My Dilemma Continues

Thank you for your thoughts and comments on my previous post. I really do appreciate them as i try to work through what's best for Bode.

I observed at the local elem school yesterday. The class that Bode would go to should we move him. And i left thinking there's not a whole lot of difference in the level of learning/concepts being presented to them. I was amazed, however, at the organization of the classroom and the way the teacher managed the kids. All 22 of them and it was so calm. With NO AIDE (i asked about it and the teacher said "no aides in this district." Wha?). They paid attention. They seemed engaged. They quickly got back on track if one side-stepped. If someone misbehaved ( i actually didn't see ANY poor behavior, but something like yelling out an answer or not keeping their hands to themselves) it was very quickly and calmly fixed and things moved on without more than a hiccup. But overall--the learning? She taught them "Tt." They wrote a few words. Talked about the short vowel sound. Then they spent the typical time in circle talking about the calendar and weather. Singing a jazzy ABC phonics song. Read a book related to the color of the day. She gave instructions for their next project. Etc.

I left and decided he stays at his charter school. And felt good about it.

Then i spent 2 1/2 hours in his class today. Big mistake. I should have pulled an ostrich and just stuck my head in the sand.

Apples and oranges, baby. Night and day. So for 24 hours i decided that the learning issue didn't need to be such a huge issue. And now, it's really not a learning issue. Although some actual instruction would be welcome. But it's a classroom management issue, for lack of a better name. Clutter. Chaos. Disorganization. No flow to the day. No expectations. No consequences.

This was the day.

8-8:25--Morning Meeting AKA Circle Time. They went around saying their names in a game-like way. They talked about how they went to the farm yesterday (their field trip). Each child was to share what they liked best about it. Then she read a story. I actually liked MM because one thing Bode needs help with is speaking in a large group. Even just saying his name or "What i liked best were the tractors." But it seemed to be a long time for a morning meeting. There was a lot of time spent dealing with behavior, as was the case all day. And i sat for the 25 minutes looking around at the bare classroom walls with the empty bins and only a few crates of books and so much CRAP and clutter on the tables and shelves and had to control myself from cleaning up and organizing. I picked some garbage up from off the floor. And thought, wow, not a very stimulating room.

Then they were to find seats for whatever instruction she had planned. 16 five year-olds making a mad dash to 4 tables. No designated seating. No thought put into who sits well with whom. Is that too picky? I don't know. Finally everyone found a seat and...

8:30-8:50--they all had to raise their hands and say something they saw on the farm. She said she wanted some things listed on the board so when the kids write their thank you notes to the farm guide, they'd have some words to work with. 16 kids yelling out, waving their hands wildly to say, "Pig!" "Grasshopper!" "Vegetables!" Etc., etc. And what did she do with the words? Wrote each one on the board while painfully, phonetically sounding them out/spelling them. "G-rrr-aaaa-ssssss-hh-o-like-octopus...." It felt to me that it was just off the top of her head. Like there wasn't really a plan. Oh and it went on forever. Then they got their work. A worksheet. To listen to and follow instructions. Based on "Rr" words. Circle the rocket. Draw a carrot in front of the r-r-rabbit. This, in theory, seems OK to me. They need to follow directions. But the kids were ALL OVER THE PLACE. Talking to their neighbor. Drawing on their neighbor's paper. Yelling out answers. Getting up out of their seats to check out what was going on at another table. Throwing themselves back in their seats. And what did she do? Nothing remotely effective. I can't tell you how many times i heard Bode ask, "What did she say?" and i can't get mad at the kid for not listening or paying attention because COULD HE HEAR OR PAY ATTENTION WITH ALL THE NOISE AND RESTLESSNESS IN THE ROOM???

8:50-9:00--Readers' Workshop. Doesn't this sound nice? What they are to do is either pick a "wordless book" and a partner to "read" the wordless book with or pick a book to "read" on their own. The wordless book idea sounds fine to me. But Bode would never pick that option. Of verbalizing his own story with a peer. Especially when given the choice to simply look at other books. And you know what a lot of the books were? Those stupid, crappy books that have the sound effect buttons on the side. Seriously. So they flounced on the rug and looked at books. This could be a great break for a full-day class. But they'd been in school for a mere hour at this point.

