"I have learned that building relationships with students and parents is just as important as teaching the students academics. How they relate to each other and the world impacts their overall success and future."

"I have learned that I do make a difference in my students lives. These home visits really help making those strong connections between teachers-students-and families. I hope to continue building these great relationships."

"As I reflect on my various home visits, I realized that one of my student is actually teaching her mom what she learns in class. Mom did not complete school. I also experience a great responsiblity on one of my students, I realized that mom is in a wheelchair at home therfore he is taking care of her and himself. Finally my last experience with home visits is that I've learned a lot about my partner, she shared stories with parents that I never heard of. It also allow the parents to feel comfortable to share thier own stories with us."

"By the spring, multiple students were coming to me to confirm that I was indeed coming to their house for the second home visit and asking how long I could stay. Some families offered a meal which we had to decline graciously due to scheduling. The idea that the family--not just the student or the parent(s)--was looking forward to our visit and wanted to be present meant a great deal. We had fathers rushing home from manual labor to shower quickly and talk to us before we left, older siblings who brought their significant others in to meet us, and younger siblings who had made drawings or cards for us."

"My biggest take away from the Home Visit Project was how important solid relationships with students and families really are. If you get to know your student well but have never seen them or their parents outside of your classroom, you are missing a big chunk of who they really are."