New Member-Hello!
unschoolers4
Hello, my name is Jeska. My husband and I have been unschooling our two daughters, ages 6 and 8 since they were born, I guess you could say. :) We live in Japan, and I am president of our homeschooling group on the military base where my husband is stationed. I wanted to join this group because I am the only unschooler in our group here, so things can get lonely. Especially when all my daughter's friends start "school at home" in September, and I'm finding myself having those thoughts of "well, maybe we could just do a little of this or that". It's hard to stay strong when you are the only one. :) I am firm in my resolve however, constantly working at unschooling myself.
My biggest obstacle right now is being okay with my daughters showing absolutely no interest in learning how to read. They are both very bright girls, my 8 year old has a vocabulary at her command that even surprises us sometimes. But just to give an example, I asked her one day if she wanted to learn how to read, she said "no, I want to be one of those adults that can't read, what are they called again?", I said "illiterate?", she said "yes, that's it, I want to be illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^) Of course I don't want to push, and it's not like they don't love books and reading, because they do. If my throat could handle it, they would ask me to read to them from sunup to sundown!
So, just hoping to get some encouragement and support from a community of like-minded people, can't wait to read some of the other posts. I apologize for the long intro!
Jeska
My biggest obstacle right now is being okay with my daughters showing absolutely no interest in learning how to read. They are both very bright girls, my 8 year old has a vocabulary at her command that even surprises us sometimes. But just to give an example, I asked her one day if she wanted to learn how to read, she said "no, I want to be one of those adults that can't read, what are they called again?", I said "illiterate?", she said "yes, that's it, I want to be illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^) Of course I don't want to push, and it's not like they don't love books and reading, because they do. If my throat could handle it, they would ask me to read to them from sunup to sundown!
So, just hoping to get some encouragement and support from a community of like-minded people, can't wait to read some of the other posts. I apologize for the long intro!
Jeska
Sandra Dodd
-=-I asked her one day if she wanted to learn how to read, she said
"no, I want to be one of those adults that can't read, what are they
called again?", I said "illiterate?", she said "yes, that's it, I want
to be illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^) =-
They'll learn to read gradually and naturally, each in her own way.
Asking them isn't a good idea. People don't learn to read because
they want to. Many young children want to learn to read but they're
just not ready yet.
My daughter had a large vocabulary when she finally read at 11, and
the second thing she read was a Stephen King novella.
-=-If my throat could handle it, they would ask me to read to them
from sunup to sundown!-=-
Spoken word (books read by professionals, and story-telling, and
plays done with several characters) is easy to find now, on the
internet. If you can see YouTube (I think you should be able to)
there's a whole Sesame Street channel that's adding more things every
week.
-=-So, just hoping to get some encouragement and support from a
community of like-minded people-=-
Yes on the support to unschool; we can help you see what will help
unschooling work, definitely. It's not "a support group" so much as
a discussion-of-unschooling list.
http://sandradodd.com/reading
Lots of reading stories and discussions are collected there, from this
list and a few other places.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
"no, I want to be one of those adults that can't read, what are they
called again?", I said "illiterate?", she said "yes, that's it, I want
to be illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^) =-
They'll learn to read gradually and naturally, each in her own way.
Asking them isn't a good idea. People don't learn to read because
they want to. Many young children want to learn to read but they're
just not ready yet.
My daughter had a large vocabulary when she finally read at 11, and
the second thing she read was a Stephen King novella.
-=-If my throat could handle it, they would ask me to read to them
from sunup to sundown!-=-
Spoken word (books read by professionals, and story-telling, and
plays done with several characters) is easy to find now, on the
internet. If you can see YouTube (I think you should be able to)
there's a whole Sesame Street channel that's adding more things every
week.
-=-So, just hoping to get some encouragement and support from a
community of like-minded people-=-
Yes on the support to unschool; we can help you see what will help
unschooling work, definitely. It's not "a support group" so much as
a discussion-of-unschooling list.
http://sandradodd.com/reading
Lots of reading stories and discussions are collected there, from this
list and a few other places.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Ronnie
> Hello, my name is Jeska.Welcome!
