Over the past school year, Tysen’s aggressive behavior has increased more than usual. Both his teachers and I became increasingly concerned about the cause. I reached out to the parents in my support group for help. Many of them had, at some point, experienced the same thing. Some of them had to spend more time in the child’s classroom to help with adjustments. Others advised teachers on things that helped at home. And some parents felt their child needed a change of scenery. This began to make me think of all of the things I needed to consider with Tysen’s changing behaviors. There were definitely some things that I could share with his teacher that helped in calming tensions at home. But I also began to wonder if Tysen just needed a change in scenery as well. I met with Tysen’s teacher and recommended some tactics that work for me at home in helping to calm Tysen’s aggression or assist him in making transitions. His teacher mentioned to me that Tysen thrives in the general Kindergarten classroom that he visits each afternoon. He enjoys the surroundings and participates very well. Both of us agreed that Tysen might benefit from a change to a different classroom. After all, academically, he has made so many significant leaps and bounds. He has surpassed some of the skills of other children in his classroom. Of course, this change would not be able to happen until the next school year. But now was the perfect time to discuss this with his other care providers and begin setting things in motion. So after a meeting of the minds, the administrator and I decided to schedule a time to visit the district special needs classroom at another school.
When I think of Tysen, I think of that movie, The Loretta Claiborne Story. I think of how the mother in the film refused to give up on Loretta, although discouraged at times. She also refused to treat her like she was different. Would she have to work harder? Absolutely! But her mother gave her the courage to believe that she could accomplish anything she wanted. This is the approach I take with Tysen. It is absolutely devastating to any parent to know that your child has challenges to suffer with throughout life. But you can’t let it hinder them from getting the most out of life they possibly can. Tysen has been so blessed to have so many wonderful teachers and support in his learning. It is always important for children to have a great support group at home and at school. Double the effort, triple the success.
I recently visited the district special needs classroom, along with the district administrator. The experience was superb from beginning to end. Right away there was a warm welcome from, not only the teachers and assistants, but from the children as well. They seemed to be so excited about seeing us there. They were really a happy bunch! They said “hello” and asked us our names and other questions. This experience was very different from Tysen’s current classroom, where most of the children are mildly verbal (like Tysen) or not verbal at all. It was a real joy to see them talking and interacting with us and others in the room.
I was particularly drawn to this little boy (I forget his name), who was working with one of the assistants on matching the letters of his name. Every time he got one right, he would look up at me with the biggest grin. I got excited for him. I got emotional on the inside picturing Tysen getting excited about learning a new skill. Almost all of the children seemed very engaged and interested in their individual tasks. There were a couple who had an obvious want for other things (like sleep), but that is perfectly common. I know Tysen gets his best naps in at school. Between his disruptive sleeping patterns and general health, he often tires quickly and can sleep during a better part of the school day.
My favorite part of the visit was circle time. This was not your average ordinary carpet time with the students. This was a pretty lively activity. First, there were exercises and songs. Then, the big dance. In one part of the dance, the children were paired with someone in the room to get their boogie on. Then they grouped into a circle for more body-shaking fun. After the dance, it was relaxation time. The kids got to stretch out on the carpet and rest. The teacher came around and passed out stuffed animals for the children to rest with. Their current theme is the forest, so all of the animals were forest animals. They were happy to grab their favorite forest pal and allow all that energy to die down. One little boy decided to use his pal as a pillow!
Overall, I believe that considering all of the academic progress Tysen has been making, a change in classroom scenery will really work in his favor. Especially among children who are working on a similar level. I look forward to sharing with you all that is to be told about the next school year.
Magnolia Mommy 