How do you do it?
Tina
Well, I have a question that has partly to do with the unschooling
way of life and partly to do with life management. Here goes...
Some of you may already know some of these details. In the interest
of understanding I am sharing for a clearer picture of where I am
coming from. Details...
I have seven children, five step and two biological. My oldest is
18 and starting Dorsey Business school. She, as well as the five
steps, were/are public schooled. They all, minus one of the 17-year-
old twins, live at home full time. Tabitha, Pat's oldest, is
starting Macomb in January. Tammi and Tracey are both at the local,
yuck, high school. They graduate this school year. Amie and
Andrew, Pat's two youngest, both attend at the local charter, also
yuck but better, school. Adrian, my youngest, is unschooled. He
has been since January of this year. Before that he was school at
homed, and before that public school for 2.5 years, and before that
school at homed.
We used to be in business for ourselves. He closed the shop in the
interest of destressing and just pulling a check every week. Pat is
a transmission mechanic. It's not too promising where he is
employed right now. (He hasn't been paid in four weeks.) He's in
the process of opening our shop back up. This means long hours and
very late nights. Topping this off, my dad is dying of breast
cancer. My step-sister and myself are sharing the responsibility of
caring for him, that is as long as she's not employed. She's
currently looking for a job. This is taking up at least four days
of my week. Relying on the teens is difficut, and caring for the
younger ones is demanding. Our unschooling life was already being
interrupted throughout the day in relation to the public school
schedule. It's like adding a part-time job to an already very
demanding lifestlye.
Adrian is 10 years old. He is what I believe to be a Highly
Sensitive Child. He would be considered introverted, but outspoken,
by many. He spends the majority of his time playing PS2 and
strategy games on the PC. He enjoys Adult Swim and gross cartoons
on the PC. :) It's his desire to be a video game designer and
critic. He's definately a "boy" when it comes to the outdoors. He
loves BB and pellet guns. His souvenir from Wisconsin was a new CO2
gun purchased with his own money. The highlight for him for the
trip was seeing a mother bear and her cub in my step-sister's
yard/woods. His favorite place to be is my grandparent's farm, not
our very tiny city lot at home. He really doesn't have any
friends. Also, something else that I try to not let bother me.
My concern is this. I have a signifigant other that can't help me
with much of anything due to his personal schedule and life
demands. Getting the teens to help is work in itself. Most
importantly, to me, is my unschooled son. Should I be worried about
this? What have you done in this type of uncontrolable and
temporary situation? How did you make it through? What do you
think you would do, or how do you think you would handle it? Do I
need to just chill and not worry about it? I welcome all wisdom,
tried or not.
Thanks a lot for reading this far...
Tina
way of life and partly to do with life management. Here goes...
Some of you may already know some of these details. In the interest
of understanding I am sharing for a clearer picture of where I am
coming from. Details...
I have seven children, five step and two biological. My oldest is
18 and starting Dorsey Business school. She, as well as the five
steps, were/are public schooled. They all, minus one of the 17-year-
old twins, live at home full time. Tabitha, Pat's oldest, is
starting Macomb in January. Tammi and Tracey are both at the local,
yuck, high school. They graduate this school year. Amie and
Andrew, Pat's two youngest, both attend at the local charter, also
yuck but better, school. Adrian, my youngest, is unschooled. He
has been since January of this year. Before that he was school at
homed, and before that public school for 2.5 years, and before that
school at homed.
We used to be in business for ourselves. He closed the shop in the
interest of destressing and just pulling a check every week. Pat is
a transmission mechanic. It's not too promising where he is
employed right now. (He hasn't been paid in four weeks.) He's in
the process of opening our shop back up. This means long hours and
very late nights. Topping this off, my dad is dying of breast
cancer. My step-sister and myself are sharing the responsibility of
caring for him, that is as long as she's not employed. She's
currently looking for a job. This is taking up at least four days
of my week. Relying on the teens is difficut, and caring for the
younger ones is demanding. Our unschooling life was already being
interrupted throughout the day in relation to the public school
schedule. It's like adding a part-time job to an already very
demanding lifestlye.
Adrian is 10 years old. He is what I believe to be a Highly
Sensitive Child. He would be considered introverted, but outspoken,
by many. He spends the majority of his time playing PS2 and
strategy games on the PC. He enjoys Adult Swim and gross cartoons
on the PC. :) It's his desire to be a video game designer and
critic. He's definately a "boy" when it comes to the outdoors. He
loves BB and pellet guns. His souvenir from Wisconsin was a new CO2
gun purchased with his own money. The highlight for him for the
trip was seeing a mother bear and her cub in my step-sister's
yard/woods. His favorite place to be is my grandparent's farm, not
our very tiny city lot at home. He really doesn't have any
friends. Also, something else that I try to not let bother me.
My concern is this. I have a signifigant other that can't help me
with much of anything due to his personal schedule and life
demands. Getting the teens to help is work in itself. Most
importantly, to me, is my unschooled son. Should I be worried about
this? What have you done in this type of uncontrolable and
temporary situation? How did you make it through? What do you
think you would do, or how do you think you would handle it? Do I
need to just chill and not worry about it? I welcome all wisdom,
tried or not.
Thanks a lot for reading this far...
Tina
Deb Lewis
***Most importantly, to me, is my unschooled son. Should I be worried
about
this? What have you done in this type of uncontrolable and
temporary situation?***
I'm sorry about your dad.
My dad died of bone cancer four years ago when my son Dylan was eight.
We took care of him at home. It's such an emotionally exhausting time.
Take comfort that your son loves video games and enjoys his time playing.
It is so wonderful that he has something to do when you can't be right
there with him.
Talk to him. Make sure he knows things will be different - you *will*
have more time one day. As you said this is a temporary situation.
Maybe even make plans for a special trip. Let both of you have something
positive to focus on.
When you have a few free hours do something different. Take him out to
lunch. Go to the park and throw a Frisbee around. Wander around the
book store, test drive Jeeps, go to the shooting range.
Your life and your son's life will move forward from this point, even
though it doesn't feel that way now. Things will be ok. But make every
effort to make the time you do spend with your son as positive as it can
be. Even if you're just sitting beside him while he plays a game.
