Just back from meeting with the principal at the public school. VERY impressed by how eager she is to accommodate DD. She is thinking of assigning a teacher who has had good luck with anxious kids before and is willing to try to place DD's gifted friend in the same class so they can be enrichment partners. Agreed with the dual level reading approach and really seems to grasp the situation. Big issue is DD has a paralyzing fear of color charts used to document kids' behavior. It is one of her biggest anxiety triggers. The teacher she selected has a huge color chart in the middle of the teaching area. Another teacher is not using a color chart this year (working on acknowledging feelings, etc instead and moving away from public displays of performance level) but principal doesn't think she would be a match in other ways. With this whole complex situation it seems that the color chart is proving to be the stumbling block.
BTW first question DD asked with both public and private was "Do they have a color chart there?" It doesn't matter that she doesn't misbehave in school the chart represents a threat that she may get in trouble. I think she also feels bad for other kids who are having their colors changed. There was a physical change in her demeanor when she asked at the private and the K1 teacher told her that they don�t use them.
Anyone else have experience with this?
