{This is the first of my “teaching children to read” posts. The others are Are You Making Reading Too Complicated?, What You Need to Teach a Child to Read, Reading Readiness Part I continued, What You Need to Teach a Child to Read Part II, and Reading, Part III.}
If I could only blog while doing laundry, spring cleaning or just cleaning of any kind, watching the Red Sox, and/or taking a shower, things would be more lively around here. Because that's when I have my ideas.
Coolers waiting to go to the farm for the milk. |
Which tend to be not quite earth-shattering, but feature such images as myself in a cartoon, actually tearing my hair out. The little idea balloon above my head would say something like, “But even children who don't have shoes can learn to read!” or maybe “Literacy in America was 90% at the time of the Revolution! What's wrong with us today!”
Maybe someone would comment and say something like, “Well, that was just men! White men!” And then I would have another cartoon with me wagging my finger and saying, “Don't try to justify today's failure. Women could read! Slaves were taught to read by their elders and by tutors. Maybe sometimes they were taught to read so they could keep records for their masters, but they could read. Lots of them could!”
And then, especially when it's spring, I run out to water something or to go to some rite of passage of someone's child (often my own), and don't blog at all.
Headed down for the asparagus bed. Nothing like retro-fitting raised beds. That's how we do things here, folks. Backwards. But isn't he a good guy? |
At least I have {pretty, happy, funny, real} tomorrow. You don't think I'm too lame, do you? I just can't keep things going the way I should and blog the way I want to. I'm a loser blogger.
At the moment, other than the cartoon thing, I have something brewing that I was going to be so proud of posting in May. Only, now it's June….
I don't know why he felt like he had to frown the whole time. |
The reason for my pride was that I find it hard to think about school anytime after the beginning of April until late September when I really have to do something about it. However, I am aware that other people are stressing out and trying to get things lined up for next year. I was going to reek with self-satisfaction for a timely post — actually, series of posts — on making sure your child can read.
On the list of academic issues that make parents writhe with anxiety, I would say that the thought that their children are just not learning the basics of reading and writing comes right up at the top.
Parents with children in the very best schools worry about this. They worry about it not as if it's something that the ordinary mother with nothing but a grade school education taught her children way back when — often with no access to paper or pencil. No, it's like they're worrying about needing to send their child to the moon using nothing but a slide rule (and, actually, that's been done — not by moms with little children, but it has been done).
In a way, they're right. I don't want to sound like an alarmist wacko, but I do think that because education has become a big industry, there is way too much incentive to make things complicated and then sell the schools something to fix what they already paid big bucks for. But let's not get into that right now, because…
Home schooling parents worry about it too.
School or home, it comes down to how to choose? How to judge?
So that's what I'm going to be posting about. After {phfr} because yes, it's Wednesday night again and all my good intentions are for naught.
And yes, you are right, I will be here a little less frequently for a bit! But if you think it would help to have a little Auntie Leila perspective because you kind of feel like freaking out over curriculum, I will try to help with the reading and writing thing. To the best of my ability.
{The next post in this series: Are you making reading too complicated?}
MamaHen says
No….!!!! We need more Aunt Leila, not less of her!
I have the best blog posts come to me when there is absolutely no way for me to get them down. And then, poof! they are gone right out of my head.
I have taught three to read and am about to start my fourth and I still get a little anxious just thinking about it. I love to see them reading, but I am always afraid I am missing something or doing something wrong.
Can't wait for the tips.
Ginger says
Part 1 of 2
OK, this is one of my favorite posts of yours. I know you say “if I can do it, you can do it,” but you seem to have done it so much better, without any of the anxiety that I usually have. Now I know that you know what I am going through. I appreciate and thank you for showing us that “blogging” is NOT the number one item on the
list, even if you have incredibly helpful and useful information for us. I appreciate you “showing” me your
priorities, not just telling me what they should be…..Don't we all “know” what our priorities should be? Well I do and still, I find myself going on a “tangent.”
