We’ve come a long way since the beginning of the school year. My mom homeschooled my siblings and me (I only did it in high school) and I got my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and taught fourth grade, but homeschooling and teaching my own kid how to read seriously terrified me. Like seriously.
We have been reading together since she was a little babe, but I didn’t officially start teaching her how to read until she reached kinder. Partially because I was nervous and part because I didn’t want to rush it and just let her explore being a little toddler. The beginning of the school year was tough. I had just had a baby, on top of already having three little ones, and just diving into homeschooling. What comes so natural and easily to me, was a new and foreign skill to True, so we started at the very beginning… a, e, i, o, u.
I remember moments of wanting to pull my hair out because I wanted her to get it, and she would get it, and then one minute later forget it and it felt like we were starting all over again. I would call my BFF who is still currently a teacher and has always worked with the beginning grades to vent and figure out if I was doing things alright and she said yes, but just be patient. Patient. I needed a whole lot of that!
Fast forward to 6 months later and by golly, True’s got it! We’re working on fluency and she has still got more skills to learn as we are now tackling vowel pairs and silent letters, but we are getting there. She can read short little books. She knows her short vowels, digraphs, blends, and certain sight words and we just have to keep trudging along. This little girl of mine can even write short little stories! They are mostly written phonetically, so spelling is no biggie right now, but they are her stories and all because she knows her sounds and can read.
It is such a happy feeling as a parent and I can see the joy she has when reading and writing her stories. It just gives her another way to express herself and that is the best thing. Now, I still have 3 little ones, so I have to do this three more times and no doubt I will have more moments of wanting to pull out my hair.
When I take a step back and look at the progress though, it really is amazing. I love having this opportunity to teach my children and even though I am a stay home mama, I still get to use my schooling on my children. True can read and I have had the privilege of being part of that journey for her. It’s not an easy one, but it’s making memories together that counts! And I get the joy of doing this three more times…
******
This post was sponsored by Electrolux. The Electrolux Perfect Steam washer gets your clothes cleaner than any other washer, keeping kids looking their best, so parents can focus on the moments that count. Kelly Ripa and Electrolux want to know your proud parent moments. Visit facebook.com/Electrolux to share your BEST moments and enter for a chance to win a new laundry pair.
Good job! To you for teaching and to True for reading! My oldest is in kindergarten and shes just grasping the concept of reading and writing. Now on to the next kid… hehe =)
Congratulations!! 🙂
This is so interesting to me, because here, in my country and in Europe (I think.), this is like science-fiction! Homeschooling, I mean. But, I think it's great!! I have hope that one day, this is going to change here. 🙂
YAY!!!!!! she's reading! and writing!!!!! good job!!!!
You're doing such a great job! I just wanted to put in a little word of encouragement – I was homeschooled 1st grade and on. 🙂 My mom taught me to read at home before kindergarten, and I was always a voracious reader. Don't get discouraged! Once they pick it up, they usually run with it. 🙂
Hurray ! I'm sure that is a wonderful feeling and achieving as a mom. I hope to be able to do it also !
i love your post, but what i like about blogs is that there isn´t the “pollution” about publicity. the sponsors are great in blogs but is great because you can see other thing that you can´t see in your own country (perú).
it is “weird” to read the line of a commercial, a little bit fake for me.
sorry if I offend somebody but is (really really) whit good intentions.
no, thank you very much. it is nice to hear your take on it too. when choosing sponsored posts, i make sure that it goes well with the content of things i already post about and this is a post that would have been written sponsored or not. it just so happened that this one was sponsored but the post is really, truly still all me and my experience in parenting.
elo, i so appreciate your comment!
I know the feeling pride…my daughter read her first whole book this morning- cuddled up in bed beside me, a book light illuminating the pages so we didn't wake up Pa. So, so sweet this time is.
I am so impressed. How old is True? I am working with Gabe, my 4 yr old. We started with the letters and the sounds they make and now we are starting with a couple sight words and word families because I wasn't sure where else to start. Here's a great admission for you.. I had to look up digraph.. I didn't realize what they were! Ha!
Congratulations True!!!!! What a BIG milestone! Ruby- if it makes you feel better, Waldorf students don't learn to read and write until second grade! So there's lots of theories on “when” they should start. I'm just so excited for her… just the beginning of many more books!
Isn't it an amazing light when that “something” clicks and they finally get it and start to experience the love of reading. It sounds like you are doing a great job teaching your sweet children 🙂
I have always said that it all magically happens around the end of February- March…You never think they are going to get there, and then…they do!
Her writing looks amazing 🙂
And in Kinder, it's ALL phonetic spelling! She's doing so well!
(and so are YOU!)
But don't you wish they could stay Kinder age forever? So much fun!
praise God for True's start-off to reading! i'm kinda at a “fear” moment myself with teaching my 3yr old. i guess i'm afraid i won't teach her well and that she won't catch-on. i'm overwhelmed i guess. any pointers for curriculum, step-by-step plans would be a great help.
congrats on a great achievement for you both!
It's so wonderful to see your children reach milestones. This one is right up there walking, I think. The result is even sweeter after all the effort and patience you both put into it :)!
Yay! Reading is such a wonderful thing! xo, rv
http://aneclecticheap.blogspot.com/
it's such a buzz when you catch them reading on their own…just for fun isn't it?
well done 🙂
~d.
To those reading the post and worrying about your own learning to read, don't sweat it. I'm a veteran teacher of 22 years and I truly believe that learning to read (like telling time and tying your shoes!) is developmental and when your child is ready, they will take off with it. You cannot teach a child to read who isn't ready. True is ahead of the game when it comes to kindergarten aged children. As mentioned in an earlier comment, Waldorf students aren't taught to read until they are in second grade.
I tried to teach my eldest to read when she was 4. She picked up a few words, but wasn't ready. By mid-kindergarten, she started and took off with reading much like True is doing now. My son on the other hand taught himself to read at 4. I didn't know he could read until one night he read an entire Dr. Seuss book to me without my help. He however just learned to tie his shoes last year and he's eleven.
yeay! Im so proud of you and True 🙂 Im a second grade teacher and most of my students are struggling readers and dont enjoy writing at all!! Reading about how True is even writing little stories of her own made me smile! Great job teacher her to love reading and writing!!
“I remember moments of wanting to pull my hair out because I wanted her to get it, and she would get it, and then one minute later forget it and it felt like we were starting all over again.”
~> I have so beeen there with my daughter! At first I thought it was me, but I learned that all children learn when they are ready .
I am so glad to here that your lil one is getting it 🙂
Keri~ A mom who is Thankful for her daughter’s Fourth Grade Online Curriculum ~Loving it!~