Evan's Last Day of Preschool

Insert standard words about how it's been pathetically long since I blogged and how so much has happened and how I've written so many posts in my head.  Blah, blah, blah...moving on...

Today was Evan's last day of preschool.  I'm pretty sure I never got around to writing about his first day of preschool or the eight and a half months in between.  But I just need to write about this part of our journey.  I've missed too much.

There are so many details leading up to us sending Evan to preschool - details about who he really is and about how we made the decision of where and how often to send him.  Details which are completely relevant, but too numerous to go into at this point.  So, I'll just say this...we were really worried about sending Evan to preschool.  Worried about how it would turn out because he is such an emotional child (to sum it all up very nicely in a phrase which will conjure up something in your mind, but will not even come close to actually describing Evan).  His experience at preschool could have gone in so many different directions and we could not predict the most likely outcome. 

But here I am on the last day of school to report that it was wonderful.  I feel so good about the decision we made to send him to the school we did and to send him for only two mornings a week.  I never dreamed that I would be so impressed with his teachers and that they would really, truly understand Evan and embrace him for who he is, encourage him and challenge him to grow.  I cried when I thanked his head teacher at the end of school picnic today.  I honestly never dreamed when I first met her that I would be so pleased with her as a teacher.  So, I'm going to use her words to help capture some of who Evan is.  This isn't the whole picture...he has more to him that only shows up outside of school, but who doesn't?

Taken from Evan's preschool portfolio:

Second Semester 2012

Evan has grown and matured this semester.  Socially, he is still hesitant and likes to check out a play situation before he enters it, but when he connects with a friend, he now stays.  Before Evan would play around children or next to them or he would move away from groups of children to make his own play area.  Now he is part of the play, sharing his ideas with the others.  He is working towards compromise, knowing that if he wants to have a playmate, there has to be some give and take.  Occasionally Evan will surprise us by playing with a child who we might never see him connecting with.  One day he was in the sandbox with another child who is very loud and opinionated.  Evan and this child had a great time, planning out roads in the sand for the trucks to go through.  Another day, Evan played in the sensory table with one of the oldest girls in the class, and again, the conversations between them were creative and full of imagination.

Evan has great self help skills.  He likes to be able to do things for himself.  When he is struggling to do something like zip his coat, he does not want a teacher to interfere.  He only asks for help as a last resort.  He can envision how things are to be done, and when he is not able to do them, it really motivates him instead of frustrating him.  He keeps at it until he can master it.

Evan has advanced cognitive and small motor skills.  He already knows most of the letter and number concepts needed for next year.  We always get a kick out of Evan's papers.  He not only completes the required part of the page, such as counting and stamping the correlating number on the paper, but he loves to embellish it with his own touches.  He colors it, he draws pictures all over it, and he writes his entire family's name all over it!  He has been known to get upset when he is not able to finish all of his ideas for the paper before we close the activity.  There is still a part of him that can be inflexible but we know with time, he will mature out of this.

Evan is a really sweet child.  He has opened up to us so much this semester.  When he tells you a story, it is almost like he is telling you a secret; like he is letting you get a glimpse of who he really is.  He has a wonderful sense of humor and is tickled by silly situations.  We have watched him progress from a hesitant child who did not like to stand in front of the class to do "secret sack," to a child who has gained confidence and now takes charge of the group when it is his turn to share his clues.  We have really enjoyed being his teachers this year.

Thank you, Mrs. Wallace and Mrs. Davis for really "getting" Evan.

Evan is now a kindergartner!  I really cannot believe it.  And I don't think he can either.  We've been counting down to this day for quite a while now and all day long he kept saying things about this being his last day.  And then immediately once it was over, he was moving on.  He was asking questions about kindergarten and what we were going to do.  In case you missed my one line in a previous post, we decided to homeschool the kids (yes, all three of them...that's usually the first thing people ask when they get over the initial blank look of disbelief when we tell them we are homeschooling) next year.  I know he knows that we decided to do it, but he is still figuring out (as are we) what it means.  Here are a few conversations from the day.


In the car on the way from the picnic...
Evan: We need to start looking for some kindergarten places.
Me: What do you mean?
Evan: Like places where I can go and get stuff to bring home and do at homeschool.

At lunch after the school picnic, while filling out a number game on his placemat...
Evan: When I homeschool I want to do math.  I'll write down numbers and explain them.

Tonight while going to bed...
Evan: Can tomorrow be my first day of kindergarten at home and I can do math?
Me: Sure.
Evan: How do you write 100?  A one and two zeros?
Me: Yes, that's right.
Evan: And 300?  A three and two zeros?
Me: Yes.
Evan: And 400 is one four and two zeros?

Today was a good day.  We've been having a string of days with Evan that have been downright awful.  Terrible.  But not today.  Today made me feel like things will be okay.  Today I felt encouraged that we are doing the right thing.  Today I wanted to go back to Colorado and give Anya's preschool teacher a piece of my mind for making me doubt myself as a parent three years ago and for making me doubt my faith in my children, that they will develop at their own speed with gentle and understanding people who help them and encourage them to grow.  Today made me appreciate the past year and helped me to be excited for the year to come.

Yes, today was a good day.