School conferences

I used to dread these as a kid...mine were always filled with comments like "Kerry might understand math better if she would stop reading the book she has hidden inside her desk and pay attention" or 

"She never stops talking, that's why she doesn't know what to do for homework"  ah, youth!

We just returned from student led conferences at Saint John's, you register on line with each teacher, a ten minute slot, and your student has work in a portfolio from each class to share during each meeting. I am thrilled that Jerry is back in town and able to attend before heading to work. Each teacher talked about how well Danny seems to be adjusting to his new school which made us very happy. The English teacher commented that it seemed like he has always been there, which he thought was great. English also mentioned that you can see how much reading Danny does through his writing and class participation...Go Reading!! Maths teacher is also happy, he scored the highest in the 8th grade on the all Belgium math exam, and has been selected to a 3 person math team that will be competing in France at the end of March! Go Danny(and Jerry--we all know I can't take any credit for that one!).  Science teacher explains to Danny that he is far above his classmates and he needs to come in and talk to her about what interests him and they will come up with a sublimental curriculum to challenge him and move him forward. "Never be bored" she tells him. Wow! I have been waiting a long time for a teacher to tell him that. His German teacher feels he is coming along fine, she says that she will have him ready for the year exam by June. "You will work hard" she says..typical German! The biggest surprise is the art teacher, who specifically told Danny that we needed to see her. She explained that on the first day ( 1/2 way through the art rotation when Danny came in) Danny told her that art was "ok" but he didn't have much interest in art classes and he didn't think he was particularly talented in art". Well, she is flipping out to us about his botanical drawings, his still life pepper drawings, how yesterday they had a lecturer in on Chagall then did drawings "a la Chagall " and Danny was riveted, paid such close attention, seemed to love it,etc. She has even photographed his peeper picture to show us! She talks about Art as it relates to the whole curriculum, critical thinking,attention and focus, details, architecture,science, engineering, how Danny should consider doing IB Art in 11th grade, she jumped over the table at us! Wow! What a cool surprise that was! 

So needless to say Danny need not have worried about his conferences as I used too, his love of learning anything and everything and his good use of his God given talents seems to be carrying the day!