Boy, was S ever in one HECK of a grouchy mood this morning!
When I finally got him up, I reminded him that today was garbage day and that he needed to get both the garbage bag and the green bin out to the curb before he got on the bus. He took great exception to the green bin being his responsibility. I told him that on his recycle week he has to do cat litter, and on garbage week it’s the green bin. He did the little growl-type noise that he does to indicate that he realizes this, but doesn’t like it.
After a little while, I went in to his room to make sure he was almost dressed. I noticed that the uniform pants he was putting on were dirty, so I asked him to please put those in the laundry and I started to reach in to his closet for another pair of navy pants. “Those ones are dirty too,” he said in a very nasty tone. I asked why he would hang up dirty pants, and he told me “Because I always hang up my pants as soon as I get home!” I grabbed the other pair of navy pants and put them in the hamper with the first pair. Next I grabbed his khaki pants, and told him that he would have to wear these ones for today. This is when he informs me that the loop has come unfastened and he can’t do these pants up.
Fine. I tell him that I will sew up the latch and start walking out of his room. “Fine!,” he yells, “I’ll just sit here half naked. Or better yet, I will go to the school just like this!” I stopped, and turned around and tried to explain to him that I was simply going to my sewing basket to grab a needle and thread, and perhaps he could use this time to get his teeth brushed. Of course, by now I am flustered, and had some trouble getting the thread through. (No, it’s not age – I think it was a small-holed needle!)
After a couple of minutes of fighting with the thread, I remembered that he had one clean pair of navy pants downstairs hanging in the laundry and he could use those. I told him this and he growled and went to the laundry room to get them. Of course, once I knew he had a pair of pants, I was able to thread the needle! I quickly repaired the khaki pants and came out of my room to remind him about the green bin.
During all of this, I was also trying to chop, slice and dice the items I needed to put in to the slow cooker for this evening’s dinner. As I got back to the cutting board, and reminded him to take his medication, S says to me, “Do you have my lunch?” Most days he doesn’t even take a lunch, and when he does, he usually asks me to make him something when he first gets up.
I quickly grabbed some cheese and meat from the fridge, opened up the tortilla’s and made him a couple of quick wraps while he was taking things curb-side. He was gathering up his backpacks and clarinet– he wears his laptop on his back and his ‘normal’ backpack on his front - when I came down with his lunch and small green-bag item he had missed.
“I can’t HOLD anything else,” he snarled at me. I calmly opened his front backpack pouch, placed his lunch and book he had in his hand in the front pouch (thereby freeing up his left hand) and handed him the bag without saying a word. I zipped up the pouch and started back up the stairs. I heard another snarl/growl thing, and he went outside, slamming the door as he went.
What a lovely way to start the day.
On the upside, he was able to get everything curb side, he was wearing a clean uniform, had clean teeth, a healthy lunch, and was able to meet the bus on time. (Take the small things when you need to, that's what I say!)
Last night S had a bit of geography homework, which he did tell me about, and was very willing to sit down and get right to work on it after dinner last night. I made sure I stuck around the kitchen while he was getting started, but he didn’t dawdle with it at all – he just got what he needed and got right down to work. I finished tidying up the kitchen and when I saw that he was still plugging away, felt comfortable going in to the living room to work on a few things I wanted to get done. He finished all of the work (at least it looked like he did) and the only thing he didn’t look after doing at the time was making sure he had put everything back in backpack.
Grouch-face… I think I will have to call him that tonight and see what caused this morning ruckus. After he left, I looked at the A-man – who gets up a full half hour before S or I – and asked “What was that all about?” He had no idea.
~~~
On a different subject, it would appear the chicken’s are going into a bit of an egg-producing reduction. Two days ago we got 17 eggs, and yesterday only 15. I guess since we are getting darker earlier, they are being affected by that. Hard to admit, but it would appear slaughter time is soon upon us. I’m hoping the weather warms up a bit so that closing the pool this weekend isn’t too nasty, and then Hubby and I can decide when he is going to start making the chickens freezer-ready. (Again, I will have nothing to do with this process, thank you.)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Some photos recently downloaded...
Just downloaded a bunch of pictures from our camera, and thought I would share!
I'm having a baby shower this weekend. Made a centre piece out of diapers... never done one before. It actually turned out better than I thought it would. Will add cloth ribbon and some flowers to finish it off, but over all, I am quite pleased.
Not going to see this sunset for a while...
Our "kittens" have really grown up!
S was really happy to use the pool this summer. He is like a fish...
Just a sample of the strange items growing where the carrots were supposed to be... At least they still taste good!
Our one cat didn't like the two nights that we 'doggy' sat, but she seemed to be able to still get comfy around him...
I'm having a baby shower this weekend. Made a centre piece out of diapers... never done one before. It actually turned out better than I thought it would. Will add cloth ribbon and some flowers to finish it off, but over all, I am quite pleased.
Not going to see this sunset for a while...
Our "kittens" have really grown up!
S was really happy to use the pool this summer. He is like a fish...
Just a sample of the strange items growing where the carrots were supposed to be... At least they still taste good!
Our one cat didn't like the two nights that we 'doggy' sat, but she seemed to be able to still get comfy around him...
Why tigers eat their young...
Well I finally heard from another teacher on Friday afternoon.
The A-man’s Religion teacher did call, and she told me that the A-man was doing very well in class. She was aware of his IEP and she didn’t really have any concerns at this time. I provided her with my home email address and let her know that I would really appreciate it if I could be kept informed of how he is progressing.
When I got home on Friday night, I was waiting for the A-man to tell me about his conversation with the Math teacher. He wasn’t forthcoming with any of the information, so after a while I just asked him outright if he’d talked with Mr. M. He says to me, “Yeah, I did. I had to miss the script reading in Drama, so thanks for that, Mom.” Now I’m the bad guy.
Anyway, after talking with the teacher, the A-man indicated that he would like to remain in the mixed class this semester (so that he can learn the fundamentals) and then take the Uni stream next semester. Basically, this means he would have Math for the full year but really only end up with one credit. I’m not so sure I like this idea. I asked when he was next meeting with the guidance teacher, and he told me that it’s on Tuesday. I expressed a desire to attend the meeting and was told, “Oh great – so you just want to come and force yourself in to my life again.”
EXCUSE ME?! I force my opinions on his life?
I explained that I would like to use the meeting time as an opportunity to learn of the various options, not as a way to FORCE my thoughts and opinions on him and his life, but he didn’t seem convinced. When I told Hubby about the A-man idea, he didn’t seem to think it made a whole lot of sense either. Other the weekend I talked to my Mom a wee bit about it, and Hubby and I discussed it a bit more. We still aren’t sure that this is the most advisable step, but I think it will be helpful to have a meeting with the guidance department to confirm what types of courses would be required for the career path the A-man thinks he would like to follow at this time. If the guidance department doesn’t think it’s that big a deal to have him take Math each semester, then I guess that is what he will do, but I also want to know for sure that he is fully aware of the other courses that he could be picking up this semester if he chose to stop taking math right now.
