In February 2015, I wrote the foll:
https://lifeonthejtrain.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/lets-focus-on-focusing/
Then in June 2015, I wrote the foll:
https://lifeonthejtrain.wordpress.com/2015/06/17/test-frustration/
In case you don’t want to click on the links here are a few lines pulled from those posts:
Just as he’s done since kindergarten, Ace has a really hard time sitting in class and listening to instruction and then doing required school work.
He gets distracted too easily. He loses focus. There’s too much talking; too much fidgeting; zoning out; butting in; getting up; silliness. Did I mention talking, fidgeting and zoning out?
Due to all the “not paying attention” the kid is all but failing social studies and he’s getting mostly C’s in everything else, which is not even half way decent.
He’s failed his science test. Again.
We studied the material. The two of us – together. HE knew it. He knew all about populations and habitats and migration patterns and evolutionary adaptations.
I really don’t know what else to do. School work doesn’t come easy to him. It takes a lot of effort on both our parts for him to get B’s and C’s. I feel like it shouldn’t be this hard. It’s elementary school.
Before those posts, there were many others chronicling our (mis)adventures in Elementary school.
It was rough going. I felt sorry for Ace that it was such a struggle because he really likes school and really wants to do well. It just never came easy to him. Sure some of the material was a challenge to learn due to his particular way of thinking, but it wasn’t just the school work … It was all of it. The sitting still, the listening, the social aspect, the rules … So many rules.
We never gave up. We got creative. The teachers (for the most part) went above and beyond. We looked at it from every angle and recruited help from all over. It was a continuous thing – Us all trying to find a way to make Ace a successful student.
We’ve made some changes (one main change) since then and I’m happy to report that there has been an improvement.
His friendships are strong. Sitting through lessons has become manageable. After Care is manageable. Home Work is manageable. Even tests are manageable.
This past December he sported an A+ in science. I was so pleased with that. My boy loves science but that was one of the subjects that he didn’t used to test well in.
The other big thing that jumped out at me from his report card was that there were no comments from his teacher about his behavior. I know I am in touch with her on a regular basis but that was always the case. He would still get comments about how much improvement was needed. There was none of that this time.
I am proud of my boy and all the work he did to get to this point. None of this has been a cake walk. There are no magic potions. He puts in the work. As his parents and teachers and doctors we do our part. It’s an ongoing effort. He’s still himself. He’s still goofy and sweet and well-intentioned and he’s not getting A+’s across the board but there is no doubt that there is a difference.
Hopefully as a team we will be able to help him keep this up and he’ll be able to maintain his focus as he gets older and the demands become more pressing.
Life On The B Side 