Neurotypical

The journey continues . . . sort of

It has been a month since the dyslexia diagnosis.  I haven't managed to request a meeting with the school to plan a 504 (which I think is basically the discussion of, this is my childs' diagnosis and these are the accomadations we can all agree on).  I find the conversations in my head going very negatively. This might be because of the following types of feedback . . .

"I have a masters degree in special education and she doesn't seem like she has ADHD"

or

 "My teacher told me it doesn't count if I listen to the book."

Backing up a bit, the teacher conference on Nov 18th went well.  But we both agreed we needed to visit again, as we were limited to 20 minutes.  Even though things have been said that annoy me to no end, I am trying to give her teacher the benefit of the doubt and believe she wants her to be successful.
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Our appointments with the speech therapist are going well.  Dad usually takes monkey, but I got to go once last week.   It is simple but neat to watch.  I've never thought my daughter not capable, but to watch her work with the speech therapist and to visit with the speech therapist reminds me that she is truly capable, no matter what feedback is coming out of the school district.
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I'll note that both her 2nd and 3rd grade teachers thought her capable also, but schooling is geared toward "neurotypical" kids so none of us know how she learns.

It has caused a bit of introspection on my part.  I have had to reexamine some of my own personal long held beliefs about education.  I've realized that they all come from my own experience.  Every last one.  There is nothing inherently wrong with that I suppose, how do we relate to anything except through our own experience?  But I am (mostly) neurotypical.  The traditional school system works for me.  I can memorize and review and rewrite and reproduce.  I can sit and focus and practice for a long stretch of time.  If there is anything that has become abundantly clear in the last year, it is this.  For all the ways my daughter is like me, she is also NOT like me.  (Duh right?) She is not me.  She doesn't learn successfully like I learned.  She thinks differently. 

 Still, working with the school makes me generally want to pull out my hair.  I want to say:

"Yes, that is because she has inattentive ADHD.  She is not hyperactive AT ALL." (Okay, I did say that)

"If you are anything like me, what you know about ADHD and dyslexia is so small compared to what is actually going on!  There is so much to understand.  What did you spend on these, a lecture?" (See where the conversation starts to go downhill in my head?  I am really sarcastic in my head. Her name is Molly.)

"What is your reasoning behind not allowing my daughter listening to books to count toward her reading?" (This one just hasn't come out yet, and honestly using audio is the number one thing I will request/require in the 504 meeting)
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In the meantime, three days before Winter break (go figure) we began to have successful "homework" days at home.  We verbally and visually (and tactile too) reviewed the states.  I (finally) came up with a way to review spelling.  It is NOT perfect at all, in that I can't remember the rules of language that would help her learn to spell some of these words.  However, it involves more than just re-writing the words..  I won't really know if it is helping until we've gotten to use it more in January.  

Also, our book program is finally working which means for the first time ever she sat and read along with a book for an hour.  An HOUR.  This is a big deal to me.  The book was Charlottes Web.  All of a sudden, this wealth of books I enjoyed as a child are potentially open to us.  And while I will sometimes do the reading out loud, she can read them herself! 

Christmas Program Practice

Among the 100 things that seem to be going on in the last few days. . .
Liam sang me some of the songs they are practicing at Preschool for their Christmas program.  It was so sweet and beautiful.  It took me back to when he was a small baby and we were watching Miriams Christmas program at McDonough Presbyterian.  I can't wait to attend this for him!
He sings at home but hardly at all in Primary.  I am still hopeful he will sing for the Christmas program.