***Getting the teens to help is work in itself. ***
Help like, around the house? Could you hire a neighborhood teen or
someone to come in and help out? I know it would be an expense but now
when you're so stressed and worn out it would be a much more peaceful and
effective solution than trying to get people to help who don't really
want to. You really don't need the added stress of a domestic power
struggle. Do what you can to avoid that. Is there a homeschooler you
know who would tidy up for you in exchange for something?
Ask more from your partner. These are special circumstances and he *can*
give a little more, temporarily. Wouldn't you be willing to do the same
for him? Let him know what you need. My own husband felt really lost
when we were taking care of my dad. He really didn't know what would
help me the most. It helped him (and me!) a lot when I just told him
what I wanted him to do.
And remember some of household stuff probably isn't as important to your
family members as it is to you. Talk to them about it, I'll bet they
really don't care if dishes sit a few days. Let them sit if you can't
get to them. Maybe even switch to paper plates and plastic disposable
bowls and plastic utensils. Do whatever it takes to make your load
lighter.
I'll keep thinking. Write me off list if you want. I'm so sorry for
what you're going through, but it will change.
Deb Lewis
about
this? What have you done in this type of uncontrolable and
temporary situation?***
I'm sorry about your dad.
My dad died of bone cancer four years ago when my son Dylan was eight.
We took care of him at home. It's such an emotionally exhausting time.
Take comfort that your son loves video games and enjoys his time playing.
It is so wonderful that he has something to do when you can't be right
there with him.
Talk to him. Make sure he knows things will be different - you *will*
have more time one day. As you said this is a temporary situation.
Maybe even make plans for a special trip. Let both of you have something
positive to focus on.
When you have a few free hours do something different. Take him out to
lunch. Go to the park and throw a Frisbee around. Wander around the
book store, test drive Jeeps, go to the shooting range.
Your life and your son's life will move forward from this point, even
though it doesn't feel that way now. Things will be ok. But make every
effort to make the time you do spend with your son as positive as it can
be. Even if you're just sitting beside him while he plays a game.
***Getting the teens to help is work in itself. ***
Help like, around the house? Could you hire a neighborhood teen or
someone to come in and help out? I know it would be an expense but now
when you're so stressed and worn out it would be a much more peaceful and
effective solution than trying to get people to help who don't really
want to. You really don't need the added stress of a domestic power
struggle. Do what you can to avoid that. Is there a homeschooler you
know who would tidy up for you in exchange for something?
Ask more from your partner. These are special circumstances and he *can*
give a little more, temporarily. Wouldn't you be willing to do the same
for him? Let him know what you need. My own husband felt really lost
when we were taking care of my dad. He really didn't know what would
help me the most. It helped him (and me!) a lot when I just told him
what I wanted him to do.
And remember some of household stuff probably isn't as important to your
family members as it is to you. Talk to them about it, I'll bet they
really don't care if dishes sit a few days. Let them sit if you can't
get to them. Maybe even switch to paper plates and plastic disposable
bowls and plastic utensils. Do whatever it takes to make your load
lighter.
I'll keep thinking. Write me off list if you want. I'm so sorry for
what you're going through, but it will change.
Deb Lewis
umsalayum
Hello everybody!
I'm new here also.
I have been reading on the forum for a while.
And it is been very inspiring.
I have 6 kids and have home schooled my first born (twins) for 4 years , now I found the information on unschooling and I love it!
I have been unschooling my kids kinda like, without knowing it.
We have been having financial problem, so I wasn't able to get a curriculum to home school and I started looking around on the net.
Anyways forcing my kids to learn something has not worked and I was going on and off with the schooling and just left it off for some time(going on 2 years now).
And now , I have been unschooling for a while, I mean we been doing any school as of lately, we just play , watch movies, go to places, parks, playgrounds , beach and so on.
My kids play a lot of PC games, Xbox and online games .
So now I'm waiting for them to come and let me know they want to learn something!?
hmm, I was wondering how do you do it?
How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand playing is learning,
but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and write ?
Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play , watch them, help them , and try to be there when they need me or ask me questions, is that enough?
Do I really just need to sit back ?
I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
Thank you for your input
Greetings form Qatar,Doha
Melanie Kuhn
I'm new here also.
I have been reading on the forum for a while.
And it is been very inspiring.
I have 6 kids and have home schooled my first born (twins) for 4 years , now I found the information on unschooling and I love it!
I have been unschooling my kids kinda like, without knowing it.
We have been having financial problem, so I wasn't able to get a curriculum to home school and I started looking around on the net.
Anyways forcing my kids to learn something has not worked and I was going on and off with the schooling and just left it off for some time(going on 2 years now).
And now , I have been unschooling for a while, I mean we been doing any school as of lately, we just play , watch movies, go to places, parks, playgrounds , beach and so on.
My kids play a lot of PC games, Xbox and online games .
So now I'm waiting for them to come and let me know they want to learn something!?
hmm, I was wondering how do you do it?
How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand playing is learning,
but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and write ?
Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play , watch them, help them , and try to be there when they need me or ask me questions, is that enough?
Do I really just need to sit back ?
I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
Thank you for your input
Greetings form Qatar,Doha
Melanie Kuhn
Schuyler
--------------------
And now , I have been unschooling for a while, I mean we been doing any school as of lately, we just play , watch movies, go to places, parks, playgrounds , beach and so on.
My kids play a lot of PC games, Xbox and online games .
--------------------
My two do a lot of that, too. Sometimes and for some people it is hard to believe that learning is the default position. We learn all the time from lots of different things. I was speaking to a woman a few days ago who kept asking things like, "do you go to the beach so that your children will learn about coastal erosion?" and I had to explain how it might be an outcome of going to the beach, but we go to the beach to go to the beach. Of course the idea that coastal erosion is a key learning point was also a strange one for me, someone who'd grown up in the middle of the U.S., miles from any coastline.
------------------------
So now I'm waiting for them to come and let me know they want to learn something!?
hmm, I was wondering how do you do it?
How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand playing is learning,
but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and write ?
Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
-----------------------
If they came to you asking to read or to write, what would you be able to do to make that possible? Wanting to read or write does not make a reader. Most of the people who've written about children who want to read have said that they'll sit down and do a few worksheets and then decide that it isn't working and go and do something else. The worksheets aren't going to get them reading. And the sitting down and studying how to read isn't going to get them reading. Both Simon and Linnaea have learned how to read without lessons. Linnaea really got reading at about 6. And that was through exposure to Nintendogs and being read to and playing WoW and other video games and computer games. Words were just a part of her day and she was ready to decipher the code and she did. Simon has just recently started reading. He's 12. There was a lot of pre-reading stuff going on, but reading fully and independently didn't happen until around his 12th birthday. It wasn't
wanting that made it so, it was being ready to read, having all the neurological bits lined up so that his brain was aligned with his desire. He had roughly the same environment as Linnaea. If anything his was filled with more written words than hers. But he wasn't in a position to read until he was 12, or nearly.
The amazing thing for both of them is that they did it without anyone "teaching" them how to read. One of the things that people underline as being so pivotally important, so difficult to master, they did on their own and in their own time. Living in a printed word rich environment, with people happy to read to them when they wanted, and who weren't pushing them to read, they became literate individuals. The power that they have over their own understanding of the world is amazing.
---------------------------
I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play, watch them, help them, and try to be there when they need me or ask me questions, is that enough?
Do I really just need to sit back ?
I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
-------------------------
Not doing anything isn't as good as finding cool things that they can do with you. Not pushing them to do things is good though. And being there when they ask for your help or your company is good. But being there before they ask and being there with cool ideas and activities that they can do or turn down, that's even better. Strewing is a way that you can do that and think about it: http://sandradodd.com/strewing can give you some ideas.
Schuyler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
And now , I have been unschooling for a while, I mean we been doing any school as of lately, we just play , watch movies, go to places, parks, playgrounds , beach and so on.
My kids play a lot of PC games, Xbox and online games .
--------------------
My two do a lot of that, too. Sometimes and for some people it is hard to believe that learning is the default position. We learn all the time from lots of different things. I was speaking to a woman a few days ago who kept asking things like, "do you go to the beach so that your children will learn about coastal erosion?" and I had to explain how it might be an outcome of going to the beach, but we go to the beach to go to the beach. Of course the idea that coastal erosion is a key learning point was also a strange one for me, someone who'd grown up in the middle of the U.S., miles from any coastline.
------------------------
So now I'm waiting for them to come and let me know they want to learn something!?
hmm, I was wondering how do you do it?
How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand playing is learning,
but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and write ?
Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
-----------------------
If they came to you asking to read or to write, what would you be able to do to make that possible? Wanting to read or write does not make a reader. Most of the people who've written about children who want to read have said that they'll sit down and do a few worksheets and then decide that it isn't working and go and do something else. The worksheets aren't going to get them reading. And the sitting down and studying how to read isn't going to get them reading. Both Simon and Linnaea have learned how to read without lessons. Linnaea really got reading at about 6. And that was through exposure to Nintendogs and being read to and playing WoW and other video games and computer games. Words were just a part of her day and she was ready to decipher the code and she did. Simon has just recently started reading. He's 12. There was a lot of pre-reading stuff going on, but reading fully and independently didn't happen until around his 12th birthday. It wasn't
wanting that made it so, it was being ready to read, having all the neurological bits lined up so that his brain was aligned with his desire. He had roughly the same environment as Linnaea. If anything his was filled with more written words than hers. But he wasn't in a position to read until he was 12, or nearly.
The amazing thing for both of them is that they did it without anyone "teaching" them how to read. One of the things that people underline as being so pivotally important, so difficult to master, they did on their own and in their own time. Living in a printed word rich environment, with people happy to read to them when they wanted, and who weren't pushing them to read, they became literate individuals. The power that they have over their own understanding of the world is amazing.
---------------------------
I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play, watch them, help them, and try to be there when they need me or ask me questions, is that enough?
Do I really just need to sit back ?
I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
-------------------------
Not doing anything isn't as good as finding cool things that they can do with you. Not pushing them to do things is good though. And being there when they ask for your help or your company is good. But being there before they ask and being there with cool ideas and activities that they can do or turn down, that's even better. Strewing is a way that you can do that and think about it: http://sandradodd.com/strewing can give you some ideas.
Schuyler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jul 17, 2009, at 9:57 AM, umsalayum wrote:
They are learning to read and write now, but it just doesn't look
like it from the outside. Unschooling doesn't resemble school. It
looks like play.
They're learning to read and write in the same way the learned to
speak. I remember before my daughter spoke, I was carrying her around
talking to her, not expecting a response. I asked rhetorically where
her hat was. And she pointed to it up on the mantle. Even though it
looked like little as far as language was concerned was going on, she
obviously understood even if she couldn't reproduce it.
What schools do is try to teach skills out of context. But that's
hard to do. Context gives meaning and motivation. If someone decided
you needed to start memorizing Volapük vocabulary and grammar because
they thought it was important for you to learn, would you find that
easy to do? Just because someone else thought it was important? Just
because they believed it would one day be useful for you and you'd
thank them?
There is no reason for a child to read when they don't yet want to
(or aren't developmentally able to!) There is no reason for a child
to add 13+28 unless they have a real reason to. (For some kids the
reason might be because it's fun. For most kids the reason will look
more like wondering if they have enough money for two toys that cost
$13 and $28.
What you need to trust is that these basic skills are as basic to
life as speaking is. Read to your kids. Listen to books on tape.
Watch movies based on books. Answer their questions. Turn on the
closed captions on the TV *if they think that's cool*. Find (or help
them find) walkthroughs for their video games online (if they want
you to). Make their experience with the printed word pleasant and
they will read when two conditions are met: they are developmentally
able to and they need to. For writing, make sure there are writing
implements and paper readily available. Offer to write down their
stories for them. Make as big a production out of it as *they* want
to. (It may just be written on a piece of paper, typed into the
computer, printed out so they can illustrate it, gathered together in
a book.) Let them tape record their stories. Let them tell you. You
tell stories.
Little of it will look like it's leading directly to reading or
writing. No one thing is important but the whole pile gathered
together is. It's all building the foundation that they'll be able to
build on when they're able and want to. If a child is building a
generic Lego tower, no one Lego is important. But having a pile of
them readily available is.
Be aware of what they're interested in and provide access to more and
related things. Just as you might do for your husband. If you knew he
was in to classic cars you might send him an article or auto show you
stumbled across.
