When it comes to special needs and education, I love Connie’s passion. I believe it was the passion for this cause that ultimately linked us. My story is similar and one that I would like to share. My hope is that at least one parent can see that speaking up may make the difference in her or her child’s education.
My son was born too late to be considered premature, but yet still early. Weighing in at a very healthy 8 lbs. 11 oz., and passing all his tests, the doctor felt certain his decision for an early induction was a good one.
He hit some milestones on time, but as time progressed, he was always just on the brink of being too late. The pediatrician chalked it up to being a third child.
In preschool, his teacher was concerned about his fine motor skills and academic ability. She thought that perhaps holding back from Kindergarden could be a good idea; he could take an extra year to mature. As an April baby, he is younger than a good portion of his peers. The only problem was that he was taller than everyone. He just looked older. Another year could be devastating for him socially.
He started Kindergarten and his teacher felt that he was fine, just immature. She thought some extra work at home may make the difference. We did it.
By the middle of first grade, I was concerned. He was well behind his peers. His handwriting was unintelligable. He couldn’t master simple math facts. This teacher wasn’t concerned. However, his speech was not developing, so he was placed into Speech Therapy for second grade.
Now in second grade, academics were becoming an obvious struggle. Math was frustrating. Reading was next to impossible. I inquired about testing; I was denied. I pushed further, and finally late in the year, he was tested and all the results came back “normal.”
Having a background in Elementary Education, I know about those tests. Some of them work, some of them don’t. For the most part, unless a child has a profound disability, the results don’t always show that he or she is in need of special education services. The classroom teacher is the key to the puzzle. But I am getting ahead of myself.
To be continued….
[About the author:]
Heather spends her days (and many nights) trying to meet the demands that go with being a wife, mother, and freelancer. She has gained no notoriety from her blog, Cool and Hip, I Am Not, but continues to write with high hopes. Topics range from parenting to social disgraces. She and her husband live with their sons in Tennessee.
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