parent/teacher conference - madelyn

despite the events leading up to our parent/teacher conference with madelyn's teacher, it went great.  i had made notes in advance because i always forget what i want to ask.  madelyn doesn't get 'real' grades on her report cards - just a meets, improving, needs work kind of thing - and there aren't a lot of papers that come home so it is difficult to really know how she is doing.  there have also been a lot of tears lately about some of the kids (nothing i was really worried about, i just wanted to make sure madelyn wasn't contributing to the situation).  so i had a few things i wanted to discuss with her teacher.  i also wanted to appologize for madelyn's new habit of writing in all caps like i do - she got an 'needs work' in writing name with proper casing on her report card.  oops.

the parent before me didn't show up so i got to go in sooner.  madelyn's teacher had given me her 'journal' to review while i had been waiting.  it was neat to see her writings and illustrations.  i was able to read everything (maybe because i am a terrible speller too).

madelyn's teacher basically said that madelyn is a joy to have in class.  she said that madelyn is "definitely a 'reader'" contrary to what madelyn tells us.  she even showed me madelyn's evaluation and i couldn't believe how much more that madelyn can read.  i know that she pretends that she can't read at home but she is even better than i knew.  her teacher said that she reads one and probably two levels higher than expected at this point.  i explained that madelyn thinks 'readers' can read every single word they see and that i have been trying to explain that there will always be words she doesn't know - there are words i don't know.  her teacher did confirm that madelyn is very hard on herself, but i was happy to hear she is always willing to try any way (this is not always the case at home).  unfortunately, this is a trait she gets from me.  i was really hoping she wouldn't get what i call my "perfectionistic tendencies". at least i can relate.

i was also relieved to know that madelyn is not the cause for the problems with her classmates.  quite the opposite, the teacher said that madelyn is very kind to everyone and shared that she is going to get a surprise in the next few weeks (i am not mentioning it by name so that the grandparents don't spill the beans).  

her teacher mentioned how much she likes madelyn's outfits everyday so i asked if any of the kids make fun of her outfits.  she assured me that has never been an issue.  she did tell me that one of the teacher's aides make purses and was so inspired by madelyn that she named a purse after her!

it is always nice to hear that she is loved and thriving when she is away from us.  and it was a much needed high point in my crazy day.  love.