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Soa

Learning to read, take three.

9th May 2011 by Jax Blunt 2 Comments

What with the whole home education thing, I’ve been very involved in the learning to read process for both of my older children. I think I’ve learnt something from that experience.

Point 1 – there is no one way that suits all children. I know about the current educational vogue for synthetic phonics, and I suppose in a way Small learnt to read using phonics, but he doesn’t sound things out and never did. He skipped that stage of Montessori in a matter of days and went from not appearing to know all the individual sounds to working through Stile trays to a quick flirtation with Oxford Reading tree and suddenly reading fluently in the space of a single term. And when I say reading fluently, I mean reading Harry Potter. By contrast we laboured on a huge variety of methods with Big from age 3 (when she asked to learn to read) to about age 6 when she finally cracked it. Not a set of years I plan to repeat to be honest, it wasn’t fun. (And if you don’t believe me, have a wander through the archives. It’s all there, in glorious black and white.)

Point 2) It ought to be fun. Reading is a fabulous tool, but it does no one much good if they don’t enjoy it. Turning kids off by trying too hard too soon to get them reading is totally counter productive. The vast majority of kids *will* get there in the end, so take it easy, and trust the process.

Point 3) I’m not sure I have one ๐Ÿ™‚

I do have a plan though. With Smallest, we read loads. More I suspect than we did with either of the others, when reading had to be fitted in around everything else we did (like working and commuting and living and so on), and kind of was an item on a good parent checklist. So reading happened, but it wasn’t natural or spontaneous in a way I think it probably works best.

my bookThis time around, there are books everywhere (well, OK, there have always been books everywhere…) and reading goes on all the time. In the bathroom during nappy change, though I don’t let her take board books in the bath. Mean mummy ๐Ÿ˜‰ Out in the garden. At the leisure centre. Wherever we are – there’s always a book or two in my bag, or she might even be carrying her own… There are also extra readers who both demonstrate the skillset in use on a near to daily basis and read to her as well.

demonstrating

And I’m not planning on actively teaching her to read. I’m going to follow a bit of a Montessori approach with it – I already do in fact. So when we look at alphabet style books, I trace the large letter with my finger and “This is a. a.” in much the way sandpaper letters are used. (I won’t be using sandpaper letters when we get to that stage. I might make them out of hama again. But sandpaper makes my skin crawl, so no, no sandpaper!) Sometimes she traces the letter too, sometimes she doesn’t. It’s not that important yet, and really, I wouldn’t expect her to do any of that for a good couple of years if not longer.

As she gets more interested though, I will try to find some kind of movable alphabet. I think this is a fabulous tool – children learn to ‘write’ without actually having to write. It means they learn to spell, and hear the sounds in words without having to decode the squiggly things on the page, it’s coming at reading from a whole different direction. And I know it works – I saw it in action at Montessori lots of times.

When we get past that stage, I might bring in pink materials (probably home made rather than this sort of download, I’m linking it to give you an idea. Note that really you should start with real things instead of abstracts in the form of pictures, so a very small toy cup, a toy hen, that sort of thing) mainly because they are fun. And if I go to use a reading scheme, the one I like best is Bob books. (And you can get it as an app for your iPhone! Drat, first time I’ve wanted an iPhone. Maybe not the best reason so far…)

And hopefully, that will be pretty much all we need. That, and time and patience. So, like I said, I have a plan.

This post will soon be featured in the learn to read carnival I’m ever so rapidly writing…

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Filed Under: carnival, how we do it, It's where it is, reeling, writhing, Soa Tagged With: bob books, learning to read, Montessori, Stile trays

Hectic hurried days.

5th May 2011 by Jax Blunt Leave a Comment

Have had a couple of horriedly hectic days this week, with appts in far flung places and odd gaps in between. Fortunately have managed to fill some of the gaps with friends, like the Puddles and the Beans ๐Ÿ™‚ It’s cost a fortune in diesel as well – meaning that when I can I drive veeerrrrry sloooowwwwly to get better efficiency. It does work, but it’s mind numbing.

