Last night was Ada’s Kindergarten conference, so I feel like we’re finally getting into the meat of things.  I LOVED our preschool, and the conferences are fine, but they’re more about if she can use scissors and how well she knows her shapes.

So here’s where I get to brag. 🙂  Ada is the most advanced reader in her class, and I really can’t take any credit for this.  The girl was just born smart.  She writes in complete sentences and spells really well.  She’s good at math, but doesn’t like doing it (surprise, surprise).  When asked if I had any questions, I only said that I want them to continue challenging and pushing her, and they assured me that they would.  They start a new reading unit soon and will send home as many worksheets as we want and she can handle.  Awesome!  HERE is where it got really exciting for me.  Ada helps the other kids in her room and never makes them feel bad for it.  There is a boy in her class that I’ve helped before – he carries around a notebook and just wants someone to write words in it that he can then write.  She does this for him.  She helps kids sound out words when they are reading and is patient with them while they learn.  She never tells them that they’re doing it wrong.  She narrates stories for the class when they’re doing a play.  She is a leader in the room with love and patience, never acting as though she is smarter or knows more.

All of the grades and achievements can be erased as far as I’m concerned, the comments about her character are far more valuable!  PARENTS!!  Character is what matters!  This is not me patting my back, I was floored to hear some of this stuff.  I’ve observed Ada time and again correcting people (kids and grown-ups alike) very matter-of-factly as though it is her job on this earth.

I am so thankful for her teachers, Miss Cyndi and Miss Deonne.  They LOVE Ada.  They value her intellect and her character, and are excited to develop both.  They are committed to continue challenging her.  They wanted to put her in her own reading group, but didn’t because they knew she wouldn’t be happy there.  So instead they are using her reading ability to help the other kids, and having her read to the class instead of one of them.  They are thinking outside the box, and figuring out ways to help her within her personality.