9:00-9:10--Potty break.

9:10-9:15--"OK, guys, just keep doing your reading workshop. Only 10 minutes until it's time for media (computer)." She's totally killing time. Instead of reinforcing what they've "hopefully" learned this week about the letter Rr, maybe standing at the front of the class and teaching them (again i hope) how to write it or SOMETHING, she kills time.

9:15-9:45--Media time. They go to Starfall.com for 30 minutes.

9:45-10:00--Recess outside.

10:00-10:10--Snack. No handwashing. Major pet-peeve. But not my main concern today.

10:10-10:40--Writing Time. This was the thank you note for the man who gave them a tour of the farm the day before. She wrote, "Thank you, Mr. David" on the board and the kids were to draw a picture on their papers and then write those words and sign it. A small portion of the class was totally into this. They drew their pictures. They already knew their letters and were able to nearly independently write the sentence. Another portion was happy to draw a picture. And then there was the portion that didn't know how to write letters. Especially lowercase and needed a lot of help. Is it an appropriate task when they haven't been formally taught these letters? I dunno. But what i watched was that the class went right back into crazy mode. Some kids were done quickly, some kids took a long time, some kids had no interest, so kids threw markers at their classmates. Bodies moving all over the place. Lots of disruption and confusion. I have to say, Bode drew a killer tractor! But the activity? Very close to out of control. I tried to go around helping kids with the writing and complementing them on their artwork. The teacher sat at the front helping the kids glue their finished thank yous to construction paper.

I had to leave to pick up Keegen then and don't know what happened for the remaining 50 minutes (they stay 30 minutes longer on Fridays). On the board, for the final 30 minutes of the schedule is written "flex-time." Free play? More mindless stuff? I felt so unsettled. Is this a typical day? Does she just make it a point to waste time? Is this her way to manage the classroom? There are at least three kids in there who, in my own imperfect assessment, have some major issues and end up taking up a large portion of the day. And the teacher just doesn't seem capable or equipped to effectively deal with their behavior. And i thought about Bode's auditory processing problems and thought, NO WONDER when i ask him what he learned today, i'm met with a blank stare. For one thing, there's not much teaching. If there is any attempt at teaching, he has to work so hard to filter what's going on around him to follow what they're supposed to be doing. And if the classroom is always that noisy and disorganized, how exhausting for him to have to muddle through that each day. (My sensory system was frazzled). Yes, it's fun (recess, snack, media! and when not a media day, PE or music or art!) and he has lots of friends, but that's not all i want for him at school. He needs to learn that you're supposed to sit still at times. That you can't always just yell out your answer or question. That you can't always just get up and wander around the classroom. That there is supposed to be some sort of "flow" to a school day. That you actually do go to school to LEARN. NOT JUST PLAY. (And he was actually very well-behaved. Stayed in his seat except to ask to move when his neighbor wouldn't leave him alone. Raised his hand. But being surrounded by all of that random energy all day? Bleh).

I've talked to my sister who taught elementary school and basically rocks. I told her, while i want to just go straight to the principal , i feel like i need to talk to his teacher first. I would hate it if someone had a problem with the work i was doing and went straight to my boss instead of talking to me first. But. I hate any sort of confrontation. So, what she suggested was to go to the principal and ask for a copy of or to see the kindergarten curriculum. (And if they don't have one? Yie). Read it. Then go to his teacher for a conference. Tell her what i'm happy with and then voice my concerns and ask what her plan is for the remainder of the year. If it's a crappy conference/i still don't feel good about it/she doesn't have a clue and/or plan, THEN go to the principal and see what happens there.

And then. We just need to decide what to do. Long story with the same question at the end. Move him or leave him alone. My gut? A calmer learning/school environment would be beneficial for him. The change and transition period? Ugh. I'm a little on the lazy side, so that just sounds like work to me...