A parent's journey - Part Two

Yesterday, I posted part one of Angela story. She wrote about the first six years of her son's educational experience. By now he's in Grade 5, struggles to read and write, and his family is desperate for a solution. Here's part two of her story.

Rhonda

Our son's story - Part Two

I arrived one morning on the door step of Bridgeway Academy with a completed application in hand and no appointment. The reception staff was brilliant and I believe they recognized the panicked parent look. Mrs. Low met with me and explained about Bridgeway, their teaching, their belief about how children learn and after discussion and a review of our son’s application and assessment she assured me he would be accepted as a student at Bridgeway. I responded by bursting into tears. The next step was the scariest, the application for a “Tuition Transfer,” we now knew Bridgeway was where he needed to be but without the transfer how could we afford it. Worse was the knowledge that we could not afford not to. Our son needed to learn to read, everything else seemed secondary.

Our son had attended public school for six years and for five years had been identified and supported through resources and accommodations in both reading and writing. As a grade five student he was at a critical stage in his learning and emotional development. He was frustrated and confused by his understanding of topics and subject areas, understanding that he could express orally but could not transfer to paper. At a time when his peers wrote paragraphs and short stories he continued to struggle to write sentences. At a stage of education when comprehension of text was necessary for math, science, social studies as well as ELA. Our son could not read beyond a grade one level. Our son was a social and out going student who actively engaged in conversation showing a keen interest in class discussion, investigations and activities. Bridgeway Academy placed him in a learning environment where he was learning with his peers.

Our first September our son entered Bridgeway he had difficulty reading sentences, the May-June following he had begun reading for pleasure. He could be found applying the skills he had been taught when trying to read the instructions for a new video game or a storefront sign. Our second year he had began reading Harry Potter’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Our son has continued to read for pleasure; he even requested a special notebook last summer so he could work on writing a story from his own imagination. When he first started at Bridgeway he could not write sentences. As a family we were thrilled at this new level of confidence he was demonstrating in a newly acquired skill. Currently our son is reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in preparation of the 7th movie release. Our recent meeting with our sons LA teacher at Bridgeway bought us the news that his reading has improved to the level that it is not the concern; they are working on his phonics and spelling skills.

Our household was also to experience change, the two hour or more battle sessions over homework disappeared. As Bridgeway parents we were not to help with homework, homework was to be an independent activity to reinforce the days lesson. I did not know what to do with the free time at first. But we soon filled it with new activities. The second most noticed change for us as parents was that we no longer had to enter into “battle mode” each time we met with the school over a concern. In public school (grade 3) we had once been told by our son’s teacher that she had no time to discuss our son with us. Bridgeway teachers and staff always have time for our concerns. My first meeting with the then Principal was shocking in its simplicity. I had gone to the school as our son was experiencing a problem with one of his teachers. I was fully prepared for a meeting of little result and much frustration. Instead I had a surprising discussion that most of the students were experiencing difficulty and that a new teacher was starting Monday. The problem was not the students but the teaching style. I remember leaving the school stunned. There was no conflict, no problem just a solution. I was to find out that Bridgeway’s approach to student conflict, and problem solving was very unique. Our son has been learning this technique for use both at school and at home.

Our son is learning to read body language and other clues for the social behaviour he misses due to his language disability. Social Skills is a class he would tell you is a “waste of his time” but he’s 14. We have watched him become aware of people in a way he never was. He was a very literal child and often was upset or frustrated by his perception that you lied to him in what you said. He did not understand sarcasm and implied meaning, higher order language and this often lead to conflict among his peers and with adults. He had been unable to attend Beavers, Cubs or soccer without parental supervision so we could “interpret” for him. He can now find in body language what he might miss in spoken language. He will point out to us that we are angry or frustrated just by noting our posture or crossed arms. He can recognize a joke or a teasing tone and he can make a joke or tease you. One of the funniest memories we have in our family was after he had been at Bridgeway some time and we had worked that weekend to split and stack our firewood. By Sunday evening I was somewhat sore and groaned each time I attempted to sit down or stand up. On one such occasion we were sitting to supper and as I eased my self into the chair he began to sing “She ain’t what she use to be, she ain’t what she use to be.” My husband, older son and I were stunned; the kitchen was complete quiet until we all burst laughing. I thanked him for leaving out the part about the “Old grey mare”. This was the first time we had seen his sense of humour emerging.

Keyboarding skills were provided formally, something we were attempting to teach our son at home to help overcome his difficulties with pen and paper activities keyboarding and computer skills are growing and he is enthusiastic about using the computer to complete homework and other tasks. He is learning to comprehend information presented on the computer, to read beyond the initial source for confirmation. A skill which in our modern school system with so much emphasize on technology is vital for safety. We listen to him now as he explains that you can find that on the “net” and have been amazed as he reads the “small print” to a contest or game site.

Our son had been experiencing significant stress and this was manifesting physical and emotional symptoms, we have seen a great reduction in this at Bridgeway. His attitude changed from “I can’t” to “I can but I do it this way” and now to “I did”. He is learning his personal learning profile and the skills of how to advocate for his own learning needs when he returns to the public school system. As parents we have received from Bridgeway extensive reporting and sample work needed to monitor his continued progress. His most recent Bridgeway Academy’s standardized assessment results showed growth in most areas of skill acquisition, Bridgeway will help him to use these new strengths.

Angela, a Bridgeway parent