The Apple Falls Very Far From The Tree

(I teach third grade. I am meeting with the mother of a boy in my class who has proved to be very intelligent and I’m hoping she would agree to have him put in a program for advanced students.)

Me: “These are a few of your son’s last tests. As you can see, he got perfect scores on almost all of them. I believe your son is a very special young man and—”

Mother: “HOW DARE YOU CALL [Son] SPECIAL?! HE IS A VERY SMART AND TALENTED BOY WHO IS ANYTHING BUT SPECIAL!”

Me: “Uh… that’s what I want to talk about. Our school has a very good program for above average students and he qualifies. He will be around kids his own age and he won’t have to leave the class often. There will be more homework but I think he is more than capable of completing it.”

Mother: *with a complete change in attitude* “Oh, that sounds like a great idea. [Son] is always complaining about how boring it is to learn things you already know. I’ll sign him up.”

(The woman left the classroom looking very happy. That is the only time so far that I have ever been yelled at for complimenting a student.)