I was beyond tired when I got to bed last night, and then had an awful night with Smallest – first time in ages. I think it was all the driving around that did it, with short odd naps folded up in her car seat iyswim. So I didn’t feel an awful lot better when I got up this morning, with another appt to go to, then back for only a couple of hours before tramping down to the leisure centre for yet another instalment of rookie lifeguard.

It’s just as well Big started rookie in September rather than waiting til this year. She’s two lessons off finishing the standard course now, with just her gold challenge test session and then the 1500m test session to go. Oddly her teacher had been preparing them for the mile, and I know that a child in her swim squad did just that in March, but when the letter came out it only said 1500. I’m going to ring up and query it, as she’s ever so disappointed to think she might not get that. I don’t care if they’ve discontinued the badge, they can let her swim the extra four lengths and write it up themselves if necessary!

So that’s the water related news. Although I’m not sure if I mentioned that when we were at a sandy beach at the weekend Smallest paddled for the first time (I know I shared the image) and had to be carried out of the water shivering and screaming to go back in ๐Ÿ˜†

Small has had a tough week, but it was hugely brightened this morning by the arrival of Shadowmagic: Prince of Hazel and Oak, ostensibly for me to review, but in reality it looks like he’ll be doing it. I won the first last year and he stole that and read it, emailing the author, John Lenahan, to say it was one of the best books he’d ever read. (For his age he has actually read quite a lot of books. He’s not desperately discriminating though ๐Ÿ˜‰ ) Anyway, it kept him very happy in the car today, so that was a huge bonus. Thank you Friday Project, full review to follow very soon.

Not been a good week for the garden – accidentally left the seedlings out overnight instead of returning to the porch and something ate several of them ๐Ÿ™ Tomorrow I must see what I can salvage. That’s if I remember to bring them in tonight.

And I do believe we might get some rain too. That would be good. I miss it.

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Filed Under: Big, Getting to know you, It's where it is, places we like, Small steps, Soa Tagged With: FridayProject, John Lenahan, Prince of Hazel and Oak, Shadowmagic

Montessori moment.

22nd March 2011 by Jax Blunt 8 Comments

image

This is how I got 10 minutes to sweep the kitchen floor. I sat her in her chair with two small bowls, some sugar puffs and a spoon, and showed her transferring between bowls. She was engrossed. Sure, some of them went in her mouth, and some of them went on the floor, but that just meant this next.

image

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Filed Under: Montessori minded, Soa Tagged With: early learning, housework, life skills, montessori moment

Kentwell and 1553.

19th March 2011 by Jax Blunt 5 Comments

Today I dragged the children out of bed just after 7, nearly three hours earlier than their preferred rising time in order to drag them 45 mins across country to an open day for potential re-enactors at Kentwell Hall. It was a cold start to a long day, as we drove the bright sun was scaring the frosts of ploughed earth into wisps of mist, setting a scenic background to our travels.

I’d have appreciated it if that had been as interesting as the journey got, but sadly Smallest decided to license up the proceedings further by regurgitating her early breakfast banana all over her lambswool jumper ๐Ÿ™ She seemed fine once she’d done, the jumper not quite so good. Thankfully we made it the rest of the way without further incident, pulling up to park a couple of cars away from our friends Marcus and Michelle with their daughters. Big was thrilled to catch up with them as it was the first time she’d seen C since her stay in France.

First order of the day obviously a cuppa as we started to gather and peruse handouts on making authentic Tudor costume. For my sins I have 4 of us to clothe, and even if I make everything from scratch the whole venture is going to set us back a couple of hundred pounds – I’m not up to making shoes, and we’ll also need wooden bowls, pottery cups, knives, spoons and other sundries. A friend and experienced Kentwellie, Katy had managed to snap up a secondhand kirtle that she thought would do for me, so at least that’s a start.

Tea drunk, time for the first talk of the day, this one aimed at new participants. A chat about how Kentwell came to host re-enactments and how they work, and what we could expect from the rest of the selection process. And then we were sectioned off into small groups and sent off for a tour with one of the existing participants, getting the real lowdown on the house and its immediate environment. Tbh, if we don’t get to go any further, the tour made today’s trip out worthwhile. Although both Big and I would still be very upset to not make the cut.

