and with effort comes sweet reward...

I am going to give you a report on my little guy. Today I did exactly as I told you. He selected a book, we read together (I was lying on my belly next to him on the carpet) where I did a lot of talking/getting him excited, and then we set the goal of 5 minutes. I left to conference with others, one eye on him. Guess what? He stayed focused, and did it.

When I came back over, he was happy to share with me what he was reading.

I enjoyed what he learned. The book is graphic novel (comic style) called "Happy Birthday Bad Kitty." It's a silly story, except mixed in are some great facts about cats. And he was interested.

In fact, when he read about cats scratching and rubbing against things to "mark their territory," he related it to dogs. "I bet that's why they sniff so much...they are smelling other dogs and cats if they have marked the things."

WOO HOO!

So I read a little more with him, laughed and shared with him what I thought was funny and what I was thinking for a few pages.

Then I asked him, "How do you feel about this book - ten or fifteen more minutes until I come back?"

"Fifteen will be good. Then I can get farther," he responded.

So I left again, and he did it again. He stayed focused, in one place, with that single book.

When I came back, he proudly exclaimed, "I am on Chapter 6!"

Of course I made a huge deal. And I shared his achievement with the class. He showed the book to everyone and told them what a great book it was.

As he logged his reading in his reading notebook, I stopped by. I whispered how great I really thought this was, and promised to get the first book in the series, Bad Kitty Takes a Bath when he finished this one.

He said I better get it soon, and even agreed to take it to his tutor's tonight to show her.

Now, do I think that he's done? NO WAY. But I enjoyed today seeing the growth!!!!!!!