School

Ricardo has now completed two full weeks of school.  The first week was just for 2.5 hours a day so he could get used to the class.  We went in on Monday at 11:45, just in time to eat lunch with the other students.  When we arrived the class was in the gym so we had the room to ourselves.  We found a coat hook with Ricardo's name above it and a chair for him.  Then the class arrived.  The teacher had told the class that Ricardo was coming and that they all had to help him learn English.   I stayed and just watched.  The teaching assisant spent alot of time with Ricardo leading him around when they had story time and then centres.  He was happy to be there but did not interact with the other kids.  At recess, he stood alone for a long time and then a little girl came and led him around the playground.  Just before the end of the day the English as a Second language teacher came and found me and walked to her office and discussed Ricardo and she gave me another Education website for Ricardo.  At the end of the day, Ricardo was smiling so I guess he enjoyed it.

The second day I stayed for a shorter time and then the third and fourth day I left after 10 minutes.  Friday was a PD day so no school.  The teacher said that he did well on his own and that they were working with pictures with the word beneath to teach him English.  They had a card for chair and shoes and other items he would use in the classroom.  They also had a strip of pictures showing the morning routine - hang up coat, put on inside shoes, go to chair -  so he could learn the routine and the words to go with it.  The teacher said that he was very good at watching the other students to see what he was supposed to do.

Last week Ricardo went to school for the full day.  I didn't even go in the class but waited outside with him until the teacher came to let them into the classroom.  After his first full day he said "Fun, fun".  There were no problems the rest of the week and he was happy at the end of each day.

He really likes to get his stuff prepared for school each day and loves his homework.  The first day he had homework, he wanted to start it in the car.  I hope he maintains this enthusiasum.  He has a few more weeks before the Christmas break.  I am looking forward to seeing him in the Christmas Concert.