You CAN do this...

I have a particular student that is AH.MAY.ZING in math. He can solve problems in his head faster than I can check them on an answer key. And the thing is, he can explain how he got his answer...it amazes me, because I have never been able to do math like that and was never taught that way- you know, breaking down numbers to make them easier to solve, grouping, rounding, etc. I wish I could go back in re-learn everything now that I know. Ah well. I guess I can help those I encounter now....

anyway, about this student. He's great in math, but has a harder time in reading. Today, I put the students in groups to read and take notes on Theodore Roosevelt (I am having so much fun with learning about presidents this year, more on that another time). I assigned each group a "reader" who could read the bio with fluency and lead the group on note taking. For this particular student, his leader reader had to leave class, so I put him in charge. I told him it might be a little tricky, but that I thought he could do it, it was his "challenge". HOLY COW!! He amazed me again! He read that book soooo well. My friend and I had just been talking about moving up some kids to give them an extra push...well, he's one. I'm so glad I tried it. So during reading, I told him he was moving up a reading group, and that he could do it, he would just have to work a little harder.

His smile was the biggest I have ever seen.

And he read, with pride, the entire book.

Don't you think he'll remember this day?