Reading and Writing
Amanda Sutton
I haven't posted before- so an intro to start. I am Amanda mom to
Emily 14, Jasmine 5, and Theodore 9 months. we live in the UK in a
little village. We have been homeschooling since Emily was 8, and have
been unschooling for about a year now. I am still trying to understand
some things.
I must admit to finding it hard when Jasmine's friends come round and
they are reading and writing stuff on her white board. I try not to
have parental panic attacks about this. They have been at school since
September.
We read books every day together, but there has been no sign that she
wants to read them herself. As for writing, she writes her name but
doesn't want to write any more than that. She is busy playing and
watching TV to bother writing or even reading.
I know deep down that she will learn these skills eventually, but will
she have mastery of these things? How do you not worry about it?
Amanda
Emily 14, Jasmine 5, and Theodore 9 months. we live in the UK in a
little village. We have been homeschooling since Emily was 8, and have
been unschooling for about a year now. I am still trying to understand
some things.
I must admit to finding it hard when Jasmine's friends come round and
they are reading and writing stuff on her white board. I try not to
have parental panic attacks about this. They have been at school since
September.
We read books every day together, but there has been no sign that she
wants to read them herself. As for writing, she writes her name but
doesn't want to write any more than that. She is busy playing and
watching TV to bother writing or even reading.
I know deep down that she will learn these skills eventually, but will
she have mastery of these things? How do you not worry about it?
Amanda
[email protected]
In a message dated 6/17/2005 8:51:37 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
We read books every day together, but there has been no sign that she
wants to read them herself. As for writing, she writes her name but
doesn't want to write any more than that. She is busy playing and
watching TV to bother writing or even reading.
I know deep down that she will learn these skills eventually, but will
she have mastery of these things?
Yup. Really. :)
How do you not worry about it?
Well, you will. And you'll notice that she's awesome in a lot of ways, so
that'll help you from going too crazy. It also helps if the parents make a rule
between themselves that only one is allowed to be crazy at a time.
She's only 5. She has a big sister who'll help her, along with her parents.
But that may be a ways off, because despite what the school's are saying,
when you're 5 there are much more interesting things in the world than reading
and writing, especially if you have people who love you reading to you.
Try not to worry. But you will. And you'll get over it. And Jasmine will be
happy and read and write and all that cool stuff when she's ready.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected] writes:
We read books every day together, but there has been no sign that she
wants to read them herself. As for writing, she writes her name but
doesn't want to write any more than that. She is busy playing and
watching TV to bother writing or even reading.
I know deep down that she will learn these skills eventually, but will
she have mastery of these things?
Yup. Really. :)
How do you not worry about it?
Well, you will. And you'll notice that she's awesome in a lot of ways, so
that'll help you from going too crazy. It also helps if the parents make a rule
between themselves that only one is allowed to be crazy at a time.
She's only 5. She has a big sister who'll help her, along with her parents.
But that may be a ways off, because despite what the school's are saying,
when you're 5 there are much more interesting things in the world than reading
and writing, especially if you have people who love you reading to you.
Try not to worry. But you will. And you'll get over it. And Jasmine will be
happy and read and write and all that cool stuff when she's ready.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Ruth
Hi Amanda
I also live in the UK - in Yorkshire I have twin boys aged 6 and also unschool 5 older children. I can't say don't worry cos you will but as the process of life unfolds you will see how your dd progresses in her way and you will feel better. My boys have little interest in reading and writing. They love being read to tho and they enjoy drawing and writing small bits and pieces if it is relevant to them - eg one is into Harry Potter so writes his name on everything. I think schooled chilren have the process of reading and writing forced on them when many are not ready and that cannot be helpful to them as they get older. Remember we have an easy ride here with our laws on home education. The law is clear that HE children do not have to be at school based standards. I have recently had a battle over this with our LEA and won. They backed off after saying they wanted to test my twins and I refused to let them. You dd is getting a childhood and playing is vital to learning. My 15 year old still plays but he has also learnt to read and write somewhere along the way lol. (Also do maths I can't understand!!!). So try to relax.
