Report Card

When in school for education, we learned that report cards not only assess students, they assess the quality of the teacher.  Now as a parent, it feels as though the report card not only assesses Gabe, it also assesses Tim and me as parents.

When we received his report card pre-conference, I was admittedly alarmed that Gabe had seemingly gone from all A's (as in 'Above Proficient') to all P's (as in 'Proficient').  Heading in to his conference last evening, I was concerned about what I might hear....  That he was not trying his best; that something within the Immersion program was making it difficult for him to progress as he had been.

So it was wonderful to hear that the Benchmark's for Spanish Immersion in MTSD are high - as in highest benchmarks in the entire state.  It was reassuring to learn that being labeled P in this program is beyond the equivalent of being labeled A in a non-immersion class.  I was relieved to learn he was still able to process and demonstrate knowledge in a manner we were accustomed to.

But all of that paled in comparison to something else we heard from his teacher -

'Gabe is compassionate beyond measure.  He strives to always include all those around him.  While typical at this age for boys to become exclusive - especially where it concerns including girls - Gabe goes out of his way to make sure that all children in the class or on the playground feel as though they are welcome.  He desires for those in his group to excel in the same ways he does - but rather than force them to make choices he knows are correct in a bossy way, he uses positive reinforcement to encourage.  He is by no means a pushover - he is able to clearly articulate his boundaries.  Gabe is a joy to me, as a teacher.  He is a delight to know.  I call him my ray of sunshine because his presence and attitude in class bring warmth and light.'

I was humbled beyond measure!  Here I was so concerned about what a letter on a report card might be saying about my child in academics that I did not even think about the character he was displaying in class.  So concerned was I with P's and A's that I didn't stop to think about whether or not this incredible little boy was being salt and light in his classroom and with his friends.  I allowed my own perceptions of value in education to supersede the values we expect of ourselves and our children in terms of being Kingdom always and everywhere

So 2012's parent-teacher conference is etched in my mind.  My own report card would have been NP ('Not Proficient') for my inability to prioritize what is truly valuable in terms of what my son is learning and demonstrating.  I am so thankful for this little man and for the lessons I learn through him.  Soy muy afortunada de ser su mamá!