eSpecially Ben

This month the writers for the eSpecially Parents series will focus on their child’s experience with schools and the educational system. I have written a lot about Ben’s experiences at school. For the most part we have been very happy with his teachers, staff and academics. In preparing to write this post, I thought about why we have had good experiences and what went wrong when we did not. Here are three areas that I think help to summarize why we continue to  be happy with the public school system. Expertise - I know that I am an expert on Ben because I have known him the longest and involved with every detail of his life, but I also value that the people working with Ben are most likely experts about how to best teach him. They are trained in educating children with needs such as Ben and have special techniques that work.  I begin with the assumption that they went into this field because they have a love for this particular profession and the work that they do. Rela

Remember those words, "Left Back" when you were in school. To me it meant a kid did not do well in school and had to redo the grade again. The negative connotation of that phrase is still strong in me. We made the decision to "retain", the politically correct word for being left back, Ben for the upcoming school year. He is repeating 2nd grade. Ben will be able to attend school until he is 21 years old. It was recommended to us that Ben should repeat a grade three times - once in elementary, middle and then high school, spreading out the years. At first I was upset by it. Now that Ben is in class and doing well, I have not given it another thought. It is best for him and that is what is most important. Anyone have thoughts about retaining a child during his or her time in school?

Ben ran down the pier in his walker, until he hit this feirce wind. A few seconds of it and he turned right around!