Student of the Month

Two days ago my daughter opened up her school backpack and announced that she had an important note for me from her teacher. Now up until now most school notes sent home with one of my children have had something to do with behavior and asperger's. They also have usually involved my son. This was my first sealed note sent home with my daughter.

With a bit of apprehension, kindergarten was when we started getting notes sent home with my son, I opened the note. Was this starting again? I read out loud and was excited. My daughter was selected as student of the month for reading for pleasure. Then at the end of the note it says don't tell your child, they don't know yet. Ooops, though seriously wouldn't you put that at the top of the note? If it was at the top I would have read it silently to myself.

Well she was excited. She has been reading books to her classmates for a few months now. She brings in her favorite books and reads them until the pages fall out. So many nights I find her asleep in her bed next to a pile of books that she has been reading. Often after she goes to bed I can hear her reading aloud various stories. It is so much fun to listen to her read.

Somehow we managed to get her to compose herself and she did a pretty good job of pretending she didn't know. Wednesday morning when I was obviously getting dressed to do something and neither of my children seemed to connect it to the assembly they would be having later that morning. I was excited and patiently waited for the bus to pick the kids up so I could make my way to the school.

We got there and my son's class was just entering the gym. He was all smiles and behaving rather well. The monthly assemblies must be a part of the routine now. Then I notice he has his shirt on inside out. Of course! Daddy talks to him I assume to mention this to him and nothing happens. I get his teacher's attention and she manages to get him to leave the gym to fix his shirt. How did I not notice that in the morning?

The principal starts to talk about the students of the month and what their teachers wrote about them. Reading for Pleasure was the theme for the month. When she mentioned students giggling aloud when reading I could picture my daughter doing that. She gets so into the books I read to her or she reads that she often reacts out loud to what is happening in the book.

The principal reads my daughter's name and she leaps up from her spot. She is obviously excited and is flapping her arms (which makes me cringe because that is sign of autism/asperger's and I hope is just her mimicking her brother's behavior.) and is all smiles as she walks forward. Te principal even comments on how happy she is.

The assembly is over and the students go back to their classrooms. It was a great way to begin the day. I am a very proud mommy.