Proud Parent Teacher Conferences

Last night I attended my 2nd and 5th graders’ parent teacher (& student) conferences. I didn’t exactly learn anything new about my kids; I already knew they were both kind, smart, talented, respectful and succeeding academically, but I was given the largest sense of pride a mother could receive. 

My son’s teacher, whom we do not know well, beamed with pride as she talked about giving an assignment, any assignment, and how my son listens and then successfully runs with the assignment. She shared some of his writing and beamed once again with a teacher’s pride of having a student with a large vocabulary, the ability to expand ideas in detail and write creatively. Her face could not hide what her words did not say, but previous teachers have: She would love to have a class full of students like him. I truly believe she could not have spoken with more pride unless she was his mother. 

My daughter’s teacher, whom my son had three years earlier, praised my daughter’s ability to contribute and add to classroom conversations on a variety of topics. But it was when she spoke about my daughter’s heart that I thought I saw a hidden tear of happiness and hope in her eyes. She said that my daughter has the most golden heart of any child she has ever met. I tried to take responsibility for that, talking about how I have tried to teach her that, but that even I knew that it didn’t all come from modeling, that she instinctually is a kindhearted human being. The teacher said that the way she treats and helps the students who need extra help makes her wonder why she (the teacher) is even there….she is naturally empathetic, a trait that, I, as a school counselor know is incredibly difficult to teach. And above all the students she is helping see her as a friend.

My heart is bursting with pride; every day I see how wonderful my children are, but to hear it through their teachers’ eyes makes me incredibly proud to be their mother. 

My son is as well rounded as my high school class president: smart, cute, and athletic.

My daughter is as smart, respectful and helpful as my favorite teachers growing up.

Who knew I, the average student, who failed the mile in junior high, didn’t enjoy gym class and talked her way through many classes could give birth to such amazing humans?!