Ruth
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I also live in the UK - in Yorkshire I have twin boys aged 6 and also unschool 5 older children. I can't say don't worry cos you will but as the process of life unfolds you will see how your dd progresses in her way and you will feel better. My boys have little interest in reading and writing. They love being read to tho and they enjoy drawing and writing small bits and pieces if it is relevant to them - eg one is into Harry Potter so writes his name on everything. I think schooled chilren have the process of reading and writing forced on them when many are not ready and that cannot be helpful to them as they get older. Remember we have an easy ride here with our laws on home education. The law is clear that HE children do not have to be at school based standards. I have recently had a battle over this with our LEA and won. They backed off after saying they wanted to test my twins and I refused to let them. You dd is getting a childhood and playing is vital to learning. My 15 year old still plays but he has also learnt to read and write somewhere along the way lol. (Also do maths I can't understand!!!). So try to relax.
Ruth
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Amanda Sutton <skypainter@...>
I know deep down that she will learn these skills eventually, but will
she have mastery of these things? How do you not worry about it?
-=-=-=-
Duncan, at nine, is finally reading confortably.
We saw a commercial the other day about reading. It was something about
a child's not wanting to read.
Duncan was dunb-founded: he asked, "Why would somebody NOT want to
read?"
I mentioned to my now 17 year old that he was one of those. (He had
told me after he left school that he would never read anything again!
<g> He's now reading several books at the same time.)
Again, Duncan was incredulous! Why would *anyone* NOT want to read?
I think that's the reason *I* don't worry. I have one child that
finally is reading again for pleasure. I have another who was never
pressured, who learned in his own time, and who loves to read.
I would rather have children who like to read than children who can,
but avoid it.
Deep breaths! Trust your daughter! Be patient!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
October 6-9, 2005
http://liveandlearnconference.org
From: Amanda Sutton <skypainter@...>
I know deep down that she will learn these skills eventually, but will
she have mastery of these things? How do you not worry about it?
-=-=-=-
Duncan, at nine, is finally reading confortably.
We saw a commercial the other day about reading. It was something about
a child's not wanting to read.
Duncan was dunb-founded: he asked, "Why would somebody NOT want to
read?"
I mentioned to my now 17 year old that he was one of those. (He had
told me after he left school that he would never read anything again!
<g> He's now reading several books at the same time.)
Again, Duncan was incredulous! Why would *anyone* NOT want to read?
I think that's the reason *I* don't worry. I have one child that
finally is reading again for pleasure. I have another who was never
pressured, who learned in his own time, and who loves to read.
I would rather have children who like to read than children who can,
but avoid it.
Deep breaths! Trust your daughter! Be patient!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
October 6-9, 2005
http://liveandlearnconference.org
Pam Sorooshian
On Jun 17, 2005, at 5:28 AM, Amanda Sutton wrote:
worrying.
Mastery? Are you thinking that reading "later" (she's not even old
enough to refer to it as "later" yet) means not reading as well? Not at
all true. My 3rd daughter began reading later than the other two (she
was 8) - but at 14 she reads just as well as her older sisters. She's a
voracious reader - says she wants to be a librarian, loves books. The
time spent "not yet reading" was time well spent - her ability to
listen and remember things is astounding and I attribute that directly
to her being a later reader.
-pam
> I know deep down that she will learn these skills eventually, but willShe's five. Too young - really truly too young - for you to start
> she have mastery of these things? How do you not worry about it?
worrying.
Mastery? Are you thinking that reading "later" (she's not even old
enough to refer to it as "later" yet) means not reading as well? Not at
all true. My 3rd daughter began reading later than the other two (she
was 8) - but at 14 she reads just as well as her older sisters. She's a
voracious reader - says she wants to be a librarian, loves books. The
time spent "not yet reading" was time well spent - her ability to
listen and remember things is astounding and I attribute that directly
to her being a later reader.
-pam