Grades

In our culture we need a way to measure success.  In the school system it is with grades and testing.  Many children resist reading because reading represents failure.  When the only reason a child reads is to take a test, reading becomes a miserable experience.  One of the children I have tutored made 4 A's, 4 B's and 1 C.  She is flying high.  Now she is ready to quit tutoring because she does not need it.  When I ask mom what she wanted to do, Mom was wise enough to say the child is doing too well to change things. This is the child that did not want me to teach her anything.  Hopefully I can get her to the library this summer for the summer reading program.  It will be such a joy to see her read for fun. 
Another student's grades have come up, but reading was an F.  I have been working with her but she has felt her grade at 72 in reading was good enough.  I tried to warn her that this was not a good enough grade. She was pleased because it was better than the F from before.  Pushing her is like pushing a rope so I gently do what she will allow.  We will use more balance board activities to help her.  She wants tutoring to be just help me with my homework.  She does not understand that reading affects all her grades. Now she is interested in working on reading more.  She will also go to summer school in reading. 
Another child is not improving as much.  When a family member told me she needed help, I told them that often I do not get her as she is somewhere else.  Often children who struggle in school are more interested in other things and do not understand the importance of reading.  How much do you like to do difficult things in your life?  A good example of this is someone who struggles to manage their money. How often do they read blogs like The Simple Dollar?
Another child that was told he could not pass third grade in October is going to pass.  He is also going to take summer school reading.  How much longer I will work with him is unknown.