Ms. Campbell's comments: That sounds great!
Nice work!
Date: 08/26/04 (Thurs.) Curriculum
Night (Grades 3 - 5)
niknotes: There was no report today, but tonight
I got to meet with Mrs. Hildebrand and Ms. Campbell and hear about the third
grade curriculum. I also learned that Ms. Campbell will have a substitute
in October as she leaves for the Ukraine to adopt a daughter (between the age of
3 and 8, I think she said). Isn't that wonderful! Also, she talked
to me about how Jack is fitting into the class. She said she took a few
minutes before Jack came in to explain a little about autism to the other
students, pointing out that just like everyone else Jack has strengths and
weaknesses and that some of his behaviors might seem strange at first, and
encouraged the other kids to just get to know him and try to be friendly and
helpful. So they had their chance when the assignment was to write
something about family or life at home. For some reason, Jack absolutely
disintegrated, saying that if he wrote about what happens in his house, everyone
would think he was INSANE! (We'll have to look into that.) Ms.
Campbell was able to calm him down and allow him to choose a member of his
family to talk about (he wrote about Da!), but he had gotten so enraged that he
snapped his pencil in half, and a little boy named Andrew, two desks down,
immediately held up and offered a replacement pencil to Jack. Andrew to
the rescue! And Ms. Campbell also told me about another boy, whose name
was Brian, I believe, leaping to his feet during another assignment, pointing
and exclaiming, "I know what Jack's strength is! His vocabulary! He
uses words like 'technological!'" Kids can be so precious. I think
it really helps for them to know what to expect. Yea, Ms. Campbell.
Good call. And lucky us . . . again!
p.s. The classroom has fish and hamsters.
One hamster was born missing a foot. He has four legs, but only three
feet. His name is Yardstick.