P/T Conferences

Okay, I will finally tackle this post. I said it would be lengthy! I will start with Isaac, because, well, his was good! He is doing great in kindergarten. The only complaint she could come up with was that sometimes he talks too much, but lets be honest, ALL kindergarteners talk too much sometimes (most of the time). That is part of the learning they are supposed to be doing!

He is on target with where he should be for his age. He needs to work on writing on a line and spacing his letters and words better.

Now, for Caleb...where do I start?

She said that Caleb was doing better attitude wise, that is a plus. Pretty much went downhill from there though. She handed me his progress report and I about had a stroke. My child, who I believe his lowest report card grade EVER was a 97 - has TWO C's!! His teacher said that he could make A's but that these are the grades he earned because he is not turning homework in on time (or at all)! I asked her if he had seen his grades and she said no and asked why. I told her that he was his worst critic and that when he saw them he would probably start crying.

We discussed things to do to help. I told her I had gotten him a student planner the first week of school, but even though he asked for it, he was not even taking it out of his backpack to use. I told her he was also supposed to be using a folder to bring papers home in, but that he just threw them all in his backpack loose. She told him that she would start checking his assignment book and folders at lunch. If the assignment book was not caught up and his homework was not in his backpack, he would have to sit out at lunch.

After we discussed his behavior and ways to help him improve, we went and paid a visit to the principal. I introduced myself and Caleb to him and told him a little of Caleb's history with school and what was going on so far this year. Caleb, by the way is in tears at this point. I stopped talking to the principal and told Caleb he was not in trouble, but I want him to understand that I am serious about this. His principal told him that he could not keep up the way he was. He told Caleb that he was going to check on him daily, and if he heard of bad behavior he would call his parents and then paddle him (then told him he had several different size paddles, and I offered to get him a new, bigger one if needed). He told Caleb that if he would behave and keep up with what he is supposed to be doing, he would work with Caleb to find something he enjoyed doing for when he is done with his work. Caleb agreed and Principal asked for a handshake on it. After they shook hands he told Caleb that was a mans handshake and you can't go back on a mans handshake. He also pointed out that being in GT is a privelage and that he gets to do things that other kids don't get to do!


The problem with Caleb is that he gets done with his work first. That is not to say it is always right and I have told him a thousand times to check his work since he gets done so much earlier than everyone else, but he doesn't. Instead he gets bored and gets in trouble!!! This has been a problem he has ALWAYS had and we have to work to find something for him to do that he enjoys to keep him busy!

That conference was on Tuesday. I think he has used his assignment book all of two times since then! Today, he brought home is Science book (which he did not have homework in) but not his Math book (which he DID have homework in). He came in crying and whispered that he forgot his homework again. I told him that was too bad, he better hope he can get some credit for doing it late and that I was not taking him back. He got mad and we all got to suffer his attitude this afternoon because HE cannot be responsible. Yet, SOMEHOW he managed to bring home a huge volcano (which is going to end up in the trash because I have no where to store that!!) that is teacher was going to throw away.

He got to write sentences because one of the assignments that had been graded that he brought home today he had to redo because it was so sloppy. I made him write
I will remember ALL my homework daily. front and back of two sheets as neat as I know he can write. Then instead of getting to watch any television, he has to stay in his bed and read a book.

I don't know what to do with him. I can't keep doing this EVERY DAY, and short of doing the homework and handing it to the teacher myself - I am out of ideas. Assignments that are supposed to be for grades he is saying is optional. Unless I go in and talk to the teacher everyday, which isn't helping him to be responsible, I am doing everything I can do.

Maybe repeating the third grade and getting kicked out of GT will teach him!!!