Making Much Progress

Dear Readers,
I really feel as if I’m making a big difference in my student’s lives. One student, in particular, has been struggling since he was younger. He’s in 8th grade now and will graduate in June so he will soon be out of my reach. So, I have to reach him while I can. Thankfully my school has given me the opportunity to do just that.
His problem wasn’t major, just enough to cause him to be frustrated. After speaking with him, his teachers, and after performing some small assessments, I determined that his main problem was multi-syllabic words and knowing how to properly break them down syllable by syllable. More specifically some words patterns that he either never learned or some how just never internalized because they were causing him stress.
What I did to help him: I took out my tried and true Elkonin boxes and showed him how to use them. One thing about older students is how easily they embarrass. Even though I showed him how to use it I knew that he wouldn’t because the copy of the Elkonin boxes that I use are a little babyish. So, since I knew that the best tool, no matter how good, will never work if it’s not used, I showed him how to “tap it” on either his leg or under the table where no one could see him.
During the session he began “tapping it”. I was so proud!