I can't tell you how shocked I was yesterday when my sweet 4 year old brought me a drawing. It was a lizard. And next to it she wrote, "LIZARD".
Guess it's time to start being more intentional with handwriting practice! Yikes!
Also, Sweet Pea has been cruising along rapidly in math. I think we may level up soon.
Always exciting.
And so he's not left out my darling toddler now yells, "BOOM!" constantly. He loves to knock things over or fall on purpose so he can yell it.
Boys.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Goals for the year
As they stand right now.
For a change, I'll go youngest first.
Moose. My sweet no-longer-a-baby boy. He'll be 2 by the time the school year ends. TWO! How is that possible? It shouldn't be. He's doing really well with gross and fine motor and right on track, so I hope he continues on there. I'd like to see him start talking a little more- he's a man of few words. I think a lot of that is personality, though- he likes to think things through and form an opinion before trying them.
Little Bird. She'll be a brand new five year old at the end of the school year! Hard to believe that I'm staring that down. I'd like her to be through basic phonics by then and able to read books with some fluidity. I'd also like her to begin properly forming some letters and numbers. I also have high hopes that she'll be able to tie her shoes by then, too.
Sweet Pea. She'll be eight at the end of this school year. We're spending this year working through American History, earth space science, Norse mythology, math, French, and Latin. I'd like her to be able to put together a well constructed paragraph by the end of the year. I'd also like her to be able to prepare a few more meals. I also hope that she has the whole catechism memorized. We'll see!
These goals aren't really fancy or hard or intense. I think they are realistic, though, and hope we achieve them!
For a change, I'll go youngest first.
Moose. My sweet no-longer-a-baby boy. He'll be 2 by the time the school year ends. TWO! How is that possible? It shouldn't be. He's doing really well with gross and fine motor and right on track, so I hope he continues on there. I'd like to see him start talking a little more- he's a man of few words. I think a lot of that is personality, though- he likes to think things through and form an opinion before trying them.
Little Bird. She'll be a brand new five year old at the end of the school year! Hard to believe that I'm staring that down. I'd like her to be through basic phonics by then and able to read books with some fluidity. I'd also like her to begin properly forming some letters and numbers. I also have high hopes that she'll be able to tie her shoes by then, too.
Sweet Pea. She'll be eight at the end of this school year. We're spending this year working through American History, earth space science, Norse mythology, math, French, and Latin. I'd like her to be able to put together a well constructed paragraph by the end of the year. I'd also like her to be able to prepare a few more meals. I also hope that she has the whole catechism memorized. We'll see!
These goals aren't really fancy or hard or intense. I think they are realistic, though, and hope we achieve them!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Mapping
We're working on mapping in three ways this year. First, we locate things involving multiple countries or sea voyages on the globe. We find the places, trace where people went, and talk about it.
We also have a laminated map that we locate things in the US on. This works well for finding reference points like cities, mountains, or rivers.
We're also learning to draw maps.
Above is Sweet Pea's first attempt at drawing the continental US. She did a really good outline of the country, keeping the shape pretty true. She added a few states. Next time, I'll have her add a few more and maybe a river. By the end of the year (and the end of our study of US history) I'd love it if she could dry a map of the US with some major points by heart.
Just for fun- this is Little Bird's map. Little Bird at 4 very much wants to follow in her sister's footsteps and can almost always be found with us during school time, trying her hand at whatever we are doing.
I'm so proud of them!
We also have a laminated map that we locate things in the US on. This works well for finding reference points like cities, mountains, or rivers.
We're also learning to draw maps.
Above is Sweet Pea's first attempt at drawing the continental US. She did a really good outline of the country, keeping the shape pretty true. She added a few states. Next time, I'll have her add a few more and maybe a river. By the end of the year (and the end of our study of US history) I'd love it if she could dry a map of the US with some major points by heart.
Just for fun- this is Little Bird's map. Little Bird at 4 very much wants to follow in her sister's footsteps and can almost always be found with us during school time, trying her hand at whatever we are doing.
I'm so proud of them!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Reading progression explained
I'm on my second run through from the ground up teaching reading.
My general method goes something like this:
I spend lots of time teaching the letters, their sounds, various ways they look, and getting the child really comfortable with them. This stretches from toddlerhood to about 3-4.
We spend lots of time reading out loud. Picture books, chapter books, anything and everything. We attend story time at the library for more oral reading exposure. Infancy- childhood.
