Dear Mrs. Boyland,

After Alan brought home his painting of a drugstore together with your note , I discussed the painting with him.

I found that Alan was actually quite pleased with his efforts. He felt that he had done as directed and had done his best.

In the course of our talk about the painting, Alan explained that the large round brown area in his picture was a cyclone. He had been unsatisfied with how his drugstore picture was turning out and, since he only had a single sheet of paper to work with, he had introduced the cyclone, which then tore apart the drugstore. The remainder of the painting was intended as "pieces of drugstore."

Perhaps it is not always possible to discuss each child's picture with him, but things are not always what they appear to be. Alan's picture may have appeared to be a mess. But certainly was a good picture of a drug store hit by a cyclone.

Alan is not malicious, nor destructive, nor does he waste time. If his art work is not obvious, please do not take for granted that it is not good. I told him there is only one correct way to make an "A", but many ways to make a drugstore. We are doing everything we know of at home to protect his spontaneity and joy at learning.

What can be done in school with such a boy? There are no easy answers. We urge Alan to discipline himself in class, to do the required work, and to learn as much as possible.

However, we sense boredom on Alan's part, even in the second grade, with much of the work assigned to his class. Hopefully, such efforts as are feasible to provide enrichment of his program will challenge him intellectually, relieve his restlessness, and head of disciplinary problems.

May we meet with you again? Perhaps it would be well for us to meet subsequently with the School Psychologist who tested Alan.

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Libby Frank