Taylor's Parent/Teacher Conference

I don't think I ever wrote on here about Taylor's teacher conferences I had 11/12. I walk in and she says, "this will be fast unless you have concerns. Your daughter is every teachers dream student, she's exceptionally intelligent, never talks out of turn, is really quiet, but I never have a problem having her participate & she's willing to help other students in areas they are behind in, but does it in a compassionate way, not I'm better than you." Well blow me away! I did have one concern though.

I helped in her classroom on Monday (11/9, her conferences were on Thursday) and noticed something. She has a poetry notebook that comes home on Friday, she recites her poem and then we sign the lucky listeners page. It is then supposed to be turned back in on Monday, but ironically enough most weeks it comes home with her Monday night and a lot of times Tuesday night as well. When we ask her about it, it's always, "I forgot."

She also has a sound notebook that she has homework to do in and can be turned in any day of the week. We usually have it completed Wednesday, but sometimes not until Thursday. Too many times on Friday afternoon that happens to have remained in her book bag and not turned in on time. I remind her the night we are done with it and any other nights that it comes home and should have been turned in.

I talked to her teacher about this and she said she does notice that Taylor will appear to be paying attention (looking her direction, etc.), but have a far off look in her eyes like she isn't really there. She said she'd remind Taylor often to turn in her sound notebook & before she leaves school on Monday the teacher will remind her one final time to turn in her poetry notebook. So far, so good.

I guess Taylor getting a new teacher the second week of school was a blessing in disguise. Her "new" teacher was a former intervention specialist so she is used to dealing with kids who have special needs. So we avoid the ADD talk with her pediatrician one more year because her teacher is phenomenal and willing to help us with her. It's just a shame because I've always noticed her short attention span & I'm sure she's bored, but I don't want her to get lost in the shuffle either because one day she's not going to be bored & the child is too intelligent to risk failing a grade because of this.

Today I am extremely thankful for teachers who are willing to go above and beyond to help a kindergartner focus and avoid meds. I've heard horror stories from other parents in this same situation so I definitely know what a rare thing it is for a teacher to offer the extra reminder and push to stay focused.