reading interest, was new unschoolers
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/18/2005 7:31:35 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
nursnmama@... writes:
But, my dd at 7 isn't interested in reading. We have been using this
1st grade curriculum, and she is able to do it, slowly. but she has
no desire. I have stopped doing it wih her bc she resisted so much.
I am trying to make sure we read during the day as well. But, will
she learn to read this way?
Stacey
**********
Stacey, I'm not quite sure what you meant by "isn't interested in reading".
Do you mean she doesn't want to read herself or that she isn't interested in
books?
Everyone has done a good job on the first one. So much brain and muscle
coordination goes into reading. Perhaps her brain isn't developed in those
areas quite as much and it is tiring to read. Would you get worried if she
wasn't walking at 11 months or doing jumping jacks at 5?
As for not being interested in books, my oldest child has very little
interest in books. And in our culture, that seems to be some sort of cardinal sin.
But is it really? I've learned that it is intellectual superiority.....and
believe me I grew up with a good dose of that. Books are just one part of
the glorious world we live in. Many of us love books and we got so much
praise for that. I drive past our elementary school and the sign out front says
"READ! READ! READ!" Ugh, I don't even want to read after that.
My husband doesn't like books. He will read magazines and the internet. It
took me a long time to get over that, I kept trying to get him to read. I
realized there were two issues I had. First, I wanted him to read because I
believed that book-readers are better than everyone else. I have lots of
support in that belief system, and I had to dismantle it. Second, I wanted to
discuss books with him. Well, that wasn't going to happens so I had to learn
to discuss books with other people and find other things that we both enjoyed
for discussion.
It took much work for me to accept my husband's dislike of books. It can
take much work to accept your children's like and dislike of books....or
anything else.....especially when you have become a homeschooler and are
responsible for their "education".
That's OK. But the joy and fun and ease of unschooling will be yours once
you can let go of the baggage and celebrate what your children are interested
in! Let go and have fun! They are so young and they truly have a lifetime
to learn to read and do math and learn who George Washington was.
Ask your daughter about her interests and watch her face light up. Yes, I
know it is hard to get really excited about what Barbie or the Care Bears are
up to, but if you can begin to listen to her, you will see all the amazing
things she is learning without anybody making her learn!! It is way cooler
than sitting at the kitchen table doing reading exercises.
Leslie in SC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
nursnmama@... writes:
But, my dd at 7 isn't interested in reading. We have been using this
1st grade curriculum, and she is able to do it, slowly. but she has
no desire. I have stopped doing it wih her bc she resisted so much.
I am trying to make sure we read during the day as well. But, will
she learn to read this way?
Stacey
**********
Stacey, I'm not quite sure what you meant by "isn't interested in reading".
Do you mean she doesn't want to read herself or that she isn't interested in
books?
Everyone has done a good job on the first one. So much brain and muscle
coordination goes into reading. Perhaps her brain isn't developed in those
areas quite as much and it is tiring to read. Would you get worried if she
wasn't walking at 11 months or doing jumping jacks at 5?
As for not being interested in books, my oldest child has very little
interest in books. And in our culture, that seems to be some sort of cardinal sin.
But is it really? I've learned that it is intellectual superiority.....and
believe me I grew up with a good dose of that. Books are just one part of
the glorious world we live in. Many of us love books and we got so much
praise for that. I drive past our elementary school and the sign out front says
"READ! READ! READ!" Ugh, I don't even want to read after that.
My husband doesn't like books. He will read magazines and the internet. It
took me a long time to get over that, I kept trying to get him to read. I
realized there were two issues I had. First, I wanted him to read because I
believed that book-readers are better than everyone else. I have lots of
support in that belief system, and I had to dismantle it. Second, I wanted to
discuss books with him. Well, that wasn't going to happens so I had to learn
to discuss books with other people and find other things that we both enjoyed
for discussion.
It took much work for me to accept my husband's dislike of books. It can
take much work to accept your children's like and dislike of books....or
anything else.....especially when you have become a homeschooler and are
responsible for their "education".
That's OK. But the joy and fun and ease of unschooling will be yours once
you can let go of the baggage and celebrate what your children are interested
in! Let go and have fun! They are so young and they truly have a lifetime
to learn to read and do math and learn who George Washington was.
Ask your daughter about her interests and watch her face light up. Yes, I
know it is hard to get really excited about what Barbie or the Care Bears are
up to, but if you can begin to listen to her, you will see all the amazing
things she is learning without anybody making her learn!! It is way cooler
than sitting at the kitchen table doing reading exercises.
Leslie in SC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Leslie530@...
I drive past our elementary school and the sign out front
says
"READ! READ! READ!" Ugh, I don't even want to read after that.
***************************
The one in our neighborhood---the one Duncan would go to, is a "RAEDING FIRST" school.
How does *THAT* work???
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
From: Leslie530@...
I drive past our elementary school and the sign out front
says
"READ! READ! READ!" Ugh, I don't even want to read after that.
***************************
The one in our neighborhood---the one Duncan would go to, is a "RAEDING FIRST" school.
How does *THAT* work???
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]