The first Parent teacher conference

   

Class field trip

Today was the first of our parent teacher conference at NJIS. I am not one of those mums who would run after marks/grades as much as I see the efforts that have been put into getting them. I live with that thought in mind that each child has their abilities and they cannot be forced to perform beyond an extent in certain areas. I was pretty excited about seeing how Prisha has done so far knowing that its her new school, new system of education and new subjects. To add to it the teachers come from various countries across the world with different thinking and accents. The 3 month trial and work would help me decide if this school works for her. I have seen her less stressed and is very excited about going to her school. Other than waking up at 5:30 am each morning, her complaints are barely there. Weekends are naturally much awaited but other than that, she seems to be fine at school. I am also able to divert my mind and energy into a bigger cause due to this.
     We started with Art and the teacher was very supportive and said since her grades are all A+, he had nothing to add. He loves her attitude to learn, is settled and is like a sponge, he is happy to have her each day after school. He is planning a field trip to the art market close by and I am so excited about going with him. The PE teacher too had good things to say but yes being inactive in that area for 3 years has got her to lag behind but he thinks she is progressing well. The teacher is supportive and understanding and we are so happy to have him teacher her.
     Meeting the counselor at school was very lovely. She said we had a great child, who is eager to learn, settled well and is liked by everyone in general. She was happy that we support her in many ways and did say I was a different kind of mum , lol. She said in the world of parents seeking only achedemics, she is ahppy to see us supporting her every move. So thankfully we had nothing but good things to talk.
     Meeting her Bahasa teacher was great. Prisha came running in with an exciting exchange of greetings. She beamed as we walked in and appluded us for having a good, artisti and happy child who learnt well and she in fact felt that Prisha's ideas in class for activities etc were great. It helped her a lot as well. She offered us a chance for Prisha to learn an Indonesian dance and perform for Indnesian day as she loved her dance at school! We jumped at it! It was great to see the happiness on her face and we can't wait to see how Prisha would do that!.
     The social science teacher was very happy to have us talk about her. She felt Prisha was good in a team as a good player and added her inputs well. She said her attitude to learning, her concentration and promptness with homework etc really made her an outstanding kid. She felt Prisha was excited about learning new things and is very sincere besides being always chirpy! I rememebered how Prisha was always left out at the old school and we just wished to hear anything good where she was part of a group without issues. Those years we only looked for support and here the teacher said she supported other kids when needed! I just felt at peace coz I know my child well. How sad that they didn't see her this part due to their own incapability.
    Advisory is new to us and when we sat down to talk....he said.....Prisha is going to be a change in the world!! I was stunned and kept listening. He said she is extremly positive and hence is a positive influence on her class. She is inspiring and other kids can learn a lot from her! He added she was an example of sorts and they all can learn a lot from her. He addd that he would love if his daughter could have prisha as her friend!! I was overwhelmed as till now we were hoping she can have friends and here a teacher wanted Prisha to be his daughter's friend. You just start to be grateful. He said she had such qualities and strengths with which she was managing her self and her life and these qualities could be brought out and used on other kids! Her dance and speech were a motivation for other kids as not many kids come forward at this age. So her coming out has opened doors for others as well! She is self motivated and finds ways to cope with life and that's what education is truly all about! She has it in her to do things for her. Despite limitations she has survival skills that are great. He was amazed to hear how profoundly deaf she is and yet she does what she does and he is happy to have Prisha under him. He told Prisha she is lucky to have a mum like me....lol. It just felt so overwhelming and gratifying. He took our blog name and said he would love to share it with his friends. He told us such lovely things and said go ahead and change the world both of you! After facing 2.5 years of the nonsense....this was such a validation of what we believe in!
    English and Maths were wonderful as well and they were very open to helping Prisha in many ways besides the regular class work. Her sincerity and maturity was appreciated and they said they would be happy to record things on phone so she can hear later as well. She needs to be challeneged in Maths as she found she could do more and he was happy to support. English teacher was happy to make extra worksheets as well in areas she needs support.

NJIS got my confidence back!

     Music was one area she was very afraid of. The teacher is very strict and most kids run from that class. Prisha has issues singing and kids often look at her when she does sing. The keyboard hasn't been played yet at school and hence the only thing we could think was negative feedback. As we enetered, she came to greet us and we froze expecting criticism. But what awaited was a big huge grin and a pat on her for her dance performance!! She parised her efforts and said since she performed, others can get inspired now and come to dance on stage as well. being a small school, we find less participation. She loved her costume, her rhythm and the whole show! In fact she went forward and hugged Prisha much to her surprize and I could only grin! How hard we had worked for years for such a thing! We struggled to get anything done in the previous school, her lines were cut, she was discouraged from and Indian dance saying the school prefers western!! Here everyone was waiting to see Bollywood. What came as a really big surprise was... she said she would help Prisha do a trial for singing by closing a ear. She wanted to do trials where her hearing aid would be removed and one ear closed so that she can then hear her own voice and see where Prisha was going herself! I was overwhelmed. Its very heartening to know that our hard work and belief and never say never attitude found belief in her. Her speech on stage and her dance made such an impact on everyone to show how hard working and sincere she is and we are glad its being recognized.
     As the 3 hours conference ended I sat in the car still taking in what transpired at school. The flashback of the past years, the struggles at each school, the frustrations each day of finding our way, the constant efforts made to build a rapport with each teacher despite their own ways, the depressions of dead ends, the bullying, the uncoopertaive world around, the people who jeered and hurt us and endless search for the atmosphere where she is accepted with what she is....finally found all that in NJIS ! They believe in her, they support her and they give her a chance....all things may not yet be perfect yet but after all that we have gone through in various schools, she turned out stronger and has made a personality which is appreciated and we are grateful for all that we have here. What one school can do not just for a child but for an entire family! Each teacher appreciated her and me for giving her the right support. It felt good to be recognized by teachers as a great mum who changed her life and each time I said she is the one who made me! She is mature and very strong and our partnership as mum and daughter has only matured over the years. I still yell, correct, cajole, advise besides stressing her, questioning her, listening, pushing and counseling. My role in her life is still long way to go. But I don't have to work as much. I have made her self motivated, driven and positive with all my firm behavior, never giving in to tantrums in early years.
      Such times I rememeber ma'am Hudlikar saying many times....your deaf child will give you many more moments of joy and happiness than you could ever dream of. Just keep working with them and soon they would bring you joy! All those years are bearing fruits in the school here. We still toil, fret, fume and frustrate but for such moments of joy and happiness its all worth it. Each achievement has much more meaning as they come with many more hours of sweat, tears and heartaches. We have much more to achieve as we embark on the next part of the school year.