Downs With Ups

Here is the third and final installment of my musings of secondary schooling…

…When we learned of the results of Poppet’s IQ test, we were not only shattered, but surprised.  We expected a different result, especially because Poppet seems to operate at a higher level than her score of 42.  The school’s educational psychologist who also works at the local special school, assured us that Poppet would indeed be better suited at the special school and would, with our permission, start to organise the necessary steps to contest the entry requirements.

And this is where I had my epiphany.  It dawned on me that if Poppet were to go to the special school, she will, once again be at the bottom level of performance, just as she is now at the mainstream primary school.  She will always be the slower one, the one who’s behaviour stands out, when she’s in one of her less-than-helpful-I’m-not-co-operating moods, just as it does now.

It saddened me to realise this, as I hoped she would be ‘up’ to the level of those other kids at special school.  She would still manage there but would always be behind the others.  Maybe she is best placed at a special development school, I thought.  There, she will be a high performer.  There, she may learn leadership skills and learn how to help others.  There, her self-esteem may thrive as she will be the one ahead of the group, instead of lagging behind.

I have several concerns about the special development school though.  The first and most pressing is that I firmly believe that Poppet is capable of a great deal.  She has a latent potential that we’ve not yet seen, which I believe will come to the fore as she gets older and more confident in herself.  I would hate to think that this potential would be ignored or lost by attending a school that caters for children with a lower IQ.

Secondly, as I mentioned in my previous post, I sincerely hope Poppet develops a network of friends.  I’m not sure this is possible at a special development school.  I don’t know enough yet, about the types of children who are students there and whether or not they have enough independence to form friendships.

Finally, I strongly believe Poppet will need to learn vocational skills whilst at secondary school.  These skills will ensure she is able to contribute to the world of work in her adult years, building her self-esteem and engaged in the world and keeping her healthy.  I’m not yet sure if these will be taught at a special development school.

When we first visited the schools, my partner and I were on a steep learning curve.  We didn’t know what we didn’t know and therefore didn’t ask questions specific to Poppet’s needs.  Our knowledge has now developed to the point where we do know the questions to ask, so I’m off to make a call to the principal at the special school to make a time for another visit.  This time, I have my list of questions to ask him…