Strew their lives with interesting things that they may or may not
pick up. Keep the doors open so that when they're ready for a new
interest, there are interesting places to explore. This might help.
Read the links here:
http://sandradodd.com/strewing
(And click on Randomize at http://sandradodd.com/unschooling/
occasionally to go to a page with answers to questions you didn't yet
realize you had :-)
Joyce
> I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play , watchYes, you are doing something. You're facilitating their play.
> them, help them , and try to be there when they need me or ask me
> questions, is that enough?
They are learning to read and write now, but it just doesn't look
like it from the outside. Unschooling doesn't resemble school. It
looks like play.
They're learning to read and write in the same way the learned to
speak. I remember before my daughter spoke, I was carrying her around
talking to her, not expecting a response. I asked rhetorically where
her hat was. And she pointed to it up on the mantle. Even though it
looked like little as far as language was concerned was going on, she
obviously understood even if she couldn't reproduce it.
What schools do is try to teach skills out of context. But that's
hard to do. Context gives meaning and motivation. If someone decided
you needed to start memorizing Volapük vocabulary and grammar because
they thought it was important for you to learn, would you find that
easy to do? Just because someone else thought it was important? Just
because they believed it would one day be useful for you and you'd
thank them?
There is no reason for a child to read when they don't yet want to
(or aren't developmentally able to!) There is no reason for a child
to add 13+28 unless they have a real reason to. (For some kids the
reason might be because it's fun. For most kids the reason will look
more like wondering if they have enough money for two toys that cost
$13 and $28.
What you need to trust is that these basic skills are as basic to
life as speaking is. Read to your kids. Listen to books on tape.
Watch movies based on books. Answer their questions. Turn on the
closed captions on the TV *if they think that's cool*. Find (or help
them find) walkthroughs for their video games online (if they want
you to). Make their experience with the printed word pleasant and
they will read when two conditions are met: they are developmentally
able to and they need to. For writing, make sure there are writing
implements and paper readily available. Offer to write down their
stories for them. Make as big a production out of it as *they* want
to. (It may just be written on a piece of paper, typed into the
computer, printed out so they can illustrate it, gathered together in
a book.) Let them tape record their stories. Let them tell you. You
tell stories.
Little of it will look like it's leading directly to reading or
writing. No one thing is important but the whole pile gathered
together is. It's all building the foundation that they'll be able to
build on when they're able and want to. If a child is building a
generic Lego tower, no one Lego is important. But having a pile of
them readily available is.
> So now I'm waiting for them to come and let me know they want toNo, don't wait. But don't teach either!
> learn something!?
>
Be aware of what they're interested in and provide access to more and
related things. Just as you might do for your husband. If you knew he
was in to classic cars you might send him an article or auto show you
stumbled across.
Strew their lives with interesting things that they may or may not
pick up. Keep the doors open so that when they're ready for a new
interest, there are interesting places to explore. This might help.
Read the links here:
http://sandradodd.com/strewing
(And click on Randomize at http://sandradodd.com/unschooling/
occasionally to go to a page with answers to questions you didn't yet
realize you had :-)
Joyce
melanie kuhn
Hi,
thank you so much for your guys reply!
I was nice to hear , how things work for somebody else!
And how I could go about it.
my daughter is going to be 9 soon and she still can not read ,nor write .
At the beginning I have tried to home school her and it was so stressful , she didn't like it!
And now I realize , she wasn't ready for it!
I think she can not learn phonics style .... well now that I unschool
I must admit I don't have creativity and I am not very inspiring !
I need to be inspired !
also being broke and having no money to buy "extras" is not very inspiring .
So I have to find things that cost little or are for free.
Now , she said , she wants to learn how to read and write, because she is been playing world of war craft and she likes to talk to the ppl on there, and of course she can't .
the only way I know of how to "teach" is the conventional way.
So how do I go about it?
I must say I have no idea!
I really admire you guys , full of ideas and spirit.
I have to loosen up a bit and free myself from stressing so much:)
It would be nice if I could buy my kids more stuff , but we simply don't have the money.
it makes my heart so heavy all the time they ask for something and I have to say NO , we have no money.
I love buying things for my kids!
so at the moment I'm stuck
thank you for your time
Melanie Kuhn
To: [email protected]
From: s.waynforth@...
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:31:26 +0000
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] How do you do it?
--------------------
And now , I have been unschooling for a while, I mean we been doing any school as of lately, we just play , watch movies, go to places, parks, playgrounds , beach and so on.
My kids play a lot of PC games, Xbox and online games .
--------------------
My two do a lot of that, too. Sometimes and for some people it is hard to believe that learning is the default position. We learn all the time from lots of different things. I was speaking to a woman a few days ago who kept asking things like, "do you go to the beach so that your children will learn about coastal erosion?" and I had to explain how it might be an outcome of going to the beach, but we go to the beach to go to the beach. Of course the idea that coastal erosion is a key learning point was also a strange one for me, someone who'd grown up in the middle of the U.S., miles from any coastline.
------------------------
So now I'm waiting for them to come and let me know they want to learn something!?
hmm, I was wondering how do you do it?
How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand playing is learning,
but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and write ?
Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
-----------------------
If they came to you asking to read or to write, what would you be able to do to make that possible? Wanting to read or write does not make a reader. Most of the people who've written about children who want to read have said that they'll sit down and do a few worksheets and then decide that it isn't working and go and do something else. The worksheets aren't going to get them reading. And the sitting down and studying how to read isn't going to get them reading. Both Simon and Linnaea have learned how to read without lessons. Linnaea really got reading at about 6. And that was through exposure to Nintendogs and being read to and playing WoW and other video games and computer games. Words were just a part of her day and she was ready to decipher the code and she did. Simon has just recently started reading. He's 12. There was a lot of pre-reading stuff going on, but reading fully and independently didn't happen until around his 12th birthday. It wasn't
wanting that made it so, it was being ready to read, having all the neurological bits lined up so that his brain was aligned with his desire. He had roughly the same environment as Linnaea. If anything his was filled with more written words than hers. But he wasn't in a position to read until he was 12, or nearly.
The amazing thing for both of them is that they did it without anyone "teaching" them how to read. One of the things that people underline as being so pivotally important, so difficult to master, they did on their own and in their own time. Living in a printed word rich environment, with people happy to read to them when they wanted, and who weren't pushing them to read, they became literate individuals. The power that they have over their own understanding of the world is amazing.