After the tour another talk, this time a briefing on the chosen year, 1553. Big and I have been doing research on it already – it’s an exciting year! Three monarchs, including the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey, and Kentwell in the middle of the region in the thick of it all.

And then we had lunch ๐Ÿ˜‰

Actually to be more accurate and then we queued for lunch. And while we were queueing I caught up with dyers and weavers – two of the stations that I’m most interested in. Regular readers will know that I’m quite into my yarn crafts – goes right back to carding and spinning wool at primary school, round about the same age I learnt crochet from my step-grandmother. The queue moved very slowly so I also had plenty of chance to chat to friends and the kids had lots of time to explore around the house.

After lunch, a chat for new participants this time more about the shape of a day during a recreation, with a Q and A session. And then more queueing, this time for a personal meet with the head of Kentwell, who does a quick interview with every applicant which feeds into the decision he makes as to nay or yay and if yay, what the station will be.

I’m hoping for something working with wool. Big was as well, but as it’s preferred to give older children a bit more distance from their parents, if I get woolshed or felting, she may well get something else entirely. Cross that bridge when we come to it I suppose.

And very eventually, we wended our way back to the car and home – last off the site (along with our friends ๐Ÿ˜‰ ) Admired the supermoon on the way home, but didn’t stop for pics, only for food at macdonalds when we were nearly back. And now I’m flagging, but the baby is still bouncing frantically around the floor. I’m hoping this blogpost isn’t as disjointed as I suspect it is, but I’ve been interrupted half a dozen times when writing it, and rather lost the thread.

I wanted to talk about everything I think we’re getting out of this process. An enthusiasm for history. Bringing the past to life. Chance to socialise with ppl from all walks of life, learn new (and very old) skills, understand politics, conservation, all sorts really. But I think I might have to leave that for another time when my brain is working. And instead, I’ll finish with a pic. Always a good way to end.

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Filed Under: Ages past, Big, It's where it is, Small steps, Soa Tagged With: Kentwell, Lady Jane Grey, re-enactment, recreations, Tudor

Tired tweeting.

12th February 2011 by Jax Blunt 22 Comments

Typing one handed and slightly tipsy over the head of a beautiful babe slowly going to sleep at my breast. On my breast? Whatever. She is definitely beautiful.

They all are. The gorgeous 11 yo who doesn’t fit under my chin any more. The slightly shaggy 7 year old just visiting from another planet. The beautiful babe.

It’s easier, in a way, to adore them when they are small. Before the failures to communicate become battles of will, when they are still just language errors – the time when you are learning each other’s vocabulary, before English comes between you. Atm Smallest is at the point and screech stage, though she does nod and say ‘ye’ if you get it right, and there are about 4 distinct signs, for want, milk, drink and bird, with sounds for bird, cat, mummy, daddy, milk, and tonight, drink (di).

I love this stage. I am loving enjoying this stage. Though I do wonder how such a small being could ever become the lanky pre-teen that Big is now. It doesn’t seem plausible. I can’t look at her and see the tiny babe, or remember the moments of her helplessness. I wish I’d had a blog back then to record them, but I’m not sure anyone did, really, back in 2000.

Such a long time ago. The blink of an eye and an entire lifetime all in one. If there is anything I could say to today’s crop of mummy bloggers, it’s this. You won’t want to look back on the reviews. Or the clever posts that get you lots of comments or RTs. You’ll want to remember when your babe walked, or talked, or did the funny thing with the mobile phone (walking around the house with her toy phone under her ear, ye, no, ye, no), or her favourite song before she could talk (anything by Cyndi Lauper). You won’t care how many readers there were on the day your child read her first book to you – you will want to know what the book was though (does it count if the only word she reads is Boo? Although we’re working on beep beep beep as well right now.)

Perspective, that’s what it’s all really about. She says, looking down at the sleeping baby, and going slightly gooey.

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Filed Under: breastfeeding, It's where it is, Soa

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