Change of Plans

What did I say the last time we talked about Jacob's school?

We were sending him to the public middle school right?

Bwahahahaha.....tricked ya.

No, we won't be doing that. At least not next year. Well, unless we change our minds again, which is entirely possible.

A few weeks ago I spent part of the morning with Jacob in his fifth grade class helping him to prepare a presentation on Greece, something I'd he'd been working on for weeks. I He made baklava and taboulleh, and a huge Lego piece depicting the Trojan War. So I was there a bit and I watched the kids around me and was suddenly struck by how old they all were. Two of the boys needed to shave. I shit you not. But that wasn't the worst thing. The worst thing was their attitude. Deary me, it was brutal. At one point I even stood up and gave a small speech about how they were attending Christian school and, well, where are the Christian attitudes? Then the teacher pulled me outside and gave me a little speech explaining this is just how fifth graders are, exerting their independence, pushing the envelope, seeing where they fit, yada, yada, yada. And then I went back to my tiny three-year-olds and continued to teach them how to love each other and use good manners, wondering wth am I working this hard? They'll just get older and be expected to act like assholes and all my hard work will fly down the drain. Gah.

It was hard to be in that fifth grade room. It was so blatantly obvious my kid does not fit there. At least the teacher shushed them up when they started laughing at his Legos. My kid plays with Legos. The other kids text during class. Huge maturity gap.

I didn't sleep well that night. I was so very worried it would be much worse at middle school. In my heart, I just know he isn't old enough to go there. I kept remembering how kindergarten teacher recommended retention, first grade teacher recommended retention, second grade teacher recommended retention, and third and fourth grade teacher just prayed he'd catch up socially very soon. Then it hit me: Why can't we retain him right now? Huh. Why hadn't I thought of this before? That would give him another year to try to catch up to the facial-haired ones.

When I approached the husband with my plan he said he'd go along with it IF he went ahead and did sixth grade at the private school (shudder, he'll still be there with the shavers) where he can learn the locker/changing classes situation in a smaller setting and also have a study hall with a teacher who teaches organizational skills, hopefully helping him prepare himself for doing it own him own the next year. Also, they do guitar in sixth grade and I think the husband really wanted that for him as well.

I am still pushing to redo fifth grade at the public elementary school. I feel like he could meet some kids and move forward the next year with them. Also, if he needs special ed services, we can start the process in his redo year and be ready when he moves on. I have a feeling a will lose this battle though.

So.....as of today (and it could still change), Jacob will go to sixth grade at the private school just like always and do it again the next year but at the middle school down the street.

We'll see how this works out.....