It all started last week when John got a call from his teacher, to let us know he was in trouble. Big Trouble.. for kissing a girl on her forehead.
Yes, that's right, he KISSED A GIRL ON HER FOREHEAD.
And he lost all of his recess time the next day for doing so- all three of them!
This is coming after his parent teacher conference, where his teacher told me that Zach was testing incredibly high, and we should consider placing him in a Gifted Child program. We should also consider holding him back, and repeating first grade again.
Mmmm hmmmm... I was just as confused.
The teacher believes that the children that are born in the fall, are more immature than the rest of the class. However, each time I asked her at which area Zach was struggling, she didn't have an answer- just a generalized rule most immature kids follow- except Zach, he was doing well.
So when I finally cornered her, and asked EXACTLY what she was basing her conclusion on, she said well... Zach didn't pick up a pencil when I asked him to this morning.
So needless to say, I really questioned my son's ability to 'fit in' and continue to be a child that thrives in the classroom- not one that takes time and attention from other student's. However, after much deliberation- I decided that I wouldn't hold him back- unless he shows signs of struggling ACADEMICALLY. Zach has always been mature- he used to make sure I had gas, shopping lists and money before we went on an outing- when he was three years old! Since his teacher could not give me one example of him not keeping up with the other students, nor did she find he was struggling to do so- I can't even find her argument valid.
I think the teacher might be more correct in using the word "compliance" than maturity. If the children are more compliant, then it makes her work easier- and I can't blame her for that. I will not however, question my son's obvious success in his schoolwork because he didn't pick up a pencil.
Fast forward to today. I pick up Zach, and met him at the classroom door, only to find out that he had got into trouble for telling that same little girl that he LOVED her. He also chased a girl around trying to kiss her again.
He lost the remainders of his recess after the 'crime' was committed.
I understand that he must follow the rules, and the idea of him not 'touching' another child is not acceptable. I am having a hard time though, enforcing a rule that I find ridiculous. A rule that I, myself, would have been guilty for non-compliance. I would be rotting in a prison somewhere for sure, to this day, for pushing that little girl off the monkeybars.
She was trying to kiss my boyfriend- and what else is a first grader supposed to do?
It seems the same reasoning skills I used when I was six, are now being used by my son's school.
I am going to work on a letter to the principal tonight, outlining why I think Zach's classmate with the family collage of the child and his 'gang-banger' hand signs up on the wall, or the child wearing the CSI shirt with the dead body outline, or even the child that wrote 'butt fag' on Zach's paper might be a more appropriate place to start their law enforcement skills.
Good times, good times... lol.
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