Thursday, February 10, 2011

A real morning in nature

We went to the forest with J's independent study program today! It was lovely. We didn't go to the main part, with precisely fenced trails and signs every fifty feet, but to the back part, where we went off the trails and spent a couple hours playing games in a relatively open part of the redwood forest.

The kids played on a nature playground (made with fallen tree limbs and ropes, including two swings), played sardines (wow, that game helps you notice nature while you're looking for the hidden people), eagle eyes (ditto sardines), and built a house using tree limbs and leaf litter. The last was A's favorite part. Finally, at the end, we took down the playground, packed up the ropes, and it was just another clearing.

The morning was magical. I don't think I've looked at redwoods as closely as when I was looking for the hidden people, at least not in a long time. I never noticed how many huge stumps there were for whole groups of people to hide behind before. We all had a great time. I hope we can go back next week.

(And I hope I can take my nieces in the summer.)

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Final Silent E Page - We did it!

While I was waiting for my sister's labor to really start, I read The Writing Road to Reading and had my eyes opened.

Now, I wasn't unfamiliar with this approach. Actually, we've technically been "using" Spell to Write and Read (which is based on it) off and on since October. However, the opinions she wrote into her book really put me off, such that I had a hard time reading it. Additionally, what she writes a very long book about is only the first chapter of The Writing Road to Reading because WRR is just so much more succinct. 

Suddenly, I caught the vision. THIS was what I was trying to do. It really wasn't so hard after all. Sanseri's book had just overwhelmed me.

We're back on track now, reviewing all phonograms visually everyday and writing eight to ten from dictation everyday. We've reviewed the first three sections from the WISE guide, which we did during the fall, and today started covering new ground.

We did the Silent Final E page. Wow. It wasn't hard. We just had to do it.

Quizzing, which I felt so opposed to before, isn't hard. It is just a different form of practice. Of course John has never gotten a bad spelling test back before (and won't be this year, either). I'll just put a dot over the wrong word, let him fix it, and then put on a star sticker to cover the dot. Then, we'll review it in future weeks.

Amazing - I'm going to be following two programs almost to the letter. We're all happier that way.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Schooling by the book

A few weeks ago, I gave myself a challenge: follow RightStart B to the word for four weeks and then decide if I didn't like it.

I don't know how long I've been doing this "challenge", but it has been wonderful.

I love RightStart B. It is easy to teach. If John clearly knows how to do a section, we do a few problems and move on. He loves the games. If we just do it consistently (which we have, recently), he'll be "accelerated" even though the text goes deeply into concepts. I don't need to speed things up.

Next up: four weeks of "by the book" Spell to Write and Read. Then I can decide if I really can't handle it.