Monday, March 29, 2010

Magic Marker Monday: Shapes

For a long time I could not put posters or pictures on James' walls, as he would pull them off and try to rip and eat them. Then his preschool started sending home his school projects, and I thought "What the hey?" and hung them up with tape. Amazingly, they stay up (unless he has a major temper tantrum, which is rarely).

His room immediately took on a more inhabited, personal look. You could tell a boy lived there. A boy who liked his shapes, was learning his colours, and was excited by:

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of his latest progress with shapes, but James' SHAPE assistant told me last week that James will make his IEP shapes (the lines, circles, and crosses specified in his IEP as precursors to making letters) all by himself just fine on the classroom whiteboard at his afternoon preschool.

We've have some problems getting him to do this on paper. I am wondering if it has to do with the fact that his Dad and I notice him using his left hand more and more and his morning class is still waiting to see what happens his a dominant hand?

I do not discount the novelty and excitement that writing on a whiteboard like a Big Kid can produce! I think it's also time to trot out the chalkboard and a new carton of chalk.

Meanwhile, his sister is busy getting him to write his own name. Okay, *that* is something I should try and capture for posterity.

Visit 5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.
Special Needs Blog
 

3 comments:

Mary said...

It's amazing how a few things hanging on the wall can make such a difference to the feel of the room, isn't it?

Maybe part of the appeal of the whiteboard is that it is hanging up instead of flat on a desk? I think some kids find the angle easier.

VMI said...

Always love firetruck art at our house. James did a great job.

Lindy said...

Love the firetruck! My kiddos are easily enamored with whiteboards too -- we also had a little bit of trouble confusing whiteboards and erasable pens with white walls and sharpie markers... (ahem...)

Hope you have better luck! :D

Keep up the great work with your shapes, James!

~Michelle @ 5MFSN