Sam comes home most days with about two pages (or ten minutes worth) of “homework.” Mostly, it’s more practice with what he learned that particular day. We’ve traced lots of letters and numbers. We’ve counted pictures. We’ve cut out pictures that start with a particular letter’s sound.
Earlier this week, Sam was sitting down to do his homework and noticed that his teacher had given him a smiley face (instead of a star) for the previous day’s assignment.
“Why did Miss Mirna give me a frowny face? What did I do wrong?” he asks.
“Nothing, honey. That’s a smiley face,” I assured him. (Although the eyes and nose were drawn kinda weird, I do give him that.)
The discussion continues and Sam is not convinced. He ends up getting so bothered by the supposed frowny face that he starts to cry. And at that moment, at age four, for the first time, his perfectionist, want-to-be-the-best student personality is revealed. And I am completely to blame. I’m so sorry, Sam.
The next morning, Stephen asked Miss Mirna to explain to Sam that he did not get a frowny face on his assignment. She told him that, of course, it was a smiley face. She also said, however, that a star was better than a smiley face and perhaps Sam was aware that the faces she draws are the symbol for good work, but the best work earns a star.
So how do I help my “star” student relax a little and just enjoy the learning? Maybe I should just ask my parents…they will know!
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