Ginger says
Part 2 of 2
Frankly, I don't know how you do it anyway. Have a good breather, and I am super excited with anticipation on your reading and writing post…I cancelled piano “lessons” for the summer (we will still practice to maintaine what we learned), in favor of teaching reading. I just couldn't seem to rub two twenty minutesegments together….lack of discipline on my part. Auntie Susie says .”Do better in the minimum that anyone can expect from you, and you will do better in everything else.” This has been my goal, and it is true, and relieves a lot
of anxiety……Blessings Auntie Leila
Hollace says
I think my best ideas come to me in the shower. Why is that? I need a dictaphone in there with me.
I believe the best thing a parent can do to teach a love of reading is to sit with their kids and read to them. I wrote about this a while back in my blog at http://hollacethemopsy.blogspot.com/2009/08/tv-or… .
One of my kids learned to read by herself by having children's books with cassette read-alongs. Actually, it was the Wee Sing children's music books with cassette accompaniment.
There is so much clamoring for our attention nowadays, so many entertainments and so much noise all around us. I think learning to read teaches a lot more than just the information in the book: it is a practice of quietness, of sitting still, of developing imagination, of expanding our world view. There are many benefits but it requires some control over the over-scheduled and overly noisy lives we lead today.
Trips to the library are a great family activity!
priest's wife says
about literacy: my parents didn't have a lot of money, but they raised 5 college graduates (3 with post grad degrees as well for what it is worth)
what they did- limit tv to almost nothing, take us to the library a lot (once a week in summer), encourage outside play
As a homeschooling mom- I can tell you that I breathed a sigh of relief when I had to yell at my daughters to put down the books at the dinner table. All will be well. Now- it is time for the next two littles
Sue says
I'm on the edge of my seat here. I felt like my first two kids learned to read in spite of me in many ways. Of course, I have always read to them tons, and we've limited TV, but it took both of them longer than I expected to read on their own (especially since I was one of those kids who was reading at age four). Now my daughter never seems to have enough books, and brother reads fine ( I just need to know how to get him to actually like reading). But, writing is the real bugger for me these days! I can't wait to read your perspective, dear Leila, because you always help me to get a grip! ;o)
Catherine says
“But if you think it would help to have a little Auntie Leila perspective…”
Auntie Leila, your perspective is ALWAYS helpful, and I positively drool over your “helping” posts. I need every single one and they all help me so much. Your family and duties come before blogging and us, your blog followers, but know that you are doing a VITAL work with your posts. I wish I had had a mother like you and your training; then maybe I wouldn't be so helpless as a mom and housekeeper all the time. Thank you for trying to help us. I REALLY, REALLY appreciate it (and need it).
God bless, Catherine
Mamabear, JD says
I think we are all quite addicted to your insight. Love the pictures.
Anitra says
Right on! My mother was a reading TEACHER (remedial reading for teenagers and adults), and even SHE did not feel qualified to teach her pre-schooler child (me) to read.
I'm not too nervous about this yet, mostly because my oldest child is 2.5 and constantly “reads” to herself. But I'm storing up resources of how to teach my children so that I am prepared when we get there.
Laura says
I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts–as I gear up to work on reading and writing with my kiddos this summer!
Donna L. says
Good morning!
So excited about the upcoming post!
I have two eager readers…and one almost-10-year-old reluctant dragon! He likes to look at “Calvin and Hobbes” and can pick words out, but just isn't quite there…yet..
But writing??? Sigh~I used to keep journals and notebooks and write for FUN. But it seems my kids think I have dreamt up the worst possible torture by asking them to write a story!
My sneaky reading tip? I'll have a job to do—take out trash, load the dishwasher, or some other unsavory duty, walk in and see people READING and say, “Oh, I was going to have you do —- but you are reading so I'll do it instead”. Kids giggle, as if they're getting away with something, and I smile because I am encouraging them….
