School Conferences and Tulip Picking

Thursday morning I took Ryan, Katie and Megan to their student-parent-teacher conferences while Chris spent the morning at home with Emily and the little boys.   Emily’s teacher just conferenced with a few students… so she didn’t need one.

Megan’s was first at 9:00.  Her fabulous Kindergarten teacher had planned a Teddy Bear Tea Party for all the girls in the class and their Moms.  She showed me some recent work, read to me (and her bear) and then we decorated cupcakes.  We’ve been so lucky to have Ms. Erickson for Kindergarten.  She’s seriously amazing.  Megan loves school and is one of the best little readers in her class. 

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At 9:45 we dashed upstairs to Katie’s 5th grade open house.  Katie’s teacher, Ms. Ryan is an amazing teacher as well (and is retiring this year).  She takes tons of pictures of the kids and then puts them in files on the class computers and has taught them all how to import photos into different programs.  She works hard to help the students produce finished projects and books they can be proud of.  They are constantly cooking, or building, or creating.  She’s just great!  { In our first parent-teacher conference of the year, Ms. Ryan introduced herself to me, sat down and said, “I want to tell you something about Katie.  She’s remarkable.  In all my 41 years of teaching I have not met a student like her.   Not only is she academically smart, hard working, confident and kind, but I get the sense that she really KNOWS who she is.”  She congratulated me for raising such a wonderful daughter while I tried hard to keep back the tears.  When I went home I told Katie and Chris what Ms. Ryan had said about her and I did cry. We are so lucky to have the gospel in our lives to give us purpose and direction.  I’m amazed and grateful that a teacher could tell that from just a few short months of knowing her. }   …Anyway, this time Ms. Ryan mentioned that Katie is an excellent writer and should continue writing as much as possible.  I read her most recent published book about a girl who plays Soccer and I was thoroughly impressed.  We ate muffins… (that Katie’s class had baked for us the previous day) and then drove across base to Ryan’s Middle School.  { I can’t believe Katie only has a few more weeks of Elementary School.  Next year she’ll be in Middle School with Ryan!! She’s too young for that!}

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Ryan’s conference was completely student-led.  His teachers had done a great job helping the students prepare for this event.  As soon as we entered the room Ryan introduced me to his teacher and his teacher to me.  He then showed me to our computer station and asked if I’d like any refreshments.  He then went through a list of things to show me.  We discussed things, wrote some family and individual goals for his education and then he showed me his recent work which was all carefully attached to his personal Web page through the School’s program.  It was extremely impressive.  I love the interaction between his ‘team’ of teachers and the way they integrate the computer into every subject.  Word has it that he’s gotten the best ‘team’ of teachers, and I’d have to agree.  His language arts teacher is especially incredible.  Ryan’s on the Principals Honor List for straight A’s and A+’s.  His favorite subject is Language Arts because of the teacher, but he really excels in Math.

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After a morning full of conferences we drove home but stopped at a near-by field to pick some tulips.  I’d seen people picking here before but didn’t quite know who to pay so decided to stop and figure it out when I didn’t have the little boys.  We parked and walked over to the little fields where we found a German sign saying 60 cents for 1 blume.  Attached below was a locked metal box with a slot for coins and a few flower cutters.  Perfect.  We headed into the fields to pick our own bouquet.  The tulip season is just about over so we they were pretty picked over.  Next year I’ll stop earlier.

    

Then we headed out across the street to take a picture of the view that I’ve been admiring for a month.  Every time I drive anywhere I see these huge fields of bright yellow flowers.  It’s simply gorgeous.  I especially love this field with the village behind. I love Germany.