---------------------------
I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play, watch them, help them, and try to be there when they need me or ask me questions, is that enough?
Do I really just need to sit back ?
I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
-------------------------
Not doing anything isn't as good as finding cool things that they can do with you. Not pushing them to do things is good though. And being there when they ask for your help or your company is good. But being there before they ask and being there with cool ideas and activities that they can do or turn down, that's even better. Strewing is a way that you can do that and think about it: http://sandradodd.com/strewing can give you some ideas.
Schuyler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
_________________________________________________________________
Show them the way! Add maps and directions to your party invites.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/products/events.aspx
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
thank you so much for your guys reply!
I was nice to hear , how things work for somebody else!
And how I could go about it.
my daughter is going to be 9 soon and she still can not read ,nor write .
At the beginning I have tried to home school her and it was so stressful , she didn't like it!
And now I realize , she wasn't ready for it!
I think she can not learn phonics style .... well now that I unschool
I must admit I don't have creativity and I am not very inspiring !
I need to be inspired !
also being broke and having no money to buy "extras" is not very inspiring .
So I have to find things that cost little or are for free.
Now , she said , she wants to learn how to read and write, because she is been playing world of war craft and she likes to talk to the ppl on there, and of course she can't .
the only way I know of how to "teach" is the conventional way.
So how do I go about it?
I must say I have no idea!
I really admire you guys , full of ideas and spirit.
I have to loosen up a bit and free myself from stressing so much:)
It would be nice if I could buy my kids more stuff , but we simply don't have the money.
it makes my heart so heavy all the time they ask for something and I have to say NO , we have no money.
I love buying things for my kids!
so at the moment I'm stuck
thank you for your time
Melanie Kuhn
To: [email protected]
From: s.waynforth@...
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:31:26 +0000
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] How do you do it?
--------------------
And now , I have been unschooling for a while, I mean we been doing any school as of lately, we just play , watch movies, go to places, parks, playgrounds , beach and so on.
My kids play a lot of PC games, Xbox and online games .
--------------------
My two do a lot of that, too. Sometimes and for some people it is hard to believe that learning is the default position. We learn all the time from lots of different things. I was speaking to a woman a few days ago who kept asking things like, "do you go to the beach so that your children will learn about coastal erosion?" and I had to explain how it might be an outcome of going to the beach, but we go to the beach to go to the beach. Of course the idea that coastal erosion is a key learning point was also a strange one for me, someone who'd grown up in the middle of the U.S., miles from any coastline.
------------------------
So now I'm waiting for them to come and let me know they want to learn something!?
hmm, I was wondering how do you do it?
How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand playing is learning,
but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and write ?
Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
-----------------------
If they came to you asking to read or to write, what would you be able to do to make that possible? Wanting to read or write does not make a reader. Most of the people who've written about children who want to read have said that they'll sit down and do a few worksheets and then decide that it isn't working and go and do something else. The worksheets aren't going to get them reading. And the sitting down and studying how to read isn't going to get them reading. Both Simon and Linnaea have learned how to read without lessons. Linnaea really got reading at about 6. And that was through exposure to Nintendogs and being read to and playing WoW and other video games and computer games. Words were just a part of her day and she was ready to decipher the code and she did. Simon has just recently started reading. He's 12. There was a lot of pre-reading stuff going on, but reading fully and independently didn't happen until around his 12th birthday. It wasn't
wanting that made it so, it was being ready to read, having all the neurological bits lined up so that his brain was aligned with his desire. He had roughly the same environment as Linnaea. If anything his was filled with more written words than hers. But he wasn't in a position to read until he was 12, or nearly.
The amazing thing for both of them is that they did it without anyone "teaching" them how to read. One of the things that people underline as being so pivotally important, so difficult to master, they did on their own and in their own time. Living in a printed word rich environment, with people happy to read to them when they wanted, and who weren't pushing them to read, they became literate individuals. The power that they have over their own understanding of the world is amazing.
---------------------------
I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play, watch them, help them, and try to be there when they need me or ask me questions, is that enough?
Do I really just need to sit back ?
I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
-------------------------
Not doing anything isn't as good as finding cool things that they can do with you. Not pushing them to do things is good though. And being there when they ask for your help or your company is good. But being there before they ask and being there with cool ideas and activities that they can do or turn down, that's even better. Strewing is a way that you can do that and think about it: http://sandradodd.com/strewing can give you some ideas.
Schuyler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
_________________________________________________________________
Show them the way! Add maps and directions to your party invites.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/products/events.aspx
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
duckgirl01
--- In [email protected], "umsalayum" <umsalayum@...> wrote:
, I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and write ?
> Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
> for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
I have a 4 year old and 6 year old. Sometime in the last year, I noticed that my 6 year old was beginning to read. He didn't even realize it himself, and I didn't really say anything either. I just realized that through all the things we were doing - video games with words, reading books a ton, and playing - he was beginning to read. It's amazing to see unfold, especially in comparison to the school-based method of learning to read. Don't get too caught up with ages, though. Reading and writing will happen in their own time, at the right time for each child.
Lately, the 6 year old has told me he wants to learn to read (as in, soon). He's begun to feel motivated to learn it in a more procedural way because he really wants to read books and video game words on his own. So what I've done is first, point out that he *is* reading words sometimes. Second, I've begun to teach him reading a little more. I'm going over a little phonics here and there as we go about our everyday lives - the beginning and ending sounds of words, etc. I am only doing this as he *wants* the information, though. I'm careful not to turn every incident of reading into some sort of lesson. I ask him sometimes if he wants me to tell him about how particular words go together, etc. In his case, he has the goal of learning to read soonish, so we are going with that.
Just keep doing what you are doing. The biggest thing for me is trust in my children and in the nature of humans wanting to learn. If your life is fun and interesting, how could you not want to learn, right?
Trish
Melissa Gray
Hi Melanie!
How old are your kids? Just curious on that one, :-)
I wanted to point out that you feel like you're doing something wrong
because you've been surrounded your entire life with the systematic
ideas that public education has inserted into our society. It's the
idea that children must sit down and be told what is important and in
what order it becomes important. In all honestly, kids (no...people!)
are designed to learn! They make connections all the time, and it has
amazed me to watch my kids learn because I have also had to
consciously break the standards that I grew up with in school.
