While at the Half Price Book store, I picked up a few school books for the boys. I was thrilled to fine the first book in the Konos curriculum for $6.00! The book above as well, was a nice find. Mike has been working with Samuel on memorizing sight words, and he's doing quite well. He can also write his first and last name which is fabulous. Phonics though we haven't quite started, although kindergarten wouldn't start for him until the fall. He's bored though, so we're moving ahead. (Yes, I realize your children could read since the age of two and write their names since they could crawl, but we have neglected to teach these skills to our boys in favor of reading to them and having them play outside, until they near beg us to teach them to read.)
Section one of the text discusses phonemic awareness, specifically the Holder & Fastie process. This method is both auditory and kinesthetic allowing the child to learn both how to hear the sound, and feel it. I think Samuel will greatly benefit from this style of teaching and certainly the instruction for educators is easily understood and implemented. There are also ABC activities, letter of the week curriculum in section four, word-manipulation warm-ups, reading, modeled writing, and fun homework activities. The book is clearly created for
One of the suggestions in the book for "tubbing" (referred to as tubbing because each activity is stored in its own tub or container and labeled for easy identification and access by the children) is to collect small toys, plastic objects, any kinds of little trinkets, felt objects, etc which can be easily identified by children for various ABC sorting activities. I only wish I had thought of this years ago, as I have passed along SO many toys like this. I suppose we're off to GoodWill and the Dollar Store to reclaim a few prices.
This book offers really cute sewing projects for making ABC activities - various books, wall hangings, velcro matching board... I so wish I could do these, and ten years ago I would have jumped at the opportunity and got so distracted we would have fallen off our schedule. The ABC pencil activity, I suspect Mike and I could accomplish however, or the ABC sock clothesline, ABC mystery can, ABC tackle box or ABC apron, without too much distraction from our primary purpose.
When I was little phonics were taught primarily through thick head-phone sets through books on cassette tapes. Remember those? Or through cutting out stacks of magazines and making letter cards and collages. Fun.
We've started a letter book for Samuel, which I treasure for each of my children. This text also encourages creating books, but one for each letter. Again, too much time spent creating that will ultimately take me away from teaching. I am going to stick to my original plan and put Samuel's work in a single book, creating regular activities within each week specific to each letter.
One point I greatly appreciate about this book is the discussion for genuinely creating strategy-oriented activities for beginning readers. Noah took a phenomenal class with Mr Murray in our previous homeschool co-op. That opportunity is no longer available, so we're scrambling somewhat to figure out how to break down the phonics and maintain the strict schedule for Samuel, and soon after, Simon. We have cemented in our bedtime routine, reading three books to Samuel; however, I wonder if maybe I could have Noah read a longer book to him and start teaching a bit of reading comprehension... beginning of book introduces characters and setting, middle sets up the problem and the end contains the solution of outcome. We could then try picture box sequencing or even mapping. I wouldn't have thought Samuel was ready for this level of work, but the author argues strongly that this should be initiated on the first day of kindergarten.
