Monster's First Report Card

1=begining to develop standard
2=working and progressing towards the standard
3=Meeting the grade level standard
4=exceeding grade level standard

At our Parent Teacher Conference last week, the teachers told us it is typical for kids to have 1's and 2's at the beginning of the year.

Ok, here goes:

Learning Attitudes and behaviors
Respects others 2
Follows classroom and school rules 2
Works Independent 2
Works cooperatively with peers 2
Listens Effectively 1 (Joanie-sound familiar?)
Is responsible for homework 3 (yea, mom and dad!)
Manages transitions 2 (Thank you, Ms. V)
Is organized and prepared to learn 2
Shows persistence effort 1
Takes responsibility for own actions 2
Communications skills 2 (yea!!!!!!)

Guided Reading
1. Applies Appropriate reading strategies:
Visual cues 1
Phonics 2
Contextual clues 1
Self-corrects 1 (though I've noticed he just started doing this a little bit)

2. Reads with understanding
-Responds to literature 2
-Re-tells a story 1 (actually, he does do this, just in his own time frame and way. He'll tell us stories later, but we don't always understand them.)
Participates in group discussion 1

3. Fluency
-Demonstrates fluency and expression in oral reading 1


Self Selected Reading
Chooses appropriate literature 3
Attends to text during independent reading times 3
Reads with understanding 2

Working with Words
Uses known word parts and patterns to spell new words 1
Applies word building skills and spelling strategies independently 1

Writing
Generates ideas independently 2 (yea!!!!)
Communicates thoughts and information effectively 2 (yea!!!!!!!!!)
Uses grade appropriate capitalization and punctuation 1
Writes legibly 1

Mathematical Numbers & Operations
Counts fluently 2
Skip-counts fluently 1 (we just started doing this with him, he seems to sort of get it)
Reads and writes 2-digit numbers
Identifies and calculates value of coins 2
Addition 3
Subtraction 3

Mathematical Concepts
Shows evidence of mathematical reasoning 2
Identifies and uses number patterns 1
Understands geometric concepts 2

Science
Process Skills 3
Understands concepts 3
Applies concepts in written work 3

(it does this Engineer's heart proud over the Science score!!)

Social Studies
Understands/applies concepts 3
Understands/applies concepts in writing 3


There are a few more things, but that is the bulk of his report card. Now this is our first report card, and we are pretty happy about it!

Monster has not been wanting to go to school. When I ask him if school is Happy or sad, he often says sad, but I think that just means he isn't getting his way as much. He, by no means, seems to hate going nor does he seem to have any problems once we get him dressed and out of the door.

I wonder how much is related to him being different, or not fitting in. I know he knows he's different, just as I know he wants to be around other kids. I suspect he is scared a lot-unsure how to get to where he wants to be (playing with the other kids). It takes time, and he has never been very patient.