In Brendan’s Montessori school parent conferences happen in a multi-step unique way.\u00c2\u00a0 First a pre-conference questionnaire is sent home to parents.\u00c2\u00a0 This forces us to sit down and answer some questions that require thought: 3 words to describe Brendan, what are our goals for him this school year, what are our goals for him long term, what changes have we seen since the start of the school year (social-emotional, academic, etc).\u00c2\u00a0 It is tougher than you would think!\u00c2\u00a0 For the record “socially-gifted” is one word.<\/p>\n
Next a school progress report comes home, about a day or two before our conference.\u00c2\u00a0 There is a list of skills and boxes for “Exhibits Strength”, “Age Appropriate” and “Needs Development.”\u00c2\u00a0 Everything for Bren was “Age Appropriate.”\u00c2\u00a0 With a few exceptions: Verbal Skills, Participates in Group Activities, Aware of Others, Is a Leader\/Role Model, Participates in Singing\/Music.\u00c2\u00a0 They were all “Exhibits Strength.”\u00c2\u00a0 This is where you get an idea of how the conference is going to go.\u00c2\u00a0 Let me break it down how I read it:<\/p>\n
Verbal Skills- he likes to talk. A LOT. Shocked.<\/p>\n
Participates in Group Activities- “I’ll get the kids in the group to do what I want.”<\/p>\n
Aware of Others- who can I play and how can I get them to do what I want?<\/p>\n
Is a Leader\/Role Model- in a word- dictator<\/p>\n
Participates in Singing\/Music- My drama queen?<\/p>\n
Then I read the summary page. “Brendan is creative in his approach to learning and life.”\u00c2\u00a0 In three paragraphs his teachers commented on his leadership skills, his willingness to help other children even without being asked, his organization skills (color coded a work for the class) and his way\u00c2\u00a0 of making things more efficient (the snack table).\u00c2\u00a0 And in his spare time he is doing language and math work too.\u00c2\u00a0 “Very social and enjoys conversations” came up too.<\/p>\n
It is not surprising in a Montessori classroom where he has been for three years that the teachers would know him so well.\u00c2\u00a0 This is the gift of time in the same space with the same record keepers learning and observing each child.\u00c2\u00a0 But when you see it on paper, it is striking.<\/p>\n
And there is the stepping back moment and realization that maybe he is more like me than I realized.\u00c2\u00a0 Systems? Organization? Leadership? Color-coding?<\/p>\n
The day of the conference parents are invited into the classroom to observe the classroom for 30 minutes.\u00c2\u00a0 You get to see the full picture of what is going on and see you child at work. (and as with this age, sometimes they “perform” other times not so much)\u00c2\u00a0 Then you meet with the teacher and talk about the observation, report and any questions.<\/p>\n
When we got to the classroom Brendan was reading his little books of words!\u00c2\u00a0 Something he rarely will do for us at home.\u00c2\u00a0 It lasted about 10 minutes.\u00c2\u00a0 Then he chose another work- polishing and eating an apple.\u00c2\u00a0 Seriously.\u00c2\u00a0 Then on to pruning a plant.\u00c2\u00a0 My God this kid can play us.<\/p>\n
The conference with his teacher was full of laughter.\u00c2\u00a0 Her Brendan stories were as funny as ours.\u00c2\u00a0 For example, he has a favorite 3 year old he helps.\u00c2\u00a0 She loves puzzles (he is not such a fan).\u00c2\u00a0 She has one in particular she takes out a lot but can’t quite finish.\u00c2\u00a0 He manages to swoop in just as she gets frustrated to help her and will just say, “this one again?”\u00c2\u00a0 He starts a sing along or “reads’ when the littlest kids are getting ready to go home.\u00c2\u00a0 Nice to hear he gets to be the “big brother” someplace in his life.\u00c2\u00a0 And we can see the change in him and his level of being responsible and confident.<\/p>\n
We left there shaking our heads at this extraordinary little leader who is becoming a big kid full of empathy.<\/p>\n
When did that happen?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In Brendan’s Montessori school parent conferences happen in a multi-step unique way.\u00c2\u00a0 First a pre-conference questionnaire is sent home to parents.\u00c2\u00a0 This forces us to sit down and answer some questions that require thought: 3 words to describe Brendan, what … Continue reading