Phil started middle school at the age of 12 having a difficult start to settle into a new class. He has a limited learning support with a dedicated teacher for 9 hours a week but we managed to increase them to 18 hours a week. The teachers were very good and Phil has improved a lot in all subjects.
He is able to read and write in Italian and basic of English and French, evaluate expressions with fractions and main theorems of geometry. His favorite subjects were physical education, computer, foreign languages (English and French). He is very smart with computer and every other technological tool (like mobile phone).At 12 he began to be passionate about music and started to play percussion and listen to CDs. We realised he has a very good sense of rhythm so we encouraged his passion with weekly drum lessons.
Music is a strong passion for him and one of his major interests. He has his collection of CDs and hundreds mp3 files on the mobile phone that he listen with the headset. His favourite musical genres are: hard rock (Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC) and Punk (Sex Pistols, Ramones, Green Day).Food is always very important for him. He is a fan of the typical Italian food like lasagna or pizza or ice cream. He never refuses a dish of pasta. We must always be very careful to keep his weight under control.
Sports and outdoor activities are always very important to balance the calories as well as increase muscle tone and provide new social opportunities.
The main sport is athletics, track and field. He was trained for short distance on field (50m, 100m, 400m) and cross country (1km, 1 mile). At the age of 13 Phil could run 60m in 14 seconds and 1km in less than 8 minutes. He likes athletics because the results improve his self-esteem and because the trainers are good and he shares the activity with a small group of friends who attended for years.
Swim is always a big fun for him but we don't push it to prevent ear infections.
Martial arts are very useful for improving coordination and flexibility. Phil practices Taekwondo (green belt in 2011).
Phil's favorite sport is football (soccer), which often plays with his father and brother.
Last sport, end of 2011, is ski that Phil liked a lot.We have always done outdoor activities during summer vacation. In 2010 and 2011 we joined the Alpine Club to practice trekking in the mountains with experts. Phil is able to walk all day in summer and winter covering distances of up to 8-10 km with a over 500 meters steep.
He is fine and healthy. His main problems are a mild mental retardation and the limited language that prevent social relations. He is now attending a "mental training" based on Feuerstein method. His social life is very very limited.
He is able to come back home alone from school using bus or walking.In September 2011 Phil began high school, an art school for photography.
