i have tried to start this blog so many times. every time i sit down to write this blog something happens. kids fall down, kids fight, my work-kids come flying through the door with all of their crazy teenaged cohorts, or once i even hit the ‘back’ button by accident when i was almost done.. it’s always something.
but here i am. if you are reading this, i have finally posted the ‘back2school’ blog!
So, liam has now been in senior kindergarten for 2 weeks. as most of you know we decided to enroll him in public school this year. he is in a typical senior kindergarten class with a 1:1 support worker who stays with him at all times. so far sooooo GOOD! liam loves SK!! he loves his support worker, mrs. H so much! every morning, he is excited to see her and runs to her when she comes out the door. She helps him be successful.
everyone who works with him is blown away by his reading. even me. i mean it’s rediculous. every day, he’s spontaneously reading more and more. he is well above his grade level, by far the best reader in his class. we walk down the street and he reads me the street sighns, he reads me catalogues, tv commercials, web pages. it’s like the letters just reach out to him. when he was first diagnosed i learned what hyperlexia was, but i had no idea just how amazing it would be to watch it develop. he’s phonetically oriented. when he sees the logo for ‘nick jr.’ tv, he insists it’s pronounced ‘nick jerrr’. he’s real sticky about plurals. if you’re reading him something and you leave off the ’s’ at the end, he always corrects you.
anyway, i could go on all day, but you all get the point.
they’ve also harnessed his mad computer skillz at school and have him teaching the other kids how to use the class computer. that is really wonderful to me. they’re using his talents to help him relate to his peers.
overall it seems pretty awesome so far!!
liam’s first day!
i’ll try to get a picture of him with his support worker. she is just the greatest. my nest mission is to convince the school to let us keep her for his elementary school career.
and kaya is back to her little school. she’s thrilled to be back. she’s the biggest kid in the class this year (her class contains 70% children with special needs, accompanied by 30% typical children who learn leadership, acceptance, and the joys of diversity - fabulous!) she is the teacher’s helper this year, and that makes her feel very, very special. she also looks forward to going to school each morning!
kaya in her school van.
in the time i wrote this blog, i was called away 3 times. but this time i actually managed to finish it! so you all better read every word!
