curriculum night

Anthony was pretty mad after the first day of school because I picked him up at the bus stop and he wanted to ride ALL THE WAY HOME on the bus. I'd love it if the bus brought him all the way home, but it doesn't. Kindergarten is a long day and he's just tired. His best friend is still Thomas V. and every day he tells me that he "didn't make any new friends" and when I ask him if he likes school he gives my a grumpy, "NO!" Mrs. Greenfield assured me that he is very happy at school but she knows what I'm talking about because her own kids are pretty crabby at the end of the day and they take it out on her.

Teresa told her teacher on the first day of school that she didn't need to take home the reading sheet to practice because she already knew all the words on it. I asked Mrs. Turman if she really did that and she said, "yes" with a laugh. "Teresa is a delight to have in our class." She had filled her ME bag with a crucifix because she loves Jesus; a paintbrush, because she loves art; a little book because she loves reading; a doll because she likes playing with her dollhouse; and a Colorado refrigerator magnet because she likes going on vacation in Colorado and visiting her grandparents there. FYI: she doesn't think Thomas G. is too bad anymore - he's being nice to her, like everyone else, "because the teacher told everyone I'm new."

Catherine is having a blast as far as I can tell. She is the one who knows how everything works at school. Unfortunately, the "school" part is going to be pretty tough for her. There will be bugs to work out along the way, but I feel much better after talking to Mrs. Dailey and Sister Loretta (yes - there is one SISTER at our school - the resource teacher!) Catherine will be spending an hour a day with Sister (rather than the typical 1/2 hour) working through the Sonday System. This is a program based on the Orton-Gillingham method which is EXACTLY what I was looking into to teach Catherine how to read. I haven't read specifically how Sonday compares to Barton, but they're both OG based; I don't have to invest in an entire program; and Catherine will be learning from a religious sister who's trained in special education rather than her mom who doesn't know anything. Woo-hoo!

Sorry this is so visually dry - but the kids are at school all day! I'll have plenty of Stephen and Michaela to make up for it...soon.