Jack and I researched and discussed home security devices (Nest, Ring, Echo dot) and electronic surveillance equipment. Jack shared his expertise on the subject. There was a lot of discussion on features and benefits, as well as reviews/ ratings.

Luke went through a toy catalog and named the toys he likes. We practiced enunciating and volume level. We also played What's Gnu where Luke read the words aloud.

After being challenged and completing math examples involving division and percentages on which he is working at school, Austin was given 5th grade reading comprehension passages this afternoon. He readily followed directives and worked efficiently and independently. He applied general reading comprehension strategies to optimize his performance and ability to answer questions at the end of the passages. These included: use of prior knowledge, previewing, predicting, identifying the main idea, use of supporting details and summarization. I watched as Austin underlined the main ideas and used inferential reasoning as he answered the questions - and he was able to retell the main points and details of the readings succinctly. We reviewed his incorrect answer and Austin understood why and how the correct answer was derived. We reviewed some vocabulary terms with which he was unfamiliar (e.g., impediment; diligence, intricate, surpassed), and figured out their meanings contextually. I also used them in examples to help him synthesize and integrate the information. When reading a passage entitled 'Beethoven,' Austin was familiar with the composer and hummed one of his most popular and well recognized pieces. Additionally he knew other contemporary composers of the period, as well as artists, indicative of a good wealth of general information. Austin completed a graphic organizer and answered an open-ended question using excellent format, organization, and effectively observing and applying the rules of grammar and syntax. Austin also used details from the passage to support his answer. We used the last 15 minutes to read another chapter from the book by Louis Sachar - one that used a great deal of symbolization and abstraction. Austin responses indicated that he understood the nuanced references, and the author's use of imagery and figurative language to express intent. Austin also enjoyed acting out some of the dialogue of the main protagonist, further demonstrating his comprehension of the character's traits. Austin is not easily frustrated and strives to do well when challenged.

This was my first session with Pierce. I assessed his skills with a Quick Phonics Screener (QPS) and a diagnostic spelling test. To conclude we played several rounds of Crazy Moose, a card game to review all syllable types. Pierce is very bright and in my opinion does not require remediation. I will focus my time with him on enrichment and building enthusiasm for reading.

Sydney arrived with a stack of worksheets from her school; together we decided to work on the letter i. We talked about the short sound of i, and brainstormed example words: itch, igloo, iguana. Sydney practiced writing the lowercase and uppercase letter, and colored a letter search of an iguana. Next, we read a Thanksgiving book, "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims" By G. Hennessy. To conclude, we went on a "turkey hunt" around the school, counting the turkeys in the various decorations.

To begin, we went through Reid's school folder. He had a new list of spelling words; he wrote them three times as directed. Next we divided the words into categories: one-syllable words with ou, two-syllable "rabbit words, and three-syllable words. We made flashcards for review, and he syllabicated each word on the card. My hope is that being conscious of the syllables will help Reid to spell these challenging words. Next, we read a chapter of Reid's free reading book (Magic School Bus) and recorded the minutes in his reading log. To conclude, we played several rounds of Crazy Moose to review all five syllable types.

Reid did not bring any school work to session. I began with word fluency practice; Reid read lists of VCCV words, two-syllable words with silent-e, and two syllable r-controlled words (Megawords 1, lists 2, 3, 4). Next, Reid practiced syllabication strategies for unfamiliar three-syllable words. I was pleased that he remembered this skill from last year. I dictated detached syllables; Reid wrote the syllable, and then matched them to make real words. For spelling, we reviewed a deck of oo/ew words from last year. Again, Reid showed good retention of skills. To conclude, we read two poems by Robert Frost, "Fireflies in the Garden" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." We discussed the concepts of comparing and contrasting and main idea.

When Quinn first saw me after selecting his room, he asked to continue reading in the book. I explained that it gets a bit more complex as new characters are introduced and explained a bit of the symbolism he could anticipate. Quinn asked for a transparent ruler like I gave him the last session so that he could read along during the parts I read. He also asked if he could act out the part of Bradley, the protagonist. Quinn drew the characters that were mentioned after I began drawing two of the stuffed animals depicted in chapter 4. He was queried about the content and some of the vocabulary and knew most of the words based on prior knowledge or context clues. Quinn was able to follow the author's suggested nuances and was able to answer questions correctly. The few times he hesitated, I offered him a strategy and he realized the correct responses. Quinn asked me to read three chapters in the book and complied with my directives to write down the characters that were introduced. I will continue to encourage higher-order thinking as we analyze the plot and dynamics between characters.

Austin was interactive and engaged well with me this afternoon after making his room selection quickly. I showed Austin the 2 copies of the book I had selected which is appropriate for children of various grades from 3 - 7 due to the different layers of plot and character dynamics a reader can examine and analyze. Austin asked appropriate questions about the author and we did a bit of research about Louis Sachar before we began reading. I periodically queried Austin to assess his comprehension and he was able to recall details well and made appropriate inferences. I also had Austin act out some of the parts and dialogue, which he did enthusiastically and without reservation. He anticipated my expectations accurately and delivered many of the lines with correct emphasis and inflection. I encourage critical thinking and personal connection to the literature and Austin was able to explain his rationale logically. After reading the first two chapters, Austin was asked to compose a summary of the story. He organized his thoughts coherently and wrote down a succinct summary in legible handwriting. We reviewed his paragraph, which was well formatted, and I pointed out minor corrections regarding capitalization of proper nouns, title, and use of commas. Austin follows the rules of syntax and communicates his thoughts effectively. Word order, tense, subject-verb agreement, and sentence length were well demonstrated and positively affected the tone and purpose of his writing selection. Austin has a very good vocabulary and he articulates his thoughts well. I asked about his knowledge of figurative language and explained one or two examples with which he was as yet unfamiliar. Austin understood my explanation and the examples I offered in efforts to facilitate comprehension, and he was able to correctly identify the correct example of figurative language used in 11 out of 12 sentences. This encompassed a review of similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia and personification. Austin stated he is prepared to finish the remaining questions on the exercise next time we meet.

Reid was in good spirits today, looking forward to Halloween. We began by going through his school notebook. He did not have a spelling list this week, so we started with his reading log, co-reading Chapters 5 and 6 of Whale Watching (Magic School Bus, book 3). Reid read with reasonable fluency and comprehension. At his suggestion, we picked out several practice spelling words: frantic, instrument, and barnacle. We went outside to practice spelling; first, we counted the syllables and then spelled each word while tossing a football. Returning to the classroom, we co-read a reading comprehension passage, Lou Lou's School for Ghouls, followed by comprehension questions. The format is very similar to the Daily Reading Ready Tests that Reid takes in school, so this was good practice. To conclude, we played a game of Crazy Moose, all syllable types.