Saturday, July 16, 2011

Fail

Caleb had his swim assessment yesterday. The boy swims like a fish and was clearly bored with the tasks in the class. We were certain that he would be placed in the next level when the new session begins Monday. We were wrong.

An instructor other than the one working with the kids assesses the swimmers. When she came over to test the students, Caleb went first. He swam out to his teacher doing the backstroke, and then he was SUPPOSED to swim back freestyle. Unfortunately, he didn't get that message (because, you know, HE CAN'T HEAR WELL) and swam back underwater. Instead of making sure he understood the instructions and making him follow them, she failed him. Her feedback on the evaluation? "Don't go underwater."

Caleb can swim freestyle the entire length of the pool. He is bored in his class. He is with kids who are afraid of the water and for whom diving for a ring is a challenge. And now he is doomed to repeat it for TWO MORE WEEKS. I am so frustrated!! I DID tell the instructors that Caleb has a hearing loss, and that they needed to make eye contact with him while instructing. However, I don't think the high school students really get how to do that.

We told Caleb what happened, that he didn't hear the instructions. He said, "But I can't wear my hearing ears in the pool!" We emphasized the importance of making eye contact with the instructor and watching the other students. But really, if you already have a hearing loss, are surrounded by ambient noise, and your ears are half-submerged in the water, this is a legitimate problem.

I'll be away on a mission trip when his new sessions starts Tuesday, but Scott has assured me that he will ask for a re-test. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will honor his request.