For us, a school meeting that is only in one subject is actually a great big step in the right direction. I just have to keep reminding myself that -
We were at a meeting at school because the LA teacher is desperately trying to get a particular kind of work out of DS,editing a research paper he's been working on since November. He is so ready for this to be over. She is just not able to get through to him that he really has to do it her way. She was stating that he 'just wasn't making the effort' and 'just wasn't following her directions.'
She wanted to make it clear to me that 'they went over this in class, so he should know this or that detail.'
I gave her the fully confident, slow firm, with calm big gestures - "He - is - Not, at this time, Even-across-the board- in - his - abilities."
With eye contact, a handmotion miming a horizontal line, and repetition. I was so pleased with how it came out, because I wasn't mean,defensive, angry, but I was very-very sure, and unapologetic. DS was sitting like a puddle right there at the time. I hope he gets the right message, that I don't expect him to be living up to his strengths in every area.
This seems to be a difference PG v MG. When an MG child isn't living up to a teacher's perception of their ability, they are being held to a much lower level than a PG child in the same situation. So unless the MG child is also 2E, the gaps just aren't as huge, yes? My boy is quite average in some of his academic abilities, in spite of or perhaps because of the PGness. (Well I guess that would be average for his grade, not his age, I forgot he was gradeskipped for a minute there!)
Part of the problem get's called "misreading social cues" which makes me go ((phhh)) because what that mostly means is that he is reading the emotions that people don't think that they are showing, and doesn't have the experience to mix in the words and come to some reasonable conclusion. He doesn't have the wisdom of years to know, 'Yes the teacher is all hyped up about something she probably thinks that if I tried harder I would do better.' His view is more like: 'Wow the teacher is upset - she must hate me.'
Anyway - no one blamed me for anything this meeting - so that's a refreshing change. Still I feel so yuckky! His advisor was there as well, a learning specialist, and she promised to tell him to just 'write it the way the teacher said she wants it.' So maybe by tonight it will be 'good enough.'
All part of the journey, I guess....
thanks for listening...
Grinity
