Gianna starting learning to read sight words at 2 1/2 and we continued sporadically until she started school. Now in year 1 she is slowly getting the idea of phonics but still the spelling lists that came home each week with her homework seemed pretty irrelevant. I still got her to write out her words, which really was asking her to write just one letter at a time amd was such a hard slog that beyond handwriting practice it really did seem pointless. I let the teacher know that it was all pretty painful, and so she printed the words up bigger for Gianna with dots for the letters so that Gianna could just trace over them. While this was definitely easier, I still was very doubtful that it was helping Gianna to spell.

The list came home for the week on Monday, and I rolled my eyes and flippantly said to Gianna "How do you spell 'buzz'", wondering as I said it if she even understood the question let alone knowing the answer. I nearly fell over when she said "b...u...z" but pushed my luck asking "how many 'z'? "2" she confidently replied. I was dumbfounded, and proceeded to ask about the other words on her list. She knew them all. I then got out a blank piece of paper and asked her to write them for me- she could!! I tell you, it is so easy to underestimate our kids!!

I rushed up to the teacher on Tuesday so excited to tell her what Gianna could do. "Oh yes" she replied. "We've been working on that for 10 weeks now"- she is getting really good at it"!! You could have knocked me over with a feather. I am soooo happy with this teacher, who is just out of college, looks 16 and just assumes Gianna can do things. She sees it as her job to work out how to help Gianna to learn what the rest of the class are learning. For now, in a class with no other kids on IEP's, Gianna is not at the bottom of the class in either reading or maths. We are so fortunate to have a school which believes that Gianna is capable.

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Mum to Brendan 15, Chiara 14, Kiernan 12, Aidan 10, Lachlan 9, Gianna 7 (DS) and Sienna 5.
"This then is what Yahweh asks of you: to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God."

Oh my goodness, wow but hey the point is I shouldn’t be surprised right?
I know I underestimate Aden all the time…
I cant wait till Aden starts school next year and we get going with Jolly Phonics.
They start in Prep in QLD.
And like Gianna’s teacher Aden’s teacher is young it will be her third year of teaching.. Spoke to her today and she is so excited to have him. She said “I hope this doesn’t’ sound terrible, but I’m so interested to see how Aden is in the class, how things will go and how I will teach him”
then she went on to say “I cant wait, I’m just so excited” lol me too.

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Aden's montage

That's so wonderful! Way to go Gianna! (and teacher!)

Jan

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wife and mother of Katherine (2004) and Christopher (Aug. 2007, DS)

Yay! Well done Gianna and what a great teacher.

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Naomi
Mum to Callum (DS) 3/03 and Kieran 8/04
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South Manchester Down Syndrome Group

What an awesome story! I hope we are as fortunate to find a great teacher like that when Jacey starts school!

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Janet (43) and Jeff (43)
Joshua (angel) '85
Sarah-age 21
Jaret-age 4
Jacey-born 2/22/08 (dx w/ Ds 9/10/07)






My Family's Website

WooHOooo!!! Gianna ROCKS!!!!! Stef is reading this too and said "WOOHOOO" as well. I wouldn't be too sad if we end up near you guys and Talitha could go to that school as well. I want her to start next year.

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Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

YAYYYYYY!!!!! GO GIANNA!!! Give her a big hug from me!!

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Stef

sister to Talitha 4 (DS), Joel 11, and Nikki 20



"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?' And I said "Here am I, send me!" - Isaiah 6:8

That brought such happy tears to my eyes! Don't you wish you could grab hold of that teacher & bring her with Gianna for each & every grade level??? How fantastic it must be to have a teacher that is so willing to help and not underestimate! I love it!

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Nicki, proud SAHM to:

Brady the Magnificent (15.5)
Li'l Miss Ellie (9)
Mr. Mikey-Monkey-Man (6.5)
Sir Andrew (DS, 5)

Awsome to see it all start clicking and coming together!!! Great she has a teacher who really gets your daughter and doesn't see limitations on her learning.

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Sherry
Evan 10, Olivia 8, and Nate 5*

Hosted on Fotki

What a wonderful story! Wow. Good job Gianna!

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Kim. Wife to Ray, Mommy to Charlie (DS) 1/2006 & Calvin 3/2008
http://charlies47.blogspot.com/

There is more than one way to have a good life!