Kinder Assessment

Dillan had his Kindergarten assessment the other day. I was told it was just done so that the teachers would know where all the kids entering Kindergarten are at and what needs to be worked on. I wondered if there was a chance of failing, but didn't ask. Thankfully, I didn't have to worry about it.
Dillan was a little nervous. We got to see some of the school when we headed towards the Kindergarten area, and he seemed to like what he saw. Then we entered the classroom and he was blown away. Tiny desks with small chairs neatly tucked away. On top of the desks were colorful name tags, crayons in a jar and bright little trash cans. There were cubbies with bins full of buttons, strings, puzzles, marbles, anything. My kids couldn't keep their hands off anything. On the walls were art projects and samples of writings done by students, plus bright colorful ABCs and numbers. A huge table was covered with books, and there was even a tank with a lizard. Outside the door was a playground and on the blacktop, a painted path with words like STOP and SLOW DOWN for the tricycles. Dillan soaked it all up.
The teacher in the room let him explore a little before she called him over to her desk and had Leah and I wait outside. Leah made a beeline for the swings. She swung for a couple minutes until she saw the trikes. She climbed aboard and pedaled a few feet forwards and backwards. Then she ran back to the swings. After a minute or so the teacher called us back. Bad news for Leah. I dragged her back inside kicking and screaming.
The teacher said he did very well and she was so glad that he "was a good one." Apparently she had had a few not so good assessments that morning so was relieved with Dillan. She must have said it 3 or 4 times, plus as we were leaving she raised her arms triumphantly and said "Yea! A good one!"
While we were talking, she had asked him to draw a picture of himself. He actually did it! I could tell he was completely taken with the whole Kindergarten ambiance and the teacher. He drew her his latest drawing of himself, complete with food in his stomach!
She showed me the paper of everything he had to do.



The only thing we need to work on this summer is his name writing. I know at school his teachers told me that they have been working on the capital first letter followed by lowercase letters. Dillan insists upon using all capitals. I'm not sure why. I know he knows how to do it with lowercase, but he just doesn't. Oh, and apparently he doesn't make the letter E sound correctly. On the way home I talked to him about it and all he said was "I know Mom, I know!"

Really, I couldn't be prouder.

Ms Carol and Ms Melissa deserve most of the credit for him being where he's at. They have been wonderful teachers, so sweet and caring. They have helped mold him into the loving little boy he is. I am so grateful they have been a part of our family's lives.