Our Little Scholar

I expected kindergarten to be an easy transition for our Bear.  We knew academically she was on-track and always did well in preschool.  Well, little did we know!  After Christmas break Brooklynn really had a rough week not wanting to go to school, crying every morning, and it just broke my heart.  I couldn't blame her - I felt the same way going back after breaks as a teacher (especially after the girls were born).  I started emailing her teacher daily trying to figure out what the issue was and how we were going to solve it.  Yes, I became "that" parent (again).  I was so emotional and felt helpless, but we just kept encouraging her and communicating with her teacher. 

After a few days it seemed to be getting better - her teacher was acknowledging her every morning, we were rewarding her positive attitude, and then Sunday it just clicked.  We came home and Brooklynn just started writing sentences in her journal.  So, of course, we praised her and were so proud.  Then she just kept going and going.  Before we knew it she had written a page.  She was so proud of herself, and it was priceless to see her face light up again!  She asked that I send the note to her teacher on Monday, so I did, and her teacher acknowledged her writing in front of the class, which just sent Brooklynn through the moon.  So she came home the next night and did the same thing, but challenged herself to write more and use tougher words.  So we kept sending them in to Mrs. Erwin.  Then on Friday Mrs. Erwin sent this home:

Again, Brooklynn was so proud and everyday she tells me how "awesome" her day was.  My only hope for Brooklynn was a love of learning, and when she lost that I was freaking out.  I felt helpless and like I had failed her.

It's been sad to see what has happened in our schools - our kids have become a test score.  Our teachers are scared for their jobs (because they depend on the scores), and those relationships are pushed to the wayside.  Brooklynn building a relationship with her teacher has been instrumental to her success in the classroom, and that's what matters!  Sometimes, I think, we all need to be reminded of that.

"They may forget what you say but they will never forget how you made them feel." - Carl Buechner