At the first of many sixth grade parent teacher conferences which Wikipedia describes as "
There was a time when we would take Nathan with us, we now choose not to do that any more!
Mr. Moore: (with Mrs. Moore dutifully by his side) Mrs. Cullison, I can understand your frustration with him, Nathan is not a "normal" child. His mind does not operate the same as other children, or even yours or mine. Is he being disrespectful or rude, anything like that. He knows I do not tolerate that kind of shit? Mrs. Moore nods her head in agreement as she squeezes her husbands hand.
Mrs. Cullison: No not that at all, for example He wrote the answers on Mandy Crawford's history test, upside down and backwards. It was the answer to some of the questions, She could not read it so technically they were not cheating. Mrs. Cullison sneaks a quick glance at Mrs. Moore's scuffed shoes while she is talking.
I asked him, "Nathan, did you write on Mandy's test?" his reply was,
"Yes Mrs. Cullison, but I only have eyes of you!"
Mr. Moore, look at this test, he answered every question on the first page 100 percent correctly but did not answer any of the questions on the second page. I had no choice but to give him a 72 on this test. He wrote his name and the date on the second page upside down and backwards, that is it. I know he knows the answers but he will not finish his test. He does that on all his homework also. I think he is very bright and can do the work, he just needs to finish his work.
Mr. Moore: Nat does not feel the need to prove himself. Once he figured out that he knew all the answers and apparently he knows you think he knows the answers so why is there a need to finish it. He absolutely does not care about grades. You taught his older sister, Marta, she was straight A's and we never had to get on her about homework or her study habits. She wanted the A. Nat wants to think and screw around with things, people. Mrs. Moore's expression changes to concerned.
Mrs. Cullison: What is with the upside down and backwards writing?
Mr. Moore: He started that soon after he learned to write. He would sign his name and then write it backwards going left instead of to the right. We thought it was unique. Eventually, he just started skipping the front ways part and writing the backward part only. A few years ago he started the upside down thing. We are still surprised he writes normal most of the time in school. I do not think he wants the attention it may cause. For hell sake, the whole family knows how to read upside down and backwards.
Mrs. Cullison: Because he is shy?
Mr. Moore: Sly more than shy, mostly just different, odd. He cannot operate if everyone is watching him. Just keep trying to challenge his mind. He is very satirical and often approaches rude so keep an eye on that.
Mrs. Cullison: We can have him tested. it is free?
Mr. Moore: Tested for what? I would not do that if I was you. He will have a field day with that, and oh, "nothing is free". His pediatrician will only see him as the last patient of the day. Nathan exasperates the poor lady. She is no match for him. Since you have not had him transferred to another class or called me before now, he must really like you.
Mrs. Cullison: He calls this young lady Mandy, "cat woman"? Could you ask him to stop doing that. The other kids are teasing her about it.
After the conference and back at home:
Mr. Moore: Nathan, lets talk about your conference. Mrs. Moore leaves the room. She hates conflict. Nathan come into the room as wide eyed as ever.
Nathan: Dad, can you make this quick, I am in the middle of "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu. He is at the part where he talks about how taking prisoners early in a battle is a bad thing. It screws up the supply chain. I love that part. So what did you think of Mrs. Cullison, did you review her work?
Mr. Moore: Nate! concentrate, she says you never finish your work and she asked that you not call that Mandy Crawford "cat woman".
Nathan: So you talked mostly about me again. Whats up with that? She actually said "never"? And dad, Mandy has the perfect cat body.
Mr. Moore: cat body?
Nathan: Look at any cat, large or small. They are perfectly proportioned. The legs, the arms, the stomach are all perfectly matched with the head size. Mandy's butt is the same size as her head. Her arms are the same length as her legs. You could throw her off a three story building and she could survive with only a broken hip joint and a few missing teeth.
Mr. Moore: Are you sure, do you have a picture? Whatever, what is this about not finishing the tests?
Nathan sticks his hand up high above his head and pokes his finger abruptly at the sky.
Mr. Moore: Nathan, no hand signals and the "point" is,(as Mr. Moore pokes his finger in the air) finish your work or they will want to test you for something, Autism, Mad cow, Schistosomiasis. You have not been eating snails or cow brains lately have you? Oh, and your mother is happy you have a girl friend.
Nathan: Schistosomiasis, That is a good one dad. OK I will finish my work.
Dad yells, "finish it correctly" as Nathan returns to Son Tzu. Nathan yells from his room, Mandy is not my...oh never mind!
