises how privileged she is to have Hannah's devotion. Hannah's ST is back on thank goodness (she agrees with me about the teacher - in fact she commented that in discussions with the spec ed teacher it looked like they were exploring the idea of her working at the school for a whole day regularly (to help with other kids) however she said - 'it isn't a bad idea but I don't want to have to work with people like..' yep you guessed it - Hannah's teacher. The teacher just isn't a great listener and she isn't really available or approachable although she makes all the right noises. I am thinking of asking for the teacher who is nervous about having Hannah (and not afraid to admit it) for next year - I think that might work better...