> But just to give an example, I asked her one day if she wanted toToo funny! I think what you are supposed to do with that is just enjoy the wit of your very clever daughter! She found an entertaining way to tell you to chill out. :-)
> learn how to read, she said "no, I want to be one of those adults
> that can't read, what are they called again?", I
> said "illiterate?", she said "yes, that's it, I want to be
> illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^)
I agree with everything Sandra said about reading. Also, keep an open mind about what their reading might look like. It might start not with Dick and Jane but with the signs you pass regularly, cereal boxes, video games, board games, their favorite Web sites, letters from Grandma, "Some assembly required" instruction sheets, nature magazines, cookbooks, and so on. Words are all around them, and your kids will be incredibly creative about discovering them.
Ronnie
mom to MJ (17) and Chloe (15)
Sandra Dodd
Gaming magazines were big with my kids. Whatever your daughter's
interests are, maybe find her websites or something with lots of video
or pictures, but there will be words here and there. Probably these
days buying magazine subscriptions isn't as needed as it once was, for
kids' hobbies.
Sandra
interests are, maybe find her websites or something with lots of video
or pictures, but there will be words here and there. Probably these
days buying magazine subscriptions isn't as needed as it once was, for
kids' hobbies.
Sandra
Anne Ambrose
>> Spoken word (books read by professionals, and story-telling, andplays done with several characters) is easy to find now, on the
internet. If you can see YouTube (I think you should be able to)
there's a whole Sesame Street channel that's adding more things every
week.
Check out http://storynory.com/ on the web or Itunes for great stories
when your voice gives out!
Anne
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Schuyler
Living in Japan you must be exposed to a very different reading system. It helped me a lot to think about the differences in reading in Japan and degrees of illiteracy when my children weren't yet reading. When David was working at the Nichibunken institute in Kyoto another professor gave a lecture on Japanese literacy and how, because it is a written language with 50,000 characters/words, it is unlikely that one person will be able to recognize every piece of the literate puzzle that comes along. Children in school learn some 1000 characters/words to start off. It is very different from a base of 26 characters, and a very different structure. And that's just kanji. You have hiragana and katakana to add to that mix.
I was totally illiterate when we lived in Japan. I could recognise the kanji on the bus to get home. The one to get to central Kyoto was easy, it was the only one that came to the bus stop. I found places to go by asking people I knew. I talked to people. I carried around a translator. I'd point to the plastic food in the window at a restaurant to order if the menu didn't have pictures. I negotiated with the world in a very different way to how I negotiate in an area with English subtitles telling me whats on offer from place to place.
When my son was 8 he wasn't interested in reading. He wasn't ready to read, so it was good that disinterest was part of the picture. Maybe that's the case for most people, interest and ability come together at much the same time. Maybe not. I do know some frustrated not yet readers. Simon didn't read until 12. And his reading skills are growing quite quickly. I imagine it won't be long that you won't be able to tell the difference between his reading skills and his sister's who started reading at 6. Reading takes more than desire to make it happen. The neural pathways have to be open, there has to be a kind of development in place, otherwise it is all about frustration and a sense of failure. Once all those pieces are in place, it's like riding a bike, it just goes, it just all comes together.
Breathe, relax, and enjoy. Oh, and get books on tape or cd or mp3. Simon came to prefer Stephen Fry's readings of Harry Potter to mine. And it certainly gave him access to books that he wanted. Still does. He wanders around with the ipod in his pocket and listens to Terry Pratchett or J.K. Rowlings or Eoin Colfer a lot.
Schuyler
________________________________
From: unschoolers4 <unschoolers4@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, 25 October, 2009 23:46:28
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] New Member-Hello!
Hello, my name is Jeska. My husband and I have been unschooling our two daughters, ages 6 and 8 since they were born, I guess you could say. :) We live in Japan, and I am president of our homeschooling group on the military base where my husband is stationed. I wanted to join this group because I am the only unschooler in our group here, so things can get lonely. Especially when all my daughter's friends start "school at home" in September, and I'm finding myself having those thoughts of "well, maybe we could just do a little of this or that". It's hard to stay strong when you are the only one. :) I am firm in my resolve however, constantly working at unschooling myself.
My biggest obstacle right now is being okay with my daughters showing absolutely no interest in learning how to read. They are both very bright girls, my 8 year old has a vocabulary at her command that even surprises us sometimes. But just to give an example, I asked her one day if she wanted to learn how to read, she said "no, I want to be one of those adults that can't read, what are they called again?", I said "illiterate? ", she said "yes, that's it, I want to be illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^) Of course I don't want to push, and it's not like they don't love books and reading, because they do. If my throat could handle it, they would ask me to read to them from sunup to sundown!
