Re: mainstreaming

It all started with this note in NBear's communication notebook:

9/2/08
NBear will start her mainstreaming tomorrow in Mrs. MT's class (room 4). She'll join the line of Mrs. MT and will stay with Mrs. MT until 9:45am. Mrs. MT wants to start without an aide. [I circled that last sentence and wrote: "What about fading?" next to it] Also, I'm sending home a "words for writing" guide. You can use the words as she forms the letters.

Ms. SDCT

....and turned into this non-person-to-person conversational piece! *LOL*

9/2/08
Please know that I am extremely nervous about sending her to her mainstreaming class without an aide. :( To start, NBear is not familiar with any of the students - so that will definitely be to her disadvantage. I'm very happy that Mrs. MT is willing to try out this arrangement, but I don't want her to become frustrated when NBear gets distracted - or worse, distracts her students. (Just my two cents).

I am looking forward to hearing about how her first day of mainstreaming went. Please email me when you get the chance.

- mommyBear

9/3/08 (via email)
NBear's first day of mainstreaming went well, but was not able to be on her own. In the beginning, the aide was just outside Room 4. He went inside to support NBear - when he saw her put her face down on the desk, rolled on the floor instead of following what the other kids were doing. After around 5 minutes - she was able to join the group, tried to listen, answered a question and wrote a one-sentence journal about a flower. She required constant redirection to get focus. We will continue to have an aide with her.

You can e-mail Mrs. MT. Don't worry, I have been mainstreaming kids in her room and we never had a problem. She's great with our kids.

Mrs. SDCT

9/3/08 (email reply)
Thanks so much for letting me know. It’s also good to know that Mrs. MT has been so supportive to SDC kids – that’s a relief, and makes me feel better knowing NBear is in her class. We all hope for the day she won’t need an aide.

Please give me her email, so I can also touch base with her, and vice versa.

I really appreciate you keeping me informed, Ms. SDCT.

~mommybear

9/3/08
You already have it in NBear's notebook. I've already talked to her and you can e-mail her.

~Mrs. SDCT

9/3/08
Hahaha J – sorry, Mrs. SDCT – I know that it is in NBear’s notebook, however, I am still at work. I can’t remember what her first name was.

~mommybear

9/5/08 *Yes, it was sent ALL-CAPS....oh well:)*

NBEAR'S GETTING BETTER EVERYDAY IN HER MAINSTREAMING. MRS. MT SENT THE BMT AWAY AND SHE DID WHAT THE REST WERE DOING IN HER CLASS. NBEAR STAYED THERE UNTIL 10 AM. IT WAS NBEAR WHO TOLD MRS. MT THAT SHE HAD TO GO.

AT ROOM 16 SHE DID A LOT OF WORK AND HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE HER BREAK AS WELL ON THE COMPUTER (15 MINUTES) AND ON THE TRAMPOLINE.

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT THURSDAY from 3:45 - 4:05.
(from Mrs. SDCT)

*So far, so good! Keep in mind that NBear is in the 2nd grade, though - and her mainstreaming class is a combo 1st and 2nd grade. :)*