Carol,
Thanks for the supplies and books you gave to us! Like I've said before, it is difficult to find good beginning reading books.
I think the main thing that holds Isabel back with reading is lack of confidence in herself. If she comes to a word she can't read she feels embarrassed and wants to give up. Out of the books that you gave me I put together a large stack that I know is her level. I told her that once she has read all of them then Joey and I will take, just her, out to IHOP. She is very motivated now and feels very proud of herself each time she finishes a book pretty much without any help from me.
Thanks for being so supportive. I love you.
Sabrina
This morning we went on a much needed Costco trip and then had a pot luck lunch at Kollen's house. Many women came, kids all over the place and food galore! It was great.
During all of the commotion, I was able to talk with Andrea, a fellow home schooler. She started home schooling this last year when I did, but we haven't gotten together very often. I confessed to her that I only have a math curriculum and everything else is whatever we want to learn or think up. She said that math is the only subject that she has a curriculum for as well. Most home schoolers that I've run into use curriculum for most subjects and so it really made me feel at ease that Andrea is teaching her children in a very unschoolish way as well. I know I shouldn't look to other people to validate the way I teach my children, but I must admit, seeing that Andrea teaches similarly to the way I do made me feel not so crazy. Or maybe I just found a fellow crazy.
I also met a woman who has two girls the same ages as mine. When it came out that I home school and she mentioned that she had thought about doing that I really encouraged her. Her girls are very bright it is apparent that she was doing a great job home schooling them before her oldest daughter started Kindergarten this school year. On a selfish note: More home schoolers in my neighborhood means more of a support group for me and more friends during school hours for my kids!
Tonight we will do some school stuff at the kitchen table while we make cupcakes for tomorrow's Leap Day Party.
A list of what we did today for school...
-Isabel read three books to me.
-Luke read a book about the skeletal system and taught us.
-Isabel wrote and drew a picture to her aunt while Luke wrote a letter and drew a maze for his pen pal.
-They both did their math worksheets.
-Isabel did calendar.
-I read them two books.
-We played outside with Nara (our neighbor's two year old)
-We played at the park.
