Brighton Mum-Teenage Angst: June 2011

22 June 2011

ONE of the plus sides to having Teens...

Parents evenings. Love them, hate them, with kids it's part of the package.
With four grown/teen children I've had my fair share of them.
About 90 of them (omg!) so far, by my estimations.

With littlies. Sitting hunch backed on an undersized chair discussing 'word recognition' and 'Number play'.

Fast forward a few years to Secondary school parents evenings.

I loathed these. Surely I can't be the only one?

5 minute slots allocated to each subject teacher. Which your 11-16 year old had the responsibility to arrange. Duh? You just know this isn't going to end well. Just getting this age group UP and OUT the house with all the correct, relevant books/coursework is difficult enough. Asking them to remember to arrange time slots for parents evenings? Ha...

Teacher no shows, just empty chairs. There go 2 of your slots. Teachers clock watching, waiting to get home, you're probably lucky to get 2 of those 5 minutes.

Lines of parents looking at watches and tapping their feet whilst glaring daggers at the parents who have the cheek to be, god forbid, running into the 7th and 8th minutes. That then means you've missed your slot with Mr **** for maths, who has now packed up and gone home assuming you're a 'no show'.

Yup, as I said, I hate parents evenings.

But, finally, now, after all these years, I'm a convert.

This has to be one of THE most enjoyable Parents evening I've ever been to.

A 3 course meal, at £10 a head for family and friends.

Cooked and served by students.

Admittedly, these 1st year students are studying a 3 year Catering and Hospitality course at the college and the evening is hosted in the colleges own restaurant. And yes, it is their own Parents' Evening.

How very civilised.

Between the 1st and 2nd courses Teen D's head tutor/chef sat at the table with us and discussed how TD had improved over the last 3 months 'noticably turning a corner during a very, very difficult year for her' and how things seem to have 'clicked into place' for her during those 3 months, how she now shows great promise for her 2nd year.
They've seen the change, as had I. I just needed confirmation they'd seen and recognised it too.

After Dessert, a short informal speech by the Head of Department (while we were still drinking our coffee and supping our wine. Did I mention how much I'm loving this parents evening?) Followed by a brief talk from the Head tutor of year 1. Which I must just add, included an extra special mention of Teen D as THE most outstanding student of the year...

...in the 'hair colour changes' category!

Other staff members then stopped at the table, sat and chatted about Teen D. What she'd achieved during the year, what she could improve on during year 2, options etc.

If I could only go back in time and have all the Parents Evenings I've ever attended run like this, oh the joy..
Now where did I park that Time Machine?

Here are some photos, so you know I'm not lying to make you jealous or anything. Oh and of course so you can drool over the lovely food and see my Gorgeous Girl doing her stuff!