Monday, November 7, 2011

Josephine's First School Report

I'm not sure what I'm more proud of - Josephine's "grades" and reading level, or her kindness.

I just got back from my first parent-teacher conference (as a parent!) and I'm just so proud. She is already reading at the goal-level for the end of the year, and got a 92/102 on the "pals" reading test - scored 10/10 on how the "most difficult" word list part... She knows all the science concepts already, so she is getting gifted enrichment for that, and she's rocking math and everything else. The teacher's goal for Josy's reading is that she's reading at the end-of-first grade level by May. Of course, I'm not surprised. Any kid who can define "laboratory" and "immigration", likes to do math in her head, knows that moonlight is a shadow, draws schematic diagrams of soil-mixing machines (as well as princesses & cats) - well, I'm not surprised.

But also, there is a little boy in Jo's class who won't talk to anyone, because he is shy and ESL, but he WILL talk to Josephine. So Jo has been moved to sit next to him, and comes to 'lunch bunch' with him, and I am just so glad that my child is being such a kind friend to this little kid.

And she's become so kind and helpful to Sam recently, too.

She's a pretty amazing kid.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Videos from November 6, 2011

Today was a lot of fun! Josephine's writing is really growing in leaps and bounds. Today she made a birthday card for her brother Henry, and did it completely by herself. As you can see in this video, she also made snowflakes. I was standing by carefully to make sure she could use Mandi's scissors. Today, they also helped me test some colors in the back bedroom of my house. This explains why Josephine is playing the drums with paintbrushes. Josy also ate a second helping at lunch and pronounced herself a member of the Eat A Lot Club. But, I am proudest of the unsolicited lesson on the solar system that comes from Josy here!