A Proud Mama!

I would like to give a shout out to two of my favorite little people, Max and Carly. We are approaching the end of the school year and so Joey and I had to go to SEP (parent-teacher)conferences yesterday. I went to see Mrs. Andrew first, who is Carly's kindergarten teacher. She said she wanted to take Carly home with her because she was so sweet. She then said that she never has any problems with Carly and that Carly knows all the material really well and that kindergarten is really too easy for her. But, Mrs. Andrew is impressed that even though she gets through her work quickly and is sometimes bored with the material, Carly is never disruptive and doesn't bother others who are still working. Way to go, Carly! You're the best.

Then Joey went to Max's conference after school yesterday. They met with his homeroom teacher first who said Max was doing fine, and improving well in his work. Then he met with his math and reading teachers (the first grade teachers split up math and reading into skill levels). His math teacher, Miss Merrick said she has no problem with Max and he is doing great in math. She said, "He just gets it." I'm not surprised by that at all. He is a Cooper after all!
Then for his reading. There is a story behind Max and reading. At the beginning of the year, Max really struggled with reading. He started in the lowest reading class and really disliked reading. He was constantly struggling to do his reading assignments and we fought every night about reading his books he brought home. Thanks to some great advise from Trudy Adams, in my ward, who has been a reading teacher/coach/specialist for years, we were able to slowly turn it around. And eventually one day Max just got it. Through all the little games we played and tried to make reading fun for him, he finally figured it out. At mid-term his reading teacher decided to move him up from the #5 reading class to the #2 reading class! And Mrs. Hassett his reading teacher said she thinks he is the most improved student in reading this year in the whole first grade! Yeah Max! You rock!
I think my kids have to be the smartest kids in the whole world and I am so proud of them for all their hard work this year!