Wintery Mix: The Carnival of Homeschooling

Wintery mix in Times SquareAs your posts were coming in over the past weekend, the weather seemed busy trying to decide what it wanted to be when it grew up. Friday was clear and chilly, but I woke the next morning to the beep-beep of snowplows. From my 40th floor hotel room, I could see snow blowing sideways, nearly obscuring the bright screens wrapping Times Square just a few blocks south. By the time I boarded a train for home on Monday, we had seen sun, snow, rain, fog, and wind, and the trip home held more of the same.

Looking through your posts, I see a similar variety (though more pleasant, of course), so like the forecasters who opted to predict “wintery mix” instead of trying to be specific from hour to hour, I offer you the Wintery Mix Carnival of Homeschooling. I hope you’ll enjoy it! Thanks to all who contributed.

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The Stages of Learning Language Arts

Here’s a graphic version of the learning stages for language arts. Remember that the ages given are approximate, and students usually pass from one stage to the next in order. Some begin early and pass quickly through the stages, while others take much longer. As long as you keep pouring in good literature, they’ll eventually make it through all the stages.

Review: The Struggling Reader Assessments and Teaching Materials

The Struggling Reader Phonics Assessment and Teaching Materials

The Struggling Reader Phonics Assessment and Teaching Materials

Reading is not only the foundation for academic success, it can also be a source of joy and delight. If you’re teaching a student who struggles with reading, reading may even become a source of stress for the whole family. Whatever it is for your family, it’s something that can’t be ignored. I know that reading well can transform a student’s life, so I’ve spend the last couple of months reviewing William and Kristen Eckenwiler’s The Struggling Reader system.

There are five key elements that must be present in reading instruction in order for a student to read well. These are phonemic awareness (the ability to distinguish between sounds), phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. Many programs focus on one or another of these areas, but The Struggling Reader system takes a structured approach to assessing strengths and weaknesses, then addressing them through targeted learning activities.

The system includes focused assessments for each of the five reading essentials, plus a wide array of engaging instructional activities, many with a kinesthetic (hands-on) component. Activities are generally short and simple and most can be done with one or more students at a time. For each assessment, there are instructions for how to administer the test, including where to begin and where to stop, based on the child’s responses. Each of the components is accompanied by a brief (10-15 minute) audio introduction of the material to help you understand what it is and how to use it.

The importance of these assessments cannot be understated. Instead of piling on extra workbooks, more drills, or switching curriculums when a student struggles, a parent is able to pinpoint exactly what areas are causing difficulty, then turn directly to the specific brief, enjoyable learning activities that will help the child progress. It’s possible to hire a reading specialist to administer these type of assessments and create a program tailored for the child, but it’s extremely expensive. The Struggling Reader places the tools for diagnosis and learning directly in the parent’s hands, making it possible for homeschool families to work more effectively with children who struggle with reading.

I corresponded with one parent who used the system, and asked her for feedback on how she had used The Struggling Reader with her daughter. She wrote, ”It was helpful to discover just where Amy had holes. And we did spend more time concentrating on those areas. I began to realize that a lot of Amy’s issues were because she wasn’t consistently focusing as we worked through regular materials. When I pointed out an area as one we had to work on and get creative with (keys to keeping her focused) she improved. At the end of the school year I tested her through the same Struggling Reader materials and the size of the pack of words she had trouble with was reduced by at least 3/4 of the deck.”

The Eckenwilers, both credentialed reading specialists with advanced degrees, homeschool their own sons. They understand that parents don’t necessarily have all day to focus on one child, nor are they likely to have the specialized vocabulary needed to understand the terms that reading specialists use. Each book provides definitions of uncommon terms, detailed instructions for administering assessments (including suggestions designed to put the child at ease), and plain English explanations for instructional activities. The Struggling Reader offers no busy-work; just targeted, focused activities that directly address the child’s specific needs.

I believe that reading is the most important academic skill we teach our students. Students must learn to read well before they can read to learn, so it’s important to create a nourishing home environment where books are read and enjoyed, ideas are discussed, and written and spoken communication is a natural part of everyday life. If you’ve created that strong foundation and your child still struggles with learning to read, there’s usually a discoverable cause. In The Struggling Reader system, the Eckenwilers have provided the tools for diagnosis, and the means for teaching what is needed. I recommend it.

You can learn more about The Struggling Reader at the Eckenwiler’s website: www.TheStrugglingReader.com

*Note: Review materials provided by the publisher.

Great Books Week Day 3: What childhood book captured your imagination?

Great Books Week 2010- sponsored by Excellence in Literature and the National Association of Independent Writers and EditorsI grew up in a quiet home with no television or other young people. My grandparents liked to read, and so did I. Books were my trusted friends and companions throughout childhood, and I loved many of them for many reasons. So…. all that to say that narrowing it down to just one book is asking a bit much, so I’m going to share some overall favorites. I’m pretty sure that the Great Books Week police aren’t on patrol!

Picture Books

Non-Series Books

Series

Young people’s books I didn’t discover until adulthood, and still enjoy:

This is far from a complete list of the young people’s books that sparked my imagination, but it’s at least a start.

Great Books Week 2010 Blog Challenge: Day 1

Great Books Week 2010- sponsored by Excellence in Literature and the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors

Great Books Week 2010- sponsored by Excellence in Literature and the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors

Today’s post for the Great Books Week blog challenge (day 1) is on the question, “What book has had the greatest impact on your life? In what way?”

