Ava: Parent/Teacher Meeting

Greg here.

I think my oldest daughter is pretty amazing, so it's nice to hear someone else echo the sentiment through their observations.  Recently, I attended a parent-teacher conference to review Ava's mid-year progress report.  I had already scoured the teacher's comments to note areas where Ava was excelling and areas where she could improve.  Taking into account that this is not a culture that likes giving negative feedback, they seemed pretty frank in their assessment of Ava.  I thought that every area of improvement would have something to do with language comprehension, but our meeting would reveal otherwise.

Two of Ava's teachers sat across from me at a knee high table, while the English-speaking teacher came and sat beside me.  We reviewed each developmental milestone and dialogued briefly as some comments were translated and further clarified.  The teachers commented that her physical abilities in gym class are great.  She can climb up to a height and get back down.  She's great at jumping and running around.  She is able to balance across a beam and can catch things when they are thrown to her.  She also has a pretty good arm for throwing!

Cognitively, she's a motivated and quickly growing little girl.  The class uses workbooks for simple lessons, teaching colors, numbers, shapes, etc.  She is able to follow the instructions and very content to do the workbooks.  Since she only goes to school three days a week, the class does two more days of workbook pages than Ava does.  But that doesn't stop her.  She hunkers down and does the extra work to keep up with her class.  She finishes all the required tasks quickly, satisfactorily, and immediately asks if she can do the other work.  Her teachers (and father) are very pleased.

Linguistically, she is growing day by day.  The one area I was concerned about isn't even a blip on the radar.  She is able to understand commands and respond appropriately.  She is constantly interacting with her friends and enjoying deepening relationships with a select few.  She received high praise for her ability to interact with unfamiliar folks here.  On a recent field trip to the train station, she was the first one to ask a question, evidencing her confidence in using the language.  But once someone begins to speak English to Ava, she will never speak the native language to that person again. 

As the meeting was concluding with her first two teachers, one little side comment was made about an improvement that could be made.  As the ladies struggled to find a way to tell me what the problem was without offending me, the translator nervously stated, "Ava likes to enforce her own idea of justice."  As the three women held smiles with gritting teeth, they waited for my response.  I just shook my head and started laughing.  A sense of relief entered the room and we discussed how Ava will stick up for her friends when they are receiving verbal discipline.  She likes to remind the teacher that even though the kids must obey, teacher must obey her mommy and daddy too!  They assured me that she was never disrespectful, but always quick to come to the aid of her friends.

After concluding my meetings with her first two teachers, I was led up to a common area where I could review her artwork and speak with some of her other teachers.  I thumbed through her artwork and workbooks, admiring her ability to color with reckless abandon.  Lines?  What are those for?  But as I made my way through her work, she became more controlled and more intentional in her lines.  I reached the most recent of her work and was really impressed by her ability to control her coloring and craftwork.

As my pride swelled for my daughter, I was called over to the art teacher's table.  There was little to be said that I hadn't already observed.  She said that Ava was a good student, skilled at using a variety of media, and was a joy to have in class.  BUT... (why is it that they always deliver the hard news at the end?) ... Ava has difficulty following instructions.  It's not what you're thinking:  she understands what the teacher is saying perfectly, it's that she doesn't care :-)  The teacher said that the class will all start coloring with blue crayons for a project, but after a few moments Ava will have already moved on to doing what she thinks is best for the project.  Usually her deviation involves the colors pink and purple.  The teacher smiled and said, "Ava is a free spirit."  I laughed on the inside... boy, don't I know it?!

I made a polite visit over to the English teacher's table.  The conversation quickly turned uncomfortable for me as it became apparent that my daughter speaks better English than her teacher.  She politely assured me that Ava's progress in English was great.

The most interesting visit of the day was meeting with Ava's music teacher.  They have a well-structured music program that involves listening to music, playing instruments, and dance.  When I was introduced to her teacher, she got bright eyed and exclaimed, "Ava, Ava, Ava, Ava, Ava, Ava... I say her name so many times during class!"  The music teacher was, by far, the most frustrated teacher of the group concerning Ava's behavior.  During class, Ava is completely immersed and enjoying herself.  She's fully engaged in her expressive movement and embraces her out-there'edness!  All of this happens at the expense of paying attention.  Rather, it's not that Ava isn't paying attention, she's just not acknowledging her teacher.  She obeys in a way that will allow her to keep doing what she's enjoying at the moment.  This frustrates her teacher to no end, but she realizes that Ava really does enjoy the class.

As I left the school that day, I had a greater appreciation for the education that she is being afforded.  This really is a top-notch preschool.  I know that sounds strange since it's not like I'm talking about university level schooling, but the attention that our daughter receives on a daily basis is wonderful.  They are a loving group of women that take care of her, and they all seem concerned with laying a solid foundation for her future education needs.  Based on my observations of their interactions with Ava, she gives back to them quite a bit in her daily exuberance.  From listening to the comments of all her teachers and observing their broad, heartfelt smiles when they see Ava, it's apparent that she is developing in her relationships as well.

I'm very proud of my daughter.