Quarterly Report

It's that time of year again - the time when parents get to sit down with teachers and hear all of the things that their kids are doing - good and bad - and then go home and re-evaluate what needs to be done!

Our opportunity to meet with all 3 of our kids teachers came yesterday. I like to get em' all over with at once - so I schedule them all back to back! SMART HUH?! Now, the following report is really for grandparent benefit - but please feel free to read and mock my parenting skills if you must - I'm cool with that!

N's conference was first. His teacher just loves him and says that she has a hard time not smiling or laughing at him when he does something. She says that she has to tell herself "don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh". She said that he is beyond the yearly requirements for first grade and she isn't worried about him at all. She would like to see him push himself a little more but that he is more than ready for 2nd grade now. So - we were happy with that report!

M's conference was next. I knew not to expect much because I keep in close contact with her teacher. M's grades are where they should be - but they are starting to see "holes" in her understanding and work pace. This is EXACTLY what I warned them about and urged them to get her help for back in October! Now here we are - wondering "what the crap do we do?". Her teacher is going to push for extra help - but you know, we could have prevented this if the principal would have listened to me when I suggested it 5 months ago! Anyway - M is a work in progress and we are proud of what she has accomplished - just a little peeved with the school and their lack of attention to the situation! Her teacher loves her and says that she has a "contageous smile" - man, don't I know it!

Finally we met with K's teacher. Our eyes were opened - yet again - to her strengths. She is something else! She is doing great in everything except Math. She hates math and I guess I need to learn to accept that. The problem is - I know she can do it - but because it is something that requires a true focus she really doesn't have the ability to sit and do it. I told her teacher that I'm tired of fighting with her over the homework portion of math and as long as she keeps getting A's on the tests then I'm not going to push the issue any longer - it's pointless. Aside from math we learned that K is reading on an 11.8 grade level and that she reads - aloud - 181 word per minute. We were told that she is well beyond anyone in her grade and that she is done with reading for the year. (so guess what she does during reading time - MATH!). Finally we ended the conference with her teacher suggesting honors classes for next year and he said he'd be happy to recommend her for those. So - overall, we were happy with her work as well.

Anyway - that's the report. They are all working hard and doing what they can on their ability levels and I'm good with that.