Friday, October 23, 2009

As Often as We’ve Done This; You Would Think I Would Get Better at It

Parent teachers conferences were yesterday and, no matter how well I think the kids are doing or how high I believe their grades to be; I am always nervous about sitting down with their teachers for the discussion. I don’t know why.

Our first conference was with the Man-Cub’s teacher. The Cub’s grades are pretty decent with the exception of a rather low-though not failing-grade in spelling. His writing grade, on the other hand? Quite high. My children are nothing if not unique in their ability to surprise.

The teacher suggested that the spelling grade has more to do with the Cub choking on the tests than not actually being able to spell. I disagree; I’ve studied his spelling lists with him and, frankly, he just is not retaining the information. We have tried having him write each word ten and fifteen times to try to get the information to stick but, no doing. Granted, the words are harder than any spelling words he has encountered before but, still; there is work to be done and, his teacher had some great ideas for us as well as some strategies that he is going to institute in the classroom.

Otherwise, the Cub is doing great and we all had a round of applause at his recent graduation from vision therapy.

The Teenager’s conference followed and I am blown away at the glowing description we got of the child from her teachers. I’m fairly certain they had the right file and realized whose parents we were and, still, glowing accolades about how well she is doing both academically and socially. One teacher commented on her ability to put her schoolwork before the quest to be popular and, I have to admit, Hugh and I both looked at each other like WTF? The Teenager? Are you sure you have the right file? But, in the end, we have to take the teacher’s word for it since they see a very different side of the child than we do. Obviously.

In addition to her grades being good (with the slight exception of a C+ in P.E. You know, like usual), she was also commended for her work on her Science Fair project (although they did not make it to the final round, she and her partner placed in the top ten which, when you consider how many projects there were, is quite impressive) and on her recently discovered talent for creative writing.

Talent for writing.

Pardon me while I bask in the moment...

….aaand done.

Today, the children are out of school and we are planning something fun this evening to celebrate their hard work and stellar achievements but, first, I have to take photos for my massage therapist. As I sit here, the weather is clear and sunny. Ten bucks says, by two o’clock this afternoon, we have a hurricane or some other freak experience of nature.

Because I used up all my good luck on having awsome kids. I'm not bitter; it's a fair trade.

No comments:

Post a Comment