Meet the TEachers

it's been just so busy since semester started, so busy I now long for a break. Handling kids and work is tiring... but we're coping.

Anyway, I had a few "meet the teachers" meeting recently. Some reports on Nel...

Kindergarten teacher: Nel is a very loving girl. However, she is very very strong willed. If she likes something, she does it with her whole heart, if she doesn't like it, she refuses with her whole heart too. She's also very sensitive, and a very intelligent girl. She has occasionally lost her temper.

(Yeah...I know my Nel, strong headed. On several occasions when in a crowd/class, she has refused to do certain things. WHen I question her privately, her reasons are mainly because she's afraid she won't do it well enough, or that other kids are watching her or would laugh at her... These are usually the main reasons when she refuses to do something. How do I help her get over these feelings?)

Sunday School Teacher: Nel is sometimes strong willed. Today, she refused to come to the front and refused to put her hands up when asked to do so. Is there something wrong at home? has something gone terribly wrong? Perhaps something has entered her!

(my gosh!!!! that last statement got me fuming for a while. A teacher shouldn't be "suspertitious" but find out first why the child acted that way! When I asked Nel at home,
she replied "I didn't want to go to the front, coz I was afraid the teacher would ask me to do something embrassing and all the kids would be looking at me." "I didn't put up my hands because look, all my buttons are popping and coming off, if I put my hands up, my whole dress would be undone."
I looked at her dress, and yup, the whole upper half had come undone. Simple reason...and the teacher read it so dramatically! hrrrmph!)

Ballet teacher: Nel is a very creative and intelligent child. Only sometimes moody. When moody she doesn't respond to commands as other children do. She chooses to create her own dance and moves. However, that shows me she is intelligent with a mind of her own. She just needs to cooperate more. When in a good mood, her dance work is really beautiful. :)

(well, I've been talking to her about this, and yesterday's class the teacher commented that she had improved so much. Yipee. )

So you see my Nel....strong willed, moody, loving, intelligent..at times stubborn, sensitive. I find myself constantly talking to her, reasoning with her.... but most of all, I've come to realise that she needs A LOT of reassurance...

She often says to me "mum, the most important thing to me in the whole world is being with you and dad."

As for my Jo, she's imaginative as ever and strong willed. today in a conversation with and older girl ... E (7 yrs old) : Jo let's keep the toys, I Never loose my toys."
Jo (just turned 3): Oh really E? I loose my toys everyday.. *makes a sad face* what do I do?"

hehehehe.... anyway...gotta go. Working in the noon.....