Last night I asked the A-man if he wanted to practice his monologue for his Drama audition. You would have thought I’d asked for the right to name his first born with the way that he carried on. I was “forcing him to do stuff he’d already done” and then I was “invading his privacy” when I looked into his folder…it was crazy! I suggested that perhaps he might want to consider going to bed.
This morning I told him that I did not appreciate the manner he spoke to me, and he seemed surprised that I was upset with him. He said “I didn’t speak with a bad attitude to you, Mom.” I suggested that perhaps he look at the words and the tone that he uses before he denies being rude. I think his hormones must be acting a little crazy right now.
S was moving a wee bit slow this morning. He was just having a piece of fruit when I realized that his bus was at the end of the lane, so he had to rush to get out the door. After he left I realized that he had left his clarinet behind. Fortunately, the A-man was able to take it for him.
S really seems to be enjoying his music class. He has taught himself the “In the Jungle” song on the clarinet just by having someone tell him that the song starts in the Key of G. I am really hoping that he will start to get his fingers limbered up on the keyboard again – he was very good playing the piano, so both Hubby and I are hoping that his love of playing music will continue to grow and begin to encompass other instruments. He really is quite talented when it comes to both reading and playing music.
I’m having a baby shower this coming weekend, so I have a bit to get ready for that. I picked up a cute little photo album and I’m going to get pictures of each guest with the baby and then get Hubby to print the pictures out before everyone leaves so then the Mom will have a nice keepsake at the end of the day. I also want to make a centre-piece ‘cake’ that I had seen at another shower a number of months ago – it is made with diapers rolled up to make it look like a tiered cake. I plan on getting the main supplies tonight so that I can get started on the layout.
Hubby has a bunch of computer jobs scheduled for this week, but I am just planning on doing my workouts and whatever else needs to be done around the house. I’m done with rushing for a while.
The A-man’s Religion teacher did call, and she told me that the A-man was doing very well in class. She was aware of his IEP and she didn’t really have any concerns at this time. I provided her with my home email address and let her know that I would really appreciate it if I could be kept informed of how he is progressing.
When I got home on Friday night, I was waiting for the A-man to tell me about his conversation with the Math teacher. He wasn’t forthcoming with any of the information, so after a while I just asked him outright if he’d talked with Mr. M. He says to me, “Yeah, I did. I had to miss the script reading in Drama, so thanks for that, Mom.” Now I’m the bad guy.
Anyway, after talking with the teacher, the A-man indicated that he would like to remain in the mixed class this semester (so that he can learn the fundamentals) and then take the Uni stream next semester. Basically, this means he would have Math for the full year but really only end up with one credit. I’m not so sure I like this idea. I asked when he was next meeting with the guidance teacher, and he told me that it’s on Tuesday. I expressed a desire to attend the meeting and was told, “Oh great – so you just want to come and force yourself in to my life again.”
EXCUSE ME?! I force my opinions on his life?
I explained that I would like to use the meeting time as an opportunity to learn of the various options, not as a way to FORCE my thoughts and opinions on him and his life, but he didn’t seem convinced. When I told Hubby about the A-man idea, he didn’t seem to think it made a whole lot of sense either. Other the weekend I talked to my Mom a wee bit about it, and Hubby and I discussed it a bit more. We still aren’t sure that this is the most advisable step, but I think it will be helpful to have a meeting with the guidance department to confirm what types of courses would be required for the career path the A-man thinks he would like to follow at this time. If the guidance department doesn’t think it’s that big a deal to have him take Math each semester, then I guess that is what he will do, but I also want to know for sure that he is fully aware of the other courses that he could be picking up this semester if he chose to stop taking math right now.
Last night I asked the A-man if he wanted to practice his monologue for his Drama audition. You would have thought I’d asked for the right to name his first born with the way that he carried on. I was “forcing him to do stuff he’d already done” and then I was “invading his privacy” when I looked into his folder…it was crazy! I suggested that perhaps he might want to consider going to bed.
This morning I told him that I did not appreciate the manner he spoke to me, and he seemed surprised that I was upset with him. He said “I didn’t speak with a bad attitude to you, Mom.” I suggested that perhaps he look at the words and the tone that he uses before he denies being rude. I think his hormones must be acting a little crazy right now.
S was moving a wee bit slow this morning. He was just having a piece of fruit when I realized that his bus was at the end of the lane, so he had to rush to get out the door. After he left I realized that he had left his clarinet behind. Fortunately, the A-man was able to take it for him.
S really seems to be enjoying his music class. He has taught himself the “In the Jungle” song on the clarinet just by having someone tell him that the song starts in the Key of G. I am really hoping that he will start to get his fingers limbered up on the keyboard again – he was very good playing the piano, so both Hubby and I are hoping that his love of playing music will continue to grow and begin to encompass other instruments. He really is quite talented when it comes to both reading and playing music.
I’m having a baby shower this coming weekend, so I have a bit to get ready for that. I picked up a cute little photo album and I’m going to get pictures of each guest with the baby and then get Hubby to print the pictures out before everyone leaves so then the Mom will have a nice keepsake at the end of the day. I also want to make a centre-piece ‘cake’ that I had seen at another shower a number of months ago – it is made with diapers rolled up to make it look like a tiered cake. I plan on getting the main supplies tonight so that I can get started on the layout.
Hubby has a bunch of computer jobs scheduled for this week, but I am just planning on doing my workouts and whatever else needs to be done around the house. I’m done with rushing for a while.
Friday, September 25, 2009
See - Mom's do know things!
I called the school on Wednesday morning and left a message for three of the A-man’s teachers to call me. I want to talk to them about how he has been doing so far, and to ensure that they are aware of his current IEP accommodations.
As of yesterday afternoon (ie. Thursday) I have received a total of one return phone call. From the Math teacher - I’ve still not heard from the English nor Religion teachers. Very nice.
I asked the Math teacher how the A-man was doing in his class, and he told me that he is doing exceptionally well. He then commented that the A-man is doing so well that he thought maybe he should be moved up to the University stream course. I then asked about this whole ‘mixed’ class concept. I explained that the A-man was told that this mixed course would still allow him to follow the University stream, but I wasn’t convinced that was the case. He told me that yes, the mixed course would allow for University stream, but it does not allow for other Grade 12 Maths, such as Calculus and Functions/Relations; for those, there is a Grade 11 University stream requirement.
When I explained to the teacher that the A-man has aspirations to actually become a high school Math teacher, he went on to explain that the other Grad12 Maths would be requirements. So, even if the A-man completes the combined course, and does well at it, he would still have to take the Grade 11 University-stream course to be able to take the courses he would need for the career path he wants to pursue. He then asked me if I wanted to talk to the A-man about his options. I suggested that perhaps the A-man would be more receptive to having this information coming directly from his Math teacher than from his Mom. See, apparently Mom’s don’t really know about these things…
The teacher completely understood and said that he would pull the A-man from class today and have a discussion about his options. If the A-man decides to move up to the next level, it will cause a shuffle in his timetable as he probably wouldn’t be able to pick up the University stream class in the current slot he has for the mixed class. I don’t really want him to have a spare, so I am hoping that if he does move ahead with this (fingers crossed!) that there is something available for him to move in to.
