Meg's (Ad)Ventures

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Day 61: The Other Side of the Table

I have been going to parent-teacher conferences for years now...as a teacher. Today, was my first experience in a conference as the parent. I went in feeling anxious and completely unsure of what Sofia's teacher was going to say about her progress this year in preschool. I was also feeling like if there was some kind of milestone that she had not reached, that it was my fault because of a lack of parenting skills. Of course I hoped to hear wonderful things about her social, emotional, and cognitive development, but I just didn't know what I was going to be walking in to.

What resulted was the most wonderful 35 minutes I've had in a while learning about my daughter from a completely new perspective. It was so fun seeing what she's like as a student and a blossoming young girl. I was pleased to hear that things we have worked so hard on (manners, kindness, helpfulness) were things that she carried over into the classroom and even modeled for younger children. She also excelled across the social, emotional, cognitive triad; demonstrating mastery on multiple levels. It was cool.

Today, as I sat as a parent during a conference about my own child, I gained a new appreciation for a multitude of aspects surrounding parenthood, the teacher-parent relationship, and how my child is growing even without my standing by her side each and every minute of the day. I am thankful for all I have learned today as it will forever change the conversations I have with parents of my own students.

1 comment:

Debbie said...

We're proud of her, honey!....and proud of you and Chris for your thoughtful parenting. It'll be exciting as she and Nico continue to grow! And you're absolutely right---Your parent perspective is really important as you build bridges with parents of your own students at your school. Thanks for sharing the experience with us! Love to you, Brian and Mom