Another Season Ends

Today was the last day of school. For my son, that means the last day of third grade. It was a rough year for him. Third grade is the first year kids take the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test). In the state of Florida, if a third grader fails the reading portion of the FCAT that third grader doesn't go to fourth grade. It puts alot of stress on the student as well as the teacher, whose lesson plan is driven by this exam and can't deviate from it. There isn't a lot of time to get all the information and prep done before it's exam time.

Half way through the school year my son's teacher called me in to tell me my son was in danger of failing the FCAT. What upset me the most was the fact that I'd already told his teachers at the beginning of the year (October, I believe) that my son was displaying signs of a learning disorder. Both his teachers felt he just needed to work harder, study more, read more. Try as he may, my son was struggling, and suddenly it looked like he may have to repeat the third grade. But God had orchestrated my circumstances so that I would be available to handle this situation with my son.

I'd been laid off from work in August. Though I'd looked for work for over a year, I came up empty handed and had to accept that God wanted me home, though I didn't entirely understand why at the time. Now it was apparent that, among many other reasons, my son was going to need a lot of my attention, and this was the best way for me to achieve that goal. I met with teachers, counselors, and even the vice principal, to make sure my son was getting all the help available to him at the school. In addition, I was working with him at home on the different skills needed to pass the exam. We prayed for wisdom, guidance, and help for E to do his very best despite the problems he was having. While I haven't been able to get him tested as of yet, he displays many symptoms of dyslexia. I had to go on the Internet, learn as much as I could about this learning disorder, and work around it to help my son with his schoolwork.

In the end, E passed the FCAT. His report indicates he's reading slightly under his grade level, but I'm hoping this summer we can continue working on his reading comprehension skills so he can learn to understand and retain what he reads. Not surprisingly, his math skills are considerably above grade level, which is typical with dyslexic children. Still, we'll be doing math, reading, science and geography during the summer, finding fun ways to learn and continuing to find ways to work with his learning disorder instead of against it.

The lesson this has taught me? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6). When God showed me He wanted me to stay home, I couldn't see how that would be possible. I didn't know what I'd do with myself. I'd worked for over 20 years, and the change would be drastic. But now, as I look back on the last 10 months, I realize God knew what I didn't know. He knew my son was going to need me, and I had to be available for him. God made that possible. And He continues to make it possible for me to tutor and school my son so that he can be ready to enter the next season of his young life: fourth grade.