What a mess – I just wish I had realized what Math course he was opting in for last Spring when he completed the course selection materials, because I would have done my ‘darndest’ to convince him otherwise, and I would have insisted on a meeting with Guidance to ensure he was making viable choices. Now we are looking at a full schedule shift three weeks in to the semester. Lovely.
I will be very curious to see how the A-man brings this subject up to me tonight – or even if he does. I’m hoping the Math teacher will give me a call this afternoon to let me know how the discussion went.
As of yesterday afternoon (ie. Thursday) I have received a total of one return phone call. From the Math teacher - I’ve still not heard from the English nor Religion teachers. Very nice.
I asked the Math teacher how the A-man was doing in his class, and he told me that he is doing exceptionally well. He then commented that the A-man is doing so well that he thought maybe he should be moved up to the University stream course. I then asked about this whole ‘mixed’ class concept. I explained that the A-man was told that this mixed course would still allow him to follow the University stream, but I wasn’t convinced that was the case. He told me that yes, the mixed course would allow for University stream, but it does not allow for other Grade 12 Maths, such as Calculus and Functions/Relations; for those, there is a Grade 11 University stream requirement.
When I explained to the teacher that the A-man has aspirations to actually become a high school Math teacher, he went on to explain that the other Grad12 Maths would be requirements. So, even if the A-man completes the combined course, and does well at it, he would still have to take the Grade 11 University-stream course to be able to take the courses he would need for the career path he wants to pursue. He then asked me if I wanted to talk to the A-man about his options. I suggested that perhaps the A-man would be more receptive to having this information coming directly from his Math teacher than from his Mom. See, apparently Mom’s don’t really know about these things…
The teacher completely understood and said that he would pull the A-man from class today and have a discussion about his options. If the A-man decides to move up to the next level, it will cause a shuffle in his timetable as he probably wouldn’t be able to pick up the University stream class in the current slot he has for the mixed class. I don’t really want him to have a spare, so I am hoping that if he does move ahead with this (fingers crossed!) that there is something available for him to move in to.
What a mess – I just wish I had realized what Math course he was opting in for last Spring when he completed the course selection materials, because I would have done my ‘darndest’ to convince him otherwise, and I would have insisted on a meeting with Guidance to ensure he was making viable choices. Now we are looking at a full schedule shift three weeks in to the semester. Lovely.
I will be very curious to see how the A-man brings this subject up to me tonight – or even if he does. I’m hoping the Math teacher will give me a call this afternoon to let me know how the discussion went.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Using antiquated software
I am all riled up and TICKED RIGHT OFF this morning.
I got an email from the SERT (two actually) this morning indicating that the Board has accepted her request to send S’s scanner home so that he can scan his school work at home. Score one point!
The second email asked for more details about what is wrong with the version of Dragon Naturally Speaking on S’s system. I guess she needed some more details for the Board’s IT people. Anyway, I responded to her email right away and within a half hour, I got an email back telling me that “they” felt that it was just likely that S’s voice has changed and that he needs to take the time to ‘retrain’ the program.
I just about lost it.
I emailed her backr – which I also cc’d to the Superintendent of Special Education – and explained that in the past 3 years the program has never worked to the ability that the newer version (without any training) did over the summer. I went on to further explain that when he is constantly required to say “delete that” and “correct that” it takes away from his ability to speak naturally and let the thoughts flow as they should.
Then, my final argument toward a newer version of the program was that it would end up costing the same – if not more – to have a consultant come in and provide training as it would to just update the program. I also stressed that the funding is available from the Ministry of Education and that I didn’t see why the Board would have a problem with providing updates to antiquated programs.
I’d love to know if anyone at the Board is still working on Windows 98… betcha they are all using the most up to date version of Windows, yet they expect the kids to not have updated software.
So, yeah, I’m a tad riled today. I think I am going to give our instructor from the summer training program a call to see if she has any advice on how I can further proceed with this. I know it is available – why are they giving me such a hard time about this request?
I may just call the Superintendent… this is gonna bother me all day.
I got an email from the SERT (two actually) this morning indicating that the Board has accepted her request to send S’s scanner home so that he can scan his school work at home. Score one point!
The second email asked for more details about what is wrong with the version of Dragon Naturally Speaking on S’s system. I guess she needed some more details for the Board’s IT people. Anyway, I responded to her email right away and within a half hour, I got an email back telling me that “they” felt that it was just likely that S’s voice has changed and that he needs to take the time to ‘retrain’ the program.
I just about lost it.
I emailed her backr – which I also cc’d to the Superintendent of Special Education – and explained that in the past 3 years the program has never worked to the ability that the newer version (without any training) did over the summer. I went on to further explain that when he is constantly required to say “delete that” and “correct that” it takes away from his ability to speak naturally and let the thoughts flow as they should.
Then, my final argument toward a newer version of the program was that it would end up costing the same – if not more – to have a consultant come in and provide training as it would to just update the program. I also stressed that the funding is available from the Ministry of Education and that I didn’t see why the Board would have a problem with providing updates to antiquated programs.
I’d love to know if anyone at the Board is still working on Windows 98… betcha they are all using the most up to date version of Windows, yet they expect the kids to not have updated software.
So, yeah, I’m a tad riled today. I think I am going to give our instructor from the summer training program a call to see if she has any advice on how I can further proceed with this. I know it is available – why are they giving me such a hard time about this request?
I may just call the Superintendent… this is gonna bother me all day.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Heartbreak
Well, I knew it was bound to happen, and that it really was a matter of time, but I honestly was surprised.
Lil'A "broke up" with S yesterday.
Poor wee guy... got home from school and went right in to his room. I was preparing dinner when he got here, so I went in to see what had happened. He was laying facedown on his bed, straight as an arrow, but I couldn't tell if he was crying or not. I asked what was going on, and he produced a letter from his pocket.
I remember writing those types of letters when I was 14.
Anyway, he had some quiet time in his room - both Hubby and I went and gave him hugs and told him we loved him. After a bit, he came out and went about his normal every day routine.
At some point after dinner he obviously called her and she told him that she just "liked it better when they were friends." He told her that her letter really hurt his feelings... anyway, apparently they are going to still be 'friends'.
He was fine for the rest of the night. Thankfully.
I was expecting a lot worse, truth be told.
Lil'A "broke up" with S yesterday.
Poor wee guy... got home from school and went right in to his room. I was preparing dinner when he got here, so I went in to see what had happened. He was laying facedown on his bed, straight as an arrow, but I couldn't tell if he was crying or not. I asked what was going on, and he produced a letter from his pocket.
I remember writing those types of letters when I was 14.
Anyway, he had some quiet time in his room - both Hubby and I went and gave him hugs and told him we loved him. After a bit, he came out and went about his normal every day routine.
At some point after dinner he obviously called her and she told him that she just "liked it better when they were friends." He told her that her letter really hurt his feelings... anyway, apparently they are going to still be 'friends'.
He was fine for the rest of the night. Thankfully.
