With a show of hands, how many of you remember learning to read? If you didn't raise your hand, that's okay. I didn't either! I honestly don't remember learning to read which includes the techniques. I remember my dad reading to me nightly as a child, even after I could read, but that's about it. So when it comes to helping McKinley learn to read, I'm relying on old news and techniques that I think might work. And the early homework arguments have begun....
We've been reading to McKinley since birth. In the wee early hours of morning, after his bottle, I would bounce him to sleep while reading small books. I would read on car trips to VA, even if he was only three months old, hoping that the words would sooth him and soak in via osmosis. Plane rides brought new books to entertain him for the first five minutes. We took the book The Little Red Caboose with us every where we went. And, we would find him reading to himself from toy catalogs from time to time. Still today, at age six, we share the nightly reading of books he picks out. And I'm looking forward to the day he can read a book to us and we read one to him. I don't want to give up reading to him.
I created a library in his room. We have so many books, which isn't a bad thing, that I didn't have a place to house them all. So, I turned his changing table, something we still need for storage, and turned it into a mini library. It still houses underwear and socks in the drawers. And in the larger baskets on the bottom are pajamas, small blankets, and bath towels. But the shelves hold most of the books that we read often. I also have a large basket in our den that's full as well. Again, trying to instill that reading is fun! That he will love to read...eventually! And I love this little bookcase. It's full of Little Golden Books, books we've purchased at his school book fairs, and others that Santa has given him over the years. See, even Santa thinks it's important to learn to read. My hope is that one day he will simply pick books off of these shelves, sit in his bed, and enjoy reading to himself from time to time. Fingers crossed!
But the reading is a slow process. And when I say slow, it's not because he can't, it's because he doesn't want to. He read weekly to his class over the past 20 weeks, and I know it's 20 because he had to fill out the 20 books he read, and we practiced daily. When he's interested, meaning his idea, he's totally into it. When it cuts into McKinley time, which means play time, he has zero interest. He works at sounding words he doesn't know and excels at the site words he does. And he's even making the effort to spell three letter words. It's just getting over the hurdle of doing it consistently and with gusto. I know we will get there, but it's the most frustrating thing for a parent when you have a strong willed child!
At the same time, he's very much into writing his own books. At first it started with pictures and he would "read" the book to us based on the pictures he drew. Most recently, it was a Ghost Ship book, you can view the reading here, and it's evolved into books with pictures and a few words. Words that he have to spell for him. I try my hardest to sound out the letters in hopes he will start writing the word himself, but it usually turns out that I'm angered by his lack of trying and just spell it for him. Or leave the room in a complete huff. Strong willed parents should not be allowed to raise strong willed children. It's not good for the chemically colored hair that turns grayer with every argument. I guess it's good for my hair stylist....
On the last day of school this year, McKinley announced that he wanted to go to the library. I knew why. He recently discovered Titanic and wanted to check out a few books on the subject. I used this opportunity to get him ready for the Summer Reading Program. I even told him it was time for him to get his own library card in hopes it would excite him to start the reading journey. And, that when he finally got a wallet (something he's dying to get), he could add the card to it. We, I, picked out books that I thought would interest him, while he spent time at a small table scouring through his Titanic book. I even picked out three beginning reader books for us to work on. So far, he's read the Titanic books three times each and a couple of the other train books I found. I figure it's only the third day of summer vacation so I shouldn't push too hard. But come June, I'm changing my tune. We are going to tackle this thing called reading, and we're going to come through it with flying colors. Or more chemical color to my every growing gray hair. At least something will have color....
What are you doing to help your child read? Do they have interest or do they just want to be left alone? Do they read fluently? And if so, what did you do to assist? I know he will learn to read. Just like he learned to talk, walk, and everything else I thought he would never learn to do. The impatience in me just needs to learn to backseat. Or just leave the room in a huff....
XO,
Andrea
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