I also spend time on oral blending games and rhyming. For example, "C AAAAA T says what?" When they can hear the separate sounds and blend them together, we're ready to move on. I also think that rhyming is very important. Lots of silly songs and nursery rhymes help develop the ear for this. We work on this from the time they talk well until it clicks- about toddlerhood- 3/4.
After they can do the above easily, without stress, we start working on reading words on paper. I start with short vowel words, specifically short A words. I also introduce a very few "helper" or sight words, but I also explain the phonetic sense behind them. I believe that too many sight words leads to troubles later on. This has happened between 3/4 for both of my girls.
When they can confidently read CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words, we move on to digraphs and more complicated words. This is the most variable part- Sweet Pea blew through phonics as a whole in less then a year and was able to read on a meaningful and good level in that time. Little Bird hasn't moved to this phase yet, so I don't know how quickly she'll progress.
After this I address reading a little differently- I enforce reading time throughout the day. This falls in three categories- books I read to them (even after they are fluent readers), books they read silently to themselves, and books they read out loud to me.
Having a child read out loud allows you to keep up with combinations that they are having issues with. It also lets you catch sloppy habits, mistakes, and can clue you in on vision issues. I think it also helps self confidence.
Reading out loud to a child who reads well allows you to read books together that they might not pick up on their own. It also allows you the chance to stop frequently and discuss vocabulary and themes, look things up on maps and check comprehension without tossing out worksheets.
Silent reading is important here, too. It lets you assign school reading, helps reinforce the idea that reading is pleasurable and a worthwhile use of time, and builds the volume of ideas that they carry around. A widely read child has images and vocabulary bouncing around that will benefit them indefinitely.
When is a child reading? This is pretty hotly debated. Some people say their child is reading as soon as they sound out or recognize that first word, others wait until a child can pick up a book, decode the letters and tell you what they just read. I fall kind of in the middle. I don't call a child who can pick a few words out or blend a few words a reader. That misses the nuances of being able to use language. I also don't wait until they are able to pluck a book from the shelves and use it meaningfully, either. I would say that my four year old can read- she can pick up an easy reader, sound through all the words, and then retell the story.
But this is the beginning, not the end.
My general method goes something like this:
I spend lots of time teaching the letters, their sounds, various ways they look, and getting the child really comfortable with them. This stretches from toddlerhood to about 3-4.
We spend lots of time reading out loud. Picture books, chapter books, anything and everything. We attend story time at the library for more oral reading exposure. Infancy- childhood.
I also spend time on oral blending games and rhyming. For example, "C AAAAA T says what?" When they can hear the separate sounds and blend them together, we're ready to move on. I also think that rhyming is very important. Lots of silly songs and nursery rhymes help develop the ear for this. We work on this from the time they talk well until it clicks- about toddlerhood- 3/4.
After they can do the above easily, without stress, we start working on reading words on paper. I start with short vowel words, specifically short A words. I also introduce a very few "helper" or sight words, but I also explain the phonetic sense behind them. I believe that too many sight words leads to troubles later on. This has happened between 3/4 for both of my girls.
When they can confidently read CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words, we move on to digraphs and more complicated words. This is the most variable part- Sweet Pea blew through phonics as a whole in less then a year and was able to read on a meaningful and good level in that time. Little Bird hasn't moved to this phase yet, so I don't know how quickly she'll progress.
After this I address reading a little differently- I enforce reading time throughout the day. This falls in three categories- books I read to them (even after they are fluent readers), books they read silently to themselves, and books they read out loud to me.
Having a child read out loud allows you to keep up with combinations that they are having issues with. It also lets you catch sloppy habits, mistakes, and can clue you in on vision issues. I think it also helps self confidence.
Reading out loud to a child who reads well allows you to read books together that they might not pick up on their own. It also allows you the chance to stop frequently and discuss vocabulary and themes, look things up on maps and check comprehension without tossing out worksheets.
Silent reading is important here, too. It lets you assign school reading, helps reinforce the idea that reading is pleasurable and a worthwhile use of time, and builds the volume of ideas that they carry around. A widely read child has images and vocabulary bouncing around that will benefit them indefinitely.
