Well, well.... I have been in 'special ed' for a year now.... and I love it. It's not easy. The view from the back of the room is often quite tainted. I wish inclusiveness came more naturally to some staff and teenage boys. But the days that are good - wow. It's good. The people I work with - they're great. All the changes in the disability dialogue - what happens in the wider society - is happening in schools. In just 15 years we are making such progress. We still fail quite abysmally too though.
Hannah's primary school fail too, sometimes. But boy oh boy - they keep at it - and they get it so much more regularly than they don't. They are a wonderful pinup poster for inclusion. It pervades the community.
Just today was another small example, a small example that reveals so much. It was the day of the school swimming carnival. My MIL was at the carnival for a couple of hours (she and my FIL often go). Both Phil and I got calls from her - did we think Hannah could swim in a 50 metre race? Well I didn't know - but I figured it was worth a shot so long as she had a noodle or kickboard and was in the lane near the edge - I figured she be ok. In the end sheswam it with a kickboard and a student from Year 5 in the pool with her. A friend texted me this afternoon to tell me about it. My MIL rang both of us to tell us about it.... Her teachers were at the side of the pool encouraging her to make it to hte end. When she got out and went to the stand for her ribbon (a first!) one of the teachers who had the microphone asked everyone to give 3 cheers for Hannah - my friend tells me they all raored their cheers. Ah, my eyes are misty just thinking of it. That is inclusion. At the same carnival Hannah's brother who is not necessarily a great swimmer went in 5 different races. He had a go. He got some place ribbons too - I've strung them up across our fridge with magnets - a banner of pride. I am so proud of my children and so blessed by the community we belong to.
I want to translate that experience to the HS that I work at. It's worth it. Wish me luck....
In other news:
Hannah still loves swimming - and is working on her 'big bubbles'
Building Hannah's birthday gift together
The boys went camping - looks like a beautiful spot.
The husband's birthday had a recycled vinyl theme - appropriate given that he has obsessively been playing all our vinyl records from Z-A for the past 6 months or so - and logging each album played on fb and twitter. We are somewhere around 240 at the moment - maybe half way there.
Hannah has been having fortnightly Occupational Therapy and daily obsession with Scooby Doo - this is her most recent drawing of her as Shaggy and me as Scooby.
Kit and I went to see the Nutcracker ballet at the Opera House
We had a wonderful weekend away with friends and the girls prepared a dance item for us
One of Hannah's readers involved Teasing Mum - where a hose was turned on the hapless Motherby her dreadful child as a joke. Hannah loved the idea so much she mad her won version (and actually followed through on it too) - Teasing Dad. So while she and her father were washing the car ... yep. Lucky he's a good sport and a total sucker for his children.
Tangled has also had a bit of an airing on the tv - and the lego set has been constructed and the scarf Hannah knit has become a staple in the dressing up like Rapunzel game.
More swimming - and getting better at it all the time.
The joy of a pre Christmas spring clean. Their room is looking so much better and we bought a desk for Kit which has turned out to be a very good idea.
There have also been a number of parties to go to...
Including Kit's minecraft with 'water' (jelly) shots
and Hannah's sushi and kokeshi doll do.
Kit has finally made it into squads and is very happy.
Some composing, just because she can. She is recording herself on the ipod in this pic.
Formal piano lessons have come to an end... that's a separate post but suffice to say that she has enjoyed the opportunity immensely.
Concert season began with a Dancing Heart soiree - it's her dance class for children and adults with disailities. It was a blast of a concert.
And then her mainstream dance class had their concert. She LOVES that one - especially her Musical Theatre teacher. She danced to Little Shop of Horrors.
Finally, Tis the season....
my favourite season...
Happy Advent indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment