OT Homeschooling...

Youre bring back fond memories of reading to DS, Jim. Manys the night we
would snuggle up and read, read, read, until my voice really *did* give out.
Shel Silverstein, Box Car Children series, Christoper Pike...and then came
that wonderful day when he asked to read Stephen King. I thought about the
sexual content in the book he chose and said yes, talked about the part that
made me uncomfortable and let him loose.
Now dear daughter has Daddy and myself read to her almost every night.
Goodnight Moon and One fish, two fish are being memorized again. Soon it
will be trips to the library, once she learns that books are not meant to be
eatten, and she can pick out her own storys.
I can hardly wait to find out what sort of storys interest Meg and what
new treasures she introduces me to.
Diana


--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"Kathy N-V" (snipped savory story)

I started reading to DD in utero, partly as an experiment to see if she
was
listening. I think she was, because when I'd read, she'd immediately
start
kicking. (I also listened to a lot of Bruce Springsteen to foster an
appreciation for his music, with less than optimal results.)

Once she was born, we read to her every single day. As soon as she was
able
to communicate at all, she'd pick the books we were supposed to read -- I
think we read "Goodnight Moon" every night for about two years. (Yes, I
still
know it by heart)


Kathy N-V

Sneaky. But effective...

Deirdre

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 14:53:48 -0400, Kathy N-V
wrote:

I'll start reading something wonderful, stop
at a really exciting spot (claiming my voice is too tired to go on), then I
leave the book in a handy spot. Invariably, they dive for the book and go on
without me. (heh, heh, heh)

When I tested for college entry at 35, after no college, my level of reading
and comprehension, etc, were at post-grad level. I read, too.

Tina


"Kathy N-V" wrote in message
.com...
On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 14:25:00 -0400, Lee S. Billings wrote
(in message ):


May I point out here that children *do* learn what they see modeled? If
they
don't see their parents reading for enjoyment, they may actively
*resist*
learning to read. There was a public-service ad some years back which
showed
a
bookcase full of expensive bric-a-brac, with the caption "Family
Tragedy"
and
some encouragement of parents to read to and with their children. I
think it
was right on the mark.

I started reading to DD in utero, partly as an experiment to see if she
was
listening. I think she was, because when I'd read, she'd immediately
start
kicking. (I also listened to a lot of Bruce Springsteen to foster an
appreciation for his music, with less than optimal results.)

Once she was born, we read to her every single day. As soon as she was
able
to communicate at all, she'd pick the books we were supposed to read -- I
think we read "Goodnight Moon" every night for about two years. (Yes, I
still
know it by heart)

We pointed out words in the real world as well as in books. She learned
some
word recognition when she was very young, and it was pretty funny. We'd
be
driving by a supermarket and she'd say "That smells Star Market" or "That
smells Pizza."

She learned to read early and has loved books pretty much forever. One
unexpected side effect of all that reading aloud was that she learned to
read
aloud comfortably and with feeling. I hear so many people who read aloud
poorly, with little feeling; and I'm glad that DD picked that skill.

I am a voracious reader, as is DD. P/T D is getting a lot better at her
reading, and is starting to like it as well. Of course, I don't always
play
fair in getting them to read: I'll start reading something wonderful,
stop
at a really exciting spot (claiming my voice is too tired to go on), then
I
leave the book in a handy spot. Invariably, they dive for the book and go
on
without me. (heh, heh, heh)

I also buy them pretty much whatever they want to read. DD has a
subscription to the Weekly World News, and she and her friends can't wait
to
sit down and go through it from one end to the other. Sure, it's garbage,
but it gives them practice in reading, vocabulary words and they have a
good
time while gaining fluency. Besides, it's fun to read about Bat Boy
dating
Saddam Hussein.

Kathy N-V


P.S.: When DD was small, I'd encourage her to make up her own stories and
I'd transcribe them as she spoke. I think it helped her learn to organize
her thoughts and definitely taught her how to write expressively. It was
also fun and enlightening to see what was on her mind.

In article ,
atspam (Sjpolyclay) writes:

When I was little, a little friend of mine called my father "Mr. Janie's
Daddy" and it stuck as a nickname for years.

My name has been Lukesmom, and occasionally Eriksmom for years....
Kaytee
"Simplexities" on
www.eclecticbeadery.com
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/simplexities

In article ,
"Karlee in Kansas" wrote:

Its funny how one simple question can evolve into the different topics that
have come about.

I have had most of my questions answered by a few people (thank you tons!!),
but am deeply hurt that my original request
for answers to 5 homeschooling questions has turned into people jumping to
conclusions that I'm going to pull my child
out of regular school and thusly deprive him socially. I never said anything
about pulling him out of public school,
depriving him of the social interaction that he can gain there, nor have I
professed my knowledge to be greater than the
teachers that his particular school has (that one mind you came in a private
email).


Karlee, I was homeschooled, and while it's probably not for every child,
I did quite well and never felt socially deprived. I ended up better
educated than my peers who graduated from the public school system. I
was, for that matter, better educated than my older siblings, who went
to public school.

Furthermore, teachers public, private, and even college-level, often do
not know the curriculum themselves until they study it shortly before
the students do. You don't have to be an expert at a subject in order to
teach it, if you have appropriate materials.

Those who have knee-jerk reactions against homeschooling are often
simply brainwashed against anything that removes children from the
employee-mill our public schools have turned into. Sorry if that offends
anyone; I believe that the strict subordination heirarchy of our schools
serves primarily to create adults who will make good employees. I say
this despite the fact that my father has an advanced degree in
education, and my sister is a public school teacher for the 7th grade in
LA.

Homeschooling can be an excellent alternative to traditional schooling,
and is always a superb *supplement* to traditional schooling. Good for
you.

--
-Kalera
Mom of Juliet, 5, Sam, 3, and Ophelia, born 5/31/03
Wife of the incomparable Moxley of www.spaceplex.com
See us at www.strattonhome.org