Today, the weather is very chilly. We are staying indoors because the kids have runny noses, coughs, and sore throats. It's 2:00, and the kids are all finished with their school work. Titus and Mercie are playing with Play-dough. Mercie, Silas and Eli just got finished painting with our water-color pens. Mikaela just completed her Island Project for Cultural Geography.
Today, I am trying to figure out what to do with Silas and phonics. He is 6 and 1/2 years old, the oldest child I've had that can't read yet. We have tried many things. They all work well for a while, but he hits a wall, so I try something else. I don't expect to him to be able to read right away when we start a program, but I do expect to see progress. We were using the Kindergarten Mom's R.E.A.D. program, which teaches word families and sight words. It worked well for a while, but he wasn't really progressing. I printed out the Progressive Phonics beginner reader to try with him, which we have been using this week. I'm not sure about it yet. I will continue it for a while longer, unless I can figure out another plan. I want him reading by the end of the year. Reading is such a big factor in learning - and homeschooling curriculums as well. He should be in 1st grade this year, and he is for math, but most first grade programs assume the child can read at least some words.
Today, I am resting. I was sick earlier this week with a horrible sinus infection. I am finally feeling better, but have been pushing my body too much. With the cold weather outside, I plan to rest on the couch with a blanket and some Bonanza DVDs. The older two can fold the four loads of clean laundry I have waiting in baskets and put them away for me. I'm learning to delegate work more to the children. I can't do it all!
Today, I am trying not to think about the fact that we will be off to another job in a few week. This time, we will be headed to Alabama, which is close to home. We still need to decide if we are going to purchase a new travel trailer or try to rent a house and haul some furniture. I'm not doing a very good job of not thinking about this.
Today, I am going to put a big pot of vegetable and beef soup on the stove to simmer. I'll make cornbread to eat with it tonight.
Today, I am thankful for a new year and new beginnings. I am thankful that God's mercies are new every morning (because I need my share of new mercies).
Sorry to hear you are under the weather. It took FOREVER for my youngest son to finally be able to read and even now at age 9 I feel like his progress is still pretty slow-- painfully slow. But all those baby steps added up and he is reading beginner chapter books now (with help). Definitely keep on working on it, keep trying new materials of the ones you're using don't seem to be working, but rest assured one day it will all click and he will start reading. Though we worked for YEARS on sight words and word families I do feel like all of a sudden he could read. He still lacks confidence and we're always building skills but I do feel like he levels out for long periods of time before making a huge jump.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouragement! I worry so much that he will never learn, but I know that is so silly for me to think. Sight words and word families have given Silas more confidence and progress than the phonics rules. so we will continue to use this method as long as it's working!
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