Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Grandma bragging rights

I have to brag.

A started a new school in August. They moved in July, still near Walt Disney World but not in Orlando. J was going to homeschool her (her experiences at her first school were not..... shall we say, positive?), but after moving a week before school started, she visited the new school and was impressed enough to enroll A, who is in 3rd grade this year.

So far it's been a very different experience, a good kind of different. A was put into the class with kids who make similar grades, and she's shining. Her first three years, she was "at the bottom" of the class until the second semester, when she suddenly "matured" and reached the upper levels. That was an A+ school, and they were going to keep that rating no matter what.

This is a B school, having come up from a D to a C to, this year, a B. They try harder. The administration is friendly and open to parents. A loves her teacher and the librarian. They've done so much to make her feel welcome. And A has 100% averages in all classes but reading!

Reading is a B because she blew the first test of the year. Other than that, the teacher says that her only concern is that A reads with "too much drama"! She's grown up with adults reading to her with "drama", not monotones, and her pageant background has taught her to recite with "drama". Her teacher said that she doesn't want A to lose the drama, just tone it down for class.

What a difference.

B2 is attending the same preschool he went to last year. At first he was in the afternoon class and didn't have his beloved "Miss M" as his teacher, and he was really depressed about it. But the afternoon schedule didn't fit well with A's school schedule, so J changed him to the morning class three days a week. "Miss M" is his teacher again and B2 loves preschool and he loves "Miss M". Poor "Miss M". She probably thought she'd dodged the bullet this year. He's doing well, possibly because he loves poor "Miss M" so much.

The kids are going to schools in different counties and therefore have different vacation schedules. But they're both happy in their schools, and that makes all the difference in the world.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Betty said....

Way to go A and B! I'm glad that they've both had a good start to school this year.

I totally understand the post below this one....I hate the cold weather, too. It just makes me angry when I have to put on a coat. At least you have plans to move south eventually. Just keep reminding yourself of that this winter.

rita said...

For some reasons, coats are just affronts to our happiness. I'd much rather put one on in Florida because the temperature dipped below 60; somehow I don't think that would upset me as much.