When is a child reading? This is pretty hotly debated. Some people say their child is reading as soon as they sound out or recognize that first word, others wait until a child can pick up a book, decode the letters and tell you what they just read. I fall kind of in the middle. I don't call a child who can pick a few words out or blend a few words a reader. That misses the nuances of being able to use language. I also don't wait until they are able to pluck a book from the shelves and use it meaningfully, either. I would say that my four year old can read- she can pick up an easy reader, sound through all the words, and then retell the story.
But this is the beginning, not the end.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Schooling in PICTURES returns!
'Cause I know you've all been dying to see. Right? Right?
Those ghosts are the pained footprints of each on my kids, filled in and decorated.
This week we covered more of the Puritans. We also went out of order and added Leif Ericson to our Book of Time. We read about him. I'm a little surprised he wasn't included in Sonlight's American history, but he was easy to include! Must not forget the vikings!!
Sweet Pea colors these, then we cut them out and write a sentence for her book to help us remember something about each person.
We're chugging along in math. We're almost 1/2 way through the book. The focus has been more on practical math then doing the workbook, though, which has slowed progress through the book but increased our enjoyment.
Here's a sample dictation from Sonlight's LA. We then go through it the next day and mark up all the parts of speech. The lengths of the dictations varies.
In science we are studying the planets. To go along with this we are building a scale model of our solar system. I'll put pictures up when we have more then itty bitty Mercury done. It's not too impressive on it's own!
The kids have been making various crafts and coloring. A lot.
Little Bird is working through a Handwriting without tears book when I am busy with her big sister.
Moose insists he has to color, too.
Sweet Pea's art is as sweet and quirky as ever.
The girls also practice piano daily. I shoot for 15-30 minutes from each of them per day.
Along with this we are doing Latin. Sweet Pea reads daily for school and pleasure. Little Bird is working through phonics. Moose is diligently babbling at us and practicing that toddler mind control that allows a nominally verbal little person to get what he wants and needs.
Things are good!
Those ghosts are the pained footprints of each on my kids, filled in and decorated. This week we covered more of the Puritans. We also went out of order and added Leif Ericson to our Book of Time. We read about him. I'm a little surprised he wasn't included in Sonlight's American history, but he was easy to include! Must not forget the vikings!!
Sweet Pea colors these, then we cut them out and write a sentence for her book to help us remember something about each person.
We're chugging along in math. We're almost 1/2 way through the book. The focus has been more on practical math then doing the workbook, though, which has slowed progress through the book but increased our enjoyment.
Here's a sample dictation from Sonlight's LA. We then go through it the next day and mark up all the parts of speech. The lengths of the dictations varies.
In science we are studying the planets. To go along with this we are building a scale model of our solar system. I'll put pictures up when we have more then itty bitty Mercury done. It's not too impressive on it's own!
The kids have been making various crafts and coloring. A lot.
Little Bird is working through a Handwriting without tears book when I am busy with her big sister.
Moose insists he has to color, too.
Sweet Pea's art is as sweet and quirky as ever.
The girls also practice piano daily. I shoot for 15-30 minutes from each of them per day.
Along with this we are doing Latin. Sweet Pea reads daily for school and pleasure. Little Bird is working through phonics. Moose is diligently babbling at us and practicing that toddler mind control that allows a nominally verbal little person to get what he wants and needs.
Things are good!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Quiet rhythm
Of our days. I'm trying to avoid looking forward or backwards right now. Instead my focus is on enjoying my kids as they are, right this moment.
Life is too short to do otherwise.
Life is too short to do otherwise.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Reading to children
As a group.
It's easy to read to one child. They can sweetly nestle on your lap, or next to you on the couch. Alternately, you can snuggle in bed together and pore over that worthy tale.
As a family grows, though, children outpace available lap real estate or become to old (ha!) to want to sit on mom's lap.
We do a lot of reading out loud for school. Currently I have my darlings sit on pillows on the floor in front of me. I was inspired to this genius by the librarians at story time. Dozens of toddlers, sitting raptly and quietly and not elbowing each other! If they can do it, so can I.
It has worked well.
It's easy to read to one child. They can sweetly nestle on your lap, or next to you on the couch. Alternately, you can snuggle in bed together and pore over that worthy tale.
As a family grows, though, children outpace available lap real estate or become to old (ha!) to want to sit on mom's lap.
We do a lot of reading out loud for school. Currently I have my darlings sit on pillows on the floor in front of me. I was inspired to this genius by the librarians at story time. Dozens of toddlers, sitting raptly and quietly and not elbowing each other! If they can do it, so can I.
It has worked well.
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