A Few Moments of Well Deserved Bliss

Madame, Monsieur,

Aprés analyse de l'ensemble de ses résultats et conformément à notre mode de classement, votre enfant est placé définitivement en mathématique SN pour l'année à venir.
Passez un bel été.

 

Yes last night and today were really really good. Despite a million other things going on right now that make this week difficult, my three kids received their report cards. Chase also received the message above from the principal along with a call to Dad's office with words of praise.

They all did really, really well in school this year. For everyone who knows the Quebec French system Grade 5, Sec 1 and Sec 3 are supposed to be the hardest years for any family. They all pulled through. So did we.

And Chase got into the Scientific Math program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had not even thought this possible as there are two math streams; the ones that are for the weaker students and the one for the stronger students. He was completely borderline and at bottom of list of stronger group, but this school believes in him since he has made lots and lots of effort and progress in last semester.

This scientific math will allow him (if he passes!!!!!!!!) to not be limited in his college choices. The world will now be his oyster….

And Bear also did so so so well. I admire this kid so much. He is way beyond the class average on every subject and has an extremely high average but what is most impressive is his attitude towards school. He is soooo excited when report cards comes in the mail about his and his sibling’s grades. He goes over ever mark and also encourages them about their reports. This is so wonderful to watch.

And Beauty did very well indeed!!! We are very proud. Why do I feel a fish or a rabbit coming on??? I have the feeling that the progress she made this semester will get her into the two schools she will apply to and she will have a high likelihood of being accepted to both and also their phenomenal dance programs (still exams to write but at least step 1 was positive the grade 5 report card which is the first step).

And Chase not only in math but in every single other subject had improved marks and also excellent “comportment” that was noted by each teacher. And I saw the effort this took..it was amazing. I think for the first time every he feel excited about school.

And we worked alot on all three in terms of behaviour and respect in class. Each had a weakness in terms of this and most related to talking and chatting too much in class. This year we put our foot down on this and had many proactive meetings with teachers (initatiated by us and not the teacher) where we had plans of actions, accountability and follow ups). When kids talked in class or were bothering class they wrote letters of apolgies each time and we asked the teacher to impose consequences. For us part of school is respecting the rules and various teacher styles and personalities.

Big big improvements in this area. The music teacher who at first hated Bear now wants to adopt him! A thank you letter form Beauty's teacher thanking us for our implications and saying she wished Beauty had a younger sibling she could teach! The principal calling us directly re Chase! Now if this could just be the same at home...

 

(Yes some bragging here but I feel like is ok. I read many Mormon blogs (just because they have such super ideas for families!) a day that depress me greatly about my own kids so when my kids do something great I want to shout it to the world!!!)

So they are report cards but they are so much more than that for our family. They are pride, self-confidence, capability, effort. It feels like everything we pour our hearts into and teach them about it finally paying off. For us academic is a biggie. It is the key to the future. It opens so many doors. It teaches life lessons and builds skills. It allows you to be who you want you to be when you are old enough to do it.

I was down on myself in the last week about certain shortcoming my kids have (messiness, fighting and wrestling all the time etc..) This made me feel that although we do still have to concentrate on these areas and will…that we have been focusing on the right things for our family. And some things unfortunately come at the expense of others things.

Setting my kids up for academic success is major to our family. I finally feel like we have shown them the skills of how to do this. This report card of all three in their various ways proved to me that was used to be external to them and our desires and wishes now belong to them. They care..they want..they are proud..they are self-regulated when it comes to school.

Bless their little heartsJ

And Mommy? Feels great. I think I deserve a day like this.

 

PS-Next we tackle laundry.