Update on DD - 03/21/09 09:41 PM
Things are going far better 
At the school they are finally going to compact and enrich maths curriculum. She has to do a minimum of the basic stuff though before she is allowed the more interesting problems. This is just a few sums but at the beginning she took hours to make two sums. I practiced with her a little and was shocked by her unability to make then in her head. She just insisted that she had to use the abacus like in the school and spent more time trying to figure out how to use so that the teacher would be pleased if she she could see her. Fortunately I could convince DD to stop using the abacus or her fingers and now she is regaining her ability to do mental calculations.
I as well got access to rainforest maths recently and I am shamelessly 'hothuising' her. Well, she does not need to be pushed on that one hehehe.
The reading has also improved a lot. She still needs to spell many words but there is a world of difference of she could (not) read a month ago to now.
And the school staff (Mrs Teacher and Mrs Support Teacher) finally have been convinced that DD really needs a higher tempo when learning. This was thanks to a special committee of experts who give advice to the schools on difficult cases.
The barrier that still exist for DD are her visual and hearing problems and the fact that since at home we do not speak any Dutch her vocabulary is behind her classmates. For the last one we are now looking for a private teacher to teach her (and me if I can find a baby-sitter) more vocabulary.
While DD is still not enthusiast about school she is much more relax and willing to go.
Now, the next step is to get DD to improve the reading (easy-ish)... and to convince the school next year to compress two years in one (less easy yet).
Voila the good news
At the school they are finally going to compact and enrich maths curriculum. She has to do a minimum of the basic stuff though before she is allowed the more interesting problems. This is just a few sums but at the beginning she took hours to make two sums. I practiced with her a little and was shocked by her unability to make then in her head. She just insisted that she had to use the abacus like in the school and spent more time trying to figure out how to use so that the teacher would be pleased if she she could see her. Fortunately I could convince DD to stop using the abacus or her fingers and now she is regaining her ability to do mental calculations.
I as well got access to rainforest maths recently and I am shamelessly 'hothuising' her. Well, she does not need to be pushed on that one hehehe.
The reading has also improved a lot. She still needs to spell many words but there is a world of difference of she could (not) read a month ago to now.
And the school staff (Mrs Teacher and Mrs Support Teacher) finally have been convinced that DD really needs a higher tempo when learning. This was thanks to a special committee of experts who give advice to the schools on difficult cases.
The barrier that still exist for DD are her visual and hearing problems and the fact that since at home we do not speak any Dutch her vocabulary is behind her classmates. For the last one we are now looking for a private teacher to teach her (and me if I can find a baby-sitter) more vocabulary.
While DD is still not enthusiast about school she is much more relax and willing to go.
Now, the next step is to get DD to improve the reading (easy-ish)... and to convince the school next year to compress two years in one (less easy yet).
Voila the good news
