I’ve been whining about Pete’s reading, or lack of reading for two years now.
I posted on the boards. I read unschoolers methods. Bought all the phonics programs known to me. So go ahead and ask me – did any of it work?
Yes, the unschoolers were right. Kids want to learn. Kids learn at different ages and stages. When they are ready, they’ll just do it.
Over the last two years, I tried phonics, I tried spelling, he got glasses. And don’t forget the whining. Those didn’t work. I’m sure some of it sunk in, but he just wasn’t ready. This year, it clicked. He even asked me the other day if he should start reading on his own.
blink, blink
~R
Filed under: Homeschool
YEAHHHHH!!!!!!!! I know what you mean. This year it’s clicked for my son, and it’s a wonderful feeling.
Yay for Pete!
I know I’ve told you about Josh’s struggles with reading. Yesterday I went to parent teacher conferences where I was told he is reading above a 12th grade level as a 9th grader and is doing very well in English. He’s on the honor roll, too! I cannot begin to describe the look on his face when I told his dad about it. It was a mixture of relief, disbelief, and pride. It was a big moment for him. Now I will just try to remember the lessons learned with Josh–each child is different, each child learns at a different pace, etc.–when Naomi tells me she hates reading or fights me on spending more time reading. Patience. It will come.
I know what you mean. I didn’t work with T on reading because he wasn’t ready. He wanted to read earlier, and we tried, but he wasn’t ready. My parents were worried and T was worried and I reassured them all. I went through it with trepidation all the while knowing in my head it was okay, but worrying none the less. He reads more than his oldest sister who was devouring books at 7. He reads things like Ivanhoe and other historical novels. He is 15 and reads well. His sister Z followed the same path. She read a little earlier than him but not with the same proficiency or drive. She hated reading until a month or so ago. She is going on 12 and is reading quite a bit now, with no complaining. Just so you know, I always worried I wasn’t doing it right and still worry I messed up their lives. I plug on because of shear stubbornness and hope it all works out like the reading;-).