A parent-teacher moment...

Today as I was busily scurrying about my classroom, my principal came in and handed me a pink note (no, not a pink slip, just a pink note...a note, written on pink paper, that's all). The note said:

Mrs. Knight
please call Mrs. S.
(the mother of one of my students)
She needs to ask you for a favor
(?)

I quickly thanked my principal and quietly went into semi-panic mode..."Okay, she is so and so's mother, okay he's one of my good students, okay he hasn't been in any trouble, okay....that must mean I'm not in any either....deep breaths.....crisis averted."

I finished up my morning and then jogged up the steps to make a phone call in the office, on the office phone, without asking for permission, because I am a teacher, an adult, a grown-up at this school (sometimes it's good to remind myself of these, in this case, convenient truths). I dialed the number, asked to speak with Mrs. S., waited patiently and then it happened...

Me: Hi Mrs. S. this is Mrs. K., art teacher extraordinaire, how can I help you?
Mrs. S: Hi, I got the information you sent home for my son and need
help with the scholarship paperwork.
Me: Sure! I am more than happy to help you. Send the paperwork to school with "M" next week and I will complete it and get it back to you the same day.
Is there anything else?
Mrs. S.: Thank you for the information and for recognizing my son's interest in art.

No biggie, right? Oh heck no! First of all, this was the very first time I had ever had to call a parent...something teachers either love to do or hate to do and that usually depends on why the parent called in the first place, or why the kid spent the day in the Principal's office. I wasn't entirely sure why a parent was calling to talk with me, I mean, I had an idea, but still, there's a little fear involved when you don't actually know why you're returning a call to a number printed on a pink note.

Secondly, this was a parent responding to a positive comment I made about her son and his behavior, grades and enthusiasm in my class. He really enjoys making art and he's pretty good at it too...I just thought someone needed to know, someone other than the crazy lady who shows up once a week to play art teacher in the basement of the school (read: me). I shared this info on his report card, his teacher shared it in parent-teacher conferences, his parent asked for outside art class information and I shared what I could find with her. There are a lot of art class opportunities for kids in KC, but, they usually cost around $100-150. I think most people would want to do this for their kids, but I also think that many can't. Fortunately there are some scholarship opportunities, but this requires paperwork, a teacher's involvement and legwork. Honestly, how many parent's would go through this trouble for some silly art classes? Well, I found at least one and that's the whole point here...don't miss it.

This mother's son is only in fourth grade and yet, she is taking time and energy to encourage her son to pursue his artistic abilities. When I called her back she was at work. Most of the kids in our school come from lower income families. Some of these families don't like the idea of "scholarships" and what this might imply. I wish the words I am typing could adequately show you how excited her call makes me. If I was telling you all of this myself I would be very loud right now and if Robbie was there while I was telling you he'd be saying, "Okay Catie, calm down, we're right here (picture him doing that hand-lowering motion)."

I am incredibly proud of this mother and I have never looked so forward to filling out paperwork before in my life!