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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Conferences


Last night I spent from 5:20PM to 8:40PM in conferences for my boys.
Twenty minutes for each conference, with the teachers I selected to meet.

At the end of the evening, I walked out with a strong sense of profound gratefulness for the teachers at their school who spend time with them each day.

It was readily apparent that already these teachers know and understand both my sons.
They were appreciative of their good qualities, quick to point out their strengths, and aware of their shortcomings.

Among the things that most touched me were the ways in which these teachers work WITH my children to ensure the best possible response.

One of the middle school teachers was saying that he notices several boys have difficulty waiting their turn to speak. While he teaches them that they must wait, he also was proactive in finding a solution that works for all of them- he gave each boy a small notepad for their desk, on which they can make a notation of what they wanted to say. This allows them to "hold their thought" while they continue to listen to the speaker, without fearing that they will lose what they meant to say.

It's a small thing but just one of several things I heard that demonstrate these teachers' love of not only teaching but of the children they teach. They want to help them grow and develop into fine young men and women, but the positivity with which they embrace their mission really moved me.

Both my sons are thriving and the one who didn't really like school has done a reverse-course.

I couldn't be happier.

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