THE QUARTER OF EXCELLENCE!!!
What is excellence?
Siding kwiit (sitting quiet)
being kind
helping pepel (people)
What are some things that you are excellent at?
losing teth
reeding
runing
nice frend
being nice
What are some things that you need to practice more during the QOE?
1. being nice
2. no shooting
3. reses (recess)
4. being nice to (my little brother)
What is your QOE resolution?
not being silly at work time
Why did you pick this resolution?
thin I whont get moch work don.
What is the QOE resolution that Ellen (his wonderful teacher) picked for you?
writing at writers workshop
Why do you think Ellen picked this resolution for you?
because I have slopey hande wriding
What do you think should be Ellen's QOE resolution?
more! MATH!
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I love how my little guy views himself. He recognizes that being kind is part of being excellent, and he sees himself as being a nice friend. Yet he also vows to work on being nice, no shooting (good choice there), and being nice to his little bro, which honestly is a work in progress. (He could add working on being nice to his big bro too, but I guess, why push it.) His hand writing is pretty atrocious - I agree with Ellen completely there. I was surprised to see that he views himself as silly during work time. I haven't heard that about him from either teacher. Interestingly enough, that is the same goal number one son had during his QOE in first grade.
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In other news, Two and Three started swimming lessons today at the YMCA. One and I snuck into the pool too (we aren't members there, so I suppose technically we aren't supposed to be using their facilities), and it felt good to swim a couple of laps. Three's lessons were first, and, let's just say he wasn't the most willing participant in the beginning. Let's get this straight though -- these swimming lessons where HIS idea. Even though I love to swim and feel very comfortable in the water, I'm not a pusher of swimming lessons. We've sporadically taken a lesson here and there in their little lives, as they've expressed interest. So, although I want my kids to know how to swim, I figure that bringing them to the pool on most days during the summer (which I do) teaches them a lot. They will pick up actual strokes when they want to. So, a few weeks ago, Three started asking, begging really, for swim lessons with his friend E, who takes them at the Y. Two chimed in that he would like them too, and, as it turns out, E's brother S takes them also at the Y. I called on sign-up day, and got the last spots in both classes.
Fast forward to this afternoon, and I became one of those parents I am typically disdainful of. Three was refusing to go in, I shoved him off on one of the teachers, and I ran and hid so he couldn't see me. He continued to scream, yelling, "I don't want to! I don't want to!" I felt very guilty hiding, while another Y teacher told me I was "doing the right thing". I don't know about that -- I just know that I signed the kid up for lessons, plunked down a good chunk of change for the lessons, walked a very happy and excited boy into the Y, and saw him transform into a nervous, scared little guy.
As it turns out, once he realized he was going to have this experience after all, he settled on in and seemed to love it. He got the swim belt in and paddled back and forth across the pool several times. He was all smiles at the end of class and declared that he would definitely come back next week for his class.
This all made me think about how my role as a parent is changing. I don't need to be the Protector anymore and micro-manage every aspect of their lives. I suppose I'm more of a Guide (and, even, a Follower, as they guide me places too!). I was observing Three with some same age friends last week and there was some (minor) conflict between the kids. I purposefully didn't intervene and try to solve the problem. Instead, I watched what happened. And the problem resolved just fine. Friend wanted Three to play something. Three ignored the requests and finally said, "no, I don't want to." Friend wasn't too happy at first but quickly came around, and they figured out something they both wanted to play. I'm so glad I let them work that out, just like I'm glad I let him work through today's crisis. He learned today that he can be scared to do something new, and he can find success when he is pushed a bit to try it.
I am also reminded to not be so judgy about "those parents" who appear to force their children to do things before they are ready. For a moment today, I thought maybe Three wasn't ready for these lessons, but now I disagree. He asked for the lessons, he was excited to go, and, at the end of the class, he was excited about doing it!
All of today's success not withstanding, I am wary of next week's lesson. I sorta expect it to go like today's, at least in the beginning.
We had to do the same things with James' soccer last fall. He always had fun but made us suffer most afternoons before hand. little rat. :)
ReplyDeleteI loved reading two's answers and the QOE idea. She sounds like an awesome teacher.
First, I love the self-assessment--and I totally believe that the younger students start doing that, the more reflective and aware it makes them as learners and will prepare them for SO MUCH in life. What a wonderful teacher to take the time with those students!!!
ReplyDeleteSecond, I laughed a little at your pool story--it's much like my own! But I did eventually conclude that while I will not force my kids to do a lot of things (gymnastics, soccer, Spanish lessons), swimming falls under my "Safety" category and so now I would make a kid do it. Which is easy for me to say since all 3 of mine took to water and swim lessons like FISH.
I admire your forethought to parenting when it comes to allowing the kids to find a way to figure it out. I try hard to be that parent; sometimes I get there, sometimes I am telling myself in my head to "just back away slowly..."
ReplyDeleteGood for you, your Three will most definitely benefit.