Lois Letchford - Reversed

CHAPTER SIX

THE DIE IS CAST: TEST RESULTS

Im panicking. I pace around my bedroom throwing on a loose fitting V-necked tank top, quickly snapping on long shorts and sandals. No point for makeup today. The typical sweat from the Brisbane heat will just smear it away within minutes. I can feel a thunderstorm brewing as the high humidity sneaks its way into the house. Its time to head to school; no further procrastination. Susan, the school guidance counselor, has called me in for a meeting. Nicholas test results are available in the last week of the school year.

I walk over the last of the jacarandas purple flowers spread along the path on my way to Susans office. It is impossible to see the beauty around me today. Will the results show Nicholas is okay? Will they provide some key to his learning? I trudge up the steps to the administrative office, feeling like Im walking to the executioner, knowing the tests will highlight problem areas. They are evident, but I secretly hope they might find some hidden, redeeming strengths.

Hello, Lois, Susan greets me with a tentative smile. Ill just collect my papers and we can go to another room. My room is overcrowded.

Susan picks up an armful of papers. My heart sinks.

Does she need all this paperwork for Nicholas?

I follow Susan to an empty room with a heavy heart.

What is she going to say? He has some struggles, yes, but doesnt he have strengths, too?

Take a seat, Susan suggests, dropping her great pile of documents on the student desk. Im pleased you could visit at such short notice, Susan begins the interview cordially enough, as she wobbles in her sea of test results. She sifts through papers to find the appropriate paperwork before holding them in both hands. Time stands still as she appears to study them carefully before speaking.

The windows are open, welcoming the breeze. My fingers weave into one another as if Im about to pray, trying to make myself comfortable. I prepare myself.

I gave Nicholas the WISC-3 last week. She shifts awkwardly, pushing her brown tortoise-shell glasses up the bridge of her nose as her sweat dribbles downward. Only a faint touch of lipstick remains. She looks up from her paper, honing in on my face.

I remember I tested Nicholas last year in preschool, she begins, stalling for time. This time last year, in fact. Those results suggested he was within the normal range. As a part of this years testing process, I talked to his classroom teacher, Mrs. Skuse. You know she is a very experienced teacher, dont you?

Yes, I reply, aware that she has more than thirty years in the classroom.

Sadly, Susan says, pulling on her collar, partly out of frustration, partly out of distraction, the testing hasnt gone so well this year.

My heart sinks and I freeze in my chair. I feel the color drain from my face. I hold my breath. My muscles tense like Im waiting for a punch.

This intelligence scale identifies verbal and non-verbal skills, she says. Her tone is business-like. Are we discussing the building of a house or my child? On this test, Nicholas overall performance placed him within the borderline-to-below-average range of intellectual abilities. His full-scale IQ was recorded to be within the borderline range; that is the lower range of average to below . His scores in reading on the Infant Grades Word Recognition Test placed him in the fifth percentile for mid-year one. She pauses, waiting for me to take in the information. We are now at the end of the school year.

As if I needed to be reminded. I can feel myself shrinking into the seat to the height of a child who typically sits here.

Her voice drones on, this time talking about Nicholas sight vocabulary and spelling.

He had a few words that he knew by sight, although his incorrect attempts indicated reversals such as reading on as no . Nicholas did not attempt to spell words; however he was frequently correct when writing the initial sound, although there was evidence of reversing letters like t and j . It shows that your son has limited reading skills at this point.

I bite my tongue, feeling the pressure of my teeth along the tip of my taste buds.

Overall, his performance placed him within the very low half of the average range. He will present in the classroom as a slow learner. The test results indicated that Nicholas would have significant difficulties processing most verbal language information and in following directions within the classroom.

Her words beat me into submission.

Nicholas spatial skills are limited, and he will take much longer than his peers to complete written activities. Of course, the most serious concern is his tendency for distraction in the form of daydreaming, which even occurred while I was testing him. I called his name two or three times before he responded to me. This is going to cause many difficulties in the classroom where most children follow the directions by the first instruction.

Am I in Roald Dahls Matilda , facing the evil teacher Miss Trunchbull? Her words hurtle toward me with javelin speed, like Im being thrown into the chokey , her punishment cupboard. There is nothing I can do or say.

Im not sure how much more I can take, but Nicholas arithmetic scores become Susans next target.

Nicholas will struggle with basic math, as he has limited ability to retain information or number facts. He will have difficulty performing problems without pencil and paper. He scored 3.5 out of a total of 20 on his arithmetic test.

I feel my eyes sinking. My figure slumps into the chair as my whole body goes numb. Susans voice washes over me as I reach my limit on bad news.

But I have made a list of recommendations for the classroom, her face lightens. I look up, eager for her suggestions. He will have reading intervention through the reading teacher. I recommend that he should have daily assistance. It will be helpful to meet with his teacher early in the new year to discuss his educational needs. I think it is important for him to sit at the front of the classroom and adjust the amount of work we expect from him. Nicholas will require lots of praise and encouragement to complete most written tasks. My suggestion is that the teacher may have him work against a timer as a motivator. Ask him to repeat verbal directions. This should help him process the information given.

Her list goes on and on, but now, finally, a recommendation Im more willing to hear.

Speech therapy must continue. Are you able to take Nicholas to the university?

That I can do, I respond quietly. I not only feel for Nicholas, but also for the teacher who must implement all of these recommendations in the classroom. At least he will receive some reading support.

Thanks for coming. I am sorry I dont have more to offer. The humidity has soaked her hair, leaving an oily varnish clutching her scalp.

I stagger out of the room, devastated. I cannot believe what Ive just heard. According to the school guidance counselor, Nicholas has nothing going for him. No strengths, I whisper to myself as I leave the room, dragging my feet on the gray linoleum. Nothing.

My secret hopes feel torpedoed into oblivion, rendering me helpless. I take a moment to breathe, but nothing will keep me calm. I still have to pick up the boys from their classes. I spot Nicholas, patiently waiting at our meeting area. His shoulders hunch under the straps of his multicolored backpack; his teeth gnaw at the tips of his fingernails.

I quietly walk to him, expecting that unpleasant aroma of urine. Of course, its there. I kneel down and wrap my arms wrap around him. He gently squeezes me as I hold him, fighting back my tears. We find Nathanael, and I hug his shoulders; he is unaware of the situation. I can feel the thunderstorm brewingmimicking my insidesand we rush to get home before it strikes.