Parent teacher conferences 2007

Devyn - Kindergarten:

"Your daughter is just precious. No really, she is just a precious, precious person. We love her to pieces." That is what her teacher told me. Of course I know that, I am her mother. But when someone sees in your child what you see as a parent, it is wonderful. She really is a sweet, sweet, kind soul. My God, she is so much like me as a child. She is really quiet and reserved if she is not 100% comfortable with people. She is loving and strives to do well. She is a "people pleaser" as her teacher says. This can be good and bad. She loves school and tries really hard to do well but it also means she doesn't take risks in her learning. She doesn't not want to be wrong and that may mean not speaking up and taking the chance. Again, so me as a child. She has grown leaps and bounds in a matter of a few months. She is reading really well and according to her teacher, her abstract thinking is beyond the Kindergarten level. **mama beams**

Trey is an amazing boy and truly, he is a brilliant witty child. He is so smart. My goodness, you never know what is going to come out of that child's mouth. LOL. But man, it is really nice going into a conference and hearing, "your child is doing great, no areas to work on, no behavior issues".....with that segway, I will move on to my little man.

Trey - 2nd grade:

I have to say, this is the first year where he has actually said he really enjoys school. He teacher is exceptional. Her class is so calm and controlled and you can see the gears spinning in her students minds when you walk through the door. She has been such a blessing in Trey's eduction. This however, is the third year in a row that I have heard how Trey has a difficult time focusing and he is not finishing his work on time. He does not do well in writing workshop and has a hard time get his thoughts onto paper. Those comments are always followed with how smart he is and how well he does in Math and Science. He thrives in discussion type learning because he can vocalize his thought amazingly well. He aces spelling tests and his vocabulary is way above level.

So where do we go with that?? His teacher has talked to the site OT about him and unfortunately, because he is making progress every year he is not eligible for assistance at school. So he is struggling, but not struggling enough??? Gotta love a public education. I have made appointments with his pediatrician as well as a private OT to have him screened to see what is going on. It could be anything from ADD to sensory issues. Daniele (my cousin) is an OT and she is doing a screening for us and has also been giving me a lot of advice on refocusing strategies for him to use in class when he is feeling like he needs it. So were are working in the right direction at least. I am finally realizing that this is less of "boys will be boys" and more of we need to take care of this issue while he is young.

I am heading out here in a few minutes. I am going to see Annie with Trey's class today at the Kimo theatre. I am excited. Annie was the first real play I saw as a child. I saw it at Popejoy when I was 5 or so. I loved it (and still do). It should be fun!! If it is good I am going to take Devyn to see it sometime this weekend. I have forced the movie upon her and she has conformed, rightly so, into an Annie fan. LOL

It feels really good to be writing again. Really Good.