Grrr! Kindergarten has its up and downs for sure. I am really having the hardest time of all and I think Micah is blissfully unaware and I am glad of that.
When school started I knew that he would have a bit of a transition to make since he had very little preschool experience if any at all. Our budget dictated that decision and food won out over preschool. Well, the first day of school came and went. By the end of the week, the teacher told me that he wasn't listening to directions well and had his own agenda. I have seen that at home, so I thought I would try something to help.
I started a Listening Jar at home ( a point for every time he listens and obeys quickly and two taken away when he doesn't). It is so exciting for him to earn points and he really doesn't like it when he looses points. He is looking forward to a new toy once he fills the jar. Anyways, I wanted him to take his listening skills to school.
Everyday I would ask how he was doing. One day he would do great and another he wouldn't do so well and back and forth. She complains about things like "I asked him to use a pencil and he wanted to use a crayon" or "I told him to color the spotted dog and he wanted to draw cars" and "He yelled at me from the bathroom to ask if he could flush with his foot since the bathroom was gross." Ahhh! Today I was getting ready to pick him up and one of the moms that had worked in the classroom told me how much she enjoyed him. She said he was funny, had a big personality, he was magnetic and how all the kids seem to want to be around him. Did I mention he also has a girlfriend? Well, I was feeling pretty good about my kid, I then asked the teach how he did today. She said he did OK, but still has his own agenda. She said he gets fixated on things and then asked if I had talked to my pediatrician about it because it could be a condition?!?!? What the? I thought she was joking at first and then I realized she was serious. I told her I had worked with kids that have special needs for many years and I knew that he was just busy. Glad she felt the need to ask that question when I was still around all the other parents! Grrr!
OK, so do I have my mommy blinders on? Have you noticed him being unusual? I think he is a pretty normal kid, but again it could be my mommy blinders on telling me my child is perfect in every way!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
On a Kindergarten Roller Coaster
The latest by The Trotter Family at 7:34 PM
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Umm...pretty sure I would have put the teacher in her place. She must not work with 5-year-olds often if she thinks any of that needs to be mentioned.
I'm frustrated for you. He sounds like a normal, crasy, energetic, boy to me- and I have two of them!
Hope he can just take his skills to class like you're teaching him at home and she will see the difference eventually. Hang in there!
"Mommy bliders"...so true, but I don't see anything unusual with Micah. The things she's complaining about all seem pretty normal to me; he's just confident enough to voice his opinions and ask questions.
OH MY GOSH!!!!!! Rachel I would be so frustrated. I would have a talk to her and tell her that I would appreciate if she would talk to me about things like that in private. Also, everything that she named that he did wrong, were not even wrong things to do. I rather draw cars than color a spotted car too. I had kind of a crappy teacher in kindergarden as well and I was busy like your little man and I did not want to listen all the time. The teacher told my parents I needed to be held back because of it. She was WRONG! I can't stand teachers like that. I am so sick of everyone now days trying to diagnose everyone with something. Your kid is happy, has a mind of his own and is intelligent. Apparently the teacher is intimidated by that. I am so annoyed for you!
Oh Rach, I'm so sorry. She seems like she's a little inexperienced in the kindergarten department. Nothing she seemes to have a problem with seems out of the ordinary for the age group. Kids need to have some self expression...it's healthy! He'll learn to adapt to authority as he goes. He's just barely begun. Give him some time. You are amazing! I think I might have to make a "listening" jar pretty soon. :) Love you!!
Love the listening jar idea!
Umm maybe you can get another teacher for him? She might have some set prejudices against him. My sister said in her kinder class she can tell right away which kids went to preschool and which didn't. I, like you, am not putting my kids in preschool. I totally think its overrated. So maybe a teacher can tell a difference in the beginning, but over time the differences level off and it's all in the wash. I'd stop asking the teacher about his behavior at the end of the day as much b/c for me it would just make me more paranoid (I've done that, it always seems to backfire, now I just assume they'll let me know if things get really really bad, and then I ask the teacher every once in a while...and sometimes cry soon after if the response is bad). Keep trying your best at home and let it be. Don't stress too much cuz I'm sure he can feel the stress as well. My mom always said her job was to be our biggest cheerleader. He's a GREAT kid with an awesome personality. He is going to go far in life, even if he asks the teach if he can flush with his foot (that story was hilarious, btw! :). Seriously, Micah is a stud, and kindergarten does NOT determine the success in your life.
WHAT THE HECK?! I would try to get him another teacher. Not that I have a lot of experience in that department, but I think he is a good kid, just exploring and growing up...no mommy blinders here...
thats crazy!!! everything she mentioned might be a problem in school but HELLOOO we are only a few weeks into school, and especially for a kid who really hasnt been in school before, its gonna take some adjusting. I wouldnt worry about a thing or talk to your pediatrician! Youre doing a great job trying to help those things at home and hope they carry over into the classroom. Thats all you can do. She is the teacher, she needs to figure out how to work with Micah, not tell him he has a condition.
Id give it a few more weeks or a few months and let him figure out the rules, and learn how to stay on task and take direction. You should have a private meeting with her though and feel her out, see if you guys can work together, thats what teachers SHOULD be there for, not to diagnose a kid with a problem cuz she cant handle it. He will be just fine! Youre doing great! I wouldnt worry!!! If you need any advice, my sister in law is a teacher at Tijeras Creek, and she has all the kids with learning disabilities and what not in her classes cuz shes awesome at handling it, and spotting things, and helping them. (Totally not saying that Micah does btw!) But she might be able to help you figure out how to deal with the teacher and help Micah with the issues the teacher is having with him!! Im sure she would love to help if you ever needed it!! Hang in there- hes an awesome kid!!
Wierd...she needs to say POSITIVE things! Whatever she's complaining about is no BIG DEAL. my goodness. She sounds like a downer all around. Bummer! Would it be hard to switch his class?!
that teacher sounds like a piece of work! i may have hit her if i were you!
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