So, just hoping to get some encouragement and support from a community of like-minded people, can't wait to read some of the other posts. I apologize for the long intro!
Jeska
__
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I was totally illiterate when we lived in Japan. I could recognise the kanji on the bus to get home. The one to get to central Kyoto was easy, it was the only one that came to the bus stop. I found places to go by asking people I knew. I talked to people. I carried around a translator. I'd point to the plastic food in the window at a restaurant to order if the menu didn't have pictures. I negotiated with the world in a very different way to how I negotiate in an area with English subtitles telling me whats on offer from place to place.
When my son was 8 he wasn't interested in reading. He wasn't ready to read, so it was good that disinterest was part of the picture. Maybe that's the case for most people, interest and ability come together at much the same time. Maybe not. I do know some frustrated not yet readers. Simon didn't read until 12. And his reading skills are growing quite quickly. I imagine it won't be long that you won't be able to tell the difference between his reading skills and his sister's who started reading at 6. Reading takes more than desire to make it happen. The neural pathways have to be open, there has to be a kind of development in place, otherwise it is all about frustration and a sense of failure. Once all those pieces are in place, it's like riding a bike, it just goes, it just all comes together.
Breathe, relax, and enjoy. Oh, and get books on tape or cd or mp3. Simon came to prefer Stephen Fry's readings of Harry Potter to mine. And it certainly gave him access to books that he wanted. Still does. He wanders around with the ipod in his pocket and listens to Terry Pratchett or J.K. Rowlings or Eoin Colfer a lot.
Schuyler
________________________________
From: unschoolers4 <unschoolers4@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, 25 October, 2009 23:46:28
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] New Member-Hello!
Hello, my name is Jeska. My husband and I have been unschooling our two daughters, ages 6 and 8 since they were born, I guess you could say. :) We live in Japan, and I am president of our homeschooling group on the military base where my husband is stationed. I wanted to join this group because I am the only unschooler in our group here, so things can get lonely. Especially when all my daughter's friends start "school at home" in September, and I'm finding myself having those thoughts of "well, maybe we could just do a little of this or that". It's hard to stay strong when you are the only one. :) I am firm in my resolve however, constantly working at unschooling myself.
My biggest obstacle right now is being okay with my daughters showing absolutely no interest in learning how to read. They are both very bright girls, my 8 year old has a vocabulary at her command that even surprises us sometimes. But just to give an example, I asked her one day if she wanted to learn how to read, she said "no, I want to be one of those adults that can't read, what are they called again?", I said "illiterate? ", she said "yes, that's it, I want to be illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^) Of course I don't want to push, and it's not like they don't love books and reading, because they do. If my throat could handle it, they would ask me to read to them from sunup to sundown!
So, just hoping to get some encouragement and support from a community of like-minded people, can't wait to read some of the other posts. I apologize for the long intro!
Jeska
__
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Robyn L. Coburn
<<<<<It might start not with Dick and Jane >>>>>
Yes this is key. I have noticed that unschooling kids seem to learn to read
material that corresponds to their spoken vocabulary, rather than "at the
beginning" with the kind of material schools supply with beginning readers
in first grade.
Whenever we get a new installment of the Sisters Grimm series, usually the
day of publication, I sit in a chair and read it aloud until it is done.
This is generally following a couple of days of refreshing our memory of the
story by reading the earlier ones.
Also I expect to continue to read aloud to Jayn even after she is reading
fluently.
Jayn, just now 10 (wow!) has recently become a reader. Most of her reading
is from computer games and catalog descriptions of her favorite dolls.
Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com
Yes this is key. I have noticed that unschooling kids seem to learn to read
material that corresponds to their spoken vocabulary, rather than "at the
beginning" with the kind of material schools supply with beginning readers
in first grade.
Whenever we get a new installment of the Sisters Grimm series, usually the
day of publication, I sit in a chair and read it aloud until it is done.
This is generally following a couple of days of refreshing our memory of the
story by reading the earlier ones.
Also I expect to continue to read aloud to Jayn even after she is reading
fluently.
Jayn, just now 10 (wow!) has recently become a reader. Most of her reading
is from computer games and catalog descriptions of her favorite dolls.
Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com
Joyce Fetteroll
On Oct 25, 2009, at 7:46 PM, unschoolers4 wrote:
the earlier the better -- is accepted without question. People assume
educators understand how children learn but the truth is that they
don't. They only know what children are like when they're forced to
learn.
