Two weeks ago my wee boy did not do well on a Portuguese Test. I really wasn’t too fussed. This same kid scored top of his class on a nationwide math test that same week. Third in his year. But what we thought was fine, got him in a tizzy. It came to a head when he refused to do a homework assignment. Well he didn’t just refuse, but lost the plot. I was the devil pretty much for making him do it. We had a row both that evening as well as the next morning.

Immediately I requested a meeting with the teacher. In reviewing his test we realized that the kid knows more Portuguese grammar than his mom. But we agreed that he could stand to review a number of things. We also recognized that he has a bit of writers’ block. Not for lack of ideas, but the fear of not doing well. He just won’t start writing. I blame the stress he is feeling over the National Exams that will take place in two weeks.

Tests are taken everywhere. Too true. Thing is, in this country it is the law that your grades are posted on a wall at school for all to see. Cruel for some. I know. I have tried to explain to him that he can not try to compare himself to his classmates. They are almost all native speakers who have lived in Portugal their entire lives. Each child has two parents who are highly educated and both speak Portuguese fluently. Did I tell you that my kids are forever correcting MY Portuguese?!?!? It is a testament to their teachers, their smarts and their hard work that they have done so well.

All the same I had to do something. This is the plan we came up with:

1. I created a grammar binder (I had started it before this incident, but this brought it to a new level of urgency). This binder contains all the rules from the 4th grade text very neatly laid out for us to review two per night. We have sticky noted the pages he feels he needs to review. He is taking this opportunity to work on my grammar and his father’s as well. Teaching something proves you know it.
2. We are coming up with ‘plans’ for sample essays. The kids can actually write. He just needs to plan something and then get it done. Simple as that.
3. Read. Read. Read, in Portuguese.

One of the things that came up in his grammar book was common collective nouns. To make the process easier and more effective for his limited time to study them I made them into flashcards with pictures. Thank God I don’t have a full time job. Then again this is what I did (do) for my students all the time. I love this s@^!

I am loving learning with my boy. It’s a gift he is giving me and his grandfather too. Did I tell you my father is now appalled with my Portuguese? True story.

This Saturday while his sister was at her tutoring session he and I popped into a local café. Studying does not have to be all about sacrifice.