"Look at how good I can do my A's, Mom." She holds up a scrap of paper on which she has written, in sharpie. Using her best handwriting there is a row of Big A's interspersed randomly with a field of little a's, and some strange Accent marks I've never seen before. Are they teaching her Arabic on the side, and in first grade, too?
"I made happy faces next to the good ones and sad faces next to the ones that aren't good enough." I smile a little hesitantly. Do I dare to tell her they are all good enough for me? After all how important is penmanship really these days? We all know that some of our most trained individuals are among those with some of the worst handwriting. Do I tell her how happy I am that she can make her letters at all, to recognize them, to have the desire to try to form them well?
"I think they're all good enough, sweetie. I'm proud of how hard you are working on your handwriting." Assessment is such a routine in our educational system right now. I know there is a huge debate about whether or not it is Appropriate at the level that we use it. Sometimes, I'm sure it is over done.
"I know, Mom, I'm doing really good." I am pleased with how Assured she is. Pleased that she is learning the Art of self-evaluation. Amazed by her Big A's and little a's.
Just a short snippet of everyday life around our house, but a reminder of how I need to weigh my own Actions and Attitudes. Are they good ones? Do they deserve a happy face?
7 comments:
HOW CUTE! My youngest is starting to write sentences from inside her own head and I feel SO bad if I can't decipher a word - I remember going through this with my oldest too...I try so hard to get it right when I am reading it so her feelings won't get hurt!!!
I love those little smiley faces! I still have school papers on which my daughter Jen wrote the alphabet!!
What a darling story. I love that she wants to do things right.
=)
creative drawing on A.
:)
Happy Easter.
Happy Easter!!! I am your newest follower. Thank you so much for coming to visit!!!
XO
Self evaluation is a big step! wow! She did great work!
Your post is running today on my blog!
http://barbaramanatee.blogspot.com/2011/04/rose-is-rose.html
Oh, this is so sweet. I love her self grading system. She an adorably sweet link to Alphabe-Thursday's letter "A".
I often measure my behaviour against my granddaughters, too. It's so important to find joy in spite of our adult worries!
Thank you for linking.
This was charming.
A+
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