Just as children can't walk before they're developmentally ready,
children can't read before they're developmentally ready.
If educators ever knew that, they've forgotten. Their focus is on
doing what makes schools run thinking that's the same as doing what
helps kids learn. Schools need kids to read by 4th grade because
textbooks are an efficient way for one person to impart a chunk of
knowledge to 30 kids. If a child can't read on his own, if the
schools won't find other ways for them to learn, kids who can't read
by 4th grade become a burden and a huge expense. So educators (and
parents) get freaky about getting kids to read by 4th grade so
schools can run.
When that deadline is removed, when kids aren't limited to books to
learn from, then reading can blossom in its own time. Just as talking
and walking blossom in their own time: when the child is
developmentally ready.
Joyce
> My biggest obstacle right now is being okay with my daughtersThe message from school that children must be taught to read -- and
> showing absolutely no interest in learning how to read.
the earlier the better -- is accepted without question. People assume
educators understand how children learn but the truth is that they
don't. They only know what children are like when they're forced to
learn.
Just as children can't walk before they're developmentally ready,
children can't read before they're developmentally ready.
If educators ever knew that, they've forgotten. Their focus is on
doing what makes schools run thinking that's the same as doing what
helps kids learn. Schools need kids to read by 4th grade because
textbooks are an efficient way for one person to impart a chunk of
knowledge to 30 kids. If a child can't read on his own, if the
schools won't find other ways for them to learn, kids who can't read
by 4th grade become a burden and a huge expense. So educators (and
parents) get freaky about getting kids to read by 4th grade so
schools can run.
When that deadline is removed, when kids aren't limited to books to
learn from, then reading can blossom in its own time. Just as talking
and walking blossom in their own time: when the child is
developmentally ready.
Joyce
Sandra Dodd
-=- They only know what children are like when they're forced to
learn.-=-
And "forced to learn" isn't what actually happens there, either.
When teachers of six year olds give one an "A" in reading, it doesn't
mean the kid can go home and read a recipe or the newspaper or the TV
Guide. It means he (or very much more likely she) can parrot what's
been going on in class, choose from the limited word list in use in
the practice book, or sound out the one- and two-syllable words (which
won't have anything tricky) in the workbooks.
School reading and real reading aren't the same thing, but schools
don't like to tell parents that, or parents don't remember or figure
it out.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
learn.-=-
And "forced to learn" isn't what actually happens there, either.
When teachers of six year olds give one an "A" in reading, it doesn't
mean the kid can go home and read a recipe or the newspaper or the TV
Guide. It means he (or very much more likely she) can parrot what's
been going on in class, choose from the limited word list in use in
the practice book, or sound out the one- and two-syllable words (which
won't have anything tricky) in the workbooks.
School reading and real reading aren't the same thing, but schools
don't like to tell parents that, or parents don't remember or figure
it out.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Rina
I'd rephrase that to "Hopefully it won't start with Dick and Jane" ;-)
Although, I suppose there might be some children that would find books like that worth reading.
Regards, Rina
Although, I suppose there might be some children that would find books like that worth reading.
Regards, Rina
--- In [email protected], "Ronnie" <hmsdragonfly@...> wrote:
Also, keep an open mind about what their reading might look like. It might start not with Dick and Jane ....
[email protected]
In a message dated 10/26/2009 5:31:07 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
dezigna@... writes:
<<<Also I expect to continue to read aloud to Jayn even after she is
reading
fluently.>>>
Wyl (10) has been reading since he was 5 and I still read aloud to him. My
husband, Dave, loves when I read aloud-we even make time when he's out on
the road for work to call him and have him listen on the phone while we
read our evening book. (We *just* finished the Harry Potter series last
week-it took many months)
I *love* reading aloud to just about anyone who will listen. I love it so
much, I wish I could make a career out of it (audio books). I can remember
my mother reading to me lots and lots before I could read fluently, but I
don't remember her reading at all to me once I had "gotten it". She also
wouldn't buy me any of the books from the Scholastic catalog we'd get every
month. She refused to buy them for me, because I "could read" but she kept
begging my brother to pick books out for her to buy because he wasn't big on
reading. I remember thinking I was getting punished for being a good and
voracious reader.
We have a neighbor in his 50's who is blind and loves being read to. I
know lots of elderly folks who enjoy having things read to them-even the daily
paper. Tiny print and older eyes don't really get along well, plus there
is someone giving their full attention... Maybe we don't ever "outgrow"
being read to...
