Today was the first day back to school, but before that story unfolds, let’s recap yesterday, shall we?
The Extended Day Program (after-school program) was operating all day yesterday, and given the disaster we just went through with the napping nanny, it was the only choice for the day. Of course, we knew it would not go well. It’s not pessimism, it’s realism. It would not go well, there would be bad reports, and there would be the same old talk at home that we have almost every day.
And?
It didn’t go well. There was biting and hitting, but they aren’t “giving up on him”. So I picked him up after work, and we had the same conversation about hitting and biting, and we went home so Connor could learn how to wash dishes. There are no TV shows if we’ve hurt our friends, and there are chores.
As usual, I left the room to cry because I’m a big baby. I mean, really, it’s been three long years of this, you’d think by now I would just be mentally prepared for it, but every single time it sends me spinning. And all I can think is, “what if it never ends? What if he never learns? What will life be, if he can’t ever learn to manage that?”
Now let’s move on to today.
New light-up Spiderman shoes, a new Transformer’s shirt, new Darth Vader backpack, and new Star Wars lunchbox. We were superheroed up, and ready for action. We met the regular teacher and resource teacher last week, all that was left was to show up.
Hubs starts work at 7am, so I do school drop-off in the morning. We took our first day pictures in front of the house, and got in the car. It was 7:10 a.m., a perfect time to leave and get there early. Except…the car didn’t start.
Back in the house and a call to hubs, who got back to the house at 7:35 a.m. Off we all went, and walked in just as the bell rang.
It's all about the backpack!
We went to the resource room first, since that’s where Connor will start each day. The resource teacher was very welcoming, and informed us that Connor will be in a different class, with a different teacher, than he originally met last week.
Wait, what??
It seems there was a last minute change, and he was moved across the hall, with Ms. Smith. I suppose I was already on edge from the morning chaos, but I was not pleased to hear about the change. I asked why, for a student on the spectrum, they can’t have their teacher and room assigned at the end of the school year, for the following fall. It makes for much better planning and transition management.
“No, there are far too many changes that take place over the summer, with teachers leaving or coming on board.” Okay, I can see that. But why could we not have a teacher and class set in stone at least two weeks before school starts?
“Sometimes there are changes going on right up to the last minute.” Okay, but could we not have something set as of the day of “meet the teacher”?? This seems really unfair to a student that has challenges with transitions in the first place.
She assured me that it would be fine, it was a great teacher, and these things happen. I could tell she was already getting super angry with me, but I just couldn’t fathom how a special-ed teacher could be telling me about this last minute change, and not understand what that means. Why could nobody at least call me the day before, so I could have a preemptive conversation with Connor about it?
If there are any readers here, that are also teachers, I would really value your comments and feedback. Am I really that unreasonable to want at least a little notice of a classroom change??
Ugh. We left school and headed home to jump my car, so I could go get a new battery. But first, I had to take several minutes to cry, AGAIN.
This first day of school seems to have been much, much harder on me than on Connor. Maybe if I start biting and hitting I will get their attention, and I’ll at least feel a little better.
This is going to be a long week, I better start drinking now!
