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April 1995

 

This daily correspondence between schools she attended and us gives you a glimpse of our daily life. Most parents of typical children do not communicate on daily basis with the teachers. This gives a reader an insight to how important daily communication is for a child with autism.

Kat has attended school since she was 3 years old. These are school notes that were result of correspondence with her parents and her teachers. We have made comments at a later date reflecting back on the impact of these events. Kats School Notes Index

 

 

Date

Notes

Comments

1995-04-03

4/3

Hi ! Welcome Back ! Kat hada good day. First we watched a 10 minute video &she was fine. Then she did all of her work - a little verbal today but that's OK. Have a great day! * Someone gave Mrs B.this box w/ the Aladdin cut outs & I asked if Kat could have it .Kat seemed to want it.

E.

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1995-04-04

4/4

Hi ! I am enclosing another trip permission form for youto fill out. It must be in by Friday, April 7th. Icircled the charges in red: you had said you were members, so if you don't want to pay the $11.75 ,you can meet the class at the door,but you won't be able to ride the bus w/the class, unless you pay. She hadanother good day today; Came in smiles& happy !

E.

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1995-04-05

4/5

Good Morning! Thanks for filling out the permission form. I'm sending it back to you becauseI need a check for $11.75, or a note attached saying you'll meet the class there. So let me know what you plan on doing. She was very verbal today, singing & humming loudly . A good day !

Dear E.,

Danuta and Thomas both are outoftown. Danuta will return 4/6 P.M. and respond tothe field trip info.

Sincerely,

Ruth Highet (Kat's grandmother)

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1995-04-06

4/6

OK , thanks ! I was wondering about if they were away, -we usually communicate w/ each other every day. Kat had a super day - she worked hard & had very little silly talk. Have a good day.

We had computers today &a guest speaker from the Air Force.

E.

Hi, E.

I am back. Ienclosed cash for the trip, sothat Kat could go on the bus . Sounds like Kat is doing well. Imet with the consultants last week they thought we would try to generalize her affect to school sometime next week.

Thank you. Danuta

4/6

Hi ! Good! Now Kat can go on the bus w/the whole class ! She had a good day. I had her copy "It is warm outside" & write from me dictating: "I have music today." She did both w/out any fuss. Then I had her read it all back to me. She's zipping through all her worksheets. We had about 10 mins before we went to music , so I let her "play" on the computer with Col. and B. Earlier this week, during class , 2 of the girls saton the floor & read to her. She enjoyed that !

Have a good weekend.

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1995-04-10

4/10

Hi ! Kat had a hard time getting started today. She didn't wantto begin her work. She sat & played w/ her pencil & had her finger in her ear. Very unfocused on working. I also wonder, does she haveseasonal allergies?, they maybe bothering her ; she kept rubbing her nose &wiping at it. She also "sang", quite a bit - especially xmas songs!

* on pg #33 - (see note) she just wrote anything- I don't think she understood what to do. I went over the entrire page w/ her - step by step. She had just written anything on the lines- nothing made any sense . I had her read each sentence tome & together we choose the correct word& colored in the correct character . Did she have a problem w/ this at home ? She seemed to settle down & work after an inital period of distraction. A Good day overall.

E.

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1995-04-11

4/11

Hi E.,

Kat has been doing great at home her affect has really improved& so did eye contact. I would like to stop in tomorrow or Thursday whichever is better for you sothat we could talk about generalizing these skills to school. I am not sure what caused yesterday but she didn't have therapy on Sunday and sometimes that one day causes slight regression. The worksheet she had problems with she was able to do at home but Iwill try it again & see what the problem was ( At home we didn't color it ) .

Danuta

Hi ! Tomorrow we have library at 9:50 & Thursday we have computers at 9:10. Maybe Thurs. @ computer time we can talk &she can work on the computer here in the classroom. Let me know. She's having a good day today . It's 9:45 &she's been working steadily now for about 1/2 hr. Some humming & distractions w/her hands; waving them -fluttering her pencil around & around, etc. But I stop her each time & she gets back on task. I've given her a break now & shes been looking through a school catalogue & then she says tome," Nice being quiet now?" & I say "Yes", give yourself a smiley face, & she grins. she loves those catalogues !

E.

