Is No. 4 The Last In Class, Mommy?
Few days before Report Card Day, my boy's class teacher allowed her pupils to have a brief look at the results in their report cards before returning to her on the same day. This poor boy of mine, being the first time being graded by position in class, had no clue as to how to read them.
Ian: (The moment he saw me when I went to fetch him from school , he whispered to me) "Mommy, I got No. 4, are you upset with me?
Mommy: Huh? Why must I get upset with you, boy? You did an excellent job! But, who told you that you got No. 4?
Ian: He refused to answer and was getting more and more upset, almost bursting into tears. Daddy says No. 4 is the last. I got No. 4 during the 100m sprint race and I was the last and no medals for me!
Mommy: No, you didn't get last in the race. There were 8 runners, you still beat 4 of them. So, who told you that you got No. 4, boy?
Ian: Mommy, please don't ask again. I am not happy with myself.
Mommy: *x*
Look at those happy faces
Fast forward to his Report Card Day yesterday, I reached his classroom around 3.30pm. A lot of parents were already there with their children report cards queuing to see the class teacher. Apparently, the teacher distributed the report cards to her pupils before seeing the parents. I got the report card from my boy, opened it up and Yes, I see a "4" there in the class position column BUT with an "1" in front.. which means he is 14/39 in class. Hahaha... He was so nervous and kept asking me if it was 4. When I told him it's 14, he looked disbelief (To him, the last means No. 4 and No.4 means last, nothing beyond that) and kept asking if it was very bad. I assured him he did great! Yes, You did great, in mommy's eyes!
My boy scored all A's with an average of 94.8%. His friend who sat behind him aced the class. The boy politely told me he scored No. 1 and insisted that I checked his report card which I happily did. He scored an average of 98.5%. See, a difference of 4% can have such a big gap in the positioning.
A girl, another friend of my boy, who scored a mere 2 average percent behind him, was positioned 21st in class, see how competitive it could be. The girl was so unhappy and even refused to join in when her mother asked if I could snap a photo of her with my son and the rest of her buddies together. According to her mother, she too, was proned to carelessness just like my son who wanted to do everything fast!
Hubby and I had a good laugh over the episode of how the 4 could turn into 14. Most of his marks were lost on carelessness and also due to over confidence. He scored almost full marks in all his papers during the March exam and had taken things for granted and did not bother to check his work in the recent May exam. *slap head*
His class teacher commented that he was smart and obedient in class but (yes, there's always a but) a lot of marks were lost from his messy handwriting as he always seemed to rush to finish his work. She said he was a chatter box and like yakking away with his friends who were seated on his left, right front and back. *slap head..once again* (Like that also can be called obedience in class meh.. hmmmm). On another positive note, the teacher also commented that my boy was willing to help others and follow instructions pretty well.
But, boy, 4 or 14, it doesn't really matter.. As long as you have got the right attitude in learning.. Daddy and Mommy are so proud of you, son!
Labels: Growing Up, Kids, primary education
posted by Inspired Momx1 @ 3:51 PM
9 Comments:
your son is very smart; all above 90%! and wow! they are very competitive.
All above 90% is considered very good. He must be from a class made up of clever kids. Imagine scoring all As and positioned 14, then all the kids must be very very smart hehe.
Miche: Seems like most of them got that too! Yeap, it's a very competitive world out there.;(
Health Freak Mommy: One mother shared with me her experience on her 1st kid who is now in std 4, her son is in my boy's class. She told me she was shocked at the positioning at first but was soon got used to it.
Haha. So cute. It really is very competitive indeed. Same in my girl's school too. During weekly spelling, teacher says she will scold if get below 70%. Aiyoyo.
Wow, school life is tough and competitive nowadays compare to our time. Yes, you are right, positioning in the class is not important, good attitude is more crucial. Well done, Ian.
Phew.. so competitive.. but Ian did a good job... good attitude and the right way to learn things is more important than position... getting no1 in the class doesnt mean will be successful in the future..
Yea..to me i dont see the ranking as a good judgment especially in the academic. As long as my kids have postive attitude towards their studies is a form of blessing for me too.
mumsgather: Guess competition in school are stiff around the Klang Valley.
Shenny's Mommy: In fact, my boy is not happy with his position. Haha.. But the mommy thinks that he's doing fine. *easily contented";)
MK mummy: I learn to look at his average percentage and not position. ;)
Mommy Ling: He is unhappy with his position and his birthday wish was to have better marks. Haha...
I agree with you that attitude and behavior are much important than academic performance alone.
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