Exceeding expectations

When The Boy finished kindergarten last spring, he had fulfilled all the requirements to be promoted to first grade - one of which was to know ten sight words.

During our first conference in the first grade, back in early November, we learned that he did not even register at a first grade level in reading. Two months into the school year, he was not at a level that should have allowed him to pass kindergarten.

So we got to work at home. Each night The Boy brought home a book and read it to us. We got him extra help at school. By the end of the school year, he was bringing home two fairly difficult books each night, and would read one to me and one to his dad.

During this past nine week period, the light bulb switched on. Not only in reading, but in his writing abilities, math, and behavior, too. Of all the growing I've seen him do in the past seven years, this was the most phenomenal progression to witness.

I cried when I read his report card. He scored excellent on all of his essential skills tests. But in reading? He is now at the second grade level.

His reward was this motorcycle that he has wanted since last summer.

Excessive?

Maybe.

But we didn't just give it to him.

He earned it.