Progress

Well it seems an amazing relief but I think I can see definite progress being made from a few weeks ago. I think it is due to the good will at Hannah's school and to the efforts of a bunch of teachers there too.

So what is 'progress'?

I have my communication book - and it has come in handy already - if I see Hannah come home in one of the old faded 'spare' uniforms it usually means she has wet her pants - not a good thing. When it happened last week - I checked the book - to find out that one of her best friends had accidentally spilled chocolate milk all over her!! (when I went to put the uniform in the was - my he really did - it was everywhere!). I also got to use it to let the teacher know that Hannah wold be away later in the week for an opthamologist appointment - something I think is good for the school to know so they can anticipate using the aid time elsewhere.

When I went into the classroom yesterday - Hannah was in the resource room. I want greater inclusion - however the teacher let me know that they had had difficulty getting Hannah to sit in her place - so they had taken her there for some quiet work. I let her know that that was fine - after all - we can only try. It is the trying that I want to see - because there will be days (increasing in frequency I hope) where Hannah just goes and sits at her desk with the other kids from the get-go.

I went and did my reading groups (they are a delicious bunch of kids). When I was done I returned to the classroom - Hannah was sitting in her seat next to her best friend (of the chocolate milk fame) and another bright little girl - who told me with pride that she 'helps' Hannah with her words and sounds. So yes another recommendation put into action.

In our meeting with the teacher and acting principal - they had just had a meeting with the regional support person and the spec ed teacher of the school - and had clarified aid times - something the teacher really wanted - so now I have a copy and I know when Hannah will have additional help in the busy school day.

Meanwhile Hannah is excited to go to school. Yesterday she was all gee-ed up to give her teacher a present - a plastic watch she got in a lollybag at a party this weekend. She clearly has developed a more confident relationship with the teacher - and while I think they still have a ways to go on their journey together (she still needs to be careful not to underestimate little brat). I feel that they have crossed a milestone - and from here it is (hopefully) onwards and upwards. We hear about the new principal this week too - let's hope they are on the same page!

Today she is home with me - because of the opthamology appointment - and 2 of her friends were genuinely disappointed that she wouldn't be at school today. Lovely.

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!!

Stuck

Well I am feeling a lot less positive today. I don't know where to start or what to say really. I want to grab Hannah and run away somewhere where she doesn't have to be under so much pressure to perform all the time. I just want to be with her. To let her be as she is. I wish I had a magic wand to make the world an easier place - more adaptable, better resourced. But I don't and I don't know what to do at the moment to help either. I am lost.
We have a meeting with the acting principal tomorrow.
I want so much for Hannah. But most of all I just want her to be loved and to be happy and to be learning...I want her to be respected. I want her to have moments full of joy at school and not just outside of it. I don't know what I can do next...

She- Me

Adelaide - as usual you nailed it - I am very gratefull for your comments - they are insightful and helpful. All day I have been writing this post in my head - I think it answers one of your questions:

Hannah's teacher says something like "I'll be honest with you, without someone there right by her side to help her she can't do the work." Later on she says that Thurs yes after a sleepless night I decided to get started on dealing with this so I sat in on the class instead of going to work...I was sick with a cold anyways so it seemed a reasonable thing to do) We are chatting - and she says that this is the first time that Hannah has sat at her desk with her peers for morning instruction - and that she did so because I was in the room! Mind you - that desk was in the back row with the boy next to Hannah swinging on his chair and Hannah who wouldn't have been able to see a thing anyway playing with the pencil case of thick pencils I packed as part of my plan to get her sitting in the one spot. I suggested that she put Hannah up the front as there was no way that other spot was going to work. She then said but the smart board is at the other side of the room and the 'back row' becomes the front row when she does maths on it. I responded that perhaps Hannah could sit on the floor on her green mat for maths - much closer to the board too!

The teacher went over the kids 5 spelling words. They sounded them out and spelt them. Then the teacher chose volunteers to write one of the words on the whiteboard. Hannah was oblivious. No wonder - the teacher did nothing to include her - so when I had a chance I suggested that she give Hannah a chance - let her have a go at writing an easy word on the whiteboard sometimes too. Add help if she needed it and praise her for trying. I didn't mention it then but if it is too hard perhaps she could get another child to model it on the whiteboard and then get Hannah to copy underneath - the other kids would love to 'help' I am sure.

Beforehand I chatted to brightspark Cs mum - she was happy with my idea and so even though I didn't get to mention it (didn't want to be too over the top and pushy!) I will try and mention it in the coming weeks. Cs Mum actually said how she had a friend whose bright girl was coupled with a student with learning difficulties and it worked very well - because yes it means the brightspark keeps interested and motivated instead of being bored.

So what is my conclusion? I need this teacher to take responsibility for Hannah. It is her with the deficit not Hannah's deficits that are the issue at the moment. She hasn't taught a child like Han before and is still getting her head around the 'cute little redhead' and the smart little bugger that I know my daughter is. Too much handholding not enough laying down the options.
For example- Hannah's bag - I asked her int he morning about why it wasn't outside the room like everyone else. I told her I want her to leave it outside the same as the other children - and that I would be up to check on it later that morning. When I got to the room - her bag was outside. Her lunch was on a table near it. I mentioned this tot he teacher who said that she had put the lunch back in Hannah's bag but that Hannah insisted on it being out...I felt like pulling out my hair and yelling SHE'S SIX!!!!!! but I didn't I said that in kindy lunch went inside the room so we just needed to let her know that in Year 1 lunch stays in our bag. When I asked Hannah what grade she was in she said 'kindy' - this is very unusual as she is so proud of being in Year 1. I wonder if she is worried she will go back to kindy - she has perhaps noticed that she is being let sit at the back far too often and overlooked in the 'work' of the class. Anyways lunchboxes now stay in her bag and I know we will get there...or bust.

