Kindergarten Learning

It is hard to know what Ben is learning in Kindergarten.  He really only answers yes, no questions, when I ask about his day. There is also the sheet at the end of the week that tells what everyone in class worked on, but by the time I get that, and question Ben, he does not always remember.  We have discussed having a communication book, but we need to come up with something that would be easy for the teachers to implement, since Ben is in a general ed classroom and does not have a 1 on 1 para.

That being said, I have seen glimpses of things he has learned when I watch him playing.  Last year I caught him doing the "Months of the Year Macarena" one day while he was taking a bath.  He would not participate with his classmates at the preschool graduation, but does a great version while naked and sudsy. 

The other night he was standing very straight with his hand over his heart and reciting something to his reflection in the fireplace glass.  It just took a second to realize he was doing the Pledge of Allegiance.  Not all the words were understandable, but he was saying many of them correctly and you could easily tell by the rhythm and the fact that he had one hand over his heart..  I tried to video tape, but Ben was too excited about the camera to do it again. 
 Then he started to play with his puzzle.  He was salting and peppering it then pretending to eat the pieces.  So I can assume he is getting his increased culinary skills from the pretend kitchen they have at school.
Finally when he was done he said to himself, "high five or fist bump?.....high five!"  Then he  high five'd himself.  That showed me that someone is giving him choices and he likes being able to make a choice.  He repeated this many times going back and forth between fits bumps and high fives.



P.S.  It is Down syndrome awareness month.  More on that later.