Free Between the Sheets by Jordi Mand Page A

history—
    MARION
    You’re very organized.
    TERESA
    You have to be.
    MARION
    It helps, doesn’t it?
    TERESA
    What?
    MARION
    Being organized. Knowing where everything is. Knowing how to find everything that’s yours.
    TERESA
    Yes. I suppose it does.
    Beat.
    MARION
    I have been looking over Alex’s report card…
    MARION holds up the report card.
    There’s a noticeable difference from the start of the year.
    TERESA
    There is.
    MARION
    His math mark especially.
    TERESA
    Alex has been making tremendous progress.
    MARION
    I can see that.
    TERESA
    It’s been a real pleasure having him in my class. He’s quite the character.
    MARION
    I’m glad to see that he’s understanding the material.
    TERESA
    I’ve noticed a real improvement over the past few—
    MARION
    His English mark is low… still.
    TERESA
    He’s come a long way in English, actually. He wrote a fantastic book report last month. He got up and presented it in front of the whole class. I asked for a few volunteers and he jumped at the opportunity.
    MARION
    Was he marked on that?
    TERESA
    Marked?
    MARION
    Was he marked on his presentation in front of the class?
    TERESA
    It wasn’t really a presentation. I asked for a few volunteers to—
    MARION
    What does that have to do with his English mark then?
    TERESA
    He’s making progress. He wouldn’t have done something like that at the start of the year. He wouldn’t have stood in front of the class and read something he worked on… something he wrote. That was a big step for him.
    MARION
    That may be but his mark is still low.
    TERESA
    It’s higher then it was last term.
    TERESA opens the folder.
    MARION
    How is he doing compared to the rest of the class?
    TERESA
    I try not to compare my students.
    MARION
    Really? You don’t compare them?
    TERESA
    No.
    MARION
    I think that’s a bit impossible.
    TERESA
    It’s not, actually.
    MARION
    Every time you give them a mark, you’re seeing one student get one grade and one student get another. They’re being compared to one another whether you like it or not.
    TERESA
    That may be but I don’t go out of my way to… I just find it isn’t a constructive way to teach.
    MARION
    It’s constructive for them. It helps them know who’s ahead and who’s falling behind. Who’s at the top of the class, who’s—
    TERESA
    I try not to put too much emphasis on their marks. I want them to feel—
    MARION
    Their marks determine everything for them.
    TERESA
    What and how they learn determines—
    MARION
    You think universities—
    TERESA
    I think it’s a little early to be thinking about university.
    MARION
    It’s never too early.
    TERESA
    They’re in grade three.
    MARION
    It’s never too early!
    TERESA grabs a tissue from the box on her desk. She smiles.
    What?
    TERESA
    No, it’s just…
    TERESA gently pats her forehead with the tissue.
    You’re the third parent today to mention university.
    MARION
    Well that’s what we’re paying for here… isn’t it?
    Beat.
    TERESA throws the tissue in the garbage.
    TERESA
    I understand the need to be concerned about their marks. I do. But they’re young and they’re going to be students for a long time. They have years ahead of them where all they’ll be asked to think about is their marks.
    I’m trying to encourage them to take the time now… while they can… to understand how
they learn. To understand what their strengths are, what their weakness are. What their—
    MARION
    How long have you been teaching?
    TERESA
    Why?
    MARION
    I’d like to know a bit about the woman who’s teaching my son, if that’s all right?
    TERESA
    It’s my second year.
    MARION
    Second year teaching or second year—
    TERESA
    It’s my second year here.
    MARION
    Were you teaching before this?
    TERESA
    Yes. At Westview.
    MARION
    I’ve never heard of