Peace,
De
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
dezigna@... writes:
<<<Also I expect to continue to read aloud to Jayn even after she is
reading
fluently.>>>
Wyl (10) has been reading since he was 5 and I still read aloud to him. My
husband, Dave, loves when I read aloud-we even make time when he's out on
the road for work to call him and have him listen on the phone while we
read our evening book. (We *just* finished the Harry Potter series last
week-it took many months)
I *love* reading aloud to just about anyone who will listen. I love it so
much, I wish I could make a career out of it (audio books). I can remember
my mother reading to me lots and lots before I could read fluently, but I
don't remember her reading at all to me once I had "gotten it". She also
wouldn't buy me any of the books from the Scholastic catalog we'd get every
month. She refused to buy them for me, because I "could read" but she kept
begging my brother to pick books out for her to buy because he wasn't big on
reading. I remember thinking I was getting punished for being a good and
voracious reader.
We have a neighbor in his 50's who is blind and loves being read to. I
know lots of elderly folks who enjoy having things read to them-even the daily
paper. Tiny print and older eyes don't really get along well, plus there
is someone giving their full attention... Maybe we don't ever "outgrow"
being read to...
Peace,
De
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
nellebelle
I wish I could make a career out of it (audio books).================
I know someone who is paid to record written word to audio for
vision-impaired people. You might call around your local colleges to see if
there is a need.
Or contact the companies that record books and apply for a job :-)
Mary Ellen
I know someone who is paid to record written word to audio for
vision-impaired people. You might call around your local colleges to see if
there is a need.
Or contact the companies that record books and apply for a job :-)
Mary Ellen
[email protected]
I remember my experiences reading as well growing up- and this post struck a cord with me in relation to todays time. It was pretty similiar in my house, there was no interest in continuing something, reading, writing, math, etc if you were "good" at it. If I brought home straight A's- no attention was paid to me, but rather my struggling sibling with C's. We are a big family that reads today. I told my husband when I first got pregnant that I needed his help, because I wanted our children to always enjoy reading but in my family it was punishment- if you were in trouble it was common to hear "NO! go read in your room" and all other privelidges were taken- so it was very negative to me, reading was something I HAD to do when I was in trouble.
Getting read to aloud is still great, my girls are still young beginner readers, yet I plan to always read daily out loud. We take turns reading a book- this way we all pick a book we would like to read, and everyone gets to hear it whether they were originally interested in it or not- and usually 1/2 way in everyone is hooked.
My husband and I have even reconnected this way- we used to (before time got ahold of us) read a book together, taking turns reading outloud. I think its wonderful- and like you said, something that shouldn't end just because you know how to do it- otherwise why do you learn in the first place?
Getting read to aloud is still great, my girls are still young beginner readers, yet I plan to always read daily out loud. We take turns reading a book- this way we all pick a book we would like to read, and everyone gets to hear it whether they were originally interested in it or not- and usually 1/2 way in everyone is hooked.
My husband and I have even reconnected this way- we used to (before time got ahold of us) read a book together, taking turns reading outloud. I think its wonderful- and like you said, something that shouldn't end just because you know how to do it- otherwise why do you learn in the first place?
--- In [email protected], Sanguinegirl83@... wrote:
>
>
> In a message dated 10/26/2009 5:31:07 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> dezigna@... writes:
>
> <<<Also I expect to continue to read aloud to Jayn even after she is
> reading
> fluently.>>>
>
>
>
> Wyl (10) has been reading since he was 5 and I still read aloud to him. My
> husband, Dave, loves when I read aloud-we even make time when he's out on
> the road for work to call him and have him listen on the phone while we
> read our evening book. (We *just* finished the Harry Potter series last
> week-it took many months)
>
> I *love* reading aloud to just about anyone who will listen. I love it so
> much, I wish I could make a career out of it (audio books). I can remember
> my mother reading to me lots and lots before I could read fluently, but I
> don't remember her reading at all to me once I had "gotten it". She also
> wouldn't buy me any of the books from the Scholastic catalog we'd get every
> month. She refused to buy them for me, because I "could read" but she kept
> begging my brother to pick books out for her to buy because he wasn't big on
> reading. I remember thinking I was getting punished for being a good and
> voracious reader.
