Thursday, February 3, 2011

Tough times, broken hearts

January 23, 2011
It's been an unusually tough week this week. Ever since a few weeks before Christmas we've noticed that Seth has been struggling more and more at school. We thought that maybe having a 2 ½ week break might be good for him during the holidays but his behavior at school has just escalated. He went from crying to screaming and being “glued” to me when I drop him off at school. His behavior during class became, “more disruptive and disrespectful” according to the teacher. My heart just broke hearing those things said about my son. Especially when we don't see these kind of things in any other setting.

We've been doing a lot of praying and a lot of discipling and disciplining but it only seems to be getting worse. The teacher asked to speak to me Thursday and said that Seth has “bad character” and that she told him if he continues to be rude he can not come to school any more. She wants him to know that coming to a school is a privaledge. In my head I was thinking, “that's the worse thing to tell him, that he can't come to school if he continues to act this way, because that's exactly what he wants. When I picked him up friday from school, after dropping him off and running away before he caught up to me and hearing him screaming, I found out that he had ripped a hook out of the wall in the classroom. When I asked him why he did that he said, “Because Miss. Ando told me that if I continued to act disrespectfully that I would get to go home, and that's what I want.”

Anyway, through lots of talks we are finding out that he can't function well in this classroom due to too much chaos, which I know is true as I've observed the classroom. Seth just keeps begging us to homeschool him and take him out of that class. So, we are looking into another english speaking school near by that has a kindergarten classroom which seems to be MUCH better with classroom management. There are LOTS of other things that are not good at his classroom now, like classroom discipline, not following through with discipline, and not understanding the american culture. It turns out that in a Malagasy classroom it is considered rude to ask questions. Seth is always asking “why”. He is intrigued as to why things are the way they are and why someone said what they said. I don't think he's trying to be rude as much as he's just inquisitive and wanting to figure out how things work.

In the midst of all this I see how blessed we are to have not one but two english speaking schools fairly near by us. Most of the missionaries here have one option....homeschooling. So, we'll see what happens this week.

4 comments:

  1. We will pray for you! I know how it is to have two inquisitive kids...ever other word is why. Not being able ask questions would cripple them. Good luck with the other school.....or home schooling...Meg, you would be a great teacher!
    -Laura T.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Megan you are an amazing mom. I have seen the patience you have with those boys. We will keep you in our prayers with Seth's difficulty in school and also for wisdom for you and Randy on the direction for his learning. I know that's the toughest thing for a mom when you just don't know what to do but you will get through this. It's just another opportunity to trust in the Lord.
    BTW...it says a lot about his home life that he would rather be there than anywhere else. (o;

    ReplyDelete
  3. i should say that since this post seth and cole did great their first week of school at vision valley. will post a blog about that next week. Thanks everyone, for the prayers and encouragement!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Meg and family,

    I am just starting to read the blog here and there, and this one jumped out at me! The problems have to be cultural in nature and the fact that it must be so hard on him to enter school for the first time in an unfamiliar place. Let him know that we all know he's a wonderful kid, and that he'll get through this! Just keep loving him as you know you are doing. Love and patience. You'll make it through. :) Miss you!

    Shannon, your crazy neighbor

    ReplyDelete