There are milestones that as a parent, you look forward to.The first steps, the first words, riding a bike, first day of school, First Communion, last day of school, exams, wedding days. They are celebrated, photographed, videoed and the experience shared with friends and family with pride.
Then there are the milestones you don’t even really think about. The first time they stay home alone, the first time they complete their homework without arguments, crossing the monkey bars, moving from children’s size shoes to adult ones. They come, they are noted and they go. Usually with little more than an Instagram picture and a passing comment between parents.
I guess NAPLAN is one of those milestones that falls into the latter category. It has to be done, all Australian kids will do it when they reach Grade Three. And then every two years until Year 9, when exams start after that anyway.
The NAPLAN website talks about accountability, the need for standardised testing and results that drive improvements. I have no idea if that’s what actually happens, but I do know it can be stressful for the kids going through it for the first time and there are many claims around about how teachers are forced to ‘teach to the test’.
For us, good or bad, I guess I just assumed it was a given that Poss would participate, alongside her peers. If I am completely honest, I never even considered that it would be otherwise.
So, when the school called and suggested that we think about exempting her from parts of the test, it kind of caught me by surprise.
I get it. I know why they want to do it – and despite what others have suggested, I truly believe it’s in the best interest of Poss. She simply does not have the concentration or motor skills to take part in some of the tests, and as they crack down on aides giving assistance, she would have to do it on her own. It’s not fair to put her in that position.
It’s a recommendation that they have made after discussing it with her aide, her current and former teachers. They know her best. They know what she can achieve. And this isn’t it. Rather than have her marked poorly (which wouldn’t represent her true academic ability) or worse, as non-attempted if she had a meltdown and simply refused on the day – she will be marked as exempt.
It’s the best outcome for her. I know this.
But for us, it’s just another reminder that she is different. And always will be in some way or another. Another little smack in the face. Another thing that we are excluded from; when the other parents are discussing it, we will be silent.
A milestone un-met.
So today, I am linking up with Thankful Thursday for all the milestones she has met. The bike riding and the first steps. The first words, the second words and the eleventy billion that have come after it. Her first day of school.
And all the ones we still have to come, even if they aren’t quite what we expected them to be.
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Linking up with Six by the Bay for Thankful Thursday
sending hugs xxx
Caroline recently posted..Rabbits Rule
Thanks lovely x
Renee recently posted..She doesn’t come along often
I understand how you feel. Sometimes the differences sent always obvious and then something is said or done and its like the reality of ASD slapping you in the face.
Also I thought you may be interested to know that kids with dyslexia can have people who read out the NAPLAN questions and some children are allowed to be in a smaller room for the test. Boy Child (AS) did NAPLAN with his primary school classes but for High School he was ‘made’ (his word) to o to a separate smaller room with about 15 kids and 5 helpers (scribes etc). It may be worth looking into if you want her to have a go.
E. recently posted..Would you stand up and be counted?
Thanks E – that’s exactly what it’s like – just a little slap in the face. Pick myself up and carry on.
Apparently they have changed the rules and kids with ASD are no longer allowed to use scribes during the NAPLAN, as this was the first thing that the school looked into. She can do it in a separate room, which we will do for the parts of the test she will take part in, and she can have her aide there – but she isn’t allowed help to read the questions, nor use her aide to scribe for her. Given one part of the test is a 45 minute writing exercise, it’s just beyond her abilities… x
Renee recently posted..Thankful Thursday | Milestones
Those NAPLAN tests are horrid things. Im sure they are meant to make the kids feel inadequate. You keep applauding her…. she sounds amazing! Thanks so much for linking up. Leigh xxxxx
Thanks Leigh – and thank you for hosting Thankful Thursday again!
Renee recently posted..She doesn’t come along often
firstly, i am with you on our milestones being different.. i bawled my head out today as my son participated (!) in a performance of his class and another, singing (!not hiding!) on stage at parade . it was amazing, he wasn’t hiding, or jumping around, he just sang there with all the others and we exchanged a thumbsup at the end, omg. for.the.entire.song. SO proud.
