Results are in for Michael

As per law we had Michael assessed this year. Seri was tested and those results wont be back until August. I adored his assessor and was so glad to have found her.
After the assessment she told me how much she enjoyed working with Michael and that he was a great kid. It is so good to hear compiments even if they are superflous (sp). It is especially nice when I am having one of those days that include me being sure I am raising menaces to society.
Anyhow, we recieved his report today and here it is folks:
Reading Comprehension third grade level
Oral Reading; second grade level
Spelling ; second grade level
Grammar; second grade level
writing; second grade level
Math; third grade level

"Michael has a very strong foundation in both reading and math. When he read the passage for the comprehension assessment, he read it, thought about it, and then made a thoughtful comment about it. In other ways he showed a deep interest in learning.
Areas that need extra work are handwriting, capitilization, and punctuation".

Since his birthday is mid-June I am pleased with the results and figure that I am doing about the same if not better with him than a PS school would.
The assessor told me that she had asked him what program he had used to learn to read and he didn't know how to answer that. She then asked me and I responded that we don't use any programs. We expose him to literature frequently as a part of his life. She was impressed.
My mother saw the results and then said, "hm and you don't really do any school work with him other than math, imagine how he would do if you actually did work with him on schooling".
I knew his writing skills would be a tad lower because I have not worked with him on those at all, I usually don't start teaching a skill until they show interest in wanting to learn it and being able to teach themselves after they are taught the basics. For Seri, I just started with her writing about two months ago.
It makes me laugh though. I am not sure how much I may have shared in other blogs about Michael and his reading but I will tell the story here. When he was in the first grade I put him in school for about three months. I was working and my mother had to leave Germany because they were irritated she had stayed so long. I was really doing it for the free daycare aspect. After two months the teacher scheduled a meeting with me and the reading specialist. When we had all sat down the specialist told me that she found Michael to be a delightful and polite child and that he had a way of making her smile. She then proceeded to tell me what I already knew and that was that Michael could not read. He couldn't write very many words when they gave him two minutes to write down all the words he could think of. Apparently the new fad was that what you can write you can read. They were severly concerned and ketp pushing this point like I wasn't getting it. Maybe I wasn't. He was six, still fairly young and I did not see this as the end of the world.
The teacher then told me that she felt sorry for him and that his lack of ability to read was hindering him socially. I thought this was strange as he had plenty of friends and no social issues outside of the classroom, so I asked her to explain. She said that they had circle time every day and that they would all read the same book, taking turns reading out loud. She called on Michael like she did everyone so that he would not feel left out. When he couldn't read it or stumbled on the words the other children would look at him in amazement that he could not read. I asked her how Michael responded to this situation and she said that he always kept trying or would ask for help. I remember thinking about how sad it all was. The teacher and school had basically set Michael up to be a social failure all because he was not on "their" timeline. I guesse this feeling must have shown because then they said they were worried because I did not seem concerned enough about the situation. They said that studies had shown that what a child can read at this age is indicative of how good a reader he will be as an adult. (I am still kicking myself for not asking them to provide hard copies of these "studies"). I explained that I was not concerned because he was six, not twelve, there was time left for him to learn to read before those skills would be needed to serve him in life. Because when I first sat down they told me that Michael was polite and a delightful child to be around. They had said that he was eager to learn and confident enough to ask for help when he didn't know the answers. This was vereification that I had been raising and teaching him the things that were truly important. How many times have you seen a kid that was a great reader but you couldn't tolerate being around him and he couldn't function effectively in society.
Not convinced they suggested that when we moved we place him in the first grade again. his skills would be a perfect match for a "first of the year first grader but not for and end of the year one", as if that time was of significant purpose in the long run.
So, we brought Michael home. I wanted him to feel safe and secure on his timeline and not to be pressured or harrased because of it. I so wish that I could have another meeting with those ladies and have Michael read to them from the Bible. He comprehends it sometimes more than I do.
Everyday I am thankful for that decision. I can't imagine what his psyche would be if we had left him in school. At home he knows he is perfect.