I was expecting a lot worse, truth be told.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Meeting the new SERT
I had a great meeting with S's new SERT this morning. We reviewed his existing IEP and talked about what types of changes should be incorporated since he is now in high school.
She is fairly new to the SERT world, so I actually had to explain a number of things about S's various conditions, and also about the services he has received in the past and how to we got to where we are today. She seemed very receptive to any suggestions that I made, and I am cautiously optimistic that his IEP will actually be something that the teachers will be able to understand and follow.
Right now S has EA support in all classes but Music, but all of them are in a 'background' capacity. Both the SERT and I would like to see S develop and grow his independence, and we figure having an EA on hand, but not WITH, will help with that.
During the meeting, I found out that she isn't really sure where they are going to set up S's scanner/printer. I suggested that our HOME would be a good location - that way he would be responsible for scanning all of his information, but he wouldn't be required to lose classroom time to do so. She really liked that idea, and actually sent an email off the the Superintendent of Special Education right then to see if this was something that could be done.
I will keep my fingers crossed on that one. Oh, what a coup that would be.
I am going to have to make some appointments for the teachers, but I think I will wait another week or so before doing that.
Took S into the Health Unit this morning to get his final Hep B shot. He missed getting them in Grade 7 because he forgot to take the forms in. Our timing for getting to the school was good because just as we were arriving, they were calling students with the last name beginning with our last name letter down for school pictures. S grabbed his late slip, then went off to get his picture taken before going to Music class.
We had a nice weekend.
On Friday night I went out with some friends for dinner and then to see "Bjorn Again", which is an ABBA cover band. Saturday morning I got to sleep in a bit, and then I did a bit of cleaning around the house and Hubby and the A-man and I went shopping in the afternoon. S had been invited over to his friend's house for the afternoon, so Hubby dropped him off there before we headed out.
Both Hubby and I got some gear for riding the motorcycles, then the A-man was happy because he was able to pick up some more pieces for his game that he is working on. He's been painting away everyday trying to get them all done. Now he has another 20 more to paint.
Yesterday I did some rearranging of furniture in the living room, then around noon Hubby and I went out for a motorcycle ride. We went quite a distance, and really did have a nice afternoon. I was really greatful for the full face mask that we had bought the day before because I found the wind to be quite chilly and strong on my face. Of course, when we stopped for lunch, it was beautiful and both Hubby and I were able to take off all our 'gear' to eat lunch in just short sleeved tops.
We got home around 6pm, and about 10 minutes later my parents arrived for a short visit. Just as they were getting ready to head out, the R-man and GF arrived... it was a busy spot!
I've taken today off work so that I can do a bit more around the house, but so far I haven't really done that much, but I am just about to go full force...
Here is a picture of me that was taken yesterday just as we arrived at the restaurant for lunch.
I'm so pretty....
She is fairly new to the SERT world, so I actually had to explain a number of things about S's various conditions, and also about the services he has received in the past and how to we got to where we are today. She seemed very receptive to any suggestions that I made, and I am cautiously optimistic that his IEP will actually be something that the teachers will be able to understand and follow.
Right now S has EA support in all classes but Music, but all of them are in a 'background' capacity. Both the SERT and I would like to see S develop and grow his independence, and we figure having an EA on hand, but not WITH, will help with that.
During the meeting, I found out that she isn't really sure where they are going to set up S's scanner/printer. I suggested that our HOME would be a good location - that way he would be responsible for scanning all of his information, but he wouldn't be required to lose classroom time to do so. She really liked that idea, and actually sent an email off the the Superintendent of Special Education right then to see if this was something that could be done.
I will keep my fingers crossed on that one. Oh, what a coup that would be.
I am going to have to make some appointments for the teachers, but I think I will wait another week or so before doing that.
Took S into the Health Unit this morning to get his final Hep B shot. He missed getting them in Grade 7 because he forgot to take the forms in. Our timing for getting to the school was good because just as we were arriving, they were calling students with the last name beginning with our last name letter down for school pictures. S grabbed his late slip, then went off to get his picture taken before going to Music class.
We had a nice weekend.
On Friday night I went out with some friends for dinner and then to see "Bjorn Again", which is an ABBA cover band. Saturday morning I got to sleep in a bit, and then I did a bit of cleaning around the house and Hubby and the A-man and I went shopping in the afternoon. S had been invited over to his friend's house for the afternoon, so Hubby dropped him off there before we headed out.
Both Hubby and I got some gear for riding the motorcycles, then the A-man was happy because he was able to pick up some more pieces for his game that he is working on. He's been painting away everyday trying to get them all done. Now he has another 20 more to paint.
Yesterday I did some rearranging of furniture in the living room, then around noon Hubby and I went out for a motorcycle ride. We went quite a distance, and really did have a nice afternoon. I was really greatful for the full face mask that we had bought the day before because I found the wind to be quite chilly and strong on my face. Of course, when we stopped for lunch, it was beautiful and both Hubby and I were able to take off all our 'gear' to eat lunch in just short sleeved tops.
We got home around 6pm, and about 10 minutes later my parents arrived for a short visit. Just as they were getting ready to head out, the R-man and GF arrived... it was a busy spot!
I've taken today off work so that I can do a bit more around the house, but so far I haven't really done that much, but I am just about to go full force...
Here is a picture of me that was taken yesterday just as we arrived at the restaurant for lunch.
I'm so pretty....
Thursday, September 17, 2009
More teacher training required
Sometimes I still find myself surprised at how grown up and mature the A-man has become.
Cuz made a comment the other day about how we won't be able to refer to them as "boys" much longer as they are truly becoming young men, and it made me realize that time has passed FAR too quickly. (Well, except for those times when they were not behaving - then time just seemed to stand still for a while!)
The A-man had a Religion ISU due on Tuesday - it was one where they had to "create their own Religion" and it just astounded me at how he was able to complete the project, with all the necessary requirements, yet still incorporate his own little mark of humour into the entire thing. And the funny thing is that his brand of humour is very, very dry - one that some people may not even realize is an intentional 'funny.'
Example - his 'religion' was called Redneckism, and this religion's symbol (rather than a cross) was a dirty hoe. (He even took an old hoe from my garden tools to use for his presentation.) The 'church service' required that every Wednesday night they go to a trailer park to watch NASCAR, and everyone over the age of 12 is required to drink beer.
Okay - maybe not "roll-on-the-floor-laughing" funny, but still humorous when you know how quiet the A-man is. Maybe that is what makes it even MORE funny? If he was more 'out there' like S and I are it probably wouldn't be so amusing.
He really does have his father's sense of humour.
I've been emailing S's SERT a fair bit over the past couple of days.
I realized the other night that he has an antiquated version of Dragon Naturally Speaking on his system, and it doesn't do well catching his voice. About 90% of what he said was typed up incorrectly. No wonder he gets frustrated with the system and refuses to use it.
I've requested an updated version, so we will see what happens there.
With respect to Science, apparently the teacher isn't using a textbook this year. He's been giving the class a notebook of the information. I have now requested that he provide the entire notebook to S so that he can scan it into his computer.
