Kindergarten and Crying

[Guest guest]

If I were the Kindergarten teacher and had a student that was still crying and

unhappy I would have had the parent and his aide in for a meeting already to try

and come up with a plan to make things better for him.? Kindergarten is the time

to be happy and build that foundation and love for school.? The aide or

paraprofessional doesn't have to stay " glued " to your child unless of course the

IEP says that....then again if that wasn't working the teacher and aide should

have already brought this up with the CST and had you in for a revision

meeting.? When I had a BD student in my general ed class, the para?didn't

necessarily have to be near him the entire time....he was able to do things

without her because in his case he didn't want to feel different.? I still think

that self-esteem is so much more important than academics....someone just wrote

that in one of their posts....I think the example was with the handwriting...why

stress the child out when in a few years they eventually return to printing or

" invent " their own special way of handwriting.?

I had the self-esteem conversation just the other day with a teacher in the

twins' class that helps with Language/Reading in the class.? I mentioned that I

knew many very intelligent people and even some?on the genius level that had

very little self-confidence/esteem and sat behind a computer and were not very

happy.?(OK didn't fit that description:)?Then I added that I had many very

successful, happy friends that were probably not at the top of their class, but

had the high self-esteem and confidence that they needed to get to where they

are today.?

Every time I read another new parent coming to this site after having their

child diagnosed with apraxia it brings back so many of those same feelings....I

was told 8 years ago that my twins may never speak...ever....so came to this

site, and also read and cried for hours after the kids were all in bed.....I

don't really think my husband totally understood my need to read and reread

every message everyday...and I had so many messages printed out that I needed a

new file cabinet..and I thank God that I found this site and to this day still

tell people that without the ProEFA I don't know how long it would have taken

the boys to begin to talk....and without starting this site and allowing us

to talk about anything (unlike other groups) I don't think we would have seen

the improvements and been able to write about them today!?

I know I have to take a day off here and there to not actually think about what

the school could be doing better...for my health and happiness and for the

happiness of those around me.....LOL.....Kathy (NJ)

[Guest guest]

Kathy is our resident kindergarten teacher/apraxia mom expert! And I

can say that without 'question' (get it -what is it with all those

question marks in your messages??)

Do you have any good trick or treat stories to share? And speaking

of memories did you see the messages I just posted about 's son

?!!! Remember the night crying?

Hey call me!! And when are you coming down here with the kids to

visit? We'll be in either Disney or Universal Friday.

Here's a good poem about crying and kindergarten

First Day Of School

by R. Wayne December 1997

The first day of school and he was still in bed,

I had do get him dressed and I had to get him fed.

Why was it such a struggle to get him on his way?

The first day of school was such a trying day.

Then as I fixed his sandwiches, I had a funny hunch,

Might he be embarrassed for the kids to see his lunch?

The kids all made him nervous, he was the first to say.

He felt like they made fun of him when they went out to play.

Last night he had a crying fit, he said he wouldn't go.

His head was on my shoulder, he was really feeling low.

When at last I got him out the door, with tear drops in my eyes,

I said, " Now you be good today " and I promised a surprise.

I watched him as he walked away, each step he took a drag.

His sandwiches would all be crushed, the way he clutched the bag.

There was no way to make him see, no matter how I tried,

For the principal to act this way just wasn't dignified!

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