I helped Reid write and edit an essay for school, "The Benefits of a Catholic School Education." Reid worked diligently for the entire hour. I helped him to brainstorm examples from his experience at school to augment his work. He completed all but the last two paragraphs.

Reid arrived with some classwork. After Reid summarized what he had read previously, we co-read two chapters from an abridged version of Oliver Twist and answered the multiple-choice comprehension questions. We discussed the literary techniques of foreshadowing and flash backs, and why an author might choose to use them. We concluded with basketball outside as a reward.

Reid and I co-read the science fiction short story "All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury. The story is rich with figurative language; we paused to identify and discuss the similes and metaphors in the text. Next, Reid answered five comprehension questions. He learned to refer to the text to find the answers, write in complete sentences and properly quote and cite text in his answers. As a reward for good work, we went outside and played basketball for the last five minutes.

Reid and I finished reading the passage about the hockey player, Dustin Brown. We brainstormed the writing prompt, "I'm not impressed with Dustin Brown" using a visual mapping technique (a strategy that works well for non-linear thinkers). Reid then wrote a paragraph arguing his opinion. I encouraged him to write more complex sentences using an appositive phrase and a semi-colon to connect two short sentences. We editing the paragraph for correct capitalization, handwriting, punctuation and spelling. Great job, Reid!

Reid and I co-read a passage about the hockey player, Dustin Brown, from the collection "Guys Read the Sports Page." I helped Reid practice reading comprehension strategies such as pausing to summarize, ask questions, and make predictions. We concluded with a game of Crazy Moose to review the five syllable types.

Reid had a vocabulary test the next day, so we began with that. He completed a vocabulary review and pre-test on his iPad and submitted his scores to his teacher. Next, we co-read chapter 26 of "The Ghost of Fossil Glen." Reid wrote a summary of the chapter and I helped him edit his work, focusing on varying his sentences and avoiding run-on sentences.

Today we focused on reading comprehension. Reid and I co-read "Against All Odds" by Justin Brown, a short story in the "Guys Read: The Sports Page" anthology. The story is about a hockey player, which was of interest to read. We practiced reading comprehension strategies such as pausing to summarize, asking questions, and making predictions. To conclude, we went outside and played basketball while I quizzed Reid on his multiplication facts 3-12.

I began by discussing expectations for tutoring with Reid's father. It is my understanding that his new teacher is much stricter than last year, and that many students in the class are adjusting to the higher expectations. I will support Reid with his language arts work. The class is reading the book "Al Capone Does My Shirts" and are about 75% finished with the book. I reviewed chapters 27 and 28 with Reid and helped him complete reading comprehension worksheets, comprised of both short and long writing answers. I notice that Reid understands the text well, but sometimes struggles to recall the very specific details that the questions asked. Reid will benefit from practicing reading comprehension strategies (pausing to summarize, ask questions, and make predictions) while reading. I look forward to working with Reid this year.

We began the session reviewing and syllabicating Reid's spelling words. After two rounds of Crazy Moose, we co-read "ReStart" by Gordon Korman, pausing to define unfamiliar vocabulary, summarize the plot, and make predications.Reid is motivated to finish the book over spring break.

We began the session reviewing Reid's school folder. He wrote his spelling words three times while I made his flashcards. We discussed the meaning and pronunciation of each word as he worked. As the words get more complicated, closer attention to syllabication is important. Reid was eager to begin his next book for AR points, "ReStart" by Gordon Korman. We co-read the book for the remainder of session, pausing to define unfamiliar vocabulary, summarize the plot, and make predications. I am thrilled with Reid's growing enthusiasm for reading.