April 13, 2006

  • It'll be interesting to see how Dmitry reacts when he gets the news I received from his ESL teacher this morning:  he's been exempted from the TAKS tests next week.  Last week I'd heard they were trying to get him an exemption, and there was certainly a classification into which he fits perfectly....in the country two years/second year of school, roughly.  If memory serves. 


    There's simply no way he'd pass those tests.  His conversational English is very good, but when it comes to "academic" English, written tests, etc. he's not there yet.  His teacher says academic English is quite different from conversational English, and it's common to be competent in the latter while struggling with the former.  Never mind math


    This way there's still a chance he'll be passed into 9th grade, which he's most anxious to do.  Being in 8th grade for a third year, at age 16, is not an attractive prospect.  OTOH, as I've pointed out to him, since it is Eagle Academy, even if he begins the school year still in 8th grade, doesn't mean he can't complete that year's work and go on into 9th grade. Other kids have done so that he knows.


    It's also interesting how now his teacher is asking if we're going to get Dmitry evaluated at the Child Study Center or somewhere for FAE (fetal alcohol effects).  Last semester she shrugged off the thought there's an organic reason for his scholastic struggles, but apparently she's come around.