Because I’ve been an avid reader for most of my life, this is probably going to be the hardest question of the entire week’s challenge, so I’m going to default to the easy and obvious answer.

Rather than trying to choose among the dozens of books that have impacted me in some way, I’ll choose the Bible as the book that has most shaped my thoughts, my conduct, and my life goals. It has provided vivid pictures of both wisdom and foolishness in action, along with the consequences of both, and it reminds me daily to honor the Lord, to be kind, and to treat others with integrity, compassion, respect, and love. There’s more, but just those things are pretty transformative, don’t you think?

Great Books Week is sponsored by Excellence in Literature and the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors during the first full week of October, and it offers a blog challenge, free downloadable poster, and suggested activities.

Christian Worldview or Christian Content? Which Do You Really Want?

Why choose worldview over specific content? Here’s why I did so for Excellence in Literature.

Q: I was recently asked whether Excellence in Literature had Christian content, and since I know it’s a question that others may have, I thought I’d share my answer here.

A: Excellence in Literature is written from a solidly Christian worldview, but it does not have explicitly “Christian content.” There are many reasons for this, but I’ll just outline a few:

I want students to learn to think analytically, so I present the focus texts and context materials so that they will have a large enough body of information to understand worldview as it’s seen in literature, music, and art. I believe they will learn more and retain it longer when it’s presented in this way.

I want parents to be able to use the curriculum without worrying about whether specific doctrinal issues are addressed differently from the way the family has been taught. There are many non-creedal issues upon which Christians differ, and it is parents who bear the responsibility for determining what the family will learn.

Every piece of literature studied is written from a specific worldview, and I believe that students who work through the curriculum will have a deep understanding of the consequences of specific ideas and philosophies. Fiction allows us to see what happens when people believe (or don’t believe) in an omnipotent, omniscient God, and I believe that the truths revealed are more powerful when students discover them for themselves, rather than having them spoon fed.

The curriculum is designed to teach literature and writing, and I believe the focus needs to remain on the literary material presented and practiced. Student essays will inevitably reflect the student’s worldview and can open many conversational avenues within the family.

While I was writing the curriculum, I heard from charter schools which wanted to be able to use the curriculum, but could do so only if it did not contain contain overt religious teaching.

A great deal of the old literature, especially British literature, is permeated with a Christian worldview and has the potential to be a great blessing. I want students to discover this by interacting with the author and the text, rather than by having me tell them what they should think.

When I taught this material in online classes (which I no longer do), I was astonished and blessed many times by the profound insights my students would have about a piece of literature I’d read many times. I don’t want to rob them of this thrill of discovery, nor do I want to replace it with a condensed version of what I’ve come to understand about a particular work. It would be like snatching a fresh, sweet orange from a child and substituting a reconstituted orange drink made from powder and water. I wrote the curriculum to provide an alternative to textbooks like that!

If you want to know more about how I chose the books for Excellence in Literature, you can read this earlier post.

You can read Cathy Duffy’s review of two of the EIL volumes at Cathy Duffy Reviews.

Excellence in Literature: The Complete CurriculumFinally, the Complete Curriculum (all five levels of Excellence in Literature) is available as an e-book. The binder version is so nice that I almost didn’t think you’d want it as an e-book, but I’ve heard from military families, a reader in New Zealand, and at least one person who is moving and wants an easy way to keep track of it, of so here it is. I hope those of you who have been waiting will enjoy it!

And of course, the books are available from the website at Everyday-Education.com.

Read to Learn, Not Just for Story

Read daily, for love and for learning.

Read daily, for love and for learning.

I’ve always loved to read. My earliest memories involve wonderful, imaginative stories that enriched my life. The Little Red Hen, Johnny-Go-Round, Sendak’s Wild Things, Anderson’s fairy tales, the Bobbsey Twins and Happy Hollisters were all as much a part of my life as was the freeway traffic that flowed endlessly across the street from our home, the railroad at the end of the block, and the liquor store where I bought my weekly treat– a fudgesicle, or if I was feeling flush, a 10-cent Rocket Pop. Every day I’d pack my school bag with at least two books with which to stave off inevitable boredom. Trips to the library or my favorite thrift store were highlights of my week; I knew I’d come home with at least a few more books to cherish.

Perhaps I was an odd little kid, but even then I wasn’t reading only to find out what happened in the story. I read to discover new worlds, different lives, deeper meanings in everyday matters. Read more

Carnival of Homeschooling: The Beach Reading Edition

The homeschool carnival makes great beach reading.

The homeschool carnival makes great beach reading.


Carnival of Homeschooling

I’m delighted to host the June 22, 2010 edition of Carnival of Homeschooling! It may be summer, but homeschoolers never stop thinking and learning. To celebrate the season, let’s imagine that we’re at a lovely beach with waves breaking, a gentle breeze blowing, and palm trees rustling. Now…. relax and read while your dear children build sand castles!

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How I Chose Great Books for Excellence in Literature

I often get questions on how I chose the books that are included in the Excellence in Literature curriculum, so I thought I’d address it today. It may help you decide whether or not this is the right curriculum for your family.

There were many factors that went into my choice of books, but I considered the following questions to be most important as I selected what to include.