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How do you measure growth?

4/30/2015

Sometimes...
growth isn't in the numbers!

If you have children in school, then you most likely received their report card in the past week. This is an exciting time and I remember waiting to see my report card too. As we looked at my daughter's grades, comments, and average...tears of joy attempted to escape. It isn't the first time to have such wonderful comments about her character and work ethic.

It isn't the first time she's made the honor roll BUT it is the first report card in a few years to show the exciting growth we witnessed on a daily basis. Sometimes, our kids are making gains and moving mountains in ways a school and the state are unable to measure. It's important to remember, not everything about your child is reflected at the ten week marking period. Some of the most exciting growth is often not listed due to the report card template yet these are the successes, teachers and parents, MUST celebrate often.

I witnessed this necessity first as an educator. There are students who make such extraordinary growth from week to week yet when the teachers complete the report card, there isn't a spot or way to reflect our amazement, excitement, and joy for the mountains a child might have climbed during the ten week marking period. Think about it, not everything can be tested, graphed, measured, or displayed in a colorful chart with an average at the end. Some you can only see.

As a parent, our daughter faced health obstacles in sixth grade. Some resolved within a couple years, while others were left undiagnosed until the end of tenth grade. If you are a parent, the hardest thing you will do in life is watch your child suffer, experience constant illness, and in some cases, you may need to say "until we meet again". This is why it's so important to celebrate all growth, not just the ones documented in your child's report card. I like a beautiful, color-coded, and organized chart as much as the next person, if not more BUT when it comes to our children...I find ways to celebrate growth in each and every child, especially my own.

For instance, while our daughter is a healthy and vibrant junior in high school, she has worked hard to reach this point. If you only view her high school report cards, it appears she only attended school about 50% of the time in ninth and tenth grade. Her grades were average. This is what a report card shows you yet our child is more than these numbers and facts on paper. It doesn't reflect the weekly doctor appointments, the magnitude of testing, and failed attempts to walk out the door in order to attend school. A report card doesn't reflect hours spent with tutors, her parents, or a friend trying to understand all the curriculum she missed. What if we only focused on the numbers for two years?

Thankfully, we don't know the answer to this question. We prayed she passed her regents, which she did, but the other numbers are just that...numbers. We celebrated each time she made it another hour into the school day before having to come home. We recognized a new concept learned without the assistance of the tutor or the school. We encouraged her to look to the future rather than dwelling in the illness and inabilities she was living. Once God brought the right doctor into our daughter's life, measurable growth started to be recorded but for a few years...her success and growth was measured by the little things. In our case, the journey produced a report card reflecting her strength, determination, and ability to overcome adversity. These are life skills not measured or reported on.

In twelve years as an educator, sixteen plus years as a parent, and a lifetime of living with educators (aka parents)...true growth is measured more by our responses, actions, and abilities than a chart. Don't misunderstand me, we need guidelines and goals. To monitor academic growth is important yet it's looking beyond the report card at your child as a whole that is vital.

Some of your child's greatest accomplishments will be the things God uses to grow them into the man or woman He designed them to be. Our challenges often strengthen us and we don't realize the impact until years, if not decades later. Celebrate each day for the unmeasurable.

Don't throw out the report cards, they are valuable and one way colleges, military, and even employers use to determine how we fit with their needs. My hope is that when you look at your child's report card, if their trend lines are low or they aren't quite making the "aim line"...please stop before speaking because some of the greatest growth isn't measured by this moving target. We must still encourage our students to strive for the goal but when we know a goal might be near impossible for our child, find the positives. Celebrate the growth your child made and one day, you may see the product of years of encouragement, support, hard work, determination, and desire.

To some, writing their name and forming letters for the first time is a huge success yet one you won't see as a success at thirty weeks. Another child's success might be making it to school almost daily while battling illness. The next child might have no home support, so their success is they arrive to school with a smile on their face ready to learn. As you read your child or grandchild's report card, don't start with the negatives or lack of growth. First, find a positive and celebrate this. A little encouragement will go a long way, our kids need to know we see their growth, especially when it's the hardest to find or recognize.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."
1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT

Sometimes...growth isn't in the numbers!

How do you measure growth when you see your child's report card?

