I've heard that around.
Po's school is a true community. It services pre-K through 12th grade, and we're so happy to have gotten in for Kindergarten. There are weekly overarching themes for the whole school and quarterly individual goals for each student. The parents, teachers, and students sign a contract to the note of all-in participation in helping the child reach the goal. And the goal and progress is reviewed daily.
Sometimes the goals seem small, and sometimes you think your kid has a better shot at being the next astronaut.
Po's goals (he has two, 'cause one just isn't enough) this quarter are to be able to count to 100 unassisted (his suggestion) and to be patient when learning new skills (my suggestion). He'll achieve his goal for patience for the day when he completes the task at hand (wow...who even knows where he got those crazy genes).
The half-day kindergarten moms have formed a sort-of bond, and our boys (yes, they are all boys) have quickly followed suit. High-fiving each other and showing off this or that. But there has been one boy who has been a harder nut to crack. The painfully shy type. He is in Po's class, and Po didn't notice him at first. I suggested that Po talk to him. So he did. And Po is good at talking. And he's good at cracking nuts.
So we all got together yesterday after school. We did a picnic in the park down the street from the school, complete with splash pad, which is not a luxury, but a requirement for end-of-summer/early-fall outings in AZ. Po invited shy-guy, K, to come along, and his effervescent mother was game, so K went along.
They had a great time, and K seemed to be happy. I saw him smile. He tagged along with Po, who was more than happy to accommodate. At the end of the outing, the moms told the boys that they could choose one last thing to do for five minutes before it was time to go. I asked Po what he wanted to do, and he said he'd like to wait to see what K chose so he could be with him and help him.
So the boys went together and had fun. Then we said our hard good-byes after a lovely afternoon...
This afternoon, K's mom and I were chatting while we were waiting for the boys to be released from the Kindergarten play yard. We agreed that it would be wonderful to get together again. Po and K came out together, and the teacher told us moms that the boys had "reflected" on their goals today. Po was still in progress, but K had achieved his goal, and had written it down for all to see.
Ms. B encouraged K to get out his goal sheet, and he did. On it we saw that his quarter one goal had been met "make a new friend." Next to the check box was a picture K had drawn of two boys holding hands. Beside that, he wrote "Porter."
I fought back the tears and gave K's mom a smile. I gave K a BIG high-five, and he was beaming.
K's mom and I confirmed our play-date for next week, and as I walked toward the car with Po, I told him how proud I was of him for helping someone else achieve his goal. Po just stared at me and smiled and didn't say a thing. This little, rare, perfect moment of silence.
So Po didn't meet his goal for the quarter, yet. I'm okay with that. He had bigger fish to fry.
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