Wow. I am going to try and write this post from a positive perspective, despite how difficult a year this has been for us at Discovery School. We started team two with the teacher that inspired us to choose Discovery as our home. Martha was amazing, she was clearly experienced, was able to engage the kids from the minute they walked in the door, and Isaac not only adored her but was clearly learning more than he ever had. Unfortunately due to a family emergency she was forced to leave teaching, very suddenly, and was replaced by teacher Dana.Once I got over the initial shock that the teacher we loved so very much had left, I started to see Dana's strength's and accept her as Isaac's new teacher. She had her own style, but was clearly a very good teacher, loved the kids, and Isaac really liked her too. After two months Dana too left due to a personal medical emergency, and we were then given Teacher Ruth.
I could focus here on all of the things I thought Ruth needed some expereince in (she came to us with only experience as a teacher's assistant), but instead I am going to choose to discuss what Isaac gained from team 3. Isaac made friendships in his small class that were deep and meaningful to him. Many of these kids he talks about daily, and some are in his current class. Isaac found his voice, literally, now signing and participating when appropriate, and feeling more comfortable and confident in his skin. Isaac learned about superheros, weapons, good guys and bad guys, chasing, shooting, and everything I have been dreading. I haven't yet figured out how to handle this, but as his Dr. Shulman said, if you give him a stick, he is going to pretend its a gun so realize you have little control over his choices when it comes to play. He now knows most of his numbers and letters, and some basic site words. He can write his name, our names, and his sister's name. He loves stories, and his stuffed animal 'friends'. He loves school, and continues to show enthusiasm for all things in the classroom.
I will end with this story, one I want to document so that in 18 years Isaac can read it and have a good chuckle. On 'dad's' day this year at school David took Isaac, and dropped him at class. He then waited in his car for the 15 minutes he was supposed to so the kids could get ready for the dad's. In that period of time Isaac asked Ruth if he could go to the farm with one of his buddies, and his father. Ruth said ok, and when David got back to the class Isaac was gone. Ruth explained he was at the farm, and when David searched the farm, and then the rest of the school he couldn't find Isaac. Needless to say this turned into a school wide alert situation in which it took the director an additional 30 minutes to locate Isaac (in another classroom). This happened about 2 weeks before school ended, so today on the last day of team 2 we leave with a smile on our face and excitement for what is to come. Our usual emotional goodbye has been replaced with relief and gratitude for the closure we have finally received after a tumultuous year.
