The Kindergarten Conundrum
It hasn’t taken long since school’s started to realize that something is very different with DS this year in kindergarten. I noticed it the first week. DS has always been a little pensive and cautious at school, but in the past he has always loosened up and enjoyed himself. He says he’s still having a good time in his new class, and he has an awesome teacher, but when we go in the classroom in the morning, I can visibly see a change come over him. It’s like the poor kid glazes over and goes on autopilot. Things have been ramped up a bit academically this year, there’s a lot less free play and a lot more structured desk time. Also, the class size is bigger than previous years. So initially, I assumed it was just DS’s way of adjusting to the new school year. I figured I would just give it some time.
My concerns were confirmed, however, when DS’s teacher called me this month. It was a good news, bad news kind of call. His teacher started by telling me that DS is showing signs of having superior math skills, especially with visual/spatial exercises. This comes as no surprise, given what he’s been doing at home. But she also informed me that DS seems to be struggling socially. It’s not that he doesn’t have friends, in fact, his two best friends are in class with him…but in the classroom setting he seems to be filtering everyone out…he isn’t making connections, interacting with, or engaging the other kids. In addition, DS has had trouble transitioning from one activity to another. In short, DS is a totally different kid in school than what we are seeing when he is at home. After a long - but very valuable and informative - conversation, DS’s teacher gingerly suggested we might want to seek out a psychological evaluation for DS. She framed her suggestion by saying it would not only shed light on where he is socially, but academically as well.
Bob and I balked initially. I mean, DS is DS. Why do we need to have him evaluated? It’s so early in the school year. Why not give him more time to adjust to this big, new, and I might add - hyperactive- classroom? Still, on the other hand, part of me would love to have a professional opinion on DS and his personality. He’s such a unique, complex kid. I can see it more and more lately. He’s been saying and doing things at home where Bob and I just look at each other dumbfounded and I think to myself, “Are you taking college philosophy courses when we are not looking?”
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