that my kids are smart.  I’ll admit it.  But then again it probably isn’t surprising to anyone that an educator and soon to be PhD wants her children to be intelligent and excel in school.  Obviously that is something that matters to me a great deal.  I’ll admit it again and again.  I think being smart is important.  It is something I value tremendously.  I also believe that all of us have the potential to be smart and brilliant.  Just so often many don’t get the opportunity to explore and fully develop that potential.  How I wish every child had access to early educational experiences that are rich and driven by their own interest.

Anyway, why am I even writing about this you ask?  Well, we had Noah’s parent teacher conference yesterday and I am happy (and feeling a little shallow) to say that my son is doing amazingly well.  He did spectacular on the assessment the school uses to determine many cognitive skills (as an educator, I think the assessment they use is great).  He was able to do everything well and even beyond the expectations for his age.  I hate to brag.  I really do, but as a mother/parent, it validates so much of what we have done and how we are raising our kids.  While Noah’s potential is owed to his amazing birth parents, we, as the ones raising, him have done a great job of bringing that potential to life.  We have fostered it and tended to it as it grows inside him.

He is also an amazing socializer.  He mediates conflicts between his friends and is well-liked (this is kinda important to me to).  I want him to be a good and kind person.  But, I also want him to be smart.  Maybe that is my own feelings of inadequacy that makes this important to me.  I never considered myself smart growing up.  It wasn’t until my 20’s that I started to understand and tap my potential.  I am the first in my family to go and graduate from college.  It was a big deal and it took me a long time to realize that what I achieved was up to me and that it was going to be hard work.  I always thought it was easy for everyone else while I was struggling.  I struggled for a long time and felt inadequate for a long time because of my struggles (or lack of understanding the hard work required) in school.

I know that it isn’t being “smart” that will make school easy for my kids or enjoyable.  But it is important because of what it shows.  It shows me that Noah knows how to use language to articulate what he knows and that he can problem solve–these are two of the most important skills one can have and it makes me proud and happy that he is developing those skills and using them.

I know that  he would do well in any school environment.  He is adaptable and able to make friends relatively easy.  But I believe whole-heartedly that his school and the environment they have created there for the students has allowed him to reach his potential and surpass where he needs to be.  I have spent enough time with teachers and in schools to know that students are often not expected or encouraged to exceed expectations.  If we take the stance that “they only need to know x for next year” and then stop when they know “x” what good are we doing them.  For example, Noah only needs to be able to recognize the numbers and understand the number concept of 15 to be ready for kindergarten–he is up to 30.  In some schools (many) they would stop working on his numbers.  Not where he is–they allow and encourage the students to explore and never hold them back.

They have a part-time math teacher come in to teach geometry to the 3 students in 8th grade who are ready for that concept.  School should be about reaching potential and shattering expectations.  That is what higher ed has done for me.  I’m glad that is what the school we have chosen does.  I am glad there is no limit on what my kid will be able to achieve and if there is a limit–I will know it is self-imposed.  That I can work with.