So... I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but Daphne? Yeah, well, she's kind of a talker. I really have no idea how that happened since Matt and I are both so incredibly quiet and calm. OK Seriously, I admit: She is an even better version of me! Loud, dramatic, intense and dare I say: Smart!
Well, even though\ she comes from such a stellar gene pool, Daphne ran into a little problem at school this year. She was selected to be in a special Gifted and Talented Pull Out program three days a week. (That's not the problem- just wait a minute) Anyhow, it's the first year that they have implemented this program for second graders. The teacher is used to working with Gifted and Talented Children in 3rd grade and up.
Now, It's my personal opinion that she has some issues. Like... she doesn't understand young children. And she has some really extreme disciplinary tactics. I even considered that this might not be a good place for Daphne at first. But the truth is that as soon as she started going to this group, Daphne started coming home saying things like, "Second Grade is the Best Grade Ever!" and " I Love School"! So, clearly, the fact that she was being challenged was overriding the fact that the teacher has some issues.
Well, after about five months, I started getting notes home. Notes that Daphne was talking too much and had been send to the "EXIT CHAIR". Twice. And if you get sent to the exit chair 3 times? They kick you out of the group. Seriously. There is a chair in the corner where she sends children who are talking too much! Ummm... did I miss something? Is is 1850? Why didn't she go ahead and put a "DUNCE" hat on her head? Yikes!! Anyway, essentially, the teacher was shocked because Daphne's behavior didn't change when she sent her to the Exit Chair. Ummm... Maybe that's cause the Exit Chair is rather punitive and won't work. Or maybe it's because my daughter is awesome and doesn't respond to your Antiquated, Skinner style, overly Behavioristic Punishments. There was a very real part of me that wanted to march in there and challenge her disciplinary tactics. But another part of me that realized that Daphne LOVES this class. She loves learning about the constitution and Braille and the Bill of Rights while everyone else is doing basic reading skills. I wasn't about to do anything that would jeopardize her ability to participate in this group. And her only misbehavior is talking. Talking! I mean, I get it. Daphne thinks that if she has a thought, she should be able to say it right when she has it. And often, her thoughts are pretty insightful and clever and funny! But, You have to learn how to hold your peace. I remember being in trouble for talking too much in second grade.
Sooo... I figured we had to come up with a plan, fast. Now... I'm not much of a Reward and Punishment kind of Person, but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Daphne has been begging to get her ears pierced pretty much since she could talk, so I figure this would be a good reward. We decided if she came home with good or Excellent behavior reports from this group for one month, then we would get her ears pierced early. This goal began in February. She never got sent to the Exit Chair, although one other child got kicked out of the group during our efforts. Finally, on April 18th, we took a very exultant Daphne to Claire's in the mall!
Before:
During: She was such a champ!
No comments:
Post a Comment