This time last year I was in complete panic, who would Z have next year, what would happen to him who would his new teacher be? A lot of last years post is still relatable this year.
This year in terms of achievements other than toilet training and his sense of understanding goes where he’s at with his targets etc I won’t really know until parents evening.
What happens In September? This year he’s in a class with pre schoolers and nursery children , so ages 3-5 he’s one of the oldest and would be in reception class in mainstream going into what year 1. It’s hard to believe he will be 6 in October. To think 3 years ago I was worried about him starting school.
Knowing a little more of the way the school works this year, do I want him to move forward and struggle or stay where he is with the extra help and grow in independence.
Looking back at last year and I didn’t want him to loose his teacher, I was nervous of the unknown he had a brand new teacher that nobody knew, first meeting was awkward so to speak as we were all like ummmm. This year I’d love him to keep his teacher, she seems to know what she’s doing and Z is always happy to go into school, when she brings him out he’s happy and he’s smiling and that’s all I can ask for as his parent. When we were going through the toilet training stage and he wet himself during circle time twice, I said do it again and let him sit in it it won’t kill him. Ok, she laughed at me but I think she would have gone through with what I said. Will he keep his teacher I’m assuming no.
The way it is now where would he go? They work on a pyramid scheme type of thing. I’m not 100 percent certain what it all means. I know both the classes work with both pecs and aba I’m not sure if two classes use both methods or if one focuses on aba and the other pecs. With school the classes are not all on ages but rather abilities with similar ages. Ideally now I’d like him to skip the next class and go to one next to that where those children seem to speak that little bit more, would he be able to join those children as they are his age group I’m not too sure as of course those kids will move on too.
Would a pecs class be beneficial to him when I know he can say words if pushed? Or would speech therapy actually be the way forward for that one? Then again he’ll say words but not the ability to answer questions, would the pecs class help him to speak and help him to communicate his needs? Would making him request what he wanted instead of just giving in for an easier life help? This I can work on in the house school wouldn’t have the time to refuse him until he spoke and I can’t really blame the school for that one.
As for aba I’m not really sure what it does. I’m guessing they can’t do aba work all day. To be honest I don’t know if I’d want that either. I think he needs to learn at this age that he will have to do things in life without getting a reward every time. There’s parts of the aba I don’t really agree with, and some parts I personally believe are rewarding bad behaviour. Would using aba so rewarding him for talking help? If he gets put into that class then I’ll have to see how it goes. But then do I go against what I’ve said when I make him say open before giving him his crisps? Isn’t according to aba handing him the crisps his reward?
I think if he could tell me how his day has gone then that would make life so much easier, less worrying.
I know we have around twenty five days of school left not including the weekends. I know now we won’t know who the teacher will be until the end, it’s not like mainstream where they just move on to the next class to that teacher he could stay and the teacher could move or he could move to the next class but that teacher would have moved too. I’m a little more relaxed this year, I know he’ll be ok, he’s come on so well this year and I was worried last year that he wouldn’t. Of course I’d like him to move with the children he’s with now but again that’s not going to happen as some of those are three and after the holidays he’s going on six. Last year the whole teacher thing was new to me, the not knowing I hated, this time I still hate not knowing but I’m more relaxed about it.
In one way I’m glad I haven’t got to decide on where he goes. It’s hard enough worrying how he’ll settle, will the teacher be nice, will he regress first thing with a new teacher and possibly new kids in his class ? Hopefully not!

So this summer means new adventures, new places to go now he’s toilet trained, with his level of understanding that little bit better we can try places he’s not liked before maybe. We can go to places he’s been before and try new things. And if all else fails we have the pool in the garden so friends can come play!