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Katie Ann & Josiah at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles
Family Work
Independent Work
Christmas Class:
About.com Advent Dec. 16 – TODAY We’re going to make Filled Cookies.
Family Work
Independent Work
Christmas Class:
About.com Advent Dec. 17 – We’re going to make Filled Cookies.
Josiah, our 3rd child, has just about got reading down. He is reading easy readers on his own for fun now, so I’d say he is well on his way. I took a different approach with this one, letting him take his time and not starting with him until he was 6. My first 2 were reading by 4 & 5 years old.
We used Frontline Phonics as our reading program. I have used this with all 3 kids and have been really happy with it. I think the reason I like it is because the kids are reading books right away and that boosts their self-esteem while they are still learning. I’m reading REAL books!
The idea behind starting so late was from Charlotte Mason and her principle of letting the younger ones spend their days learning and exploring the world around them rather than putting them in front of the books early on. I did this with my first child, starting him super early and he learned to read, but it was a far less pleasant experience as compared to the one I have just had with Josiah. I also found that Josiah caught on faster and didn’t struggle through each word in each book like the older ones did. I think this comes in direct result of waiting until he was more than ready.
Frontline Phonics starts with letter sounds, so we skipped that because he knew them already. We basically just read through the books for level 1 and 2. We took a little time to learn things like the 2 vowel rule and special sounds, all of which are taught in the Frontline Phonics program. I didn’t follow the rules or teachers guide so much with this child, mostly just taught him what he needed to know for the current book we were reading.
There are 4 sets of books that get increasingly difficult. When they’re done, they’re read to cast off and venture out to new books.
Josiah chose to go on to With Jack and Janet and in that theme we have stuck with all of the older books that my mom has collected over the years. He is reading With Jack and Janet on his own in his free time and before bed. We read Here and Near together and have now moved on to Under the Tree.
I want to be sure and listen to him read still so that I can make sure he is not skipping words, guessing words and also so that I can tweak anything that still needs to be taught.
I like these old books even though they are mostly sight reading. I have yet to meet anyone who was taught to sight read that enjoys reading. Except perhaps my aunt, I will have to ask her if she was taught to sight read.
Anyway, now that he knows phonics and has the tools to figure out words, the sight word books are good because some words you just need to memorize! They introduce one word every so often and then it pops up throughout the book.
Josiah loves these old stories and cracks up laughing at the predicaments the characters get themselves into. I don’t know, there is just something fresh and wholesome about these old books.
And that, in a nutshell, has been our reading journey with this guy. It was a very pleasant experience and I’m glad I waited until he was ready. He is a sensitive one and I think if I had pushed him as hard as I did the other ones he would have struggled a lot.
Besides, he was my spoiled baby and old habits die hard. ;)
Katie Ann Turned 9 on the 9th!
Family Work
Independent Work
Christmas Class:
I need to go an buy supplies so we can actually make some recipes and do some crafts next week!!!
Today, for nature study the kids drew and painted our new poinsettia. It was cold outside so we brought it in and worked at the table.
Timothy
Katie Ann
Josiah
Maury
Nathan doesn’t usually join us for anything unless I make him. He did color one stocking coloring page this month and it’s the best coloring I’ve ever seen him do. He struggles some with fine motor skills, but I don’t know if it’s that or laziness that keeps him away. Maury on the other hand, is always in the thick of things!
Me, My mom & my sister Christmas 2008
Oh and some other family members… :)
Family Work
Independent Work
Christmas Class:
If you’re wondering why I am posting these, it’s because we are doing something different for December and I didn’t want to have to change my school organizer for the month and then change it back. So ignore the school assignment lists if you’d like, we use them to work off of.
Family Work
Independent Work
Christmas Class:
About.com Advent Dec. 10 – We’re going to make Grandma’s Ornament craft.