I explained to the SERT that having it on his computer will allow him to make MP3 files to assist him with studying, plus it will ensure that he can't 'forget' his information when it comes time to do homework - he always has his laptop at home.
I also pointed out that S is prone to misplacing loose leaf pages and that it would make more sense to have everything all stored electronically in one place.
I don't CARE if there is an EA in the classroom - he needs to have the information readily available to him - in a format that can be READ to him even when someone isn't there to assist with it.
Time to train the teachers again. And I don't really care for this Science teacher, so I am going to have to keep my cool...
Cuz made a comment the other day about how we won't be able to refer to them as "boys" much longer as they are truly becoming young men, and it made me realize that time has passed FAR too quickly. (Well, except for those times when they were not behaving - then time just seemed to stand still for a while!)
The A-man had a Religion ISU due on Tuesday - it was one where they had to "create their own Religion" and it just astounded me at how he was able to complete the project, with all the necessary requirements, yet still incorporate his own little mark of humour into the entire thing. And the funny thing is that his brand of humour is very, very dry - one that some people may not even realize is an intentional 'funny.'
Example - his 'religion' was called Redneckism, and this religion's symbol (rather than a cross) was a dirty hoe. (He even took an old hoe from my garden tools to use for his presentation.) The 'church service' required that every Wednesday night they go to a trailer park to watch NASCAR, and everyone over the age of 12 is required to drink beer.
Okay - maybe not "roll-on-the-floor-laughing" funny, but still humorous when you know how quiet the A-man is. Maybe that is what makes it even MORE funny? If he was more 'out there' like S and I are it probably wouldn't be so amusing.
He really does have his father's sense of humour.
I've been emailing S's SERT a fair bit over the past couple of days.
I realized the other night that he has an antiquated version of Dragon Naturally Speaking on his system, and it doesn't do well catching his voice. About 90% of what he said was typed up incorrectly. No wonder he gets frustrated with the system and refuses to use it.
I've requested an updated version, so we will see what happens there.
With respect to Science, apparently the teacher isn't using a textbook this year. He's been giving the class a notebook of the information. I have now requested that he provide the entire notebook to S so that he can scan it into his computer.
I explained to the SERT that having it on his computer will allow him to make MP3 files to assist him with studying, plus it will ensure that he can't 'forget' his information when it comes time to do homework - he always has his laptop at home.
I also pointed out that S is prone to misplacing loose leaf pages and that it would make more sense to have everything all stored electronically in one place.
I don't CARE if there is an EA in the classroom - he needs to have the information readily available to him - in a format that can be READ to him even when someone isn't there to assist with it.
Time to train the teachers again. And I don't really care for this Science teacher, so I am going to have to keep my cool...
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Weekend update
I don't really have much of an update about the boys - I am still away at the music event and haven't seen them since Thursday morning, but it was so cute on Friday night when S phoned to sing Happy Birthday to me.
Spoke with Hubby this morning and it sounds like he and the boys had a pretty busy afternoon. He took S to watch Lil'A's soccer game in the morning and then in the afternoon they got the entire lawn cut and then used the sweeper to pick up the grass and throw it in for the chickens. He said after that they did some inside house work before he went grocery shopping.
He has a meeting with the past President of the Fishing Club this morning - he's the new President and has a number of questions about the running of a major event - and then he is going golfing with some friends this afternoon. It sounds like it's going to be a couples thing so he will be odd man out, but I am sure he will be fine with that. After the golfing they are going over to our friend's house for a barbeque.
I will be working at the music festival, but at least by 6.30 tonight we will have the booth dismantled and will be able to sit and enjoy the final band of the evening.
Okay - must dash now... time to get back to work!
Spoke with Hubby this morning and it sounds like he and the boys had a pretty busy afternoon. He took S to watch Lil'A's soccer game in the morning and then in the afternoon they got the entire lawn cut and then used the sweeper to pick up the grass and throw it in for the chickens. He said after that they did some inside house work before he went grocery shopping.
He has a meeting with the past President of the Fishing Club this morning - he's the new President and has a number of questions about the running of a major event - and then he is going golfing with some friends this afternoon. It sounds like it's going to be a couples thing so he will be odd man out, but I am sure he will be fine with that. After the golfing they are going over to our friend's house for a barbeque.
I will be working at the music festival, but at least by 6.30 tonight we will have the booth dismantled and will be able to sit and enjoy the final band of the evening.
Okay - must dash now... time to get back to work!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
New year has begun
It would appear the first day of school went well for both boys.
S brought his laptop home, and absolutely NOTHING had been done with it over the summer. In fact, when I turned it on, it only powered up for a few moments before the battery was too low for it to continue. Am I surprised? Not so much – but I am a bit disappointed.
Now I will have to get in touch with the SERT and find out the fastest way to get his required reading material loaded onto his laptop. I also have to confirm EA details with her as S indicated that he didn’t have an EA in his morning classes, only afternoon.
On another positive note, he did remember to give each of his teachers the letter of introduction I had written, so at least they are aware of some of the educational requirements he is facing. If they actually are willing to work with me remains to be seen, but let’s just take one day at a time.
Last night S also asked me to make sure some chapters from the book he received at technology camp was loaded on to his MP3 – he wanted to read the novel on his way to and from the school, he said. Of course I was very quick to jump all over that request! Anything that will put a book in his hand is a good thing in my mind.
The A-man has Math, English, Drama and Religion this semester. He had an essay assignment last night – a “My Goals in Life” assignment that will basically provide the teacher some insight into the kids in the class while providing some extra details about their writing styles. I was quite surprised to see how much he had written by the time I got home, and even more surprised by how well written it was. He’s got a very natural writing style. Perhaps an English teacher is what he should consider rather than Math…
I have to contact the guidance teacher about the Math level the A-man has signed up for. He tells me that he is taking a ‘combined’ class that will allow him either the College or University stream, but I had not realized that such a course was an option. See – this is why it’s hard when Hubby signs off on things! (I was away when course requirement information had to be submitted, and I’m not sure how much review of the details were made before he signed off on the information!) It will probably be okay, but I think it may be a good idea for both the A-man and I to meet with a guidance councilor to review the courses he is currently taking, and to find out what will need to be taken to ensure he is has what he’ll need for post-secondary.
S is going over to Lil’A’s house tonight for a couple of hours, so the A-man and I are going to hit the Y. We haven’t been for a while, so I know it will do us both good to get out and working those muscles. I also need to get the vehicle cleaned out a bit – a car wash and vacuum will be required before I head out for the weekend’s event tomorrow. I’ll be picking up a State Representative at the airport early afternoon, so I don’t want the vehicle too messy!
Yes, I am off again this weekend. Leaving the office tomorrow around 11, and should be back mid-afternoon on Monday. May have something in the city the beginning of October (haven’t been advised by the State yet if I am needed), and I know for sure that I have two weekends at the end of the month that will take me back to the city, but after that my November, December and January are wide open, thankfully.