Let them play, watch them, play WITH them (because learning to play
has been so beneficial for me for unschooling). I had to learn to sit
back and be led by them, because I was so pushy with the info ("Did
you know dinosaurs blah blah blah?") It's not all bad, but kids know
when there's a hidden motive, and they become suspicious. Some kids
like that, some kids start to resent it.
Anyway, nice to meet you!
Melissa
Mom to Joshua, Breanna, Emily, Rachel, Samuel, Daniel, Avari, and
baby Nathan!
Wife to Zane
blog me at
http://startlinglives.blogspot.com/
http://startlinglives365.blogspot.com
How old are your kids? Just curious on that one, :-)
I wanted to point out that you feel like you're doing something wrong
because you've been surrounded your entire life with the systematic
ideas that public education has inserted into our society. It's the
idea that children must sit down and be told what is important and in
what order it becomes important. In all honestly, kids (no...people!)
are designed to learn! They make connections all the time, and it has
amazed me to watch my kids learn because I have also had to
consciously break the standards that I grew up with in school.
Let them play, watch them, play WITH them (because learning to play
has been so beneficial for me for unschooling). I had to learn to sit
back and be led by them, because I was so pushy with the info ("Did
you know dinosaurs blah blah blah?") It's not all bad, but kids know
when there's a hidden motive, and they become suspicious. Some kids
like that, some kids start to resent it.
Anyway, nice to meet you!
Melissa
Mom to Joshua, Breanna, Emily, Rachel, Samuel, Daniel, Avari, and
baby Nathan!
Wife to Zane
blog me at
http://startlinglives.blogspot.com/
http://startlinglives365.blogspot.com
On Jul 17, 2009, at 8:57 AM, umsalayum wrote:
>
> How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand
> playing is learning,
> but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and
> write ?
> Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
> for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
>
> I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play , watch
> them, help them , and try to be there when they need me or ask me
> questions, is that enough?
> Do I really just need to sit back ?
> I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Meredith
--- In [email protected], Schuyler <s.waynforth@...> wrote:
Schuyler, did Simon ever go through that? Wanting to read before he was ready? How did you help him with that? Or prevent that?
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
>> If they came to you asking to read or to write, what would you be able to do to make that possible? Wanting to read or write does not make a reader.This is an imporant point to repeat, especially for folks (like me) who have had years of schoolish indoctrination that Wanting to read is considered an important sign of "readiness". Its only a sign in school, where children are expected to be reluctant learners at all times. Better teaching is about fostering interest. But unschoolers know kids are interested in learning by their very natures. Learning to read is something out kids eventually desire to do - sometimes before they are developmentally ready! That's probably harder on parents who may be getting outside suggestions to teach reading, since the child so clearly wants to.
> --------------------
Schuyler, did Simon ever go through that? Wanting to read before he was ready? How did you help him with that? Or prevent that?
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
Meredith
--- In [email protected], melanie kuhn <umsalayum@...> wrote:
This is going to be challenging with six kids, but read the text to her every chance you get. Type for her or help her spell out the words. Most importantly of all, reassure her that she Will learn, is learning right now. Point out all the other things she's learned in her life. Help her see any kind of interaction with print as part of the learning process.
Don't worry about "extras" so much. A rich environment doesn't have to be an expensive one - I outta know! We've had some really lean years lately and are only now not feeling the pinch quite so hard. But through the worst of it, we found creative ways to say "yes" to our kids wants, and ways to expand their lives a little. Watching tv together is a valuable resource when the budget is too slim for the family to get out much. Creating projects with simple household supplies is good, too. We did our "fun shopping" at yard sales and did a lot of cooking together. Those things all helped stretch the budget, but they also took us to places, physically and conceptually, we wouldn't likely have gone before. It didn't take a lot of inspiration, either. We'd spend some time browsing cookbooks looking for fun things to make, or wander a big yard sale pouring over every little nic-nack and imagining what we'd do with it.
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
>> I think she can not learn phonics style ....Lots of people can't really wrap their minds around phonics until after they've already learned to read. Ray was like that - he could "sound out" a word but not know what the word was. He could "decode" a short sentence without gaining an atom of meaning. But once he could read he could stop and puzzle his way through an unfamiliar word using the letter-sound cues to help him. That's a "normal variation" one might say - a lot of people learn to read and *then* figure out the phonics. Schools don't notice the ones who learn early enough.
> Now , she said , she wants to learn how to read and write, because she is been playing world of war craft and she likes to talk to the ppl on there, and of course she can't .***********************
This is going to be challenging with six kids, but read the text to her every chance you get. Type for her or help her spell out the words. Most importantly of all, reassure her that she Will learn, is learning right now. Point out all the other things she's learned in her life. Help her see any kind of interaction with print as part of the learning process.
> I need to be inspired !Read those strewing links. There's lots of ideas in there about things to do and try. Try to get away from thinking in terms of what may or may not be a good learning opportunity. Learning happens naturally as an extension of living life. Think in terms of what will keep your kids' lives fresh and interesting and fun, without overwhelming them too much.
> also being broke and having no money to buy "extras" is not very inspiring********************
Don't worry about "extras" so much. A rich environment doesn't have to be an expensive one - I outta know! We've had some really lean years lately and are only now not feeling the pinch quite so hard. But through the worst of it, we found creative ways to say "yes" to our kids wants, and ways to expand their lives a little. Watching tv together is a valuable resource when the budget is too slim for the family to get out much. Creating projects with simple household supplies is good, too. We did our "fun shopping" at yard sales and did a lot of cooking together. Those things all helped stretch the budget, but they also took us to places, physically and conceptually, we wouldn't likely have gone before. It didn't take a lot of inspiration, either. We'd spend some time browsing cookbooks looking for fun things to make, or wander a big yard sale pouring over every little nic-nack and imagining what we'd do with it.
> it makes my heart so heavy all the time they ask for something and I have to say NO , we have no money.It can be confusing to kids to see parents spend money - even on gas and food - and then turn around and say "but we've no money for you". It can help to bring them into the process, make the finances a little more transparent. It also helps to find creative ways to say Yes more. Make lists, or a vision board, maybe. Find the same things second hand when possible, or make your own if you can.
