think I "got" it but...
[email protected]
Hi...got a question... my ds-6 is only vaguely interested in writing,
doesn't recognize all the letters yet (gasp) and would rather be outside
climbing, building contraptions, etc... He will write on occasion (his
name) and I know he will get it in his own time. So I"m wondering, how
do you handle the "others" asking about your child's progress without
letting on that your child is "behind" grade level. (I know I
know...didn't know how else to word that!)
Thanks again!!!
And just a thought for Sandra...perhaps we should all write
"testimonials" for your class reunion and of course sign them all as
co-researchers in the field of child development! :) Or...maybe you
could just borrow the idea of business cards... that one is classic!!
doesn't recognize all the letters yet (gasp) and would rather be outside
climbing, building contraptions, etc... He will write on occasion (his
name) and I know he will get it in his own time. So I"m wondering, how
do you handle the "others" asking about your child's progress without
letting on that your child is "behind" grade level. (I know I
know...didn't know how else to word that!)
Thanks again!!!
And just a thought for Sandra...perhaps we should all write
"testimonials" for your class reunion and of course sign them all as
co-researchers in the field of child development! :) Or...maybe you
could just borrow the idea of business cards... that one is classic!!
Nora or Devereaux Cannon
Usually I pick out an anecdote about what ours is up to and just
lead the conversation through the joys of printmaking or whatever
fairly interesting thing might be closely enough related to be
serviceable.
If the person asking has a legitimate reason to know, then I
don't mind answering very specifically. If it is general "make
nice noise" they are happy to have any answer; a fun one is very
welcome. If it is rudely intended, veiled criticism, I find it
better for my peace of mind to divert it rather than try to
correct the failings their own mother made in teaching them good
manners - some what the same way I treat toddlers who are veering
towards disaster right up until I exclaim "Hey, look at this
bug!".
lead the conversation through the joys of printmaking or whatever
fairly interesting thing might be closely enough related to be
serviceable.
If the person asking has a legitimate reason to know, then I
don't mind answering very specifically. If it is general "make
nice noise" they are happy to have any answer; a fun one is very
welcome. If it is rudely intended, veiled criticism, I find it
better for my peace of mind to divert it rather than try to
correct the failings their own mother made in teaching them good
manners - some what the same way I treat toddlers who are veering
towards disaster right up until I exclaim "Hey, look at this
bug!".
----- Original Message -----
From: <sharonashleigh@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 8:23 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] think I "got" it but...
| Hi...got a question... my ds-6 is only vaguely interested in
writing,
| doesn't recognize all the letters yet (gasp) and would rather
be outside
| climbing, building contraptions, etc... He will write on
occasion (his
| name) and I know he will get it in his own time. So I"m
wondering, how
| do you handle the "others" asking about your child's progress
without
| letting on that your child is "behind" grade level. (I know I
| know...didn't know how else to word that!)
|
| Thanks again!!!
|
| And just a thought for Sandra...perhaps we should all write
| "testimonials" for your class reunion and of course sign them
all as
| co-researchers in the field of child development! :)
Or...maybe you
| could just borrow the idea of business cards... that one is
classic!!
|
|
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[email protected]
In a message dated 5/9/03 7:26:05 AM, sharonashleigh@... writes:
<< And just a thought for Sandra...perhaps we should all write
"testimonials" for your class reunion and of course sign them all as
co-researchers in the field of child development! :) >>
I might take you up on that in ten years or whenever it is! Thanks! <g>
<< And just a thought for Sandra...perhaps we should all write
"testimonials" for your class reunion and of course sign them all as
co-researchers in the field of child development! :) >>
I might take you up on that in ten years or whenever it is! Thanks! <g>
[email protected]
In a message dated 5/9/03 6:25:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
sharonashleigh@... writes:
recognize all the letters. He will still use his fingers to form the letter
and ask "Is this a U?", etc. when he's writing. Imagine the looks I get when
he does that in front of someone (he carries pen and paper everywhere!).
When people I don't know ask, I say we homeschool and we're focusing more on
his creative abilities right now. He'll get reading easily when we start on
it.
When my family and friends ask (which is becoming less and less), I tell them
he will learn when he is ready. Kids in school are being made to address
reading at an early age because the teachers have no other way of teaching
them the other material. We believe Alex learns best in tiny bits over long
periods of time. And I usually add that no one will care when he is grown at
which age he learned. If he hasn't learned it by the time he is grown, then
you (whoever) can say "I told you so".
Hope this helps
Cheryl
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
sharonashleigh@... writes:
> Hi...got a question... my ds-6 is only vaguely interested in writing,My ds is 7. He loves to draw and write stories, but is just now beginning to
> doesn't recognize all the letters yet (gasp) and would rather be outside
> climbing, building contraptions, etc... He will write on occasion (his
> name) and I know he will get it in his own time. So I"m wondering, how
> do you handle the "others" asking about your child's progress without
> letting on that your child is "behind" grade level. (I know I
> know...didn't know how else to word that!)
>
> Thanks again!!!
recognize all the letters. He will still use his fingers to form the letter
and ask "Is this a U?", etc. when he's writing. Imagine the looks I get when
he does that in front of someone (he carries pen and paper everywhere!).
When people I don't know ask, I say we homeschool and we're focusing more on
his creative abilities right now. He'll get reading easily when we start on
it.
When my family and friends ask (which is becoming less and less), I tell them
he will learn when he is ready. Kids in school are being made to address
reading at an early age because the teachers have no other way of teaching
them the other material. We believe Alex learns best in tiny bits over long
periods of time. And I usually add that no one will care when he is grown at
which age he learned. If he hasn't learned it by the time he is grown, then
you (whoever) can say "I told you so".
Hope this helps
Cheryl
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
sorcha_aisling
True story: my brother didn't read until he was about 17 years old.
He "flunked" kindergarten, got dumped in LD with a teacher who told
my parents he was dyslexic and would *never* be able to read. He
took the Ohio Proficiency Test over and over and over before he was
able to graduate. Then all of a sudden one day he could read. I get
email from him and stare at it in amazement because it's so well-
written. I have a birthday card he gave me only four years ago that
looks like a six year old wrote it (invented spelling, no
punctuation). He was nineteen that summer. Today you'd never know
he entered adulthood functionally illiterate. You can learn at any
age. He's even started to get interested in books (he learned to
read by reading car magazines. Before that my mom or I would read to
him, but we were both bored to tears with his car magazines and he
finally learned to read them himself).
Sorcha
He "flunked" kindergarten, got dumped in LD with a teacher who told
my parents he was dyslexic and would *never* be able to read. He
took the Ohio Proficiency Test over and over and over before he was
able to graduate. Then all of a sudden one day he could read. I get
email from him and stare at it in amazement because it's so well-
written. I have a birthday card he gave me only four years ago that
looks like a six year old wrote it (invented spelling, no
punctuation). He was nineteen that summer. Today you'd never know
he entered adulthood functionally illiterate. You can learn at any
age. He's even started to get interested in books (he learned to
read by reading car magazines. Before that my mom or I would read to
him, but we were both bored to tears with his car magazines and he
finally learned to read them himself).
Sorcha
[email protected]
Sorcha, I lifted that for the reading collection.
There was a sweet thirteen year old boy when I was teaching remedial reading
long ago. He SO wanted to learn to read, and would come at lunch and after
school, and nothing I knew to say was helping him (not that I knew much, and
not that there is much to know, if a kid just isn't ready).
I was so sad.
I wish I knew whether he learned, whether it clicked at some point. I bet it
did.
I've forgotten his name now, but I rememember his big hands and his freckles
and he had the dark red hair a few of the families in Northern New Mexico
have.
My dad didn't read fluently. He was a left forced to write right handed, and
had stories of mean teachers in a little school in Rotan, Texas, before he
dropped out and went to work in shipyards in San Francisco or Oakland, where
he learned to weld, and then he joined the army near the end of WWII (war
ended as he was on a transport ship on the way to France). He tried going to
college later, but was entirely frustrated with trying to take whatever the
beginning writing was (101ish thing). He didn't understand what the teacher
wanted. I remember being little, six, and him saying "What does it matter
whether I write 'old woman' or 'old lady.'?"
I wish now I had whatever paper it was that was being criticized for woman or
lady. I'd love to see what he had been writing about.
Sandra
There was a sweet thirteen year old boy when I was teaching remedial reading
long ago. He SO wanted to learn to read, and would come at lunch and after
school, and nothing I knew to say was helping him (not that I knew much, and
not that there is much to know, if a kid just isn't ready).
I was so sad.
I wish I knew whether he learned, whether it clicked at some point. I bet it
did.
I've forgotten his name now, but I rememember his big hands and his freckles
and he had the dark red hair a few of the families in Northern New Mexico
have.
My dad didn't read fluently. He was a left forced to write right handed, and
had stories of mean teachers in a little school in Rotan, Texas, before he
dropped out and went to work in shipyards in San Francisco or Oakland, where
he learned to weld, and then he joined the army near the end of WWII (war
ended as he was on a transport ship on the way to France). He tried going to
college later, but was entirely frustrated with trying to take whatever the
beginning writing was (101ish thing). He didn't understand what the teacher
wanted. I remember being little, six, and him saying "What does it matter
whether I write 'old woman' or 'old lady.'?"
I wish now I had whatever paper it was that was being criticized for woman or
lady. I'd love to see what he had been writing about.
