assessment

My buddy had his first parent teacher conference last week.  I have gotten very used to having my buddy assessed by Birth to 3.  I never expect him to perform above age range and I am thrilled when he does something on a typical timeline.  Birth to 3 concentrated on areas he needed help with in a more clinical way.

I'm not sure if my buddy's preschool teacher is more lenient or she is looking at him in a very different light.  There are 30 different Performance Standards in which he has been observed and assessed on.  Only 3 of those he performed at a less than 3 year old range.  Of course those all dealt with communication.  Over half he was rated at a 3 year old level and three areas he performs at a 4 year old level.

Of course my favorite is 'Shows empathy and caring for others.'  He has been known to approach crying children and give them a gentle rub on the back - even if he is the reason they are crying.

I don't want to underestimate my buddy and I think he is doing great at school, but the more I think about his progress report, the more I wonder about it.  At first I was over the moon.  Finally a report that shows how amazing he is. 

I don't know a lot about typical behavior of a 3 year old, but I'd be willing to bet most can 'use words to express emotions or feelings' and 'sustains attention to task' and 'uses writing to convey meaning' at a higher level than my buddy.  Yet he was assessed at a 3 year old level in all these areas. 

I know in the big picture none of these things matter.  My buddy will make it through school fine - doing better in some areas than other areas.  As long as he continues to show empathy and caring for others, I'm fine with whatever assessments come our way.