Friday 27 April 2012

We Don't Need No Education...

This morning, yet again, Bobby expresses surprise that he's being asked to go to school. He's been going for three years now, but the idea still appalls him even though he enjoys it once he's there. Not the work, I hasten to add, the work sucks but he likes the social aspect of it. He's supposed to be autistic for crying out loud...

When Bobby is miffed about something, he tends to exaggerate. "Do I have to go to school EVERY DAY?" he moans, and then without waiting for an answer "I have to go to school on SUNDAY as well!" He likes doing this, filling in his own punishments so I don't have to bother. Another favourite, which he gets from Horrid Henry, is suggesting NO TV FOR A WEEK, which isn't a bad idea.

I try to explain to him that he needs to go to school to learn lots of things about the world so that when he grows up he can follow his master plan of opening up a selection of computer stores called Bobby's Screens. I suggest that he'll need to know how to do maths and how to write things down to do that.

"But I know maths already!" he interjects. "And I know literacy!"

Darn this is true. He can read and write and he's just a bit hotter at maths than I am. It's not that school isn't challenging enough, because his school know exactly where he's up to and he falls behind on a variety of subjects, categorised by 'stuff I can't be arsed with'. These include sport, unless it's indoors.

I write to his learning support assistant M'lanie in the communication book. Do you think it would be a good idea to ask Mr Cunningham (headteacher) to explain to Bobby why school is important - and I'll write a Social Story?


Mr Cunningham is great with kids and has formed a special bond with Bobby by comparing their sock colour in the morning. If anyone can explain why school is important without alienating someone, it's Mr C.

We all know the real reason why it's important for Bobby to go to school, though.

It's so that he doesn't spend 365 days a year, 12 hours a day playing his Nintendo 3DS.

But do you know, the social side comes a close second...


No comments:

Post a Comment