Enrolled ds8 and ds9 in ps today.

[Sue G in PA]

It was a bittersweet day. Both were tested by the testing coordinator at the elem. school. Ds9 did well...as I expected. She said his writing skills were lacking. I knew that going in since we did not do a ton of creative, original writing. Ds8 froze. He couldn't do but 3 math problems (add/substract), hesitated on most spelling words that I KNOW he knows and didn't write anything in response to the question, "What is your favorite thing? Tell me about it." I'm not very upset by that. I think it is a ridiculously open question to ask an 8yo and a 9yo and expect them to write on it for 3 min. That's just me. So, I endured the, "just what DID you do with them for the past few years?" insinuations with a plastic smile. The only saving grace for ds8 was his reading skills which surprised the testing coordinator...in a good way. So, I have a lot of work to do to prepare them for this coming year. Both are relatively excited. I'm trying hard not to feel like a complete failure.

[MariannNOVA]

I've BTDT -- and, yes, I did feel as if I was a failure, but I did what had to be done at the time. And, 18 months later, we are ready to embark on homeschooling again with DD10 joining us, and all four of us have a very positive attitude.

 

You made me smile with the comment the individual made about, 'Just what DID you do with them' :cursing:

 

When I went for a parent teacher conference after the twins had been in first grade for 6 weeks (they started in the middle of February '08), their teacher (we insisted they be placed in the same classroom - made us quite popular), gave me a glowing report about dd, who was just the social butterfly of the class - 'Really? Knock me over with a feather!' and then went on to tell me that DS (this is so funny, I am laughing as I write it :lol:) was the BEST reader in the class. I looked at the teacher, and tried not to laugh in her face (she was, in fact, a neighbor at the time), and I said with a perfectly straight face (and in total truthfulness): "Mortimer cannnot read his own name." The teacher shuffled some papers, and then went on to talk about M's incredible talent in art.

 

When school ended in June, they had matured enough so that we could do work over the summer, they went to 2nd grade in a private school in the fall, had a fabulous year, and we are trying again. There is ALOT to be said for maturity!

 

Please cut yourself a break -- all of this is really a process!