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To: Lovingthis

How would you change things?

I've heard this before but not having boys ... don't entirely relate,


17 posted on 07/25/2006 8:57:10 AM PDT by nmh
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To: nmh
"How would you change things?

I've heard this before but not having boys ... don't entirely relate,"

Can I throw in MY 2 cents in answer to your question?
I do have boys (2) although only ONE is school age.
I have also worked in Special Education for 16 years.
I completely AGREE with the author..
We have not had any problems (as of yet) that are significant.
My son's kindergarten teacher is a former special ed. teacher, and as such, had quite of few CREATIVE ways of dealing with the 14 boys and 8 girls (ack!) who were in her class this year.
She had many different "systems" in place for behavior modification and very high expectations.
She is also Catholic. The principal is Catholic.
I was ECSTATIC to learn this!
Why?
Well, when sitting in our first (regularly scheduled) conference I said to the teacher,
"We have always known that Matthew is a VERY energetic and distract-able kiddo (I mean come on, we live with him). We have VERY high expectations of his behavior and will support you fully in modifying this behavior to FIT in the classroom. However, we also believe that the innate curiosity and energy that he exhibits is FANTASTIC! We don't EVER want to hear that the way that he acts is BAD, just that it is not appropriate for the classroom."

That's why I was very pleased that the teacher and the principal were both Catholic (and attended private Catholic school).
Because although he was FORCED to "tow the line" in class and "sit down and be quiet" (as he should be) he was NEVER made to feel as though his energy was wrong or bad...he always knew that there was a time for it...just not in the middle of reading or math time!

Does that make sense?
Anyway..this teacher was so great...I didn't always agree with HOW she did things but her basic attitude was that my kid (although not "easy" in class) was great!
The boys in the class were all Star Wars fanatics. They called themselves the "Star Wars Heads".
At the end of the year she made a video montage for all of the parents to see.
The opening music and introductory words were all in STAR WARS fashion....
"A long, long time ago..in a Kindergarten far, far away"...
etc..

It was a GREAT year!
27 posted on 07/25/2006 9:19:22 AM PDT by M0sby (((PROUD WIFE of MSgt Edwards USMC)))
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