Right now I'm aiming for two things with Bear. A few pages* of Progressive Phonics during J-jo's morning nap and art during his afternoon nap. Even though she'll only read two pages of PP a day, and we're only on page 15 of the first book, I can already see an increase in fluency with those CVC words.
Here's her naptime creation from today. The inspiration came from here.
She used cupcake liners, decorated with Do-A-Dot markers. She used a cotton ball to sponge pale blue on the background. I cut stems and leaves out and Bear glued them where she wanted.
It's a very cheerful project and Bear loves to play with cupcake liners.
*(Now before some of you think I'm pushing Bear to read too young, I'd like to say that I am following her lead. She has shown an interest in reading and enjoys playing with words and rhymes and letters. She learned letter sounds before I was ready to teach them to her; she seemed to just absorb them from alphabet books and from me endlessly talking and saying things like "Baby -b-b-b" as I played with language with her.
On a day that I had printed out the CVC egg cards, intending them for a year or so down the road, Bear came over to me and sounded some of them out. I had been showing her how we can write words, using the moveable alphabet just to show her, not thinking she would actually grasp any of it, but she did. We still use the moveable alphabet, but doesn't work on it on her own the way she would in a Montessori classroom. I am only a quasi-Montessorian - I believe strongly in Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and so I am not opposed to showing her something a little beyond her grasp.
And so that leaves me with a almost 3 year old kind of ready for reading and kind of not and I wondered if I should continue or stop until an arbitrary age. I told myself we'd keep going even if some days she really isn't interested. All I ask of her is to read me two pages (and if you are familiar with PP that really translates only into 3 to 7 words per page in the early volumes.)
I don't have any interest in her being able to read early readers per say, but if you don't use a skill you lose it, so at the least I want her reading some sort of words daily for now.)
I love this art project - it's such a perfect blend of guided art and independent art. On the subject of reading - my thinking is that you will sense if she really pushes back. We had periods when I set aside PP for a few days and then managed to coax Anna back into them all the while pondering the same question - when will I know where to stop. Well, the time came when she was not in the least interested in stopping :)
ReplyDeleteDo you read Natalie's blog - Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns? Her daughter is a very proficient reader at the age of three. I know she used Progressive Phonics. You may want to talk to her! http://learningwithmouse.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI love the cupcake liner flowers.
I hate that you have to qualify teaching you kid! I've read your blog for a while and had not realized how close our babies are. My eldest 3 in July and has read for 6 mos and that is reading books. She has read independant words since before she was 2. We did flash cards which to her were games. Never have I pushed her beyond her interest. But like you I find I always have to add a disclaimer like you just did when ever I meet another parent who finds out she can read. My little one does not have bear's motor skills which I is why I love to stop in here and see what you guys are up to. You give us a ton of great inspiration. Keep up the good play and bear will be snuggling down with her own books in no time. We play ryhming games and sound hunting games like others do with a letter of the day. Instead of 'f' day we do 'st'dashs and I have found that to be vey successful. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI love the cupcake liner flowers! I think that you are doing just fine following her lead. Diego has an insatiable appetite for listening to books but has only shown a little interest in reading himself. Every kid is different. If she starts not enjoying it, I would put it to the side and bring out again in a few weeks. We did absolutely no French for a couple of weeks because Diego declared that he was a robot who only spoke Spanish and English. I didn't push it and now he is back to telling everyone that he is trilingual. :)
ReplyDeleteHmm.. As you know I've had the same dilemma with L. She can read some words when she wants to but I can tell she isn't constantly pulling out reading activities desperate to read herself.
ReplyDeleteAfter observing some amazing stages of natural development she's totally done on her own(like one day she can't do something and the next like magic she can do it no problem) I realized that when the time comes for her to read she will do it with ease and she will lead the learning.
Until then we work on ending sorts, word games and all of the other activities but I'm not pushing with the reading or other things for that matter.
