Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Just an update since I've been MIA

My work has really ramped up, and I have not been able to be on here as much as possible....missed everyone and seeing updates and successes!

I thought I would share out mid-year updates. DS6 is in Kindergarten, and I have spent a great deal of the year feeling like we should have pushed for early entrance into Kindy last year. But that is nothing I can deal with now.

I had a parent-teacher conference last week for ds. Of course, the teacher was NEVER going to say, "You were right" about my earlier suggestion that ds was ahead in reading/math/etc...but she gets the picture now.

DS is in his own reading group with her, now reading at a H level (I'm thinking still too low) but amazingly higher than his original level C-D assessment revealed. The teacher was very encouraging that he is a great student who is interested in learning and generally a good kid in class. He has tested out of every Kindy skill she's tested (99%) which was no surprise to me, though she still feels that he is doing very well in K because of his confidence, good peer interactions, etc. I do worry how his self-confidence would be effected if we pushed for 1st grade at this point.

My next big news is that the pyschologist we found (who is amazing) to work with got insurance to approve covering 90% of testing! Wahoo! My dh is still unclear as to why I felt testing would be helpful, but with ds so close to being age-appropriate for the next grade up, I believe this testing could be helpful if needed (and the school wants the WISC which is what the psychologist will administer).

Bad news is that ds has been struggling with a lot of asthma since weather got colder here. He just finished a course of Prednisone and was still struggling. Now they have him on a 10-day course of Biaxin because of budding bronchitis and a preventive inhalder (Flovent) twice a day. Hoping this does the trick...he had an attack yesterday running home from the bus-stop (it was in the 20's outside).

Any advice on how to manage asthma with the school is welcome. I am concerned recess is going to get increasingly worse, but I hate to make him stay in. I was ticked because two days in a row the school nurse forgot (FORGOT?) to administer his albuterol at school. Grrrrr.

Anyway...that's my story.

Are you thinking about a mid-year skip? Or a skip to 2nd for next year?

I honestly have no idea. I feel totally lost as to how to proceeed. That's part of what I'm hoping the testing and psychologist can help me with. DS can be an anxious/follower type kid. In school, he has emerged as confident and a leader with his peers (though we see the perfectionism anxiety at home, ugh). The school has been LESS than helpful thus far. If we do look into a skip, it will be an uphill battle.

My biggest concern is that he NOT growing at all this year in class, so 2nd grade will be much more of a challenge than if he were actually getting accelerated work at school.

If we do subject acceleration, I would be thrilled.

eve- so happy for your DS, at least for now, seems like she is really working with him, i agree with you that she (teacher) seems to be onboard! well done mom!!

*how do you copy/post this in its own box here??
you wrote:::
she still feels that he is doing very well in K because of his confidence, good peer interactions, etc.
and
that is exactly why i wanted my DS6 to stay in kindergarten, having not been before, i felt that was an important foundation for the rest of his educational platform, if ya will
idk if you read my posts, but DS is independent study thru district now.

so i am happy to hear this is going well for him, i agree he probably could use more of a challenge, but at least he seems happy

re testing- i'm sure his scores will settle many things in your mind, as well as proof for the school as to how to proceed.

re asthma... so sorry about this! i would definitely be calling to remind the school nurse to administer his meds. he is a child, he needs to and will run-- his breathing is not something to mess around with. until he is old enough to advocate for himself and be responsible for inhaler use- yes, call the nurse. soon enough she will not be "forgetting"-
in another setting, say hospital? this forgetfullness would not be tolerated etc, so stay on her.
good luck.
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Hi Evemomma-
Glad the teacher is starting to get him! Hope all this will continue! Hope the testing gives you some answers to your questions.
My ds just did map testing again, but won't get the scores till January. So, for now, I'm just trying to get to Christmas break and back on pt conference in January.
Side note- will your ds wear a mask or scarf over his nose and mouth? Keep the air warmer helps the airway NOT react to the cold. Maybe you could find a Spider-Man one or something? It can be a hard sell to a kid, but if he understands this will prevent an attack, the child will usually do it.
Btw, missed seeing you around.
Melessa

Thanks all...

Melessa...mask is a great idea. I have asthma and use a scarf. It's true about selling" the winter gear - my ds is patchy about his gloves and hat. He also keeps losing gloves (or one of a pair). I'm getting black knit gloves in bulk like socks, LOL!

They are pretty "wimpy" (that's what we would've called them ...I'm from the northern Midwest) around here about cold. They don't go out when it's below freezing. So that will help him. I have fond memories of burrowing into our snow suits and boots before recess as a kid because we went EVERY day unless it was raining.