Saturday, September 17, 2011

Week Two @ Alameda Continued

Something is changing for Olivia , and she seems more at ease going to school the last 2 days. At ease or resigned? So hard to tell. No tears, and she has established a morning routine with one of the para-aides, which is starting the day at a desk in the hallway until the final bell has sounded and her classmates have settled in for the day. They also have structured in a few social "breaks" for her, where she can leave the class with the aides to do things such as deliver things to the front office or the other CB class. And at recess she is allowed to sit on her own with one of the aides but only if she is willing to participate more during the learning stations. She is eating more at lunch, and every day she engages a bit more with teachers and peers. At pick up, she is holding a peers hand coming down the hall instead of clinging to an aide, and has actually smiled when seeing me again.

The difference is that the staff have managed to find a routine that is starting to work. They are being flexible, and encouraging her to be. That was missing in mainstream for Isaac, and from what a few parents have been telling me, is missing in some other CB classrooms. So I am feeling lucky and still holding my breath. It is still early.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Week Two @ Alameda : Are We Having Fun Yet?

Oh, Mini-Peanut. Oh boy. Do I wish I could make you feel better.

The second week of Kindie is rough. She wakes up sad, I struggle to get breakfast in her, she walks limply from the car to her school, and as we approach the school, insists that her ear coves go on to "make the sound go away"' and as we get closer to her room, she whimpers and then cries.

Ugh.

When I pick her up, Mrs. McCormick says each day is better, she participates a little more at their academic stations, and even wrote her name and named her letters yesterday. But when she comes out at 3:00pm she seems heavy with sadness, ear covers still on, not even perking up when she sees me, and with her eyes all wonky and crossed from strain (she needs her glasses full time now). She won't speak until we are clear of the school, and then immediately she smiles and sings songs.

Holy sh*t.

So here is the stress list I run through daily:

1. She needs time to adjust
2. She's heading towards a panic attack ala Isaac in Mrs. Raddick's class
3. She needs to learn independence
4. Her anxiety has her clouded in a fog all day
5. Kindie is a must, and she is in the best possible class and program
6. Can she even learn when she is like this
7. At some point she needs to join the typical world, and in that world, you go to school with all of the noises, lessons, and challenges that
come with it

I am giving it a month to see improvements in her demeanor. Then we will address her time in the classroom, and decide if we need to go part time. If that does not help, then maybe we need another year to mature.