CONFERENCES . . .

The boys had their conferences last Thursday.  And I'm happy to report that they are both doing really well.  We get updates on Jason's grades every couple of weeks.  He has all A's, and a B in Mandarin, which is his Chinese class.  Considering how much harder this year has been for him, I think that's a major accomplishment.  He has lots of homework every night, but he really doesn't complain too much about it.  He just comes home and does it.

The conferences here are a lot different than what we're used to.  At home the conferences last 15 minutes.  Here, they last 40 minutes, and they're called Student Led Conferences.  And it's exactly what it sounds like.  The students lead the conference.  They have their book of papers and they show them to you, plus they talk about their strengths and weaknesses and the goals they've set for themselves for the coming weeks.

They both did a great job.  Andrew's goals are to clean his room every weekend, get better at kicking the soccer ball, and to continue to remember to do his homework every night.  She said his writing is very good and he loves to write.  When it's time to turn in the papers from writing, he'll say, "just one more sentence;" after he's written 4 pages!  He's also very good at math.  And he likes Math; which is SO different from his mother!  He must get his math skills from his dad!  I saw another one of his teachers yesterday, and he told me that he did really well on their Matter test, which was part of their Science unit.  He said he really understood the concept.  Good for him! 

Jason's goal is to TURN IN HIS HOMEWORK!  He does it, but then he forgets to turn it in.  (Does he sound like his Mom, or what)?!?!  She said when she starts going through homework and his isn't there, she knows it's been done, but he just forgot to turn it in.  And as soon as she asks for it, he pulls it out.  Completed.  Just sitting in his homework folder, where he put it when he was finished doing it!  So he has 2 goals.  One is to remember to turn in his homework every day, and the other is to spend 30 minutes extra a week on Mandarin, to help him bring his grade up to an A.

She asked me to tell him what I was the most proud of him for.  I told him that I was really proud of how well he's settled in, and I LOVE how his self-confidence has grown.  He *really* has a lot of confidence in himself.  Before we went there I was asking them what they both thought their teachers were going to say about them.  He told me that his teacher was going to tell me that he was the best student that's ever been through the school.  I'd say that's a little bit of self-confidence!

Jason has really excelled this year.  He LOVES it here.  I even asked him the other morning.  I said, "you're really happy here, aren't you?"  He said, "Mommy, I really am.  I love it here."  As a parent, wondering if we've made the right choice with this move, that was the validation I needed to know that it was the right decision.  He is really doing so well.  Andrew is doing well too.  I don't hear the "I miss my friends.  I want to go home,"  on a daily or even weekly basis, which I did when we first got here.  He is making friends and enjoying learning new things.

I am SO proud of my boys.  They are teaching their Mom how to handle a new situation and make the best of it.  Now, if only I could settle in as well as they have!  But, as a parent, as long as they are doing well, that's what's really important to me.  And they are.  They are doing REALLY well.  So for those of you at home that are worried about us, don't be.  We're all doing great!  Especially my wonderful boys.  And Sarah Beth is happy because we're all here.  And that's what she needs most.  And her talks with Poppy and Nanny and Grandpa.  Even though she thinks they live in the computer!  But she knows who they are, and every time the computer rings, she says, "It Poppy Nanny!  It Grandpa!"  She's too funny!

So anyway.  Don't worry about us.  We're doing fine.  And we can't wait to see you when we come home.  In 37 days!