The Good Parents

SCENE 1:
(Meredith and Jered Viola, two professional overachievers, arrive at their daughter's Montessori school classroom for a parent-teacher conference.  The day is rainy and cool.)

MS. GAGE:
Hi, come on in.  It's pretty nasty out there.

MEREDITH:
Hi, sorry we're late. 

MS. GAGE:
(Waving her hand dismissively) 
Don't worry about it.  Come sit.
(Shuffles papers)
I need to tell you that Amber has a lot of potential...

JERED:
But...

MS. GAGE:
She seems to be afraid to try anything new.  She has been working recently on first grade English and Math when she was working at second grade levels at the end of last year.  I try to get her to move to where she used to be, but she seems to be unsure of herself and claims to have forgotten everything.

MEREDITH:
(disappointed)
Oh.  Is she still playing with her little clique during study hours?

MS. GAGE:
That, too.  I see her and her friends sneaking peaks at her High School Musical book when she thinks no one is looking.

MEREDITH:
We're going to have to make some changes.
(Jered nods agreement.)

MS. GAGE:
Some of her friends' parents have asked to see their daughters' journals and they sign them every week.  I can also separate the girls...

MEREDITH:
Oh, yes, please!  We'll have a talk with her as soon as we can.  Is there anything else?

MS. GAGE:
That's pretty much it.

JERED:
Thanks for the heads-up--I guess we have some work to do.
(Everyone stands up and Jered and Meredith leave the classroom.)

SCENE 2:
(At the Viola's home that evening}
MEREDITH:
Amber!  Could you please come in here?

AMBER:
Yes, Mom!
(Amber enters the kitchen.)
Yes, Mom?

MEREDITH:
(stopping preparing dinner)
Your father and I went to the parent-teacher conference today with Ms. Gage.

AMBER:
Okay...

MEREDITH:
And I have to tell you that she is a little disappointed in your work.

AMBER:
What did she say?

MEREDITH:
She said that you are doing the same work that you were doing at the end of last year and that you and your friends are doing activities when you should be doing schoolwork.  You do know that you are going to school to learn, right?

AMBER:
I know.

MEREDITH:
She also said that you seem to be afraid to try new things, can you tell me why?

AMBER:
I don't want to be greedy.

MEREDITH:
What do you mean?

AMBER:
If I ask for more than one lesson, I'll be greedy.

JERED:
Honey, we're paying for this, you have the right to ask for as many lessons as you can.  In fact, if you are not working, I don't want to pay for school-we'll just put you in public school.

MEREDITH:
(frowns disapproval)

AMBER:
(tearing up)
I do work!

MEREDITH:
How many activities do you do each day?

AMBER:
The teacher said I had to do six.

MEREDITH:
(Shaking her head)
You actually should do as many as you can do and you should always try to be learning new things.  That's what I'm concerned about.  You may be working hard, but if you are not learning anything new, then that's a problem.
(Thinking)
I think I'm going to work with you every night on your workbooks until you feel comfortable with what you know.  And I want you to ask for new lessons tomorrow.  What activities do you know really well such that you can move up?

MEREDITH:
I am doing the two-digit checkerboard, the grammar box with nouns and verbs, and tribal homelands.

MEREDITH:
Ask for a new lesson in each of those things.  The reason we don't send you to public school is so that you can learn as fast as you are able and are not held back by what is normally taught at your grade level.  You know, in second grade in public school, you would just be learning two-digit addition and subtraction.

AMBER:
(Offering brightly)
I can do that and long division up to a million!

JERED:
That's what I want to hear.  You are smart and you come from a smart family, try to learn as much as you can as fast as you are able-it can only help you in the end.

AMBER:
Okay, Daddy.  Does this mean I have to change schools?

JERED:
Not if you start working...

MEREDITH:
And if the work that you are doing is helping you learn and move ahead.  I don't know, but I wonder if we gave you fifty cents for asking for a new lesson, if that would motivate you.

JERED:
That's a bad idea, we shouldn't be penalizing her.

MEREDITH:
No, it would be extra money.  I've heard of it done that way before.

AMBER:
You don't have to pay me that much-maybe a nickel is good.

MEREDITH:
You are a sweetheart and you're worth more than that.  Let's see how it goes and I want to hear about the new lessons you've had tomorrow.

AMBER:
Okay, Mommy.

(Meredith goes back to preparing dinner and the conversation goes to other topics)

SCENE 3:
(Three weeks have gone by and Amber has been asking for new lessons at school.  She has also been working with Meredith each night on basic math and reading skills.  Amber is at her school in her classroom.)

MS. GAGE:
Okay, who can tell me what half of 300 is?

ALLISON:
30?

(Amber raises her hand.)

MS. GAGE:
Yes, Amber?

AMBER:
It's 150.

MS. GAGE:
Good job!

(Amber smiles.)

THE END.