Life with Maura is a constant rollercoaster of emotions.  One day up, one day down, one day nauseated.  Today is one of those stomach-turning days, with some ups involved.

The fabulous news – I think Maura can read.  Yes, READ!  Her beloved resource room (aka special ed) teacher Miss A. has been working on very simple early reading skills and word puzzles.  Maura knows the sounds each letter makes, so Miss A. thought “What the heck.”   She gets that Maura doesn’t follow developmental charts or guides, she skips around and does her own thing. 

Well, yesterday at our private speech therapy, the therapist pulled out her new iPad and was trying different speech and language programs with Maura.  One had four pictures (like dog, cat, bee, cow) and the word of the one to find was at the bottom.  It would say “Find the cow” and Maura would touch the cow.  After doing a few, the therapist said “Let’s try something.” and turned off the voice prompt.  The next word to find was “bee”.   The therapist pointed to the word, Maura looked at it, then touched the bee.  She did this again with the next one, which was cat.  She got dog and cow on the second try, then we lost her interest as Maura got into playing with the touchscreen.

Okay, it could all be a fluke.  But I really don’t think so because I  know Miss A. has been working on these things.  I can’t tell you how geeked I am about this.  I’ll admit, I thought the iPad was a bit lame when it came out.  As a media device, I still think that.  But as something that might help my daughter read?  Whole new viewpoint!

Now this is where that rollercoaster ride takes me from the top of the hill slamming down into a spiral.  I went into the school this morning and told her teachers this, only to hear that Miss A. may still be getting laid off, despite all the proper things passing.  There’s been budget cuts, and since she doesn’t have any tenure, she made the short list when lay-offs were discussed. 

Oh, I’ve been assured that no matter what, Maura will still receive the same quality of services, just from someone else already in the district, but honestly, I’m not buying it.  I think it’s a dirty trick to hire someone as amazing and wonderful as Miss A. only to cut her after a year.  I know, budgets get cut, things have to be trimmed, people lose their jobs.  But why does it have to be this teacher?  Why is it the one making such a difference in my child’s life?  I know my daughter is a drain on the school’s budget, but they want us there so they need to do all they can for her, not just made do and get by wit the least amount of strain on that budget.  Do that, or send us elsewhere.  But don’t waste our time.

So it’s a day of being amazed by my daughter’s possible new skill and yet feeling let down by the school district.   Hopefully Miss A. will be kept on next year.  Otherwise, they are going to get a call from a very unhappy parent!