>
> I love buying things for my kids!
---Meredith (Mo 7, Ray 15)
melanie kuhn
Hello Melissa ,
I see you have 8 kids , right?
wow how do YOU do it?
My first born were twins , two boys and they going to be 16 soon.
I use to home school them , but not the last 2 years and they doing really good on their own.
I let them be , they learn , when and what they want to learn, they love to do marital arts .
then I have 1 daughter , age 9, after that 3 more boys , age 7, 4 and 1 and a half.
so I can ask you ,how do you manage to give them the same amount of attention and how to share yourself between them !
I know for sure , every kid is so different and it takes skills to make everybody happy and of course somebody is always unhappy :(
well nice meeting all of you guys on here
thank you so much for the good advice everybody gave
I be back with more questions
thank you
Melanie Kuhn
To: [email protected]
From: melissagr8@...
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:38:13 -0500
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] How do you do it?
Hi Melanie!
How old are your kids? Just curious on that one, :-)
I wanted to point out that you feel like you're doing something wrong
because you've been surrounded your entire life with the systematic
ideas that public education has inserted into our society. It's the
idea that children must sit down and be told what is important and in
what order it becomes important. In all honestly, kids (no...people!)
are designed to learn! They make connections all the time, and it has
amazed me to watch my kids learn because I have also had to
consciously break the standards that I grew up with in school.
Let them play, watch them, play WITH them (because learning to play
has been so beneficial for me for unschooling). I had to learn to sit
back and be led by them, because I was so pushy with the info ("Did
you know dinosaurs blah blah blah?") It's not all bad, but kids know
when there's a hidden motive, and they become suspicious. Some kids
like that, some kids start to resent it.
Anyway, nice to meet you!
Melissa
Mom to Joshua, Breanna, Emily, Rachel, Samuel, Daniel, Avari, and
baby Nathan!
Wife to Zane
blog me at
http://startlinglives.blogspot.com/
http://startlinglives365.blogspot.com
I see you have 8 kids , right?
wow how do YOU do it?
My first born were twins , two boys and they going to be 16 soon.
I use to home school them , but not the last 2 years and they doing really good on their own.
I let them be , they learn , when and what they want to learn, they love to do marital arts .
then I have 1 daughter , age 9, after that 3 more boys , age 7, 4 and 1 and a half.
so I can ask you ,how do you manage to give them the same amount of attention and how to share yourself between them !
I know for sure , every kid is so different and it takes skills to make everybody happy and of course somebody is always unhappy :(
well nice meeting all of you guys on here
thank you so much for the good advice everybody gave
I be back with more questions
thank you
Melanie Kuhn
To: [email protected]
From: melissagr8@...
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:38:13 -0500
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] How do you do it?
Hi Melanie!
How old are your kids? Just curious on that one, :-)
I wanted to point out that you feel like you're doing something wrong
because you've been surrounded your entire life with the systematic
ideas that public education has inserted into our society. It's the
idea that children must sit down and be told what is important and in
what order it becomes important. In all honestly, kids (no...people!)
are designed to learn! They make connections all the time, and it has
amazed me to watch my kids learn because I have also had to
consciously break the standards that I grew up with in school.
Let them play, watch them, play WITH them (because learning to play
has been so beneficial for me for unschooling). I had to learn to sit
back and be led by them, because I was so pushy with the info ("Did
you know dinosaurs blah blah blah?") It's not all bad, but kids know
when there's a hidden motive, and they become suspicious. Some kids
like that, some kids start to resent it.
Anyway, nice to meet you!
Melissa
Mom to Joshua, Breanna, Emily, Rachel, Samuel, Daniel, Avari, and
baby Nathan!
Wife to Zane
blog me at
http://startlinglives.blogspot.com/
http://startlinglives365.blogspot.com
On Jul 17, 2009, at 8:57 AM, umsalayum wrote:
>
> How to understand your kids want to learn something , I understand
> playing is learning,
> but right now , I'm thinking when will they learn how to read and
> write ?
> Do I really just wait , or do I need to make it interesting
> for them to want to learn how to read,or other things?
>
> I'm not doing anything at the moment ,I just let them play , watch
> them, help them , and try to be there when they need me or ask me
> questions, is that enough?
> Do I really just need to sit back ?
> I feel like I'm doing something wrong!
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
_________________________________________________________________
With Windows Live, you can organize, edit, and share your photos.
http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/windows/windowslive/products/photo-gallery-edit.aspx
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Schuyler
-------------
Schuyler, did Simon ever go through that? Wanting to read before he was ready? How did you help him with that? Or prevent that?
--------------
Simon never went through a point where he was pushing to read. At least not a point that he talked about. He was willing to let me talk to him about where he was in reading. And when he did read he didn't know how he did it. He couldn't say how it went from illegible to legible. It just clicked. Linnaea wanted to read before she was reading. Not much before. She had a friend who could read and she wanted to read like her friend could. We talked about it and I told her that there wasn't anything I could do to get her reading faster than she was going to read. The only things I could do were things like reading to her more, so we did that. I offered to run my finger under the words as I read them and she liked the idea, but didn't like the practice of doing so. She decided what she wanted to do about it. Mostly it was relaxing back to where she was before the desire.
With Simon I talked at times, in a sideways kind of conversation way, about not knowing how I read. I haven't a clue how I read, I just do. And when I lived in Japan I just didn't, unless there was English in the sign. I didn't press him to read and I happily read for him. I also talked about the things he could see that I didn't see because I was reading the words. He could find things in video games much more quickly and in other arenas as well, because he wasn't waiting for a written instruction to tell him what to do or where to look, he was finding other clues. It was amazing to have the pedestal that reading sits upon knocked away. It is just another tool for accessing information. That awareness really changed my tension over the issue and probably kept him from feeling wanting for not being a reader.
Schuyler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Schuyler, did Simon ever go through that? Wanting to read before he was ready? How did you help him with that? Or prevent that?
