All students who participate in VU agree to share their reports cards with us. They get a small prize for bringing them in–we get the gift of knowing how they are doing in school. For some, we find out that we need to dig a little deeper in their backpacks and memories to find the homework to be done! This round revealed that many of our students are doing well, and their efforts to do their homework and be engaged learners are paying off. Others still need encouragement and support to continue to grow, especially in language arts.
Sometimes what needs improvement is their effort. That’s a little harder to do than a page of math homework, but volunteers can take the time to talk to students about their work, nudge just a little when they need it, and recognize when they make an effort and succeed. Hey, that sounds pretty much like what we all need, doesn’t it?