Parent/Teacher Conferences

I always enjoy going to visit with the teachers.

I first went to see Carson's teacher, Ms. Birks. This is her first or second year teaching. I know its her first year to teach 3rd grade. She really impresses me with how organized she is and how well she runs the classroom. She speaks positively of Carson. In Lincoln, his teacher last year dwelt to much on some attention issues Carson has. She also would comment about how tiring it is to hear about war all the time.(For those of you that don't know Carson enjoys war and being a hero. Nothing terrible, just being a boy) I don't know if she talked about it with him but she voiced it to me several times. It got to the point that he hated going to school and he was always in a sour mood when he came home. Carson is the total opposite this year. He still struggles some with is attention problems but Ms. Birks doesn't label him with that problem. Ms. Birks also told me that Carson has a very unique way of thinking. If any of you know Carson I'm sure you'll agree. Ms. Birks also said she welcomes it because it helps the other children to think differently. While talking,I told Ms. Birks the "No tattoos for this solider" story and found out that she is RLDS. She thought it was neat to have a little in common with Carson.

A few weeks ago Carson, Callie, and I were in the living room. I was probably getting after Callie for something. She started getting really down on herself and saying "I'm the dumbest girl in the whole world". Now, Callie has been doing this lately. Please don't think I tell her that because I don't. I ask her who has ever said that to her and she says no one. She just talks in extremes when she gets frustrated. Sometimes I think she does it for attention or to detract from the situation. Anyway, back to the story. Carson pipes in and says "Callie, Callie remember what the counselor said." I was like what counselor. Carson said that he and Callie went to see the counselor at school. I asked if everybody goes to see the counselor. They said yes. I was surprised that the counselor never called me in any case. So, at the conference Ms. Birks and I talked about it. In her classroom there is a basket to put a note in for the counselor if one of the students have a question or a problem. Well, Carson put in this note.


This note is why they were called into see the counselor. I talked with Ms. Birks about it and later Callie's teacher. I'm glad Carson was able to talk to someone else if something was bothering him. But then again I'm sad because he didn't come to me. It helped me to open my eyes and be more aware though. David had to laugh about how he used the wording,"and she is most mistaken."



I then went to visit with Miss Stacy, Callie's teacher. This is her first or second year of teaching too. She also got engaged at the beginning of the year. She is a very good teacher as well. Callie does well and reminds me a lot of myself in many ways. She hates to do something wrong or say something wrong in front of people. Just before Thanksgiving, Callie came home a told me that she was sent to the "safe seat" in art. The safe seat is like a time out seat. Most of the times that they go to these seats they have to answer some questions on a piece of paper. Like, why were you sent to the safe seat?, what can you do better?, or how do you feel about this?. She said that her art teacher accused her of talking when she wasn't. She was really emotional about it. I asked her a bunch of questions to see if it was anything more then that which I don't feel that it was. We talked about it and decided that we would just learn from the experience. Well, in the weeks that followed Callie would feel "sick" or have some reason to go to the nurse every Thursday. That was the day that she had art. She would also cry and say how much she missed me. Her teacher told her to bring a picture of me(mom) with her to school. Anyway I was noticing a pattern and before Christmas I called Miss Stacy. She returned my phone call and left a message saying she would call me back after the holiday break. That was fine. After the break, art didn't seem to bother Callie as much so I didn't try talking to Miss Stacy again. I did bring it up at the conference and told her of the pattern I saw of Callie's trips to the nurse. I told her of the art class incident. She seemed surprised seeing it all put together and was amazed that I had put it all together. I told her that Callie was my daughter and she had more children in the classroom to be aware of. I think the situation opened her eyes a bit.

Then on to George's teacher, Mrs. Miller. Very nice lady. She is older and has had lots of experience. She is just what George needed. He is doing very well. She said his has gotten over most of his tenderness. She asked me if all my children wear there heart on their sleeve. Hmm... I wonder where he gets that. It is amazing how much he has grown up this year. He is much more confident. I don't have any specific story to tell you about George but I will say that all of his friends are girls. Mr. Sensitive!!

I really didn't mean to ramble on so. I guess I worry more about how they behave or how emotionally stable they are. They seem to be doing really well with their grades though.