Trust the Process
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- BeckySAHM
- JaneHollis
- bwheather
- bwheather
- JaneHollis
- bwheather
- JaneHollis
- bwheather
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» BeckySAHM - Trusting the Process
Heather, I couldn't agree more. I think parents and schools need to respect more the fact that kids learn to read at varying ages and rates. I think the expectation that all kids be reading by first grade has created an overemphasis on phonics and drills in an effort to force the skill on them, ready or not. And this practice has resulted in thousands of kids who are good at decoding, but hate reading.-- posted by BeckySAHM
» JaneHollis - Re: Trusting the Process
In response to message posted by BeckySAHM:I think one of the problems in teaching must be the great differences in development and ability in one class. I help out with reading practice in my daughter's class and it is depressing to help children struggle through a book that is too hard for them. I am sure this must put them off reading more than any amount of phonics drill!
Sometimes I don't think the parents help - there is constant pressure from some of them for the child to progress to the next book in the reading scheme. If it was my child I would be wanting to take a step back and stay with really simple books to build confidence and enjoyment. Plus, of course, lots of reading aloud.
-- posted by JaneHollis
» bwheather - Re: Re: Trusting the Process
In response to message posted by JaneHollis:Hi Jane,
I'm glad you have a great approach to teaching your kids to read. We need more parents to get involved. The very thing you describe is just one of the reasons I took my son out of school and now teach him myself. Thanks for commenting. ;-)
-- posted by bwheather
» JaneHollis - Re: Re: Re: Trusting the Process
In response to message posted by bwheather:Hi Heather, I must say I am very interested in the concept of homeschooling. At present, my daughter is very content at school, so I am happy to enhance her education at home, for which I use many homeschooling resources. However, my husband and I have agreed that, if for whatever reason, she became unhappy at school, we would take her out and homeschool her instead.
I'd be interested to know how many other parents utilize that approach - a school education backed up with some home-schooling.
-- posted by JaneHollis
» bwheather - Re: Re: Re: Re: Trusting the Process
In response to message posted by JaneHollis:Hi Jane,
I'm in the very same situation with my daughter, but my son was a different matter completely. As it is, my daughter feels she wouldn't have been able to cope with the work in school if it hadn't been for our involvement at home.
All we do is keep interested in what she's doing. We didn't do any extra work with her, just got alongside her and helped out.
Even though my topic is encouraging kids to read, I do believe it's the rock bed of anything children learn. If they can read, they can learn to do anything. My daughter used to struggle with spelling and reading, but through encouraging her as best I could at home, she is now an avid reader and in the top of her class with most of her subjects.
Even though my son struggled with many things at school, he told me himself he could only read because of me. If I'd left it up to the school he'd never have learnt.
I'm not bagging schools, I got a great education, but parents are invaluable. Check out some of the info available in Suite101 on homeschooling, reading, writing, and any other topic relating to children. There's a lot of info in excellent articles and web sites right here at the Suite. You might enjoy http://www.about.com. They have a homeschooling topic also, which is very comprehensive. You're sure to find something there you can use.
I hope this all helps, Jane. Please let me know how you go. I believe our children need all the help we can give them. :-)
-- posted by bwheather
» JaneHollis - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Trusting the Process
In response to message posted by bwheather:Hello Heather,
I was interested in your point about teaching your children to read yourself. I helped Anna learn to read myself, before she started reading at school. She is now in the top reading group of her class, amongst children several months older than her. She also loves reading and is always looking for things to read - shop signs, road signs, newspaper headlines, books, magazines. Is it just a coincidence or would she have learnt as well if the school had taught her?
Children learn in different ways and have different strengths and weaknesses, so I am sure it is more effective for an involved parent to help them learn, rather than a teacher with 30 other pupils to consider.
Thanks for the advice re: links - I have found the about.com homeschooling site particularly useful.
-- posted by JaneHollis
» bwheather - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Trusting the Process
In response to message posted by JaneHollis:Hi Jane,
Sounds like she's an addict. ;-) I don't believe it's a coincidence. My mother taught me to read before I got to school and it always blessed my life. I didn't realise this at the time my own children were younger, but I still read to them, etc. It didn't occur to me until I had a specific memory, which I asked my mother about. She told me how we picked it up just from her reading to us every night.
My kids could not read before they went to school (something I kind of regret) and the school didn't do a very proper job in teaching them.
Both my kids will admit to me they love to read because of me. It was my desire to see them not only reading but loving it also. When I saw how the school approached it I knew I'd be waiting for them to learn for a really long time. That's when I stepped in and started helping them out.
Congrats on giving your daughter such a wonderful head start. I hope you find lots of great info to help you with teaching her further at home. But believe me, she holds the key to success in her life right now. ;-)
-- posted by bwheather
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