So PROUD

When I began trying to teach Samantha her letters and numbers over 3 years ago she didn't catch on like I thought she would. It just wasn't "clicking"-You could show Samantha a letter and 2 minutes later she couldn't remember it. I tried many different forms of teaching-we did games, having the letters posted around the house so that she would see them everyday, we did letter shaping with dough, writing with pudding- sand etc. Both Grandma's sent different tools to help-- but it just wasn't working. It was hard to tell if it was just a lack of desire, or if there was more to it. It began to be a stresser for our relationship. I cried a lot, I stressed, feeling like I was failing as a mother and both Mike and I prayed- a lot. When she went to preschool- I was hoping that someone on the "outside" would maybe see something that I couldn't-- and maybe know of a way to help it all "click". Her teacher was great--- but still no real change. I decided to try and take a break, and just work on it a little here and there--- trying not to push her too hard. We were worried about Kindergarten and really hoped and prayed that she would get a teacher who would be just what Samantha needed. Our prayers were answered.

When Samantha started Kindergarten she was placed in ELI (Early Literacy Intervention). After her normal Kindergarten morning class, she would stay during the afternoon and work with 3 different teachers in workshops. Each trimester they would evaluate her progress and then decide if she still needed ELI. I worried about how Samantha would handle going to school all day- but boy does that little girl LOVE it. Only once did she complain about the length of time she spent there-- and it really wasn't a complaint-- it was "Boy, mom I'm at school a long time" She has worked with 4 great teachers who she loves and talks about all the time (it doesn't hurt that 2 of them are young and beautiful!) It really has been such an answer to our prayers to see not only her enjoyment of school, but to see her new interest in learning, and how much she is progressing.

Last week, we received in the mail a letter saying that with the end of the trimester testing, Samantha has been approved and no longer needs to be in ELI! We are so proud of her and so proud of her hard work! I love how she is now always wondering how things are spelled-- wanting to read everything-loving to learn new things- it just makes me happy.

It's funny how at the beginning of this I worried about how it would be for her to be at school 6 1/2 hrs-- now I'm a little worried about how she will handle only being at school for 2 1/2!- But I do know of one little boy who will be so happy to have his buddy back.