Report Card Pick-Up

Today I met some of the student's parents.  Not as crazy as I imagined.  Last night I was talking with steve my mentor, and I told him, "just feed me to the lions.  It's inevitable, but there is reason for some of the students not-so well being, and the parents must hear it.  I froze on one set of parents I had dread talking to for the night.  The idea was to stay firm as a rock, but to this family, I was not a rock, but I was nowhere near collapse.  I never set the tone about this student passing, but the student was always rocking the boat into the failing pool.  He asked if it was because of his poor performance on the latest exam.  After I told him that everyone did poor on it, he protested that there was not enough time, and that he should have compensation because he was a special needs student.  That he was, but I dont know why I didn't bring it up, but I could have also mentioned the countless amount of times I told him to sit forward and keep his eyes on his own exam.  My only response to his protest was that he is the only one I know that didn't finish the test.  Everyone had ample amount of time with it.  I am learning my lesson.  They try to turn it on me, and I didn't turn it back on them as much as I had to.  Lesson learned.

 I had no problem talking with other students and their parents regardless of their performance.  If they were in trouble, all I had to do was give my advice on how to improve, and if those improvements were noticed (behavior, punctuality, focus) then everything should be pleasant for them from here on in.  One student shows with her parents, and Steve wanted to break the news to them, "I'm sorry, your daughter is only getting a 97.3% in the class!  I know this must be devastating for you."  I wish I could do that with one of my own students one day.  I actually had a 110% at one point my second quarter in high school physics.  How you like them apples!