Slipping through the cracks

The little one was so excited today after school, she was hugging me and her dad with a big smile on her face! She said we had to keep September's spelling words list. Why you ask? For the first time in all her years of school (and she is now in the beginning of grade 5), she finally passed a (yes, I am saying first) spelling test!

Her happy little face almost brought tears to my eyes, even now typing about it I want to cry. She has been in the school system for 7 years and very rarely sees a test that isn't covered in red Xs. It scares me to think just what this is doing to her self esteem and her sense of self worth. Does she believe me when I tell her she is smart, and creative, wonderful or does she already think "well of course Mom would say that she has too"?

The husband and I meet with her teacher, resource teacher and department head for the elementary division this past Monday after school. We discussed the concerns they had about her. Which only frustrates me more as this is not new, I have been saying the same thing over and over and over till I am blue in the face! We had a educational assessment done back when she was in grade one. Which in my opinion was a waste of $1500.00 as all it said was exactly what I told the psychologist but just with bigger words. We were able to get some parts of her education modified but not everything and she has continued struggling.

So, here we go again, another assessment has been scheduled for this coming November at a cost to us of $1800.00. The husband will be taking her and he will be strongly suggesting that the psychologist in his testing consider recommending that she be exempt from French for the rest of her school life. I have been asking for her to be exempt since she was in grade three but all we got was a brick wall. The little one struggles with English and has very limited short term memory. French is a major frustration with her as the teacher has not been very accommodating and the little one can't remember anything said to her.

When I called for an appointment for the assessment I was told they were booking in January. I told them my husband would be layed off in the middle of November and can we be put on a waiting list in case of cancellations. The intake person sighed and then put me on hold. When she came back she said two days were available in November and we could have them. I said yes we will take it and said something along the lines of this being a God thing. She didn't get it and kept telling me how lucky we were. Well, whatever, I know God opened those days for the little one and it had nothing to do with luck. Please pray we get the recommendations we are looking for to best help the little one.

By the way the reason the little one passed her spelling test was as the rest of the class wrote out 25 words, the little one's test was 6 words!! Our hope is if she passes a few weeks of tests then maybe this will help her self confidence and the teacher can add more words till we reach the little one's memory limit.