Jonah smiles with his whole face. I don’t even need to see his teeth to see how big he is smiling.
🤩
He has been working so hard at school. And he is so proud of himself.
It has been night and day from even BEFORE the pandemic.
Before, I used to have to coerce Jonah into school. Several times I had to carry him into the building myself, and just tell the teachers “good luck,” before leaving.
Now, Jonah is prodding ME to get myself ready to walk out to the bus with him 45 minutes before it arrives.
Why the change?
If I had to guess, I would say it is all the current social setting in the classroom. Jonah is the oldest in his class with a bunch of younger peers, who look up to him.
Here is part of an email from his teacher:
“Jonah’s social/emotional/behavioral goals include engaging in social play, gaining appropriate peer attention, and reflecting on his day. Jonah is quite social this year with the students in our classroom!
He LOVES to say random things to a peer, then that peer repeats them, and Jonah and the peer go into an absolute fit of giggles. Today, his word was “Cheese.”
He also adores another peer in our classroom and is always looking out for her and will tell her, “Come on!” when he wants her to follow him.
Jonah is able to gain appropriate peer attention and loves to be silly! We have times where we all get to be silly, and Jonah absolutely loves to be silly and enjoys when other peers are silly as well.
Jonah is able to be reflective of his day and say that he is happy and has had a good day. Jonah is also using more language and advocacy for himself and others. Jonah will use “I want” statements and is expanding these to longer sentences such as, “I want go to swings with [peer’s name]!”
Jonah has impressed me greatly this school year (as he always does) with his progress and his focus! He is also still my ever-diligent assistant in helping to remind his peers in our classroom if they aren’t following the directions.”
You guys…. seeing how far we have come…
…knowing Jonah has friends at school who he loves to play with.
…Knowing he is happy when I am not there with him and that he WANTS to be at school.
Seeing this smile through his mask here…
I could literally cry.
#ausome