Conferences

So yesterday was the 2 oldest boys' parent teacher conferences.  I expected them to go fairly well.  Both are smart and well behaved but it's still nice to hear from their teachers.

First up was ST's 2nd grade teacher.  All good things.  ST works very well, had excelled in math so much so that he doesn't need the extra help he was getting with it.  He's only about one step under the average reading scores and the teacher expects he'll go pretty smoothly into 3rd grade and continue with some extra reading help.  He does his best all the time and since the beginning of the year, has scored higher and higher exponentially.  Perfect.

Onto JJ's Kindergarten teacher.  She starts by going into some detail about his presentation a couple of weeks ago.  (They had to do a 5-7 minute presentation teaching the class to do something.  We were super worried that he not only wouldn't be able to do the task, but that he may shut down and not be able to even function if he didn't understand what to do.  We practiced and practiced with him all week making paper airplanes and made a simple chart to keep him on track.  Bottom line: he nailed it.  Was able to make it through the whole presentation and said each child's name as he passed out paper to build the airplanes.  He knew what he was doing and did it.)  She told me that she was having each presenter ask the class if they had any questions or comments, so he did.  Then I guess one child asked something and he points and says 'That's a question."  called on the next child and then says, "That's a comment."  The teacher helped him answer the question, but was blown away he knew what questions and comments were.

He excels in academics.  She told me walking down the hall with him, he was reading words on the wall that were first and second grade levels.  Then she gave my heart a bombshell...

'The kids love him'

.....gah

Squeeze my heart.  One of my biggest fears with JJ being different is that no one would see how much of a shining personality he has.  But they do and they LIKE him.  And not only that, but his teacher LOVES him.  She says he makes her laugh every single day.  That he has such a shining personality.  That he's taught her so much - that she wasn't sure how to go about him, knowing he was different, but getting to know him and figuring out what best suits him.  She sees him for him.  I love it.  She also says that she hopes to place him next year with the teacher she thinks will best appreciate his wonderful personality.  She's loved having him in her class.  We were both practically in tears.  Happy tears.

Cannot get better than that.

It was my fault ST started Kindergarten at a disadvantage, knowing barely his name and X and O as far as the alphabet goes.  He was my first baby and I was a SAHM, I wanted to keep him with me for as long as possible.  But being as smart as he is, and as hard working, he's pretty much caught up academically.  I couldn't be more proud of him.  He does what needs doing, and always tries his best.

And JJ, with all of the struggles and delay he faced early on, those 2 years of special preschool (and the EI services at home before that) were a Godsend!  Year one basically got him to communicate and potty train and year 2 taught him the entire alphabet and gave him a strong base of learning to start with.  It has helped him just thrive and I couldn't be more thankful.  The future is a lot less scary knowing he's overcoming things we weren't sure he would.

I totally took all of the boys shopping afterward for presents for working so hard all year and being so good.
Now I remember why I never just go and buy things for them...it's expensive!  But on the way home ST says something to the effect - 'This day is awesome'....

Worth It!