8th grade tutoring #3

This past Monday, SJ again had his weekly tutoring session with Mrs. Banks. She had texted me to let me know she would be arriving at our house at 3:45. I texted him and told him to open the garage door for her. He must not have seen my text (or ignored it), so she came to the front door when she arrived. My husband was home, so he let her in. 


As soon as their session started, she texted me to let me know that SJ lost his planner. SJ was probably in a tiss about this. This can be a big deal, since they use their planners for more than just writing down their homework assignments.  Any time they need to use the restroom during the school day, they need to have their teacher sign their planner to use it as a hall pass. Also, they use it on Fridays when they meet with their advisory group. (Advisory group is a small group of kids that meet with an assigned teacher. She/he goes over their grades and discusses other school related topics with them.) I texted Mrs. Banks and told her we would check his room when I returned home. She must have relayed that information to him, because she immediately texted back that he said it wasn't in his room. I replied that we would find it and told him to focus on tutoring.


She said that once he began to focus he did very well. She stated that he's finally really getting this book down pat. She noted that they are almost finished with the book and will probably complete it at the next session. She told me that they have been working on prepositions and prepositional phrases. She remarked that he is really understanding the preposition activities. She also has been having him work on writing sentences and finishing his thoughts. She did add that she had to scold him about his handwriting. She expressed that it is getting really tough to read (not a surprise to me) his handwriting.


Since the following Monday is Columbus Day, school will not be in session. My policy is a school day is a school day off, so no tutoring that day. She will be back to tutor him in two Mondays.


FYI-The planner was found the next day in his advisory teacher's room. (I had suggested that he might have left it there after advisory group was over...mom is always right!)

8th grade tutoring #2

Two Mondays ago, SJ had another tutoring session with Mrs. Banks. I was worried that he would be uncooperative for her. He had been complaining about a cold that he was suffering from over the weekend. She said she was pleased with how well he did considering that he was miserable from his cold and runny nose.


She said they finished three chapters. She mentioned that he is really understanding the literal meaning within the chapters. That is a huge improvement for him.


She told me she would be starting his session a little later the following Monday, since she will be having a faculty meeting after school. I told her that would be no problem for SJ. That would be more tv or computer time for him.  I just asked her to leave me the schedule, so I can remind SJ when his sessions would be starting later. She said she would bring that the next session.