Sandra
Mark & Kristin Shields
Great story! It's a help for parents whose children are learning to read later than the cultural norm. I will send this to a friend whose 10 year old isn't reading yet. I was just wondering, do you think he might have learned to read earlier if he had been unschooled? Perhaps his bad school experiences contributed? Just a thought, Kristin
-----Original Message-----
From: sorcha_aisling [SMTP:sorcha-aisling@...]
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 10:13 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: think I "got" it but...
True story: my brother didn't read until he was about 17 years old.
He "flunked" kindergarten, got dumped in LD with a teacher who told
my parents he was dyslexic and would *never* be able to read. He
took the Ohio Proficiency Test over and over and over before he was
able to graduate. Then all of a sudden one day he could read. I get
email from him and stare at it in amazement because it's so well-
written. I have a birthday card he gave me only four years ago that
looks like a six year old wrote it (invented spelling, no
punctuation). He was nineteen that summer. Today you'd never know
he entered adulthood functionally illiterate. You can learn at any
age. He's even started to get interested in books (he learned to
read by reading car magazines. Before that my mom or I would read to
him, but we were both bored to tears with his car magazines and he
finally learned to read them himself).
Sorcha
~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the subject line! ~~~~
If you have questions, concerns or problems with this list, please email the moderator, Joyce Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
-----Original Message-----
From: sorcha_aisling [SMTP:sorcha-aisling@...]
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 10:13 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: think I "got" it but...
True story: my brother didn't read until he was about 17 years old.
He "flunked" kindergarten, got dumped in LD with a teacher who told
my parents he was dyslexic and would *never* be able to read. He
took the Ohio Proficiency Test over and over and over before he was
able to graduate. Then all of a sudden one day he could read. I get
email from him and stare at it in amazement because it's so well-
written. I have a birthday card he gave me only four years ago that
looks like a six year old wrote it (invented spelling, no
punctuation). He was nineteen that summer. Today you'd never know
he entered adulthood functionally illiterate. You can learn at any
age. He's even started to get interested in books (he learned to
read by reading car magazines. Before that my mom or I would read to
him, but we were both bored to tears with his car magazines and he
finally learned to read them himself).
Sorcha
~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the subject line! ~~~~
If you have questions, concerns or problems with this list, please email the moderator, Joyce Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Stephanie Elms
> name) and I know he will get it in his own time. So I"mI am looking forward to the answers to this one as Jason has no desire to
> wondering, how
> do you handle the "others" asking about your child's progress without
> letting on that your child is "behind" grade level. (I know I
> know...didn't know how else to word that!)
write either! Or draw...he loves mazes but does them with his finger. I think
that it has something to do with not liking to make mistakes. He saw a little
girl writing and erasing in pencil and thought that it was pretty cool so we
have lots of pencils and erasers around :o) He does like to scribble with those.
My dad has so far been the only one to give me a hard time about Jason not writing.
He thinks that Jason will not learn unless I make him practice every day. What I have
done is to become proactive (realizing that part of my dad's concern is that he does
not really know what we are doing...just what we are not doing). I send a monthly
email to my parents and in-laws detailing all the "stuff" that we are doing, books
we are reading, neat things that we are learning, connections that I have seen Jason
make. I also throw in some neat things that he has learned from computer games. :o)
I have gotten fewer comments from my dad about what Jason does not know since starting
this. Plus I find it kind of fun for myself too.
As far as other people, I can usually talk enough about Jason's current interests and
just don't mention what he is not doing. I will have to admit that I had a couple of
pangs of self-consciousness when he signed his name on his basketball coach's thank
you card in front of one of the moms...he took his time and erased a couple of times.
But I realize that this is my problem and I also know that Jason tends to wait until
he is good and ready and then does things over night. It is the way that he is. I
have been giving it lots of thought and I think that what makes me self-conscious
is the idea that my dad or others would think that I was doing something wrong
or not doing something I should be doing. But there is no guarantee that in school
he would be writing any better then he is now...in fact he might be learning to
hate writing. But the difference would be that it would not be my fault. So at least
I know that it is all about me. :o) I am not making Jason practice writing and I do
know that he will start when he is ready. Reading here is giving me more confidence
and I think that will help me get over my problem. I also know from speaking to
lots of hsers that most 6 yo boys are not into writing.
It also has helped me focus on what he does do...he has an incredible vocabulary. If
he hears a word he retains it and uses it correctly. He is very adept at explaining
and expressing himself (too much so sometimes!). My dad expressed a concern of Jason
not being able to communicate if he could not write...I was able to point out that
the act of writing is not where the communication happens...it is in the putting
together of thoughts and words which Jason has no problem doing. I also mentioned that
there is such a thing as typing. The really ironic thing is that my dad has probably
the world's worst handwriting! LOL!
Stephanie E.