1 Down, 3 to Go

The kids have finished their first quarter of the school year already! Wow, that went fast. With that milestone came report cards and parent teacher conferences. Here's an update on each child:

Quinn is doing very well in 3rd grade. He got very good grades in all of his subjects, mostly C's (remember C is commendable) and just a couple of S (satisfactory) grades. His worst grade was in Conduct (but it was still an S) with a comment noting a need to practice more self control. Because he is very bright he finishes his work early. He is encouraged to read at his desk quietly but often finds himself socializing with friends around him. This distracts his friends from finishing their work. His teacher would like him to decrease this "chattiness" and make a better choice. She suggested he help his friends with their work, thus satisfying his need for socializing in a positive way for the class. He could really be a leader in the class not only in terms of academics but in behavior as well. The other kids look up to him and respect him, and when he acts silly they will do it too. We discussed this with Quinn and I think he really understood it. Hopefully he will start to make better choices and help the class to do the same. A lot of pressure for a 9 year old, huh? We are sort of at a crossroads where he can choose a path and we have to help direct him down the right one. He's a good kid and I believe he will make the right choices.

Keely is also doing well in school. She got mostly S's on her report card, with two S- grades in Language and Reading. She is not quite reading at a 1st grade level yet. It's not for lack of trying though, recently she is showing a huge interest in really reading (usually she makes up the words as she looks at pictures in the book). Reading and language go hand in hand, so as she reads more her language skills will also increase. It's also a confidence thing with Keely, she tends to still sound out each word even the ones she knows. Other than that, she needs to work on not talking in class, relating to her conduct grade of an S. She is often asked to "put up an office" (a binder around your desk so you can't see others around you). She already knows she has to work on that, but what I would like her to do is stop blaming the other people for her issues...she will always say so-and-so was talking and Mrs. C asked ME to put up an office. Lying and trust continue to be issues with her so I am trying to be consistent and clear in explaining why it is so important to tell the truth.

I feel like I've only noted the bad parts of the conferences...for the most part, they are both doing well in school. We are proud of the good grades and general lust for learning that they both continue to exhibit!