My Twice Baked Potato

It’s been longer than I expected (or wanted) since I last posted to the blog. Writing takes longer since returning to the classroom five days a week.

I miss the writing, but I vow to create more of a balance so I can return to my writing more often.

What’s the most relevant to me right now?

Politics have been a new time consumer. As an educator and advocate for children of all abilities and income levels, I am bothered by the state of our current political pulse.

I have witnessed young children worried about the administration’s plans for their families. I have read opinion pieces, written by primary students, that present convincing evidence for concern of this president. How is it that 7 years olds can see things others can’t?

What else is going on?

One of my jobs as an elementary teacher is completing report cards. This isn’t my favorite part of the job that I love. Not because of the obvious time that it takes to score all of the assessments and look through the accumulated data. It’s because I can’t always focus on the good that I see.

I am given the job to compare student gains to standards and unfortunately, I can’t always focus on the progress. I often max out the character limit of the comment section in hopes to paint a picture that shows how I acknowledge the positive, the effort, and the progress even if  the standard wasn’t met.

Report cards don’t always show the progress in relationships. The compassion and empathy that students demonstrate toward their classmates isn’t weighted the way that it should be.

When I meet with concerned parents about struggling report card grades, I try to remind them about the effort, progress & persistence that I see.

Some of my most successful students did not start out as the highest readers or best mathematician. They were the persistent ones. They believed in a growth mindset approach and knew that they might not be successful yet-but they could and would try their best.

One thing that report card time does bring is the intentional reflection of growth. When I share this with students, you can see them stand taller.

That makes it worth it.

As far as MyTBP goes, he’s growing like a weed before my eyes. He’s taller than me and has the faint moustache to prove that he isn’t a kid anymore.

He continues to benefit from homeschooling. He gains stamina and skills as we provide learning opportunities that challenge him.

Is it perfect? No. Some days are really hard. We experience the same push back that other parents with tweens do and sometimes homeschooling complicates that. Even though there are days when I miss the double income life and what that meant, I know it is the right decision.

How are things going at your house?