I’m actually looking forward to this weekend, though. It’s a music event and one of my favourite bands from my high school years is going to be playing on Saturday evening, so I know I will enjoy that. It sucks that I won’t be at home for my birthday on Friday, but since Hubby is on afternoons, it’s not like it would have been a ‘special’ night anyway. I’ve been enjoying my birth-week gifts from Cuz, though; she really does take the time to find perfect, unique gifts! (Thanks for the teapot – she made me giggle this morning!!)
Last year the A-man had told me about a friend of his that he was worried about – she had told him she was being abused by her father. (Not sure if I had blogged about that or not…) The A-man and I had discussed this girl in great depth; he had talked to his Religion teacher about what she had shared with him even before he talked to be about it. He didn’t really know this girl that entirely well, which is why is sort of surprised me that she had confided, but perhaps she just felt he was ‘safe.’ Anyway, turns out that I am acquainted with her boyfriend’s parents, so I suggested the A-man encourage her to confide in these adults because I felt they would do whatever they could to help her. Yesterday she told the A-man that she was pregnant. She is in Grade 11, her boyfriend is in Grade 12. The A-man has never even kissed a girl, and a fellow classmate is going to have a baby!
Yeah, I’m kind of glad my children are geeks…
S brought his laptop home, and absolutely NOTHING had been done with it over the summer. In fact, when I turned it on, it only powered up for a few moments before the battery was too low for it to continue. Am I surprised? Not so much – but I am a bit disappointed.
Now I will have to get in touch with the SERT and find out the fastest way to get his required reading material loaded onto his laptop. I also have to confirm EA details with her as S indicated that he didn’t have an EA in his morning classes, only afternoon.
On another positive note, he did remember to give each of his teachers the letter of introduction I had written, so at least they are aware of some of the educational requirements he is facing. If they actually are willing to work with me remains to be seen, but let’s just take one day at a time.
Last night S also asked me to make sure some chapters from the book he received at technology camp was loaded on to his MP3 – he wanted to read the novel on his way to and from the school, he said. Of course I was very quick to jump all over that request! Anything that will put a book in his hand is a good thing in my mind.
The A-man has Math, English, Drama and Religion this semester. He had an essay assignment last night – a “My Goals in Life” assignment that will basically provide the teacher some insight into the kids in the class while providing some extra details about their writing styles. I was quite surprised to see how much he had written by the time I got home, and even more surprised by how well written it was. He’s got a very natural writing style. Perhaps an English teacher is what he should consider rather than Math…
I have to contact the guidance teacher about the Math level the A-man has signed up for. He tells me that he is taking a ‘combined’ class that will allow him either the College or University stream, but I had not realized that such a course was an option. See – this is why it’s hard when Hubby signs off on things! (I was away when course requirement information had to be submitted, and I’m not sure how much review of the details were made before he signed off on the information!) It will probably be okay, but I think it may be a good idea for both the A-man and I to meet with a guidance councilor to review the courses he is currently taking, and to find out what will need to be taken to ensure he is has what he’ll need for post-secondary.
S is going over to Lil’A’s house tonight for a couple of hours, so the A-man and I are going to hit the Y. We haven’t been for a while, so I know it will do us both good to get out and working those muscles. I also need to get the vehicle cleaned out a bit – a car wash and vacuum will be required before I head out for the weekend’s event tomorrow. I’ll be picking up a State Representative at the airport early afternoon, so I don’t want the vehicle too messy!
Yes, I am off again this weekend. Leaving the office tomorrow around 11, and should be back mid-afternoon on Monday. May have something in the city the beginning of October (haven’t been advised by the State yet if I am needed), and I know for sure that I have two weekends at the end of the month that will take me back to the city, but after that my November, December and January are wide open, thankfully.
I’m actually looking forward to this weekend, though. It’s a music event and one of my favourite bands from my high school years is going to be playing on Saturday evening, so I know I will enjoy that. It sucks that I won’t be at home for my birthday on Friday, but since Hubby is on afternoons, it’s not like it would have been a ‘special’ night anyway. I’ve been enjoying my birth-week gifts from Cuz, though; she really does take the time to find perfect, unique gifts! (Thanks for the teapot – she made me giggle this morning!!)
Last year the A-man had told me about a friend of his that he was worried about – she had told him she was being abused by her father. (Not sure if I had blogged about that or not…) The A-man and I had discussed this girl in great depth; he had talked to his Religion teacher about what she had shared with him even before he talked to be about it. He didn’t really know this girl that entirely well, which is why is sort of surprised me that she had confided, but perhaps she just felt he was ‘safe.’ Anyway, turns out that I am acquainted with her boyfriend’s parents, so I suggested the A-man encourage her to confide in these adults because I felt they would do whatever they could to help her. Yesterday she told the A-man that she was pregnant. She is in Grade 11, her boyfriend is in Grade 12. The A-man has never even kissed a girl, and a fellow classmate is going to have a baby!
Yeah, I’m kind of glad my children are geeks…
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Letter to the teacher
Here is the letter S will be giving to his teachers when he starts school next week:
Dear Teacher,
I would like to provide you with some information one of your Grade 9 students this year – S.
I know you will be receiving a copy of his IEP within the next few weeks, but I thought it would be best to start the year with all of details about his special educational requirements fully explained, and to also let you know that I would appreciate being kept aware of his progress in your classroom via email. Above, you will notice I’ve provided my various contact numbers and home email address for your records.
S has been diagnosed with a number of learning disabilities, in addition to having ADHD, Aspergers and a Generalized Anxiety Disorder. He has had a board-provided laptop for two years, and has been well-trained on all of the programs installed on his system. S and I also participated in a Board-sanctioned training program over the summer and we are both prepared to ensure a positive and successful transition to his next level of education.
While attending the training program in August, the Superintendent of Special Education assured the parents that most of the text books utilized in our schools have already been scanned and are available through the Board office. I would appreciate it if you could let me know the details of any textbooks that will be used in your classroom so that I can ensure he has what is required already on his system. If you can email with this information sometime this week, I will confirm the data is on his system over the weekend.
In addition to having his textbook available electronically, I wanted to advise you that S does have a graphomotor disability, and should not be requested to copy detailed notes from the board. His IEP will indicate that this information be provided to him already prepared, so that he can make notations as the work is being discussed in class. (If possible, it would ideal if the information could be provided in advance to allow him the opportunity to scan it into the laptop prior to class and make electronic notations, but I do realize this won’t always be realistic.)
S will utilize Kurzweil (a text-to-voice software program) to assist him with the reading of the text, and Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS) will be used for the inputting of his information. DNS is a text-to-voice program that allows him to share his thoughts and ideas freely – he will use this program to speak into the computer, get his thought into print, and will then require some time to edit the information into suitable context.
For the past three years, S has had EA support, and I have been advised this will continue during his time at your school. I’m not fully understanding of how EA support works within the high school environment and ask for your patience while both S and I adjust to this.
Now, a little bit about his Aspergers. In January 2008, S underwent some extensive medical testing, including an fMRI at a hospital. The fMRI is a functional MRI that actually monitored and assessed his brainwave function. In a nutshell – and using a few technical terms as possible! - the results of this test indicated that S needs information to be provided repetitively for it to become rote - his brain simply does not encode novel tasks. He processes everything in a literal manner, and is not able to conceptualize how his present actions can/will affect his future. He lacks imagination and will not be able to visual/conceptualize new ideas. He can neither read nor understand facial expressions/voice tones, and often will not look you in the eye when speaking. He will not do this to be rude – he simply is unable to do this, so please don’t force this issue as he can become agitated.
