In the news… Common Core. IEP. Oxymoron.

Thanks to Cate for “in the news” being the first thing I thought of when I figured I’d post a link to an article.  (Don’t ever think you don’t make an impression!)

Came across this article today in a very roundabout way I won’t bother to explain. But I thought it was interesting. 

Common Core State Standards Don’t Rhyme with Individual Education Plans

I’d like to have time to write the 20 posts or so it would take to catch you all up on Braska’s school situation. In a word—Frustrating.

Here’s the summary…

Positive: She goes to school. She likes to go. She likes the bus. Her teachers are nice.

Needs improvement: Behaviors are becoming an issue at school, not at home. (dropping in the hall, not following directions, being goofy in the bathroom, etc) She’s the class clown, it seems. I am getting very little info or communication unless I prod, though they seem willing to share once I do prod. I’m not convinced our placement arrangement is the best, but I can’t figure out the alternative at this point.  And our beloved private school where Kinlee goes isn’t ready to have B back yet, though they’re working on it.

But she likes it. And she’s doing alright on most days. So I’m trying to be patient.

All that leads back to the article… does seem interesting that kids who, by definition of the generally accepted terms, need “special” consideration of some kind, are lumped in with the “common” goals. 

I’m not a pro, but at least on what it looks like to me, there needs to be a big NEEDS IMPROVEMENT on that report card.

Just sayin’…

31 for 21: School festival

Braska reporting: Last night my school had a fall festival.  I asked a lot if we could go.

So finally it was time to go.  I looked for my friend Jacob. I didn’t see him, but I saw some other people, like one of my teachers, Mr. H. 

We went to the book fair and Kinlee got a couple of books. We played a bowling game and got some candy. I gave mine to Daddy because I don’t like candy.

And I saw Jack and Dashlyn. We rode the hayride together.

Then it was time to go. I had a pretty good time!

31 for 21: Friends moving away

Mommy reporting: Some of our good friends are moving tomorrow. Their girls and ours are just the best of buds…  they are like 4 peas in a very cute and sometimes dramatic pod, though each has their own beautiful little traits.

I’m sad they’re leaving for a variety of reasons, though we are also so excited for them and this new ministry that God has clearly directed them toward.  It’s always hard to lose people that we like, of course. But I’ve found that when we connect with people who have the same values about parenting, see the importance of teaching things from an eternal perspective and not just the “easy way out” option, and who fully accept the fact that our family is a little different with the nuances that Braska brings to the mix and yet never blink at including her and us completely with open arms, it’s harder still.

Braska is included in the fun with no hesitation. These silly girls (and the boys who are also around sometimes from other families in our life group) play with Braska without discrimination. She sometimes acts strangely in ways that would seem to make them notice, but kids are great at just going with it.  Moaning is just noise, some of them put their hands in their mouths sometimes, too, and they don’t seem to care that there’s more chips and cookies for each of them since she’s not into chewing snacks.  They know she likes milk, and only milk, and they know she always has it with her. 

While Braska is the oldest of the 9 kids involved in our life group, she’s right at the same height as most of them, with a couple of the 5-year-old boys being taller.  She can’t quite keep up when they run in the yard, though she’s tries hard and has a BLAST doing so.  She laughs at them, tells jokes, and loves to see these kids as often as she can.

But she asks every day to go to Ella’s house.  Literally. And tomorrow, Ella’s house will be in Indiana, not a few blocks away.  And though Braska doesn’t seem to grasp the whole element of moving and them not living here anymore, Kinlee does, and it is breaking her heart.  And that’s been hard for me to watch, but that’s for another day.

When the trucks roll out tomorrow, our life group will be made up of families with boys. And us.  And that’s if we remain in tact as a group, since this family was the hub. And though I’m trying to be all “yay for new things,” I’m not yet over my sadness that great members of our family’s cheering section are moving too far to see every week.

The girls are excited to Skype, and that will be priceless I’m sure.  I mean, come on….  won’t this translate well via computer??

(I love that when they’re released from “princess smiles” and allowed to do “crazy faces,” they all go for the same one… love it.)

31 for 21 : Cowboy day tagalong

31 for 21 : Poster child

(If you are not familiar with 31 for 21,  I'll explain soon.  October is Down syndrome awareness month. Posting will improve when I can have time to do it at properly from my computer.)

Today I'm enjoying looking at last summer when B was the little model for the big fundraising event for the school she had just graduated from... Cute little hula girl.

31 for 21: 7th year

Grab This Button

Mommy reporting: The brainchild of my friend Tricia (whose writing I do so miss… in case she happens by), 31 for 21 is now in it’s 7th round.  Hard to believe.  Tricia has handed off the hosting duty to another friend, Michelle, who is doing a marvelous job, as she always does.

October is Down syndrome awareness month, and I’m guessing since this blog has all but lost it’s previous flow of readers (I blame Faceb**k but it’s more likely the long breaks I’ve taken, in fairness), those of you who are here are probably well aware of how 31 for 21 works.  If you click the button—which I’m proud to say I created for Tricia a few years ago, per her design requests—it’ll take you to the more formal explanation.

Anyway, the idea is that I try to post every day in October.  It might not be much.  Which is sad because there is SO much DS related-ish stuff I could write about. But I’m living it, and it’s leaving little room for writing about it.

I’ll do my best.  It’s all about this tiny girl…

31 for 21: New fave activity

Mommy reporting: Since skating with some of the Disney on Ice cast last week, a certain someone has been wanting to go ice skating again quite often.  Can't blame her. She got carried around for an hour by a pro. What's not to like?