Lengthy Update

We have been on vacation for this past week. 

Toby spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday having his testing done through our local public school.  He was a very good sport about it.  The speech pathologist suggested we have a hearing test done due to the way he sounds like he is chronically congested when he speaks.  I took him for a full hearing test and it showed fluid on one of his ears, so now we have an ENT appointment on Tuesday and will go from there.  We’ve already received his OT report back and everything is average or above which is what we expected, due to the public schools not wanting to spend the money unless they have to.  His handwriting and gross motor did get mentioned and some accommodations were listed, such as learning to type, which we will be doing this summer.  The rest of the reports should come in soon and then we will have a team meeting.  I’m assuming he will not receive any services through the public school system, but we will have the testing and accommodations to tailor his education at WCS. 

Thursday afternoon we headed to the Cape.  We stayed at the Cape Codder for the night.  The kids enjoyed the wave pool.  We drove to Woods Hole on Friday and went to the Aquarium.  It was a nice time away.

I’ve downloaded a meditation app which I’m looking forward to trying out, when I get some time. J

We watched Frozen for the first time this week and I finally heard “Let it Go”.  It seems to be everywhere, but I’ve never actually heard it before.

I spent Tuesday and Thursday doing my apprenticeship.  It was the first week of MCAS so I was able to be a part of the process from the administrative side, and what a process it is.  Everything is done with very high security, paperwork, and checking systems to make sure there are not any opportunities for cheating.  The principal I am with is very organized and has a good system in place, so she was great to learn from.

I finished watching Seasons 1-5 of Mad Men and it is a relief.  It seemed to take forever and it was constantly in my mind to try to finish.  Now I have a week off before Season 6 comes out on Netflix.  This also meant that I could get back to reading again.  Right now I am reading Free to Learn.  It is written by a man who lives in Shrewsbury and sent his child to Sudbury Valley School.  He’s also a professor at Boston College.  It is very interesting and I think it would impossible to teach at a public school if you believe as he does.  It even makes it difficult to teach at a private school.  Thankfully, I am at a school where I have quite a bit of freedom and am encouraged to pursue what I believe are best practices.  This article also mentions Peter Gray.  The Overprotected Child  What a fabulous playground.  I’d love to be able to bring my children there.

The first weekend of vacation my brother and sister came home.  I spent the weekend at my parents’ house with them.  I got all of my paperwork done that I had been planning on doing over the week and got to spend time with everyone.  It was very nice.

I’ve read Glennon’s book and I follow her blog, but she recently posted this excerpt on her blog and I love it.  Every Child is Gifted and Talented.  Every Single One.  We all know that our children have strengths and gifts and as much as we would love them to be recognized at school, sometimes they are not. 

Sam and I watched Catching Fire this week.  I enjoyed it.  I’ve heard Divergent is better, so I guess I’ll have to read it and see it.

Toby has been spending a lot of time this week building original creations with Legos.  It has been nice to see him branching out on his own.

Lucy has spent most of the week sleeping in, reading, and babysitting. 

Amelia has been spending the week being as ornery as possible.  She is constantly sabotaging herself to make some point to us, a strategy that doesn’t work very well.  She has been reading Roald Dahl books with Sam and right now they are reading Matilda. 

Toby finished up hockey practices.  He’ll join a team in October, but is done until then.  Lucy just started Level 6 swimming lessons, which is the highest level offered.  Amelia starts soccer in a few weeks.

We now have a bunny.  It is very cute.  We’ve litter trained it and whenever we are home the cage is open and it spends it time hopping around the first floor.  We waited awhile to name it because we don’t know if it is a boy or girl, but we’re going with Pippin.  It feels very much like having a kitten and we are all enjoying it.  I get a little nervous that we are going to step on it at some point, but since its back paws are huge, I’m sure it will be the size of a cat before long.  It loves to play the kids’ piano but I have yet to be able to capture it on video.

Toby was selected for Art in the Valley this year for his tree silhouette painting.  Only 15 elementary students were chosen from our school.  Lucy was chosen last year, this year is Toby’s turn.

We had Corned Beef (minus cabbage because they were sold out) on St. Patrick’s Day.  All of the kids like it which is great.  I bought four others for us to eat later on.  Other than that, I can’t think of what I have been cooking, regular things, taco, lasagna, etc.

Sam has his next post-op visit on Monday.  He definitely seems to be in less pain and is able to do most normal activities with it.  We’ll see what the surgeon says.  It is supposed to be another month until he is back to normal.

I attended my first EdCamp today in Grafton.  EdCamp is a professional development opportunity for teachers where you create the sessions together, as you go.  When we entered people hung up things they wanted to learn more about or knew quite a bit about.  Then you head off to the sessions that interest you.  Lots of discussion and new things to learn about.  I really enjoyed it, along with the free bag with goodies and food.  I’ve already set up an account with Class Dojo  which looks like a fun and interactive classroom management tool.  I always love the opportunity to interact with other educators. 

I’ve saved the biggest news for last so hopefully you made it down to here.  Last week Sam had an interview with The Collaborative.  They are a company that is contracted with DYS to provide education to juveniles in detention programs.  We have a friend who teaches there and Sam has applied before for various teaching positions.  Last week he was called for an interview and yesterday they called to offer him a job.  As long as his references and CORI check are acceptable, they are offering him a contract on March 31^st.  He’ll teach until the end of the school year and then start up again in the fall.  He’ll be an itinerant teacher, which means he will travel to various facilities, teaching a variety of subjects, covering for other teachers who need administrative leave time or who are absent for some reason.  It seems like a perfect position for him, especially due to his lack of experience in the classroom.  This is a great way for him to develop as a teacher.  We are excited and a little nervous.  I’ve already been working on the budget, but we both agree that even if we have to live on mac and cheese for awhile, the long term benefits are great.  Paid vacation, health insurance, etc.  Sam has always enjoyed working doing construction projects and it has been a good job for all of these years, but he is excited about the change and the chance to use his degree.  So unless Sam has a criminal background that I don’t know about, he’ll be dressing in khakis and a button down next Monday to head to work. J