A parent-teacher conference is a short meeting or conference between the parents and teachers of students to discuss children's progress at school and find solutions to academic or behavioral problems.
Mr. Moore: (with Mrs. Moore dutifully by his side) Mrs. Cullison, I can understand your frustration with him, Nathan is not a "normal" child. His mind does not operate the same as other children, or even yours or mine. Is he being disrespectful or rude, anything like that. He knows I do not tolerate that kind of shit? Mrs. Moore nods her head in agreement as she squeezes her husbands hand.
Mrs. Cullison: No not that at all, for example He wrote the answers on Mandy Crawford's history test, upside down and backwards. It was the answer to some of the questions, She could not read it so technically they were not cheating. Mrs. Cullison sneaks a quick glance at Mrs. Moore's scuffed shoes while she is talking.
I asked him, "Nathan, did you write on Mandy's test?" his reply was,
"Yes Mrs. Cullison, but I only have eyes of you!"
Mr. Moore, look at this test, he answered every question on the first page 100 percent correctly but did not answer any of the questions on the second page. I had no choice but to give him a 72 on this test. He wrote his name and the date on the second page upside down and backwards, that is it. I know he knows the answers but he will not finish his test. He does that on all his homework also. I think he is very bright and can do the work, he just needs to finish his work.
Mr. Moore: Nat does not feel the need to prove himself. Once he figured out that he knew all the answers and apparently he knows you think he knows the answers so why is there a need to finish it. He absolutely does not care about grades. You taught his older sister, Marta, she was straight A's and we never had to get on her about homework or her study habits. She wanted the A. Nat wants to think and screw around with things, people. Mrs. Moore's expression changes to concerned.
Mrs. Cullison: What is with the upside down and backwards writing?
Mr. Moore: He started that soon after he learned to write. He would sign his name and then write it backwards going left instead of to the right. We thought it was unique. Eventually, he just started skipping the front ways part and writing the backward part only. A few years ago he started the upside down thing. We are still surprised he writes normal most of the time in school. I do not think he wants the attention it may cause. For hell sake, the whole family knows how to read upside down and backwards.
Mrs. Cullison: Because he is shy?
Mr. Moore: Sly more than shy, mostly just different, odd. He cannot operate if everyone is watching him. Just keep trying to challenge his mind. He is very satirical and often approaches rude so keep an eye on that.
Mrs. Cullison: We can have him tested. it is free?
Mr. Moore: Tested for what? I would not do that if I was you. He will have a field day with that, and oh, "nothing is free". His pediatrician will only see him as the last patient of the day. Nathan exasperates the poor lady. She is no match for him. Since you have not had him transferred to another class or called me before now, he must really like you.
Mrs. Cullison: He calls this young lady Mandy, "cat woman"? Could you ask him to stop doing that. The other kids are teasing her about it.
After the conference and back at home:
Mr. Moore: Nathan, lets talk about your conference. Mrs. Moore leaves the room. She hates conflict. Nathan come into the room as wide eyed as ever.
Nathan: Dad, can you make this quick, I am in the middle of "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu. He is at the part where he talks about how taking prisoners early in a battle is a bad thing. It screws up the supply chain. I love that part. So what did you think of Mrs. Cullison, did you review her work?
Mr. Moore: Nate! concentrate, she says you never finish your work and she asked that you not call that Mandy Crawford "cat woman".
Nathan: So you talked mostly about me again. Whats up with that? She actually said "never"? And dad, Mandy has the perfect cat body.
Mr. Moore: cat body?
Nathan: Look at any cat, large or small. They are perfectly proportioned. The legs, the arms, the stomach are all perfectly matched with the head size. Mandy's butt is the same size as her head. Her arms are the same length as her legs. You could throw her off a three story building and she could survive with only a broken hip joint and a few missing teeth.
Mr. Moore: Are you sure, do you have a picture? Whatever, what is this about not finishing the tests?
Nathan sticks his hand up high above his head and pokes his finger abruptly at the sky.
Mr. Moore: Nathan, no hand signals and the "point" is,(as Mr. Moore pokes his finger in the air) finish your work or they will want to test you for something, Autism, Mad cow, Schistosomiasis. You have not been eating snails or cow brains lately have you? Oh, and your mother is happy you have a girl friend.
Nathan: Schistosomiasis, That is a good one dad. OK I will finish my work.
Dad yells, "finish it correctly" as Nathan returns to Son Tzu. Nathan yells from his room, Mandy is not my...oh never mind!
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