Student Reflection

by Val Kaskovich

Hello once again! This week at the S.O.A.R. tutoring program, I was presented with a rather unusual task. I had the opportunity to interact with someone I usually do not -- my student's parents. Although I have never met them nor will I likely meet them in the future, I was assigned the challenge of writing a letter to the parents of my first grade student about my experience as their child's tutor. While the task at first seemed daunting, to my surprise the letter was easy to write and actually turned out better than I expected.

As I have stated many times before, the kids at Booker T. Washington are wonderful. That being said, I believe that my student is truly exceptional. He reads and completes assignments with enthusiasm and diligence. He communicates well in both Spanish and English, and is not afraid to ask for help when he needs it. I have seen huge improvements in his math skills and reading comprehension in just a few short months. All this is extremely impressive and deserves recognition at home.

Academic achievement and progress is important to include in a letter to his parents, and I am sure they will be very proud to read about it. However I think that the most important part of my letter was what I included next -- praise for their son's attitude, character, and behavior. He is polite 100% of the time. Everyone wants to be his friend because he is kind, smart, and just downright fun. He is responsible yet accomplishes his goals with a carefree mindset and an amazing sense of humor. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to let his parents know what a great kid they are raising. Parents have so much influence over a child's personality and education, and I am happy to be able to communicate my pride in their student's success in words (and most importantly, in their native language, Spanish!). I hope they enjoy the letter and keep supporting him at home as they have been. Can't wait to finish out the school year with S.O.A.R.! 

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