Kh. Patty says
Calvin and Hobbes and Farside and similar were part of what helped my 5-yr-old to read too! I'm sure he'll get it soon. 🙂
Sally says
Are your kids old enough for blogging? That is how mine learned to write, and even LIKED it. 🙂 Anything other than blogging is still a torture assignment, though.
Kh. Patty says
Yes, please!! 🙂 I have one “entering first grade” in our homeschool. She actually taught herself to read somehow in the last year (probably with the help of starfall.com, love of books by her parents, being read to often, and the occasional reading lesson from us, but really, I did very little—it just clicked for her one day). She's amazing at it! Also, we are working on the writing thing. And occasionally we do some vaguely “math-related activity” (often board games, counting, puzzles… things that get them thinking about shapes or recognizing numbers or just counting). But I constantly worry that people will think I'm not doing enough. I don't ACTUALLY worry that I'm not doing enough, although I DO think I need to be more consistent with our daily routines, prayers, and chores. And I DO wonder if collective lack of “morning appreciation” might harm her ability to be anywhere on time later in life (since her mother still can't figure that out… but then, I went to regular schooling and was late every single day anyway….). OK, I'll stop rambling now. My plans for next year are trying to follow Ambleside, but I sometimes wonder if it will be enough! ANY help you can provide will be fabulous as always. Thanks!
Jackie says
I am SO excited to read your thoughts on the reading/writing thing. My son (6) reads beautifully, but his handwriting is atrocious! We do have him in public school, but I would like to supplement his education here at home (hence me reading several homeschooling blogs) and have big plans for the summer. (We'll see how those play out, but the plans are there!) Even so, I'm really excited about the impending posts on education. I LOVE your blog…it's my favorite. 🙂
Rachel P. says
Auntie, I have so much to say about teaching reading and writing. I won't steal your post, but I do agree with you that it has become over-complicated. I just taught my son to read and practice penmanship with a single phonics text and an elementary ruled composition book. When I watch him sit and read I can't help but wonder why education costs so much in a public school setting. I'm looking forward to reading what you think of teaching children (especially reluctant ones) how to read and write.
RCG says
Does your akebia (I think it's the vine in the pic) actually bloom? Mine does not and I wonder if it needs a husband or more light??
RubberChickenGirl
Jennifer says
I feel like a huge failure because I did everything right with my children. I read to them until the cows came home. I took them to the library. I filled my house with good books. I read three newspapers a day; and my husband reads voraciously. I've been an active member of a book group for 14 years now. We are both college graduates. Two of my four children have dyslexia (or some vague reading problem that the school won't call dyslexia). I too learned to read at 4 and was always in the top reading groups at school and passed multiple AP classes in high school for college credit. What gives? Why can't I get my children to read well? I've spent $$$ on tutors and reading specialists. They haven't really improved.
Habou says
That is a Akebia vine aka Chocolate Vine. It does bloom sometimes in the spring but not a lot. I bought it at a nursery a long time ago but it is considered a weed. I think it is really pretty.
Sally says
Yes, what IS that pretty vine in the last photo? Please tell.
Sally says
Thank you for the vine info! A weed?! Too pretty for that!
Jo C. says
Check out PAL from Institute for Excellence in Writing. Just started using it with my next two. First ds taught himself, second ds we used AVKO free stuff b/c he was dyslexic. It was great but wanted something that took less mental effort on my part but still was as in depth as AVKO and PAL is it. Fun and well thought out, uses a blended sight and sound philosophy, you can tailor it to different kids, plus a free money back guarantee even if you have used it for weeks and decide it isn't right for your kids.
Jennifer says
Can't wait to hear more. I have a bit of a reluctant reader who is now seven.
Cnew says
THis couldn't come at a better time. I'm going to spend the summer putting together plans for my first year of homeschooling. How in the world do I teach the little one to read? He gets all giggly and goofy whenever I even try to go over the alphabet with him. He is memorizing his books that I read to him though, so I guess thats a start.