Zeno Update May 2008

We just had a home visit from the Educational Psychologist, who chatted with us for a while then got Zeno to do a couple of verbal and non-verbal tests. She said she will write a report and send us a copy. She does a lot of work in Hallfield School and seemed to think they would be amenable to having Zeno as a pupil for a few hours a week, and also that they would meet his needs for constant movement, talking non-stop, and also respect his writing phobia and not make him write if he didn't want to (she mentioned teaching him to touch type which I have been planning to do for a while and giving him a laptop in the classroom).

Part-time school (it's usually called flexi-schooling) is something me and Zeno have discussed often. The only worry I have would be if our home-education would have to be more structured and results-based if the school is involved, rather than fairly autonomous which is the way we have been going. I definitely won't have him taking part in any SATs rubbish. If I'm honest I only see school as an opportunity for someone else to give me a hand with teaching Zeno to be a social being; how to make friends and how to talk to people his own age without immediately turning them off him, which I haven't been able to do so far. I get a bit frustrated because I see his speech pattern as a major factor in this, not just his conversation which is how the professionals have assessed the problem. I would like him to have some kind of therapy for his stammer and help in speaking more directly and in simpler sentances. He is totally incapable of giving a simple answer to a simple question, in fact when you ask a simple question you get a verbal essay back on the subject, its background, main points and final summing-up. Anyone would find that a turn-off, let alone your average 8-10 yr old who has wandered off long before Zeno has even warmed up to his subject. I wish I knew how to help him but even if I did would I have the time? Zudie needs really intensive help at the moment as well, and he is still at that crucial stage of just beginning to process language, he is way behind even his younger brother but alhamdulillah he is improving, although painfully slowly.

Zeno went to the zoo with the scouts last Sunday, he seemed to enjoy it especially since they saw some meerkats (one of his present obsessions). Unfortunately he left his jacket behind, as I pointed out when I picked him up from Regents Park Masjid. He immediately burst into load sobs which made the other children stare a bit. He hates to lose anything. We trudged back around to the zoo, which was not as close as I thought and took ages and his jacket hadn't been handed in anyway - cue more theatrical crying (although he was genuinely upset but Zeno lives his life as if he's on stage and wants to make sure he is being heard in the stalls).

Anyway the good thing was I decided to walk back by way of the canal, and it was a lovely walk on the towpath nearly all the way home, the peace only disturbed by the constant wailing of Zeno for his lost jacket, his remonstrations with me for making him take it and for the villains who took it and didn't hand it in. All the way home lol.