As we head into the month of April, my friends and I are back into "What about next year?" mode. This time last year, the discussion was about our 5 year olds. Jon couldn't believe how much I could talk about where to send Brynn for kindergarten, and it astounded me how many friends I could have this conversations with! Local friends and ones far away, in both TN and FL, were going through the same process. What was best for our 5 year olds?
For us, our choices were half day Kindergarten at public school, full day K at our only Christian private school (CWCS), or homeschool. We live in an area where homeschooling is very popular, and so there is a huge community of families for support and friends for Brynn. Then again, everything I've ever heard about CWCS has been positive, even the fact that the K teacher isn't a 'normal' K teacher. The kids sit at desks all day, with no circle time or stations. But, the teacher has all the kids reading at a 1st grade level, and many much higher.
Would Brynn do OK sitting at a desk all day? Would he be OK at home with no friends around all day? Both Jon and I felt strongly that public school wasn't the route for Brynn.
By the middle of April, or close to that time, we had decided to homeshool Brynn. I started the search for homeschool curriculum and bought everything that I'd need to homeschool him for K. We were set and Brynn was excited about staying home.
And then we started to realise how serious Iann's needs were. How often we would be having therapists in the house. How often I would driving Iann to therapy. Brynn is such a social creature that he wants to 'help' Iann's therapist. In other words, he wants to play with the toys they bring! Was having Brynn home the best for Iann? And, was me putting Brynn in front of the TV when therapists come over best for Brynn?
So, I filled in an application for CWCS, we had our interview, where we explained that we were applying late because of Iann's increasing needs, he was accepted, and put on the wait list. The wait was on, but Jon and I felt good about this decision. A place opened for Brynn in June, we were given the tuition assistance that we needed, and I was hired as the music teacher!
Yes, Brynn does sit at a desk all day long - apart from recess, chapel, music, PE and library. Yes, his teacher is not your normal K teacher - for one thing she has 2 Ph D's under her belt! However, she is a great teacher, and all the kids love her. Not just her current kids, but those she has taught in the past. It seems like she can't go anywhere on campus without an older kid running up to her, wanting a hug!
And his reading? He is almost done with the first 3rd Grade book on his reading list!! My son who was barely reading three letter words last summer, is fluently reading a 3rd Grade book. He reads right through words that I think will trip him up, but then stumbles on shorter ones! He just ran downstairs to tell Jon and I that he read 3 books tonight, and one of them has 4 chapters!!! He loves reading. What more could I want for Brynn's first year of school? Oh, and did I mention he is writing in cursive?? And doing it beautifully too!This was truly the right decision for him.
Now, a year later, some friends and I are going through the process again. What will we do with our preschoolers next year? I have 2 friends with kiddos who'll turn 3 this summer, and 1 with slightly older twins who aren't quite ready for K. They have been diligently making the rounds of our local preschools, asking good questions and making decisions as to where to enroll their little ones in the Fall.
We don't really have to worry about where to send Iann next year: he will be going to the county preschool, where he'll continue getting speech and occupational therapy from the school district. The question that we are currently dealing with is how many mornings a week will he go? The school is also open for underprivileged kids who go 4 mornings a week, and well as some paying kids. We don't have to send Iann all four mornings since he has special needs, so we know he'll not be going that often.
On the other hand, a friend who teaches SN in FL pointed out that two mornings a week might be hard for Iann - having to get used to new place, new people and a new routine might be easier if he is there more often. So, at this point we are thinking that he'll go three mornings a week, getting the necessary therapy on those days. Iann needs to be evaluated by the school district, and then we'll meet with them to decide what is best for him. This process will start in May.
Brynn went to preschool two mornings a week when he was 3, and he was spot on in all areas. This was enough for a first school experience. Based on that, I am a little worried about sending Iann, my son who is really delayed, to school three mornings a week. Will he actually learn? Will he interact with the other kids or will he wonder around aimlessly, hitting two blocks together? Jon, who wasn't ovelry excited about Brynn going to preschool at all, had a very wise thought on this:
"Iann has special needs: we need to give him what he requires. We wouldn't normally put a 3 year old in school three mornings a week, but he needs to catch up. He needs all the help he can get, as early as we can give it to him."
Wow, what a smart, sensitive man I married.
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