Henderson Happenings: Finding our School Groove

It has been quite a deal. Amy started public kindergarten August 5th and had the nicest teacher, principal and counselor, plus ESL teacher. They were so loving and kind to Amy in every way. The school itself was really small and had a very nurturing atmosphere. They allowed me to pick Amy up early until she was ready to stay longer. However, Amy had a lot of fear of being left at school and we all reassured her over the course of several meetings before school even started. Beginning this process at the first of summer and then later in the summer as well. We went in on several occasions and the principal, teacher and counselor met with Amy and kept reassuring her that, "Amy would never, never stay over night or sleep at school. She would always go to school.....then come home." Momma would ALWAYS come back for her. The teachers all reassured her often that no one is allowed to sleep at school....ever. Amy also had to be reassured that the teachers would not hit or hurt her or any of the other children. Tells us something of her past. Everyone worked together for Amy to be able to adjust to a classroom setting. We made it one whole month. Let me tell you, this girl of mine is braver than brave. She stuck it out, she gave it her best shot, but honestly, they were going way too fast for her (bringing home books with sight words)tough for a little girl who is learning English and her ABC's. I did not want Amy to struggle all year trying to keep up with the others. We made a change and put her in the sweetest preschool class at Mount Zion Baptist Church, where Anna attended many years ago. A perfect fit for our brave girl who is now very happy to go to school. It is a four year old class but there are several 5 year olds who were not kindergarten ready. She is so small for her age she fits right in. There are only 11 in her class and two teachers. She now comes home with all the fun crafts kindergarteners used to bring home......before they started all this common core hubbub for little children....who should be gluing macaroni noodles in the shapes of alphabet letters vs. work sheets blah blah.....don't get me started.
If you can't stand the heat, get outta the kitchen. So that is what we did, well kitchen/classroom you know what I mean. Amy now goes from 9:00 to 12:00 and comes home wearing paper crowns with bumble bee antenna, paint all over her shirt, and carrying all her accomplishments/artwork that we can hang up, and be proud over. Now that is what she needs. I do not want this girl of mine.....who has missed more than any child ever should......to miss ANY of this fun learning stuff and skip to big school, as she called it. She is learning so much....at a pace/ level she can enjoy and have much success. They have a great writing program so she will learn how to write her letters and numbers correctly, phonics, learn the days of the week and months of the year. She might read on her own this year, she might not. We will get where we need to be and we will take our time about it.
I am glad we journeyed down this road because I never wanted to sell Amy short as she is very bright, but now I know without a doubt, where she needs to be and we can feel good about it.
Amy tells me often that she "likes her little school". This shorter day allows us time to have lunch together when she gets home, do our own crafts in the afternoon, read books and explore our world inside and out, and do a little extra school work/practice. We are two weeks into our new school and it is now smooth sailing. What a relief. Hoping to get caught up on blog posts. There is so much to tell.
I have been asked if Amy wears glasses. She does not need them as her eyes checked out fine. She WANTS to wear glasses so she can be like big sister Anna. She has been obsessed about having a real pair of glasses, and has been known to take anyone's glasses off their face if allowed that close. Over the summer we bought her some real glasses with no prescription, just clear glass. Got ok from the doctor and she said it would not hurt her eyes. Amy wears them a lot. She will tell you she can't see without them (because that is what Anna says about her glasses). She will often put them on first thing in the morning.....just like Anna. We think if they make her happy.....then she can wear them.