Hi Heidi, Thanks for sharing your approach to dealing with student situations as they emerge. Sounds like you are providing support that will keep them coming to school in spite of the situations they are facing. Another very effective way to gain insight into how the students are perceiving your assignments is to give each student a 3X5 card after they have completed an assignment and have them write down their assessment of the assignment. They don't sign their names so they feel free to write what they feel. I use this all the time and I have had many great suggestions. With this approach the students really express their thoughts but I have not had them vent or in any other way not be professional in their responses. Gary