Shari
IsItFridayYet?
The regular teacher was gone last night so Steve, the director of the gymnastics program, filled in. It turned out to be a great thing, because I had really made up my mind that was it. If last night still went bad, after talking to the teacher, I was going to pull difficult child out. difficult child had a bad day at school to start with, and then having a new teacher, didn't exactly set him up for success to begin with. I watched from the observation area, and watched difficult child roll on the floor, refuse to participate, crash into the other kids, etc. It was a disaster, so I went down to the floor to retrieve him to take him home (stinging eyes - his teacher at school informed me he needed harsher, more consistent discipline just prior to this - but I was calm). Steve instead asked if I minded staying on the floor and keeping him directed. I said sure, I'd try. That's how we did his previous class.
So I did (in my work clothes, no less). There were a couple of new things he refused to do (his anxiety was already too high, I actually expected this), but when he refused, I just took him a few feet away and we watched from afar, til the next activity came up that he could do, then he jumped up and participated again.
Steve agreed that he needs to be in that class as far as his ability level, and felt he's actually got some talent. He also didn't want to isolate him more by taking him out of the class and putting him into private lessons if we can avoid that. Normally, parents don't accompany their kids onto the floor at this level, but Steve felt this is worth making an exception for to keep him in the class without taking away from the rest of the kids in the class. And he plans to talk to the regular instructor before classes resume after the holidays and let him know what's going on.
I am contacting difficult child's case manager, still, about a PCA-type person to do this instead of me, but, I'm really glad to have a person like Steve as the director of the program. I don't know his background, but he seems to understand.
So I did (in my work clothes, no less). There were a couple of new things he refused to do (his anxiety was already too high, I actually expected this), but when he refused, I just took him a few feet away and we watched from afar, til the next activity came up that he could do, then he jumped up and participated again.
Steve agreed that he needs to be in that class as far as his ability level, and felt he's actually got some talent. He also didn't want to isolate him more by taking him out of the class and putting him into private lessons if we can avoid that. Normally, parents don't accompany their kids onto the floor at this level, but Steve felt this is worth making an exception for to keep him in the class without taking away from the rest of the kids in the class. And he plans to talk to the regular instructor before classes resume after the holidays and let him know what's going on.
I am contacting difficult child's case manager, still, about a PCA-type person to do this instead of me, but, I'm really glad to have a person like Steve as the director of the program. I don't know his background, but he seems to understand.
