Parent Teacher Conferences

So today I had parent teacher conferences for Tommy and Christopher. I wasn't dreading it. Well, maybe a little for Tommy's, although I knew there would be no shocking surprises, as his teacher sends home weekly progress reports, a Godsend where Tommy is concerned, because it is an individual teacher's discretion whether or not to even do it and he landed in her class, thankfully.

First I visited Christopher's teacher. I have volunteered in his classroom and have seen Christopher as a student firsthand, and was confident the conference would be like as refreshing as a gentle breeze. And it was. Her comments: Chris is a very kind, well mannered, sweet little boy. He has been working very hard and is always trying to improve on the things he can do. He is a wonderful friend to his classmates and a joy to have in class. He is enthusiastic about learning and I have no doubt he will do well in kindergarten. I enjoy having Chris in my class and watching his progress throughout the year.

Every parent's dream, right? He does make his mother proud. I left there beaming, although I have to admit that by the time I got to Tommy's school, my enthusiasm was guarded for what was ahead. I had time to kill because a parent before me ran over her allowed time, and I normally wouldn't care because every child deserves the attention a parent may seek to improve his or her skills if necessary, but this woman was joking and laughing and the teacher was responding as such. How many times can I read the kids' bulletin board projects without appearing as though I'm losing patience waiting outside the door while they are sharing jokes about the woman's kid? Anyway, she finally left and I headed into the unknown.

I have to say everything we discussed wasn't surprising. His report was exactly as I expected it to be. He's not exactly the teacher's pet or dubious student eager to learn. But when he applies himself, he does great work. These were her comments: After a period of adjustment, Tommy has settled into the second grade routine and is accepting the demands and expectations. Academically he is successful when cued to reread directions and check his work upon completion. He is capable of nice quality work, but sometimes guilty of rushing through his paper work. He needs to be encouraged to carry assignments to a challenging level for himself. He has strong skills in both reading and math.

So there you have it. Two very different personalities showing his true colors in the world of education. I guess Tommy's could be worse, so I'm thankful for what he got, but will be more thankful next semester when his I's (Needs Improvement) are replaced with M's (Meets Expectations). Christopher got all M's. That's my boy!