Katie got her first N

At her school, they have what they call the self-manager program. Every day, the students, with input from the teachers, rate themselves on several categories of behavior. For kindergardeners, they give themselves Y's or N's for each day in honesty, respect, self-discipline, and responsibility. As they get older, eventually there will be seven categories, as everyone in the whole school participates.

Katie had been perfect. Perfect attendance and nothing but Y's everyday all fall. Until today, when she gave herself an N in self-discipline. Mrs. Massey was amazed because the incident happened while she was out of the room. But evidently while they were at the science center, and supposed to be working, Katie got herself involved in a game of chase with Matthew and McKenzie, the troublemakers.

I had expected that the first N would be very traumatic for her. But she told me the story very matter of factly, then went to get her afternoon snack, and the day went on quite normally. She made a mistake in playing when she should be working, and she knew it, owned up to it, and took her N like a kindergardener. And we talked a little bit about how important it is to be good the rest of the week - 3 N's in a five day period means the ultimate humiliation - losing your self-manager badge - and there is no way Katie will risk that. So she will be perfect for a week, I am sure.