Meeting

Meeting went well (I think!) although I did tend to do the talking - must remember to let DH do some more of that!! Basically the P said that they had seen that I was in last week - was everything ok or did I have some concerns. I had debriefed with a very logical maths teaching friend yesterday so felt able to go through the list I had compiled of my concerns. I mentioned everything but 1 point on my list. I think and hope I made it clear that the teacher has many strengths but that more stategies are needed to make Hannah's placement in that class work.

SO my bullet point list read as follows:
Day book
Last years kindy teacher to at as mentor
Teacher to assert herself as 'boss'
Better/more use of Hannah's resource box that was sent up from Kindy
Less exclusion and more inclusion
Win Win advice for the inclusive classroom (this is the one I forgot to mention) is a great practical book worth reading... and in the resource box...
Adjusted worksheets
Timer and visuals

So the day book was No 1 because on Monday Hannah came home with a well done sticker on her uniform and a stamp on her hand and told me she had done good work at school. Her teacher told me the next morning in class that Hannah had been particularly uncooperative the day before!! I need to know what is going on if I am to help reinforce/address stuff with Hannah. It doesn't have to be every day but 2-3 times a week would be great - especially at the moment when the gaping cracks are on show...
I mentioned greater use of last years teacher - as by the second half o the year she had really got a good barometer for what Hannah could and couldn't do...and she enjoyed it
We discussed specific examples like the bag outside the room and the 'overuse' of the ipad...and the need for the teacher to be the one who sets the rules and decide when hannah can use the ipad or play in a quiet corner.
I discussed the importance of Hannah sitting with the class for at least the morning period and mentioned that she was doing this pretty well last year so that this is a regression...I suggested pairing her with one of the 'brighter' students in the class.
I also commented that the resource box be set up so that Hannah could go and get various activities to work on independently - freeing up the teacher to work with others and perhaps using a timer or visual system to keep Hannah on track for this.
I offered to do any admin work that might help out the teacher - eg organising a 'box' or laminating visuals etc...

I think it was positive. The 'old' principal and the current one plus the classroom teacher had obviously had discussions about things after I was at the school on Thursday. The other Year 1 teacher had also offered to help Hannah's teacher in organising her classroom to be more 'effective' in terms of bags and lunches etc (Hannah may have found it confusing because her brother's class is set up more like kindy and the year 2 classes in groups and the kids take their lunch in like in kindy) whereas Hannah's class is set up in long rows, some free floor space near the smart board and the kids leave their lunch outside the class in their schoolbags.

I did mention that her teacher seemed to be emphasising what Hannah couldn't do at the moment and that given that Hannah isn't going to get 1 on 1 aid time for longer than her current level - it is not satisfactory to say she can't do the work without 1 on 1 support - especially as I think with modifications and stretching out the length of time gradually I can't see why she can't sit with her peers for most of the day. That is why I suggested when the teachers aids are there that instead of withdrawing Hannah they stay in the room and work with her unlike when the spec ed teacher sees her - so she does get some work done in a quiet space but she is also is seen and sees herself as working hard alongside her peers sitting in the rows of desks like the others...I also tried to make it clear that Hannah's teacher had done a good job in making Hannah feel at home in Year 1. She is a very approachable teacher which is great - but I think she is obviously feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I've been there - and it usually passes....
The action plan from the meeting was
my role as helper has been clarified (yesterday with the class teacher - presumably after her discussions with the principals) so I will go in one morning a week to help with reading - to help a range of kids 9as I did last year - and other mothers do too)
Hannah's teacher will attend the DSA workshop tomorrow and the follow up will be between her, last year's teacher and the principal - as to how some of those ideas can be implemented this year.
DH and I will attend a meeting at the school with the principal and Hannah's teacher next week.

SO that sounds good. A lot of hassle but hopefully it will work out. FIngers crossed!!