I think for me reading the thoughts of Ariella from Childhood Magic has really put things into perspective. I know L needs and wants to be intellectually stimulated but I also realize that she has all the time in the world to learn math and language and will be doing it the rest of her life. Whereas playing in the sandbox, well for that her time is more limited : )
My advise: follow her lead...take breaks when she needs to and increase the pace when she asks.... if ever you sense yourself or Bear getting fustrated (the goal of reading 2-3 pages per day) just take a break.
ReplyDeleteMine was a very early reader and everything worked out great.
I understand your not wanting to push but at the same time introduce something to see if there is interest. I have a teacher friend who warned me that because parents teach their kids, they come to school reading by rote but cannot expand their ideas or tell stories. She said it was better to have a child enter Kindergarten not knowing her sounds who told wonderful stories than vice versa. I agree with what she said but I don't think phonics and the ability to tell stories have to be exclusive. A child can do both if exposed to both. There's also different philosophies and theories that say teaching academics early is harmful but so far, I haven't seen any evidence of it. I am with you on the whole Vygotsky thing and don't see a harm in introducing something slightly beyond the child's level. Although I'm still trying to figure what that is because JC has surprised me with what she can grasp. So, the bottom line is...I introduce something (holistic, the better) and see if she makes any connections. If yes, then we move forward. If not, we leave it until she's more mature. At this age, they learn from almost everything and anything around them.
ReplyDeleteAs for reading, I don't think it hurts to introduce the skills. You'll know if your child responds or not. If it feels like a chore to the child or you feel the need to bribe the child, then I think it's a good time to stop. JC hasn't taken to formal instruction or even Bob Books but she's shown a great deal of interest in reading signs and making up words. Every child is different. What's wonderful is that she still has plenty of time to learn to read so no need for pressure. I don't think any of our children will be illiterate. And from what I've heard, some late readers end up becoming the most voracious readers!
Sorry, my comment is so long (yet again!).
Ditto what Montessori Beginnings said. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing a bit at Bear knowing letter sounds before you were ready to teach them. I'm not a teacher at all - honestly I worried how I would go about teaching my son the very basics since I have no training of that sort. Some how at 14 months my son knew nearly all of the alphabet letter sounds. I could point to a H and he'd say "huuh" etc. So we continue to follow that interest. It has not waned. He will be 3 at the end of June and surprises me all the time with "That says.....". He's still learning the sounding it out process - I think I need more training too. It's really the same as following the lead of a child really into cars - my son is just really into words and music.
ReplyDeleteThe flower art is LOVELY! Very creative. I also enjoy reading your J-jo posts!!
I am enjoying reading the comments to this post very much. My daughter is not even 2 yet, but I ponder this issue all the time myself. Like Bear, my daughter just picked up letter names and sounds out of everyday learning. I've never been afraid to introduce my daughter to something that I think might be a little bit above her grasp because how do I know what she can understand? She daughter amazes me all the time with what she can comprehend so I don't think I should underestimate her. If a child is a little bit behind developmentally, no one would critize their parent for "working" with them because they are trying to do the best for their child. I feel it is the same for the parent of a child is a little advanced developmentally. The parent just has to make the right call and not put too much demands on the child. I also feel like talking, demonstrating, pointing out, or playing can hardly be considered to be demanding to a child. You can see for yourself if she has an interest or not.
ReplyDeleteFirst, love the flowers, they turned out so cute. I need to get back out our do-a-dot markers.
ReplyDeleteAnd second, I'm so proud of bear, that is hard work she's doing at so young.
Thank you everyone for your encouraging comments.
ReplyDeleteChristy - yes! I do read Natalie's blog. Everyday:)
Everyone else: we do take breaks from it - for example, we didn't read today. I also follow bear's lead, at the same time knowing she's not going to want to practice, even if she does want to know how to read. Sounding out to practice reading is tedious and tiring work. So I do have to encourage her a bit - that's why we do so few pages at a time - enough to practice, not enough to be tiring.
I do like what Montessori Beginnings said about playing being for a limited time in our lives. I think I have to keep that nugget closer to my heart as I strive to educate Bear (and her brother).