R2BC - Congeniality?

Yes this is how we dress for school. Israel is very casual. 

I'm so late with this post but I deliberately waited until Sunday to blog as I knew I'd have a lovely reason 2B cheerful. However, Sunday was the final final deadline for my online English course and I was suddenly inundated with over 20 papers to grade - some corrections and some just late. I needed to get them done as the students have to complete their end of course meetings this week. So no time yesterday.

Today I was still grading and have just finished - bar the papers from students with special circumstances. It never ends. Anyway, I want to get this published tonight so I can begin July on a good blog footing. Remember I wanted to blog every day in June? Well I managed 12 posts. Reach for the stars and you may get to the moon.

Back on topic. My R2BC is that DD won the congeniality prize for her class at school. I hate calling it that as it sounds like an American beauty pageant prize. But actually that's what it is. I videoed the part of the ceremony where DD was presented with her certificate and sent it to our family whatsapp group. My sister wrote back that she didn't quite catch the Hebrew so what was the prize for?

I explained that each class awards three prizes - for academic achievement, chevratiyut, and the biggest positive change (progress or behaviour). I defined chevratiyut as a combination of being a good friend, helpful, congenial, community minded, and of generous spirit. I can't think of another word for all of that in English except congeniality.

DD's been trying to get this prize for years. It's a bit sad that she didn't even consider hoping for the academic achievement prize but, as I explained to her, she has an immigrant parent who doesn't know what's flying half the time and that prize usually goes to someone who does their homework without waiting for the panic monster to get involved. (Yes I showed her that Ted talk and she identified with all of it, as do I.)

The big tease was that her class teacher phoned to invite me to the ceremony but it was a secret - DD had no idea. Once or twice over the weekend she lamented that she's never won a class prize and she tries so hard to be a good friend. If I hadn't known what was coming my heart would have broken for her.

On Sunday morning I made an excuse to come into school - I had a small gift for her teacher, Hanna, whom we love and unfortunately for us, is leaving. Luckily for me, DD was too embarrassed to give the gift herself. "Mummy! We don't do that. The class gives one big present together." She's right but I wanted to show my appreciation for the over and above.

I mentioned to DD that seeing as I'm there already, I might come to the assembly because I've never been to an end of year assembly and I want to see what it's like. I added, "I'm only telling you because I don't want you to see me there and think you're getting a prize and then you''ll be disappointed." Teeheehee.

DD told me afterwards that she had one moment of doubt when Hanna went up and I started filming. But she quashed that thought.

DD was thrilled. I was thrilled. And we went out for tea to celebrate with a slice of caramel cheesecake at Rolladin. (Do you know that one small slice of cake when you're sitting down, costs more than half of buying the whole cake to take home? I was shocked!). And the biggest compliment of all: "You're such a good liar mummy."

The R2BC linky is with Mich this week on Mummy from the Heart.