With respect to the ADHD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), S has been fortunate to have been experiencing fewer and fewer symptoms of the GAD, and hopefully won’t have any problems at highschool. He has been known to become very anxious during transitional periods or during times that are out of the norm (such as leaving ‘normal class’ to go to the gym for an assembly.) Past experience has shown that when advised of schedule adjustments in advance, he tends to cope better. S experiences typical ADHD behaviour – sometimes he will need gentle reminders to remain on task (without drawing attention to him) and he does not have innate organizational abilities. Due to his short working memory, he will require reminders about recording homework assignments and assistance in determining the best plan of attack for large projects/assignments. Again, this is where it would be helpful to send me an email with homework details so that I can ensure he stays on task.
Despite the conditions I have explained to you, S is a very happy teen that truly wants to do well, and is very willing to please others. Nothing makes him happier than to be of assistance in some way, shape or form. He is very musically inclined, loves to do magic tricks, and is happy to tell you the latest joke he has heard. He has an average-to-above-average IQ, and has the ability to do well in school if provided the necessary accommodations. S has been the target of bullies in the past, and as such, tends to want to ensure all rules are clearly explained and treatment for all is ‘fair.’
I have always been very involved in my son’s education, and would like to see this continue at high school. I realize that my child is not perfect, and I also recognize that S’s perception is often very different than the perception of others. I am willing to take the time to ‘peel the layers’ to get to the heart of any/all issues with him, and it is my sincere hope that together we will have an opportunity to ensure his success. Once the school year has begun, I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and further discuss the information I’ve included in this letter. I apologize for the length of this letter, however I feel it is very important to start the new year/new school with as much information shared as possible.
I will contact the school within the next two weeks to set up a meeting if I don’t hear from you prior.
Thank you for your time – I look forward to meeting you soon.
Dear Teacher,
I would like to provide you with some information one of your Grade 9 students this year – S.
I know you will be receiving a copy of his IEP within the next few weeks, but I thought it would be best to start the year with all of details about his special educational requirements fully explained, and to also let you know that I would appreciate being kept aware of his progress in your classroom via email. Above, you will notice I’ve provided my various contact numbers and home email address for your records.
S has been diagnosed with a number of learning disabilities, in addition to having ADHD, Aspergers and a Generalized Anxiety Disorder. He has had a board-provided laptop for two years, and has been well-trained on all of the programs installed on his system. S and I also participated in a Board-sanctioned training program over the summer and we are both prepared to ensure a positive and successful transition to his next level of education.
While attending the training program in August, the Superintendent of Special Education assured the parents that most of the text books utilized in our schools have already been scanned and are available through the Board office. I would appreciate it if you could let me know the details of any textbooks that will be used in your classroom so that I can ensure he has what is required already on his system. If you can email with this information sometime this week, I will confirm the data is on his system over the weekend.
In addition to having his textbook available electronically, I wanted to advise you that S does have a graphomotor disability, and should not be requested to copy detailed notes from the board. His IEP will indicate that this information be provided to him already prepared, so that he can make notations as the work is being discussed in class. (If possible, it would ideal if the information could be provided in advance to allow him the opportunity to scan it into the laptop prior to class and make electronic notations, but I do realize this won’t always be realistic.)
S will utilize Kurzweil (a text-to-voice software program) to assist him with the reading of the text, and Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS) will be used for the inputting of his information. DNS is a text-to-voice program that allows him to share his thoughts and ideas freely – he will use this program to speak into the computer, get his thought into print, and will then require some time to edit the information into suitable context.
For the past three years, S has had EA support, and I have been advised this will continue during his time at your school. I’m not fully understanding of how EA support works within the high school environment and ask for your patience while both S and I adjust to this.
Now, a little bit about his Aspergers. In January 2008, S underwent some extensive medical testing, including an fMRI at a hospital. The fMRI is a functional MRI that actually monitored and assessed his brainwave function. In a nutshell – and using a few technical terms as possible! - the results of this test indicated that S needs information to be provided repetitively for it to become rote - his brain simply does not encode novel tasks. He processes everything in a literal manner, and is not able to conceptualize how his present actions can/will affect his future. He lacks imagination and will not be able to visual/conceptualize new ideas. He can neither read nor understand facial expressions/voice tones, and often will not look you in the eye when speaking. He will not do this to be rude – he simply is unable to do this, so please don’t force this issue as he can become agitated.
With respect to the ADHD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), S has been fortunate to have been experiencing fewer and fewer symptoms of the GAD, and hopefully won’t have any problems at highschool. He has been known to become very anxious during transitional periods or during times that are out of the norm (such as leaving ‘normal class’ to go to the gym for an assembly.) Past experience has shown that when advised of schedule adjustments in advance, he tends to cope better. S experiences typical ADHD behaviour – sometimes he will need gentle reminders to remain on task (without drawing attention to him) and he does not have innate organizational abilities. Due to his short working memory, he will require reminders about recording homework assignments and assistance in determining the best plan of attack for large projects/assignments. Again, this is where it would be helpful to send me an email with homework details so that I can ensure he stays on task.
Despite the conditions I have explained to you, S is a very happy teen that truly wants to do well, and is very willing to please others. Nothing makes him happier than to be of assistance in some way, shape or form. He is very musically inclined, loves to do magic tricks, and is happy to tell you the latest joke he has heard. He has an average-to-above-average IQ, and has the ability to do well in school if provided the necessary accommodations. S has been the target of bullies in the past, and as such, tends to want to ensure all rules are clearly explained and treatment for all is ‘fair.’
I have always been very involved in my son’s education, and would like to see this continue at high school. I realize that my child is not perfect, and I also recognize that S’s perception is often very different than the perception of others. I am willing to take the time to ‘peel the layers’ to get to the heart of any/all issues with him, and it is my sincere hope that together we will have an opportunity to ensure his success. Once the school year has begun, I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and further discuss the information I’ve included in this letter. I apologize for the length of this letter, however I feel it is very important to start the new year/new school with as much information shared as possible.
I will contact the school within the next two weeks to set up a meeting if I don’t hear from you prior.
Thank you for your time – I look forward to meeting you soon.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Young love...
It's just so cute!
Last night S asked Lil'A if she would be his girlfriend, and she said that she would. They sat in the back seat of the car on the way home, holding hands. Of course, they were super casual about it... she put her hand out into the middle of the seat, and his hand just sort of landed on it.
I'm so happy for S. Lil'A is a sweet girl - she talks super fast, but I can usually follow what she is saying - and she is the type of girl that will make a very suitable first girlfriend. She still looks like a girl - not like a woman-girl like so many of the 14 year olds do from his class. The thing that I like best about her is that she isn't afraid to talk to me. I remember girls that wouldn't talk to the boy's parents, and they just always seemed to have something to hide...
