standardized tests for preemies

Gary Shuman (gshuman@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 29 Mar 1996 15:12:42 -0800 

what a family did that chose not to concur with the experts. Mind you 
we continued with the phys therapy and ccupational therapy and 
quarterly visits to the developmentalists. But we also did our own 
thing in our little town.

   We proceeded to enroll our kids in an exclusive pre-school that 
observed a real classroom structure. Fortunately the teacher agreed to 
see me before the school started and assured me she was completely in 
support of us. Also, I took Carly out of kindergarten 1 day a week for 
dance class. She needed something fun and creative to do. Boy did the 
school howl about that. But there concerns were not her needs, but the 
fact that so many absences marred their attendance record and 
government funding.

   The tests, for us, simply gave us an idea of where our kids were. We 
did not use them as a yard-stick between our children and our kids. We 
just did what we wanted our kids to experience. By the way we 
discontinued seeing the developmentalists when Carly was 5. When we did 
that we began to see her as an individual and not a calendar. When our 
pressure eased so did hers. We did not realize she was picking up on 
this.

   One thing we found helpful was to never let others make allowances 
for our kids. When we began new activities for them, the leaders and 
teachers were oblivious to their abilities, so the kids tried harder. 
In other words I would never let Carly swim without her floaties 
because I did not think she was ready. But when she went away to camp 
for a week, she swam without them without blinking an eye. She said 
simply that the counselor told her to. I asked the counselor about and 
she said she did not know Carly could not swim. When you don't tell 
others, they won't lower their expectations of your children.

   That is the danger of tests. They only serve to stuff kids in 
cubby-holes that are to cramped to escape from. Let the kids pick their 
own cubby-holes to sit in.

   My sermon for the hour.....

Stacey, mom to Carly 10 and Dustin 9