Nonexistent. I seriously can't come up with one, so this is going to have to work.
I managed to gasp my way through Week 2, Day 1 of this Couch to 5K thing yesterday. Oh. My. God. There are only six intervals this week (as opposed to eight per day during Week 1), but that extra 30 seconds on each of them is a bear.
That said, I was pretty psyched that I made it. I'm also pretty psyched that I don't have to do it again until tomorrow because I managed to totally brutalize my hamstrings on Saturday's workout and they have yet to forgive me.
----------------------------------
In other news, I'm currently at a loss with the Gum Zombie's first grade teacher. Now let me state clearly that HE seems fine with her. This is the same woman who had the Elder offspring for first grade, and although I wasn't her biggest fan that boy still goes by to see her even though he's in fifth grade.
So clearly, she is doing something right.
That said, I'm pretty frustrated at the moment. In all fairness, the Gum Zombie is historically one of those students who pretty much marches to the beat of his own drummer, so that can certainly cause an issue or twelve in a larger group setting. His Kindergarten teacher and I worked with him to help him focus a bit more sharply, and I know that in first grade the boundaries of acceptable classroom and group behaviour are more firmly defined.
I am a realistic parent. I think my sons are awesome, absolutely. I am also perfectly aware that both of the little darlings have the finely-honed ability to be obnoxious toads.
All that said, though, it feels like the child is doing nothing right. EVERY day (and I mean every single day, bar one) I get a detailed list from her of everything he's done wrong, and NEVER anything he's doing right. She did this with the Elder offspring as well, and I was equally frustrated. I'd forgotten that in the four years between the two of them.
What kills me is that at Open House she said that after a somewhat rocky first week he was doing very well. Not just "well", but "very well."
You couldn't prove it by me. Because still, EVERY day in his agenda (the notebook they use to communicate between the school and home), is the litany of his many sins.
And they are legion.
So where is the "better"? I'm curious. Because either a) he's not doing better, or b) she's nitpicking that boy to death.
This leaves me with trying to figure out how to communicate my concern to her without displaying the raging bitchiness that I am here. I want to be accurate, but fair. I also know I have got to communicate with her not only out of parental responsibility, but also because when similar difficulties occurred with my elder son she tried to throw me under the bus and claim I didn't communicate with her and that, gosh darn it, it had to be a two-way street. Fortunately, I was able to show the school administrator with whom I was speaking the many emails we had exchanged (more than 75% of which I had initiated) that disproved her little falsehood.
So.... yeah, not her biggest fan. Which adds an additional problem -- I need to be sure when I'm trying to resolve these concerns that I'm not reacting out of my personal emotions, but am instead being rational and reasonable about my child.
Wish me luck. I'm gonna need it.
Back at the house
17 hours ago
2 comments:
Luck, luck luck!!
Personally, I'd switch him. JB had a similar teacher last year. He never had anything negative per se, but no encouragement. At the end of the year, he said she was his favorite teacher EVER. I was puzzled but ok.
This year--current anxiety issues aside--I see him being nurtured and appreciated for the unique kid he is. And I see him blossoming from it. When he got a great progress report, he said "I'm a smart boy!" I almost cried that he didn't believe that before.
The fact that this is the second time you've tangled with her...and all the negatives...something has to change, and I'm not talking about your son.
((Hugs))
Thanks Angel. *hugs*
I'm just so frustrated with this woman -- arrrrgh!!! I mean, I've been on the teaching end of it. Six YEARS I dealt with parents, many of whom couldn't believe their little darling was capable even the slightest act of disrespect (such as coughing "bullshit" into his hands during class, not that this EVERY happened to me, oh no indeed... *eyeroll*).
I'm willing to work with his teachers; I am just really REALLY upset with this woman. She had her issues when the Elder had him, but you know, she was young, it was only her third year teaching, and she had a bunch of health problems that year. That's all well and good. Understandable. Plus, the Elder was a total handful, and I knew it.
But the Gum Zombie? Seriously? Not a problem child. Yes, he's bouncy. Here's a newsflash kids: he's a six year old boy. And yes, he's on the bouncier end of the spectrum, but children all mature at different rates. His brother had similar issues and by mid-2nd grade had chilled tremendously.
Now I hear how wonderful he is from his teachers. Yay! :)
All that said, that doesn't help GZ's teacher one bit. She's got him for the entirety of first grade, and reassuring her that this will all go away in a year or so isn't going to stop her from trying to tell me my son is ADHD (as she tried with the Elder -- WHEN did she get a psychology degree again?).
I'm just sickened to be dealing with this for another year. She means well. She cares about her students -- I truly believe this, that at her core she is a nice lady. But she makes me INSANE with the negativity.
Well, have to nip this in the bud. And I need to get in the right mindset to handle it, i.e., cooperative, helpful parent rather than raging mother bear.
And if it doesn't work, yeah, I'll see about switching classes. I don't like to cause waves at school, but there are limits, and my children are top on my priority list.
Post a Comment