>
> We have a neighbor in his 50's who is blind and loves being read to. I
> know lots of elderly folks who enjoy having things read to them-even the daily
> paper. Tiny print and older eyes don't really get along well, plus there
> is someone giving their full attention... Maybe we don't ever "outgrow"
> being read to...
>
> Peace,
> De
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
VickiJ
Yes, how can you not find her "illiterate" answer humorous? When my son was 8 and in a Montessori school (pre-unschooling days) he said he didn't need to go to school, because he knew how to read and could find out anything he needed to know. At that time I thought it was a really funny (albeit overly-confident) thing for him to say. Turns out a few years later I came to the idea of unschooling (on my own -- see, unschooling works!) and realized he'd had it right all along.
But of course, they will learn to read, because they already love it; it's just that they want it to happen through your voice. The reading you do together will be not only something which fuels their desire to read on their own at some point, but something better: fun you can have together while they are growing and learning.
But of course, they will learn to read, because they already love it; it's just that they want it to happen through your voice. The reading you do together will be not only something which fuels their desire to read on their own at some point, but something better: fun you can have together while they are growing and learning.
--- In [email protected], "unschoolers4" <unschoolers4@...> wrote:
>
> Hello, my name is Jeska. My husband and I have been unschooling our two daughters, ages 6 and 8 since they were born, I guess you could say. :) We live in Japan, and I am president of our homeschooling group on the military base where my husband is stationed. I wanted to join this group because I am the only unschooler in our group here, so things can get lonely. Especially when all my daughter's friends start "school at home" in September, and I'm finding myself having those thoughts of "well, maybe we could just do a little of this or that". It's hard to stay strong when you are the only one. :) I am firm in my resolve however, constantly working at unschooling myself.
> My biggest obstacle right now is being okay with my daughters showing absolutely no interest in learning how to read. They are both very bright girls, my 8 year old has a vocabulary at her command that even surprises us sometimes. But just to give an example, I asked her one day if she wanted to learn how to read, she said "no, I want to be one of those adults that can't read, what are they called again?", I said "illiterate?", she said "yes, that's it, I want to be illiterate"! I mean, what are you supposed to do with that? :^) Of course I don't want to push, and it's not like they don't love books and reading, because they do. If my throat could handle it, they would ask me to read to them from sunup to sundown!
> So, just hoping to get some encouragement and support from a community of like-minded people, can't wait to read some of the other posts. I apologize for the long intro!
> Jeska
>
Sandra Dodd
-=-When my son was 8 and in a Montessori school (pre-unschooling days)
he said he didn't need to go to school, because he knew how to read
and could find out anything he needed to know. At that time I thought
it was a really funny (albeit overly-confident) thing for him to say.
Turns out a few years later I came to the idea of unschooling (on my
own -- see, unschooling works!) and realized he'd had it right all
along.-=-
I was surprised at how much Holly learned before she could read. She
was 11 when reading came to her.
An interest in learning to read turns out, from unschoolers'
experience, not to be what causes reading to kick in. If kids are
around language, and learning all the time, one thing they figure out
when they have the cognitive ability to do so is how writing works,
and how their own language is represented by marks on paper.
They can figure it out, if you hang out with them and there are words
around, and you read happily rather than grudgingly, and you read to
them happily and not in the way a teacher would. Don't make reading
"a lesson." Make it the part of your life that you would like for it
to have in your children's lives.
Avoid thinking that reading is superior to other ways to explore the
world.
http://sandradodd.com/bookworship
http://sandradodd.com/r/hollydodd
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
he said he didn't need to go to school, because he knew how to read
and could find out anything he needed to know. At that time I thought
it was a really funny (albeit overly-confident) thing for him to say.
Turns out a few years later I came to the idea of unschooling (on my
own -- see, unschooling works!) and realized he'd had it right all
along.-=-
I was surprised at how much Holly learned before she could read. She
was 11 when reading came to her.
An interest in learning to read turns out, from unschoolers'
experience, not to be what causes reading to kick in. If kids are
around language, and learning all the time, one thing they figure out
when they have the cognitive ability to do so is how writing works,
and how their own language is represented by marks on paper.
They can figure it out, if you hang out with them and there are words
around, and you read happily rather than grudgingly, and you read to
them happily and not in the way a teacher would. Don't make reading
"a lesson." Make it the part of your life that you would like for it
to have in your children's lives.
Avoid thinking that reading is superior to other ways to explore the
world.
http://sandradodd.com/bookworship
http://sandradodd.com/r/hollydodd
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]