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1995-04-12

4/12

Hi, Iwill come in Thursday. The "hands" you may want to give her a smily face when her hands aredown & she isworking and saying "great keeping your hands down". Kat has learned all the names from the pictures except B.C. . Can you think of a way Kat could identify them from the picture. "Kat find____________ & give her/him ____? Iwill see you tomorrow. When is the class trip to Franklin? I forgot sorry. Danuta

Good Morning. The trip is on Thurs.,May 25th. I did as you suggested w/ B.C. and Kat objected loudly. She "moaned & groaned" all the way over to her, when I asked her to find her& give hera pencil. She practically shovedthe pencil at her. (Maybe I didn't do "it" correctly.) I had B. come over & "reintroduced" her to Kat. Then she walked away. Ithen asked Kat to find B.C. & give her a pencil. Was that OK? Kat doesn't initiate any verbalizations w/ the other children. They w/ speak to her & I still have to prompt her to answer. Even today, they all crowded around her & talked to her but she didn't answer them . Sometimes I feel they seem to overwhelm her w/ their friendliness ! She worked very nicely this AM; very focused on work . Library was fine. See you tomorrow !

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1995-04-23

4/23 Hi E.,

Kat had a "working "vacation. Iam curious how she will do today. Ifyou find a lot of "silly talk" maybe you can try and increase smilely faces &give her couple more surprises (going to get a drink a water , or a walk) I added some new sheets that she was able to do at home.

Danuta

Hi! Her "silly talk" this AM seemed no different than anyother day . However it's still early (9:15) so I'll keep an eye on her. An interesting note: When she comes into the office off the bus she usually says "good morning Mrs. B." to the secretaryafter Mrs. B. greets her. Well today after Mrs. B. said GMKat, Kat just looked at her - said GM &then numbled a name. I reminded her it was Mrs. B. and had her repeat GM, Mrs. B. Mrs. B. asked me whether I saw her over vac. & I told her no. She wondered why she forgot her name & not mine! I hope she wouldn't forget my name after ten days !!

During the weekof 5/1 -we will be having C.A.T. tests all morning. The tests usually begin @ 9:15 &end approx 10:00 - 10:25. For that week I'll keep her w/ me in my classroom as everyones schedule is changed& specials are in the afternoon.

She must be in "work mode" today ! Each time I asked her if she'd like to go fora walk she said NO! Then she would get up, handmeherfinished packet & go & get more work. She completed all her worksheets ! Then we went for a walk!

E.

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1995-04-25

4/25

We hadan assembly all morn. 9:15 - ? We left @ 10:30 -it was the 4th & 5th grade instrumental & show. She was super! & really enjoyed it. Ask her about it.

E.

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1995-04-26

4/26

Hi, we will keep Katherine at home next week so that she doesn't get confused. Would it be possible to get copies of the CAT test for 1st & 2nd grade so that we could teach Kat how to take them ? The worksheet with the sentences she does at home but I do not make her color (sorry Ididn't tell you). See if she can do it if she asks for help, you could ask her "where is the chicken ? " for example to help her figure itout.

She said she danced & sang at school yesterday.

4/26

Hi -The children inthe play danced & sang; she sat ,listened & enjoyed watching it. The librarian said Kat has "Egypt" bookat home&isholding her book for her. So send that intomorrow. Have a nice day.

E.

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1995-04-27

4/27

Hi ! Schedule change today. The class has gym @10:00 -combined w/ a 4th grade class. I''ll let you know how she makes out. I let her go to the bathroom partially by herself; I waited just by the doorway & I told her she'll get a smiley face for good bathroom behavior. She did just fine -no playing around. Also - she asked G. if she could go to the bathroom as I wasn't sitting down yet. At first they thought it was funny, but I explained to them how she needs to ask people, other than myself, for a pencil, a drink of water, etc. They all agreed & understood. Gym was great. They played kickball and Kat was w/ Col. and Chr. in the outfield rotating positions. She smiled, laughed & had a ball !

E.

Hi E.,

Iwill be gone all week so if you have any questions or need anything Tom will have to try to answer. She shouldknow all the names of the children. You could try to ask her to give something toachild of just say goodmorning.

SD: Katherine go say goodmorning to G.

or

SD. give G. a pencil.

Iwill try to see you next week.

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