The teacher is attending a NSW DSA inservice so I am praying that Jill and Judy do their usual magic.

Downtime

Well glitches are being exposed in this journey now - I have had a chance to get into Hannah's classroom a few times now - just briefly each go. What I see is a little girl doing whatever she wants mostly watching movies on her ipad. Her teacher feels that when there isn't someone else in the room to help or withdraw Hannah that she just can't do the work. Not good enough for me - I have been stressing about it all day and night. Hence the early morning post - I wish I cold go in today but unfortunately I have to work myself and tomorrow I may have to miss work as Hannah has an ear infection - again - the other ear this time...

So my plan and hopes - the teacher is approachable and reasonably flexible.

Hannah to leave her school bag outside the room - like all the other kids (I have NO idea why she doesn't do that now!!) She puts the ipad on the teachers desk first thing in the morning and only gets to go get it as a reward after some independent work. (and yes her father will be taking the movies off it - she has an ipod touch for fun and the movies will go to it).

Hannah needs a dedicated desk (they are in long rows facing the whiteboard) - second from the end FRONT row - slope board and pencils there ready to go. I will take in a pencil case for her to put her 'fat' pencils in.

Hannah needs to be expected to sit with her peers and try and focus on teacher direct instruction. Her teacher is engaging and vivacious so I can't see why this won't happen if the expectation is there.

Hannah needs to attempt some aspect of the work EG: copying out a phrase or a word from the text being studied. Then drawing pictures to go with it. I don't think it matters if there are some errors - the teacher can correct them with red pen the same as she would the other kids - it is the trying that counts in this instance - and if the chosen words are quite simple to copy she can do this already at home). The drawing will be a bit scribbly - a great chance (sometimes) to get Hannah to use her words in describing it. Hannah could also use the prompts and models of her peers - I'll be lobbying for a social brightspark I know to sit next to her regularly - C finishes her work quickly and efficiently - in fact she can get bored too easily so this may keep her engaged for longer.

Once Hannah has a had a fair go at attempting the work - and this may be only 10 minutes at the start. She can go to her giant tub of resources - and get something appropriate out or a worksheet may be ready for her - a simple worksheet with lots of tracing so that she can do it unassisted or a picture book to 'read' etc.

Then if she has been working well perhaps a game or play on the ipad.

That takes her to recess - she seems to get some extra help between recess and lunch for varying times - so maybe some computer play as a reward after this intensive session. Mathletics might be a good start. She can independently occupy herself on Daniel Cook too...

After lunch she'll be buggered - no doubt easier activities are organised for the others - get Hannah involved with a group - the kids can baby her/mother her through the activities whatever they may be. Friday afternoon craft - let her rip!!

I don't think that sounds impossible. It isn't enough to just get her working when help is available - she needs to learn to work independently (and I know she can do this!). There just isn't sufficient funding support for her - and I can't see that changing - more creativity and responsibility needs to be taken. Wish me luck - I am hoping to raise some of these things with her teacher next Tuesday at the latest - and just to be a pest I am going to 'forget' the ipad for the rest of this week...

I should also mention the positives here - Hannah feels well and truly part of the Year 1 group. She likes going and wants to fit in. Her teacher is approachable. Still I feel a bit sick in the stomach --- I wish this was easier. Wish me luck!

IAP

We had our meeting today. There is a much more 'routine' feel around these now which is nice. Present were myself and Phil, the spec ed teacher (who had rearranged the days she works in order to be present), The class teacher and the principal. Generally everyone is pleased with her settling in to Year 1. Some adjustments still need to be made - eg a new slope board for writing on. Her draft plan had numbers 0-8 that has been adjusted to 0-10. We are going to use Fitzroy readers and not only the PM ones as the principal felt that the FRs had more predictable text - to increase Hannah's sight word reading. Social cues such as making eye contact still need to be directed as she tends to look down. The first and then strategy works well for her behaviour/compliance management. Her class teacher saw no problems in using the ipad whereas the spec ed teacher said she had started to use it as a reward - first xy then ipad. which sounds good to me.

I tinkered with her letter of introduction from last year - the one that went to the whole school so that it can go out to the new kindys this year. We also added in 'shapes' for her Maths goal. Writing still focuses on writing her name - frankly she is improving on that one and often prefers to write other things (who wouldn't be bored with writing their own name as a goal for over 12 months?) but I think I will suggest changing that objective next time. I have already mentioned to her aid that if she refuses to write her own name - try getting her to write Mum and Dad and Kit because there is a lot of motivation for her to do that and generally she can she needs a little help with the direction of the d and how to write the k but otherwise can do those ones.

The follow the class routines seem a bit basic - sit with small and whole group for 10-15 minutes. I think that these are there because in the early days when she was getting used to the new environment she took longer to 'explore' - I can't see that staying as a goal past this semester. I'd like to see a gaol next time for her working independently within a small group for 5-10 minutes - will push for that next time as I think the teacher doesn't really expect she can do it without help and therefore lets her do other play based activities. It might be worth considering encouraging her to do the same sequencing or matching activities as her peers - and not worrying so much about whether she got it right. Not sure but that is one I think we can talk about later. The gap between her and her peers (the weaker ones) is not as great yet but it will continue to grow so I want some sound principles in place this year so that our hopes of her continuing in that setting (which she will do so long as it is in her best interests socially and academically) remain realistic.

And once again I feel compelled to comment on how much I respect and am thankful for the principal's leadership, the spec ed teachers expertise and the classroom teacher's professionalism and openness. Let's hope the year continues to go well.