Pearl and kindy
Apr. 3rd, 2012 06:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emma_in_dreamNow that Pearl has completed nearly a term at kindy I want to reflect a little.
Things that I like:
· Pearl goes to kindy happily. She likes playing there.
· She seems to enjoy making things despite her weak muscles. Her art is noticeably less advanced than that of her peers in the areas of drawing and painting, but she is a champion at threading and cutting with scissors.
· She is getting slightly better at getting on with other people and does not rush up to the other children and shout ROAR in their faces any more.
· They have really nifty toys and craft materials.
· The teacher told me she thinks Pearl is bright and has a good vocabulary.
Things that I dislike:
· Unfortunately the kindy teacher had to have an eye operation in the second week of school. There was a temp, then the teacher came back, then she got an infection and there was a second temp, but now the proper teacher has returned. Having one consistent presence is much better and may have contributed to the rocky start to the year. What I can do about this: no need for action, the teacher is back on board.
· I am constantly being taken aside to have it explained that Pearl is less mature than the others, lacks the ability to concentrate, does not like standing in queues, spins around so her skirt flies up and gives the other kids violent hugs. I expected that she would be less mature than the others because she is 11 months younger than some. Also, she has no experience with group life as she was not in day care. What I did not expect is virtually every time they say this I ask what we can do about it and inquire what strategies they suggest and the teacher responds that she does not know. This is not helpful. What I can do about this: her actual, proper teacher does not do this. It was just the temps and the aides, so no need for action.
· Pearl sometimes does not want to go because she says she does not like standing in line. I understand this but it is a skill that will be of lifelong value (especially when using female toilets). The teacher came up with a way to deal with this on her own and now Pearl is put at the head of the queues. I virtually cried when the teacher told me this because I am so stressed about everything else that is going on health-wise and I feel that I keep getting asked to solve these kindy problems too, and I am happy to do what I can of course but I am not actually there during the day.
· I had not thought of Pearl as emotionally immature or as lacking an ability to concentrate. Indeed I would have said she had ferocious concentration when she arranges her toys and puts her treasures away. Now I am thinking that this is a NF1-related learning disorder and that’s just one more terribly worrying thing to deal with. What I can do about this: after Pearl has had her OT review and seen the paediatrician I will go to them with some concrete ideas about what the teacher can do.
· Nearly every time I go there I can hear the teacher calling her name. What I can do about this: I am sure she is being difficult for them, but I am also taking the precautionary step of buying her a uniform (even though it is non-compulsory) so she will be better able to blend in with the herd of other children. Perhaps she is just more visible than the others.
· I kind of thought the parents would get more day to day news. I thought they might want volunteers. What I can do about this: will find out when the teacher-parent night is.
· And unrelated to the previous points but of more generality, I do not like the way Pearl became obsessed with fathers and nuclear families as soon as she started school. I am sure this is not coming from the teacher or the aides, but I think it may be because sometimes fathers pick up some of the kids and because the dolls and jigsaws they have are all of white, heterosexual families. What I can do about this: mention it to the teacher and offer to buy a jigsaw with more diversity.
Things that I like:
· Pearl goes to kindy happily. She likes playing there.
· She seems to enjoy making things despite her weak muscles. Her art is noticeably less advanced than that of her peers in the areas of drawing and painting, but she is a champion at threading and cutting with scissors.
· She is getting slightly better at getting on with other people and does not rush up to the other children and shout ROAR in their faces any more.
· They have really nifty toys and craft materials.
· The teacher told me she thinks Pearl is bright and has a good vocabulary.
Things that I dislike:
· Unfortunately the kindy teacher had to have an eye operation in the second week of school. There was a temp, then the teacher came back, then she got an infection and there was a second temp, but now the proper teacher has returned. Having one consistent presence is much better and may have contributed to the rocky start to the year. What I can do about this: no need for action, the teacher is back on board.
· I am constantly being taken aside to have it explained that Pearl is less mature than the others, lacks the ability to concentrate, does not like standing in queues, spins around so her skirt flies up and gives the other kids violent hugs. I expected that she would be less mature than the others because she is 11 months younger than some. Also, she has no experience with group life as she was not in day care. What I did not expect is virtually every time they say this I ask what we can do about it and inquire what strategies they suggest and the teacher responds that she does not know. This is not helpful. What I can do about this: her actual, proper teacher does not do this. It was just the temps and the aides, so no need for action.
· Pearl sometimes does not want to go because she says she does not like standing in line. I understand this but it is a skill that will be of lifelong value (especially when using female toilets). The teacher came up with a way to deal with this on her own and now Pearl is put at the head of the queues. I virtually cried when the teacher told me this because I am so stressed about everything else that is going on health-wise and I feel that I keep getting asked to solve these kindy problems too, and I am happy to do what I can of course but I am not actually there during the day.
· I had not thought of Pearl as emotionally immature or as lacking an ability to concentrate. Indeed I would have said she had ferocious concentration when she arranges her toys and puts her treasures away. Now I am thinking that this is a NF1-related learning disorder and that’s just one more terribly worrying thing to deal with. What I can do about this: after Pearl has had her OT review and seen the paediatrician I will go to them with some concrete ideas about what the teacher can do.
· Nearly every time I go there I can hear the teacher calling her name. What I can do about this: I am sure she is being difficult for them, but I am also taking the precautionary step of buying her a uniform (even though it is non-compulsory) so she will be better able to blend in with the herd of other children. Perhaps she is just more visible than the others.
· I kind of thought the parents would get more day to day news. I thought they might want volunteers. What I can do about this: will find out when the teacher-parent night is.
· And unrelated to the previous points but of more generality, I do not like the way Pearl became obsessed with fathers and nuclear families as soon as she started school. I am sure this is not coming from the teacher or the aides, but I think it may be because sometimes fathers pick up some of the kids and because the dolls and jigsaws they have are all of white, heterosexual families. What I can do about this: mention it to the teacher and offer to buy a jigsaw with more diversity.