Thank you NCMEC, Ride for Missing & Exploited Children, and The Ride of Hope...You are changing lives!

What are you inspired to create this week? Will you share this with others?

“Good habits are worth being fanatical about.” ― John Irving

When is your favorite quiet time?Are you a creature of habit like me?Will you share below?

Thornton Wilder's classic play "Our Town" 7 P.M.Saturday April 25th, 2015 At the New Haven Congregational Church4270 State Route 104 (across from Town Offices)

See you TONIGHT "Our Town" is your town...Only 1 performance...You don't want to miss it!

What does the warmer weather and change of season inspire you to do?What is the story God is calling you to create?

Have you ever taken a photo of one thing and then after seeing the photograph,you captured something far more beautiful or amazing than your original vision?Will you share with us now?

Have you ever let fear keep you from going to the doctors?Once at the doctors, did you laugh because the diagnosis had an easy solution?

Dream or Reality...what will you choose?What is the best dream you had to "leave" because the alarm woke you up?

Photos with "shadows" taken by Nedra Isenberg

What recharges and inspires you to move forward when you feel drained?I wonder if anyone from Monday's meeting can share the symbol your shadows represent?

Thanks to all who shared, commented, and celebrated National Sibling's Day!Congratulations to my FIVE Winners...

Thankful for the Eighteen Years God blessed me with Heidi...Forever Sisters!

Thank you for remembering Heidi and sharing a little hope on your social media.

Thank you for lifting Heidi in your prayers and positive thoughts...May this process help bring her home.#HopeHeidiAllen and #HeidiAllen

Seriously...what is your families Easter traditional meal? Do you have a holiday meal with the in-laws story to share?Happy Monday!

Have a wonderful day and make some wonderful memories!HAPPY EASTER!

Feel free to share a memory, words of encouragement, or a message to Heidi’s family, friends, and community below. This is a safe and loving place to remember Heidi and share hope with all who read. Have a great day!

What does decorating Easter eggs remind you of? A person? Place? Tradition?Will you share below? Thank you in advance.

Are you the trickster of the family or the one being tricked?Will you share your favorite "April Fool's Day" prank with us?

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Sometimes...
growth isn't in the numbers!

Thank you NCMEC, Ride for Missing & Exploited Children,
and The Ride of Hope...You are changing lives!

“Good habits are worth being fanatical about.”
― John Irving

When is your favorite quiet time?
Are you a creature of habit like me?
Will you share below?

Thornton Wilder's
classic play
"Our Town"
7 P.M.
Saturday April 25th, 2015
At the New Haven
Congregational Church
4270 State Route 104
(across from Town Offices)

See you TONIGHT

"Our Town"
is your town...

Only 1 performance...
You don't want to miss it!

What does the warmer weather and change of season inspire you to do?
What is the story God is calling you to create?

Have you ever taken a photo of one thing
and then after seeing the photograph,
you captured something far more
beautiful or amazing than your original vision?
Will you share with us now?

Have you ever let fear keep you from going to the doctors?
Once at the doctors, did you laugh because the diagnosis had an easy solution?

Dream or Reality...what will you choose?
What is the best dream you had to "leave"
because the alarm woke you up?

What recharges and inspires you
to move forward when you feel drained?

I wonder if anyone from Monday's meeting
can share the symbol your shadows represent?

Thanks to all who shared, commented, and celebrated National Sibling's Day!
Congratulations to my FIVE Winners...

Thankful for the Eighteen Years
God blessed me with Heidi...
Forever Sisters!

Thank you for lifting Heidi
in your prayers and positive thoughts...
May this process help bring her home.
#HopeHeidiAllen and #HeidiAllen

Seriously...what is your families Easter traditional meal?
Do you have a holiday meal with the in-laws story to share?
Happy Monday!

Have a wonderful day and
make some wonderful memories!
HAPPY EASTER!

Feel free to share a memory, words of encouragement,
or a message to Heidi’s family, friends, and community below.

This is a safe and loving place to remember Heidi and share hope with all who read. Have a great day!

What does decorating Easter eggs remind you of? A person? Place? Tradition?
Will you share below? Thank you in advance.

Are you the trickster of the family
or the one being tricked?

Will you share your favorite
"April Fool's Day" prank with us?