C is for Conferences

Do tell -- teachers and other parents -- do you have a secret on handling school conferences?  What is the best way to get across what you want the teacher to know about your student and be a concerned and interested parent in the 5-10 minutes allowed?


Notice anything different about her hair?



It's nearly school conference time . . . already!  Actually, Maddy has received a first quarter progress report and live conferences are scheduled in a few weeks.  An article I recently read in a parenting magazine sounded very helpful on making the most of your student's school conference, so I thought I would be nice and share the highlights. Here's the lowdown!

 

1.  Bring questions to discuss your the teacher; write down your concerns ahead of time. I know I think of something I wanted to ask about the time I reach the car to go home!

2.  Be open-minded to what the teacher says about your child -- kids often act differently at school than at home.

3.  Leave with take-home tips.  Ask the teacher for tips on preparing for tests, homework-help ideas, ways to help your child socialize with other students.

4.  Follow-up -- with your student.  Tell your student what was said -- including praise -- who doesn't love a pat on the back!

From my own experiences, remember if there is not enough time in the conference to discuss all your concerns, make another appointment or contact the teacher by telephone or e-mail.  I know our conferences are only about 10 minutes long and teachers have to keep on schedule as there are other parents waiting their turns. Most teachers are more than willing to set up an appointment, make a phone call or e-mail to discuss your questions and concerns.



Feathers are allowed at her school -- Maddy was delighted to get one recently - it's ice-blue!!
This made my little student very happy

Being a teacher is hard.  Being a student is work too and the key (I think) is hard work, communication and cooperation.  I have found my girl's teachers to be very helpful.  Maddy is a very hard worker and wants to please. But, she's also a little afraid to ask questions and she's a worrier.  I do all I can to help her feel comfortable and at ease with her teacher and also to find ways to help her learn and excel in the classroom and with her homework.  Yep, we are again doing "Jeopardy" social studies and science this year to make learning definitions more fun!  What works for you and your student?

1st day, Last Day, New Adventures

August, 2008

Maddy finished first-grade the other day. Look at her there when she started last August -- so excited about being a first-grader! And wow -- kids learn a lot in first grade -- reading, writing little stories, prayers, lots of math, not to mention figuring out all the first grade rules and making new friends. It's been a great year for her! Here she is yesterday celebrating, in the immortal words of Alice Cooper (maybe?), that "school's out for summer!"

May, 2009

And a new adventure beginning for my sweet middle child!

Cboo left this morning for a new job in Peoria, Illinois. He and the Rickster took off with a uhaul trailer of stuff. Reminded me a little bit of when Rick and I moved to Philadelphia after we got married driving a uhaul -- hope he doesn't have a repeat of that moving adventure! They plan to look for an apartment and hope he finds one as he starts work at an insurance investment company on Monday. We do have family in Peoria. and he can bunk with them for a while if needed. So exciting for him and little sad for me as Connor was my baby for 15 years until Maddy arrived. We will miss his sweet smile and easygoing attitude, but are so excited for him to be starting this new chapter in his life.

Good Luck! We'll Miss You!

Thankful . . . For the Gift of Spring and More

The other day, Maddy was one of four first-graders presenting petitions at daily mass. She was a tad bit nervous, but they practiced at school and she practiced at home too, so she was ready and well-prepared. One of her big worries was that she might not be able to get close to the microphone. That worry was warranted! The Hub and I were sitting in a side aisle (where parents are relegated to sit -- the students all sit in the front and center pews). We could see her, but I doubt that anyone else could even see her behind the lectern even though she was standing on her tippy-toes. She was the last of the four to present her petition and hers was: "For the gift of spring after a long winter, we pray to the Lord." Isn't that just the sweetest!! She spoke loud enough and clearly enough to be heard. We were so proud of her!!

And I thought -- yes, I am thankful for spring and even more thankful for the wonderful gift I've been given . . . to be her mother. She's come a very long way and that was quite an achievement for our sometimes very quiet, whispery voiced little girl. Her teacher said that she did such a great job and I could just see Maddy beam with pride at those words. She really has the best teacher.

And here she is with two friends in our neighborhood who go to the same school. One's a 4th grader, one is a 2nd grader and then Maddy in 1st grade. It's so wonderful to see these girls, all different ages, play so nicely together.

Brought to you by the Letter "Q"

Like many schools, Maddy's class has a letter of the week. This week is brought to you by the letter "Q" as in queen, quiet, quilt, quack and so on. And, like many schools, ours depends on parents for snacks at times throughout the year. So, this week it's our turn to bring snacks. When I asked Mad what we should take, she responded, "anything as long as it starts with the letter Q"! Yikes -- I swear I was awake half the night trying to think of Q snacks and the only Q words I could even come up with are those listed above! Who can think of a snack beginning with the letter Q????

But, I finally figured something out -- we took "Quail Mix" -- a kind of derivative of trail mix! Whew -- what a relief! Bonus -- Maddy's teacher, Mrs. P, is giving me a star for coming up with a snack that begins with the letter Q!! Here's what you need to make your own Quail Mix: popcorn, sunflower seeds, raisins and M&*Ms -- everything quail (and first-graders) love to eat!

It's August - Time for Some Changes!

It's that time of year again, isn't it?! All kinds of changes coming up. Maddy starts first grade next week! Cboo (aka Connor) will be a senior at the university and is moving to an apt close to campus soon (sniff, sniff, we'll miss having him at home)! Philip will be starting his second year of med school and his bride, Catherine, will be starting her first full-time teaching position -- teaching Spanish at an all-girls Catholic high school. Plus, Philip and Catherine are moving into their very first house together!!! I like changes, I really do -- but they sometimes make me a wee bit nervous. Not so much about Philip, Catherine and Connor. They'll all do just fine -- but, you know, Moms always worry anyway, don't we!

Mostly I worry about Maddy now. Will she be ok in first grade?? Will her teacher be as nice as her kindergarten teacher? Will Maddy remember to speak up louder and not use her itty-bitty voice? Will she tell the teacher if she can't hear her? I'm sure the first few days will be a little challenging, especially until they get the FM-system set up in her classroom. Our public school system is required to provide her with services due to her hearing loss. But, since she goes to a private Catholic school, they wait until after they have all of the public schools taken care of first.

I can't recall if I wrote about the FM system before, but it is is very cool. Basically, once it's set up in her classroom, the teacher wears a microphone and there is a little boot attached to Maddy's hearing aid. The teacher's voice then goes directly from the microphone to Maddy's hearing aid. Then Maddy can hear her better and doesn't have to have all of the background noise and kids voices to deal with too.

So, those are just some of the changes coming up for us. How about you? Do you have a lot of changes coming up soon to deal with too? How do you cope? More chocolate? Me too!!