Working with children on their homework and skills requires a good deal of patience. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing a concept click or a skill mastered. So many variables affect the learning process that persistence and consistency are of parmount importance. This week I noticed a student (she’s in third grade) who has been coming to VU for a couple of years walk by me with a hard cover “chapter book” with a bookmark in it and go to sit with a volunteer to read. About 30 minutes later, I realized that she was still reading with no sign of stopping. It made me smile. We encourage students to read aloud to someone for 20 minutes, which occasionally requires a little cajoling. I remember reading with this young lady and having to overcome her reluctance on several occasions. She is just one of so many students who come regularly and make progress in small increments so that sometimes it’s hard to see it, but then all of sudden you look up and they have moved past the goal and are well on their way to new challenges. None of us expect a reward for helping students do their homework and learn, but sometimes we get one–and it’s worth its weight in gold.