Take 5-#12

I have a student in my reading strategies class-a kid who is very low-he probably should have started with workshop, but that's beyond the point. He came to me the other day crying that he didn't understand anything and was having a hard time with the strategies. They had a huge project due, and he did none of it. I told him that I was upset that he waited til the last couple of weeks to come see me about his problem (considering that I always ask for clarification or questions when we are doing somehting in class, and he never said a thing-and has never come in for help prior to this). However, with reagrds to our last "grade" meeting and the idea that the learning is what we should emphasize, I told this student that I didn't care about the project; I cared more about him being able to walk out of the class having learned and feeling confident that he can use at least two of the strategies proficiently. To me, it is vital that he take something away, especially when he has such a hard time with comprehension. Nevertheless, I have been meeting with him individually (Anne listened to me talking to him for a whole hour the other day)and helping him little by little with understanding the strats more. It's very frustrating, but to me a project is worth much less than the knowledge he will take away in the end.