She had no problem chatting with me after I picked her up and drove to my house to get the boys.
S is over the moon thrilled, needless to say.
Last night S asked Lil'A if she would be his girlfriend, and she said that she would. They sat in the back seat of the car on the way home, holding hands. Of course, they were super casual about it... she put her hand out into the middle of the seat, and his hand just sort of landed on it.
I'm so happy for S. Lil'A is a sweet girl - she talks super fast, but I can usually follow what she is saying - and she is the type of girl that will make a very suitable first girlfriend. She still looks like a girl - not like a woman-girl like so many of the 14 year olds do from his class. The thing that I like best about her is that she isn't afraid to talk to me. I remember girls that wouldn't talk to the boy's parents, and they just always seemed to have something to hide...
She had no problem chatting with me after I picked her up and drove to my house to get the boys.
S is over the moon thrilled, needless to say.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
New school year getting close
I think it was a very good thing to have the opportunity to go and see the school yesterday.
S will have the following classes this term – Music, Science, Learning Strategies and Geography. He will have the same teacher for both Music and Geography, and he knows his Learning Strategies teacher from a supply stint last year, and seemed really happy to know that he will be working with her again.
The Science teacher is the same one that the A-man had last year… I did not care for this man, but I will be sure to prepare a “letter of introduction” for him. I’m also prepared to ensure he will not bully S in the same manner he got away with for the A-man. (I still feel really bad that I didn’t believe the A-man when he complained about this teacher…) There will be no marks deducted for wrinkled or ripped pages this year, I tell ya.
Also while at the school, S learned that he would have a few of his favourite people in his classes, so that will be nice too. He will have music with one cousin, learning strategies with another, and geography with his ‘girl friend’. She originally was going to have 3 out of 4 classes with him, but when she switched out of music to drama, it adjusted all of her schedule. Still, it will be nice for him to have the comfort of knowing at least one face when he walks into each class room next week.
While we were at the school, I inquired about his laptop system and his EA support. S’s locker is very close to the resource room, so he was advised to go into that room upon arriving at school and meet the various EA’s that he will be working with. The laptop actually arrived while we were taking the school tour, so at least we know that is done. Now I just have to make sure the text books have already been put into the text to voice program (Kurzweil) that he uses. Otherwise I will have to find out the method for getting the necessary pages scanned in while we wait for the books to be uploaded from the Board office.
Tonight I will be picking up S’s “friend” on my way home from work. They have made a ‘date’ to hang out at the mall and do some back to school shopping together. He was convinced that the universe was against him on Friday when she had called to invite him for Sunday. This is my way of making up the fact that we went to the cottage for the weekend.
The A-man called R (his ‘friend’) to see if she could come – of course she can’t – so my niece is going to come and hang out with the A-man. I think this will be good as she’s going through a rough time since her boyfriend broke up with her on the weekend, and the A-man will be able to help her see things a bit more clearly, I’m sure. (They were far too involved for people that are only 14 and 15 anyway, I think.)
So, I will bring my book and probably park my butt on a bench, sipping tea, and waiting for the teenagers to do their thing. It will be a great way to get in some serious people-watching anyway. I’m also going to drop off some eggs to the R-man while in the city.
Last night S and I went through all of his school uniform stuff, and I ended up going through the rest of his clothes since our cleaning lady dropped off a bag of stuff to us. He now has 7 pairs of jeans in the drawer for use now, plus about the same number hanging in the closet for when he grows. I am in the clear for clothing for this child for quite some time. Uniform stuff he is set for a long time too. The A-man is a different story, but at least he will be able to have enough for getting through the first week when I will go in a pick up some new pants and shirts for him.
I am planning on taking Friday off work (boss doesn’t know that yet) and hoping to maybe go over and spend some time with Cuz. I’m not sure if she will be at her summer location, but I will give her a call on Thursday to see what she will be up to. I’ve got my birth week gift from her at the cottage, and I can’t believe that I will begin opening on Saturday!
Not sure what type of school supplies we will need to get, but again, I’m pretty sure we will be able to cope for the first week at least!
S will have the following classes this term – Music, Science, Learning Strategies and Geography. He will have the same teacher for both Music and Geography, and he knows his Learning Strategies teacher from a supply stint last year, and seemed really happy to know that he will be working with her again.
The Science teacher is the same one that the A-man had last year… I did not care for this man, but I will be sure to prepare a “letter of introduction” for him. I’m also prepared to ensure he will not bully S in the same manner he got away with for the A-man. (I still feel really bad that I didn’t believe the A-man when he complained about this teacher…) There will be no marks deducted for wrinkled or ripped pages this year, I tell ya.
Also while at the school, S learned that he would have a few of his favourite people in his classes, so that will be nice too. He will have music with one cousin, learning strategies with another, and geography with his ‘girl friend’. She originally was going to have 3 out of 4 classes with him, but when she switched out of music to drama, it adjusted all of her schedule. Still, it will be nice for him to have the comfort of knowing at least one face when he walks into each class room next week.
While we were at the school, I inquired about his laptop system and his EA support. S’s locker is very close to the resource room, so he was advised to go into that room upon arriving at school and meet the various EA’s that he will be working with. The laptop actually arrived while we were taking the school tour, so at least we know that is done. Now I just have to make sure the text books have already been put into the text to voice program (Kurzweil) that he uses. Otherwise I will have to find out the method for getting the necessary pages scanned in while we wait for the books to be uploaded from the Board office.
Tonight I will be picking up S’s “friend” on my way home from work. They have made a ‘date’ to hang out at the mall and do some back to school shopping together. He was convinced that the universe was against him on Friday when she had called to invite him for Sunday. This is my way of making up the fact that we went to the cottage for the weekend.
The A-man called R (his ‘friend’) to see if she could come – of course she can’t – so my niece is going to come and hang out with the A-man. I think this will be good as she’s going through a rough time since her boyfriend broke up with her on the weekend, and the A-man will be able to help her see things a bit more clearly, I’m sure. (They were far too involved for people that are only 14 and 15 anyway, I think.)
So, I will bring my book and probably park my butt on a bench, sipping tea, and waiting for the teenagers to do their thing. It will be a great way to get in some serious people-watching anyway. I’m also going to drop off some eggs to the R-man while in the city.
Last night S and I went through all of his school uniform stuff, and I ended up going through the rest of his clothes since our cleaning lady dropped off a bag of stuff to us. He now has 7 pairs of jeans in the drawer for use now, plus about the same number hanging in the closet for when he grows. I am in the clear for clothing for this child for quite some time. Uniform stuff he is set for a long time too. The A-man is a different story, but at least he will be able to have enough for getting through the first week when I will go in a pick up some new pants and shirts for him.
I am planning on taking Friday off work (boss doesn’t know that yet) and hoping to maybe go over and spend some time with Cuz. I’m not sure if she will be at her summer location, but I will give her a call on Thursday to see what she will be up to. I’ve got my birth week gift from her at the cottage, and I can’t believe that I will begin opening on Saturday!
Not sure what type of school supplies we will need to get, but again, I’m pretty sure we will be able to cope for the first week at least!
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