Our son is in first grade this year. He's a smart little guy. He's so darn smart, that he will avoid extra work if it's not needed. He can't be bothered to show off, because he already know he's smart and fun and awesome.
He IS awesome! He is reading and writing at a level far beyond what my inner city kids were expected to achieve. His math understanding is phenomenal- negative numbers are par for the course with him, so place value, that's kid stuff!
That said, he spends so much time focusing on new stuff, that he does the bare minimum when it comes to school work. If you tell him you need AT LEAST 2 sentences, he writes- 2 sentences. If you say first graders should be able to read this book- that's the most difficult book he'll read. He'll rise to the challenge you issue... BUT only the challenge you issue.
I grew up competitive- I like to win. I found out recently that this is called optimism- Apparently, because I am sometimes overly confident in my abilities, living up to my own goals is difficult, but I work my butt off to meet my own goals. Our son though, he doesn't see the need to set his own goals yet, he's young. He'd rather attain whatever goals are placed in front of him, as long as they are reasonable!
We're gearing up for parent teacher conference. I never thought I would be this parent. I am a teacher by trade, my skills, my training- this is what I do! Here I sit, drawing nearer to December, wondering.... How do I express to the teacher all that we see? How do we show his real potential? How do we tell her that he is probably the smartest kid in her class? So smart that he can't be bothered with putting his work in writing?
I remember being where he was. This was the easy stuff... the kid stuff- basic (really basic) arithmetic, simple geometry (naming shapes). I remember knowing it so well that I didn't bother to put any effort in. I don't want to be THAT parent, but here I sit, knowing that the only way he will put his best foot forward is if I am obnoxious enough to make the teacher see, believe and understand that he will do whatever is asked of him!
When racing go karts, we can ask that he improve by one second at a time- just one second, but one second is a lot. One second is the difference between passing and being passed. One second is the difference between 3rd place and dead last. If we don't tell him he should try for third, he's happy with fourth. The first time he came in fourth, he was ecstatic! "I didn't realize there was a fourth place!" he said... "So we all can win!" What a revelation for him.. What a revelation for us! As his parents, that helped us to see, he is capable of whatever he sets his mind to. We also saw that he will only set his mind to meeting the expectations laid out in front of him.
We have 3 weeks. In 3 weeks, we need to be able to show his teacher that he needs to be in her most accomplished reading group. In 3 weeks, we'll have to explain how putting him in the math group he doesn't seem ready for, or how telling him to double his work output is not only reasonable, but imperative will benefit her.
When we found out he had a teacher that was, for all intents and purposes a first year teacher, we were optomistic. Now we need to be obnoxious instead. He needs this. It is our job as parents to ensure that he is pushed to do what he can, learn all he can, and see the joy in doing the best work he is capable of. I only hope that we, his parents, can rise to meet this challenge!
