Saying Good Things...

This past week was conference week at my school. Nothing out of the ordinary happened during conferences, I shared as many positives as I could with the parents and a couple of areas to work on. I always share data to indicate the growth a student has made in class, even if the student is still not reaching benchmark. After all, it is just as important that they are making progress. After this, the parents and I share a few stories and laughs, then shakes hands. If the student is with them, I give them a hug, and then it is on to the next conference. I count down the minutes until I can get home and slip into my PJ's, just to repeat the same routine tomorrow.
EXCEPTsomething different happened the next day this year......I had a note on my desk from a student who had attended a conference with her mother. This is what the note said.......

"Thank you for saying good things about me".......yes, I told her mom she was having a difficult time with some of our math concepts and there had been some "girl drama" that her daughter had participated in that we are making sure does not happen again. But what the student heard was me telling her mom that she is a great reader, hard worker, and very sweet. She also heard me say that I enjoy having her in my class.

I didn't think much about it, just telling her mom the truth. But to my surprise, the student was hanging on my every word and was happy to hear her teacher say such "good things" about her.

Just a reminder for all of us when we talk to or about our students :) They are listening!