--------------
Simon never went through a point where he was pushing to read. At least not a point that he talked about. He was willing to let me talk to him about where he was in reading. And when he did read he didn't know how he did it. He couldn't say how it went from illegible to legible. It just clicked. Linnaea wanted to read before she was reading. Not much before. She had a friend who could read and she wanted to read like her friend could. We talked about it and I told her that there wasn't anything I could do to get her reading faster than she was going to read. The only things I could do were things like reading to her more, so we did that. I offered to run my finger under the words as I read them and she liked the idea, but didn't like the practice of doing so. She decided what she wanted to do about it. Mostly it was relaxing back to where she was before the desire.
With Simon I talked at times, in a sideways kind of conversation way, about not knowing how I read. I haven't a clue how I read, I just do. And when I lived in Japan I just didn't, unless there was English in the sign. I didn't press him to read and I happily read for him. I also talked about the things he could see that I didn't see because I was reading the words. He could find things in video games much more quickly and in other arenas as well, because he wasn't waiting for a written instruction to tell him what to do or where to look, he was finding other clues. It was amazing to have the pedestal that reading sits upon knocked away. It is just another tool for accessing information. That awareness really changed my tension over the issue and probably kept him from feeling wanting for not being a reader.
Schuyler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Ren Allen
> Schuyler, did Simon ever go through that? Wanting to read before he was ready? How did you help him with that? Or prevent that?I'm not Schuyler but Jared (now almost 16) went through that. It was an up and down thing...he'd be fine with it for a while then it might frustrate him for a while. I felt it was more important for him to be comfortable with his own development than to jump on that whole "teachable moment" crap. We explained about how once his body was ready, it would start to make sense and we understood how frustrating it was but we also totally TRUSTED his development as a human being. I explained how sometimes a baby will get frustrated by not being able to walk or talk the way they want, but that eventually it all clicked.
>
We read to him whenever he needed us (for games and such), we even bought him some more adult style readers because he wanted to "practice" (his request) and after trying a bit of it he decided it just frustrated him more. After going through about 2-3 rounds of moderate frustration with the fact that he wanted to read before he COULD, he became very comfortable with it all.
He got a really good glimpse into how school labels and destroys kids who read later, through a neighbor friend. He started reading around the age of 12 and within three months was totally fluent. No lessons, no pushing, nothing but trust and confidence (us first, then him) in the learning process.
There was a time I read everything to him, then he stopped asking so often, then he never needed help. Spelling was the next thing....first he asked me to spell everything and anything, then very little, then nothing. That's how he mastered it.
He's in Alaska this summer having grand adventures and all I can say to worried parents is; keep on trusting their unfolding, keep on being confident and joyful in your own learning, keep on bringing in wonderful experiences for your family and all will be well. Truly.
Ren
radicalunschooling.blogspot.com
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jul 19, 2009, at 12:35 AM, Ren Allen wrote:
lessons. If a mom thinks that lessons will teach, the child can feel
there's something wrong with them if the lessons aren't working.
If a child is developmentally ready, if a child is primed to want
certain answers, it can look like the lesson was responsible for the
learning. But without the first two, the lesson is just a buzz of
useless information. And if a child has the first two, then
awareness, strewing, trust that kids can puzzle a lot of things out
can more effectively replace lessons.
I wouldn't say don't ever use lessons for something "academic". When
a kid is bursting with a bunch of fairly focused questions (even if
they can't necessarily articulate them to ask), something formal can
be a way to get the answers fairly quickly.
But without the need (or ability) to understand, lessons are like
handing a kid a crossword with the answers already filled in. The
answers really aren't all that interesting unless the questions have
first intrigued you to want them.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> we even bought him some more adult style readers because he wantedThis is an important realization, that the learning isn't in the
> to "practice" (his request) and after trying a bit of it he decided
> it just frustrated him more.
lessons. If a mom thinks that lessons will teach, the child can feel
there's something wrong with them if the lessons aren't working.
If a child is developmentally ready, if a child is primed to want
certain answers, it can look like the lesson was responsible for the
learning. But without the first two, the lesson is just a buzz of
useless information. And if a child has the first two, then
awareness, strewing, trust that kids can puzzle a lot of things out
can more effectively replace lessons.
I wouldn't say don't ever use lessons for something "academic". When
a kid is bursting with a bunch of fairly focused questions (even if
they can't necessarily articulate them to ask), something formal can
be a way to get the answers fairly quickly.
But without the need (or ability) to understand, lessons are like
handing a kid a crossword with the answers already filled in. The
answers really aren't all that interesting unless the questions have
first intrigued you to want them.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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My kids haven't gotten into WOW but especially DS plays any number of XBox or computer games. There is a lot of reading involved in many of these games and I think it would be helpful to point that out to your daughter. That if she is playing, she is reading to some extent. Whatever that means in WOW.
OTOH, when my DD wanted to learn to read she demanded a curriculum. We ended up buying the 100 Easy Lessons book -- which she helped pick out -- and discovered (for her) and confirmed (for me) that she was already reading a bit and didn't need to do the first third of the workbook. We did the middle third and, by that time, DD was picking up small books at the library and reading independently. I think she was right on the edge of reading on her own and just needed something to help her consolidate her ideas about her reading. Now she has read her way through our local library branches. :)
FWIW, two different kids, two different experiences. But letting them decide when and how. :)
Nance
This is going to be challenging with six kids, but read the text to her every chance you get. Type for her or help her spell out the words. Most importantly of all, reassure her that she Will learn, is learning right now. Point out all the other things she's learned in her life. Help her see any kind of interaction with print as part of the learning process.
OTOH, when my DD wanted to learn to read she demanded a curriculum. We ended up buying the 100 Easy Lessons book -- which she helped pick out -- and discovered (for her) and confirmed (for me) that she was already reading a bit and didn't need to do the first third of the workbook. We did the middle third and, by that time, DD was picking up small books at the library and reading independently. I think she was right on the edge of reading on her own and just needed something to help her consolidate her ideas about her reading. Now she has read her way through our local library branches. :)
FWIW, two different kids, two different experiences. But letting them decide when and how. :)
Nance
> Now , she said , she wants to learn how to read and write, because she is been playing world of war craft and she likes to talk to the ppl on there, and of course she can't .************ ********* **
This is going to be challenging with six kids, but read the text to her every chance you get. Type for her or help her spell out the words. Most importantly of all, reassure her that she Will learn, is learning right now. Point out all the other things she's learned in her life. Help her see any kind of interaction with print as part of the learning process.