New school year about to begin...Isabel in third and Lily in first.

Here's what I wrote to Mrs. Lupiani, Isabel's teacher, in response to her questionnaire about Isabel's learning experiences and style:

Isabel likes school!

My goal for Isabel is that she would continue to excel academically. If Isabel has challenges, they are more social than academic. She tends to find herself in classrooms where there are several kids who act out. (All three years so far.) The teacher must spend a lot of time on discipline, which interferes with teaching and frustrates Isabel to no end. Last year, Isabel was able to find one other quiet, mild-mannered kid, and she basically just stuck with her while most of the other kids acted wild. I'm hoping she will find someone comparable to that friend this year. As of right now, she's very worried about who she will play with at recess!

Isabel (still) loves dogs. She also loves art, swimming, and music. She's a creative sort. She'll make dioramas or homemade comic strips for fun.

We read at bedtime. Isabel is well beyond her years in reading (at least fifth grade level, into sixth). Your challenge and mine is to find appropriate books for her to read. She spent the summer reading Magic Treehouse books, the Just Grace series, the Ivy and Bean series. These are technically right for her grade level (second into third). She shuns the harder, upper-grade-level books that she's supposed to be reading. She LOVES Harry Potter, so Mrs. Bates turned her on to The Book of Elsewhere series, which is a more suitable reading level.

Isabel is not interested in competing for AR points. She reads because she likes to read. It's frustrating for her, because kids with lower AR skill levels get to read easier books and they accumulate points, while she's slugging her way through longer, harder books. So far, the AR reading system has not been helpful for Isabel. The best way to get Isabel to read is to find her books she's interested in reading. That approach is much more challenging for me and the teacher, but that's what works for Isabel.

Isabel loves creative writing. She would be thrilled to have a chance to do more of it. She's not the least bit interested in numbers. Math is always going to be a struggle. (But not too terrible, because as you know she's generally bright!)

Isabel tends to do her work quickly. She often finishes before the other kids. I imagine she could be encouraged to fill that time by going above and beyond what was asked of her?

Last but not least, Isabel is eager to please you!