Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Words - something about nothing

I often repeat my name in each class for the first few weeks - I just don't want to have to listen to how students 'describe' me when it comes to their exams and they still don't know my name - so I make sure they all do!

Yesterday on our way into the local school for Hannah's EI playgroup a boy of about 8 or 9 was standing at the closed gate. He asked if we wanted to come in and when I said yes we do! He opened the gate for us and then continued waiting there. I had assumed that his mother was still walking up the path to the school but no - a woman came towards us as we walked up to our classroom asking if I had seen a boy - she was sounding a bit frazzled - just like I must sound like most mornings when hustling the brats into the car. She described her son as wearing a green and white shirt. I couldn't remember the boy's shirt colour so I simply said that I had seen a boy standing at the gate but wasn't sure about his top. She hurried past - and then a little later just as we were going into our room mother and son walked by - he was quite calmly walking into the school hall munching on a piece of toast. Yes he had Down Syndrome and yet that wasn't mentioned at all in our conversation.

4 comments:

Em said...

That's perfect. Just how it should be.

Michelle said...

Thank goodness he didn't take off and was still there when his mom found him; and yes as em said, just how it should be!

The Mom said...

See, I'm a bad mom - if I lost Brady - I would probably mention he has ds :) Just for the sake of saving time :) Of course Brady is not the most verbal of kiddos, and if they asked him what his mom's name was- he'd tell them mom :) LOL

What a great conversation though :)

Shelley said...

I agree Em - it was rather nice - not sure that I would have done the same - depends on how concerned I was. Michelle I don't think Isaac is a bolter - he looked quite settled as keeper of the gate! It is nice that the DS isn't the first thing that comes to mind when describing your child but it also depends very much on the situation and the level of concern you are feeling I suspect!