As for the Naplan, i never thought about it yet, for him, but I believe that if the goal in schools is inclusion, then exclusion from the test is actually not right? now I do understand if it’s something that would make Poss freak out and fail her completely and also cause disruption (this would probably the result for my boy at the moment..) but just as the curriculum is adapted for her, the test then should also be adapted. or something. I really don’t know.
When Nemo got his report last year, the mother of Noel (also AS, same age and grade) compared the notes and remarks and said to me “your teacher has been hard on him”. I disagreed. Nemo has been participating in roughly 50 % of classroom activities, on average, with great progression at the end of the year. He was rated just below average and I was actually quite happy with that. Noel had a way better report. VERY positive. He had been diagnosed a year earlier, had lots of intervention last year with the special needs unit. He is adorable, but academically weak. My son reads and writes. The discrepancy for two boys at the same school, the same grade and with a similar condition baffled me at the time. But I do prefer to KNOW where my son stands, academically ..and realistically. We have still a long road to go, as any pressure, time keeping, testing etc throws him off his track, but I am HOPING he will participate in the Naplan tests actually..
(sorry so long, but your post really made me think about it obviously..)
nikki recently posted..Aspergerer – The search for the causes of Autism
It’s a hard one Nikki. One part of you wants so badly for your kid to be ‘normal’ and to be treated the same way as the others, inclusion is the ultimate goal – but in the same breath, you would hate to put them in a position where they are unfairly disadvantaged due to their disabilities.
I guess this is just the start of all this stuff for us and is bound to change as she gets older and her skills change, along with the expectations of her ability. But I am very blessed in the knowledge that she has a pretty wonderful team at her school and we have to trust they are on our side when they make these recommendations.
Renee recently posted..Thankful Thursday | Milestones
Thank you for sharing this – I never realised how difficult it may be for some families.
Have the best weekend !
Me
#TT visitor
Me recently posted..Things I Know
Thanks for coming over from Thankful Thursday! We all have things we find hard – that’s what I guess this blog is about, sharing our experiences and helping others understand.
Renee recently posted..She doesn’t come along often
I have mixed feeling about this Renee. I attended an information session for Gilbert this week where NAPLAN was discussed. All kids at his school are expected to sit it and while I don;t agree with NAPLAN itself I think all kids should have the opportunity to participate. For one thing, if they don’t sit it in Year 3, how do you know if they have improved at all by the time they sit it again in Year 5? More importantly, in the new NSW funding model, pooled special needs funding is based on a school’s base 10% NAPLAN results. If our kids don’t undertake the testing, what does that mean for the pooled funding that is now used for students, like my son, who are no longer eligible for individual funding due to their autism? Gilbert will get special provision for his vision impairment but I am shocked that your daughter will get nothing for her autism. This is so wrong on so many levels. However, if it is clear that she would struggle in the testing and would lead to greater issues then perhaps exclusion is the answer. Hugs to you.
Kirsty @ My Home Truths recently posted..Guest Post: Keeping Kids Happy and Healthy to Prevent Diabetes
Thanks for sharing Kirsty.
For us, Poss is in a private Catholic school, so the funding model is different. It’s not tied to her NAPLAN results at all and is instead managed independently through a number of other channels. She is funded for her aide for 50% of her school time and we can’t speak highly enough of how the school manages this side of it. We *know* she would be un-funded if she was in a public school regardless as her IQ is too high…
As for knowing how her progression goes… well, she is probably the most tested student in her class. They have assured us that the skills that are tested as part of NAPLAN are already tested for in her as part of their ‘special education support’ that she is already provided. So I am not so worried about that…
The whole thing is just so hard though… I will be interested to see how Gilbert goes with the process…
Renee recently posted..She doesn’t come along often
Be grateful for not having to be a part of the shameless waste of time and money. NAPLAN is changing the way our schools operate, taking teachers away from the core values of teaching. With any luck soon, no child will be subjected to the staged outcomes the results provide and the money can go back in to supporting kids like ours to achieve real goals xo
Thanks for commenting Sandra. I know you are not alone with these views, with both other parents and friends who are teachers expressing this…
Renee recently posted..She doesn’t come along often