People often ask how to choose appropriate Sonlight Readers for young children. One way is to look over a description of the different options.
Readers K... for the student who is ready to learn the letter sounds.
Readers 1... to be used by the student who knows all the letter sounds and is ready to read 3-letter words.
Readers 2... for a child reading long vowel, 5- and 6- letter words, but needs more white space on the page, and not too much text per page.
Readers 2 Intermediate... More text per page, short chapter books, average 50-70 pages long.
Readers 2 Advanced... For students comfortable with a smaller text size, more words on a page, longer chapters. These books might average 120-150 pages.
You can use the Quick Reading Assessment on the Sonlight website, there are some notes on choosing Readers on that page as well.
What if your child seems in between these levels? I would suggest choosing the lower of the two choices. Don't worry that you are holding your child back. They will actually progress faster by reading more books at a comfortable level, rather than being constantly challenged by harder and harder books.
When your child is ready, having had the practice he needs, he will pull one off the shelf, and just start to read!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
"It turned out a little different..."
June was the month that "turned out a little different" for us (from a line in an old Jerry Lewis movie). We had anticipated a few things, helping another consultant at a convention, one daughter graduating from her massage therapy program, another heading off on a missions trip.
Then came the surprises. There are always those! The dog had an unexpected surgery to remove a strange nodule, my parents visited from out of state, our son and his wife visited, also from out of state, the daughter leaving on the missions trip needed more shots than I expected, as well as requiring multiple Dr. appointments for a sudden infection. Oh, and another daughter got her learner's permit, we started Driver's Ed in a Box again.
The visits went well, we so enjoy time with our son and his wonderful wife. We were able to finish the last shot needed on the day of departure for our daughter, and she has medications with her if the infection should flare up again. The Driver's Ed, we've had 2 short lessons and it's going fine.
I can highly recommend Driver's Ed in a Box, by the way. It thoroughly explains some of those things that as an experienced driver, I know, but didn't think to explain to my learner. (To my older children who learned to drive without this program, I apologize!)
I love the focus on "Collision-free driving". That is after all, what I want. I want them to not only learn to handle a vehicle, the usual focus of driver's education programs, but also to observe conditions, anticipate other drivers, and avoid accidents. Check it out here.
I would have preferred it to be organized a little differently, so I did change the order that some skills were addressed. I also found that the order of presenting various driving conditions weren't practical for our surroundings. It had the student driving the interstate before back roads for example. I just had my student work on those in the order that I found to be best for our situation.
Then came the surprises. There are always those! The dog had an unexpected surgery to remove a strange nodule, my parents visited from out of state, our son and his wife visited, also from out of state, the daughter leaving on the missions trip needed more shots than I expected, as well as requiring multiple Dr. appointments for a sudden infection. Oh, and another daughter got her learner's permit, we started Driver's Ed in a Box again.
The visits went well, we so enjoy time with our son and his wonderful wife. We were able to finish the last shot needed on the day of departure for our daughter, and she has medications with her if the infection should flare up again. The Driver's Ed, we've had 2 short lessons and it's going fine.
I can highly recommend Driver's Ed in a Box, by the way. It thoroughly explains some of those things that as an experienced driver, I know, but didn't think to explain to my learner. (To my older children who learned to drive without this program, I apologize!)
I love the focus on "Collision-free driving". That is after all, what I want. I want them to not only learn to handle a vehicle, the usual focus of driver's education programs, but also to observe conditions, anticipate other drivers, and avoid accidents. Check it out here.
I would have preferred it to be organized a little differently, so I did change the order that some skills were addressed. I also found that the order of presenting various driving conditions weren't practical for our surroundings. It had the student driving the interstate before back roads for example. I just had my student work on those in the order that I found to be best for our situation.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
How do we know we're doing the right thing?
As homeschoolers, our families often live on one income. It's easy to look around and see other families that might be able to provide expensive vacations, lessons, or all the "best" clothes and advantages. Comparing that to the simpler life we live can make us wonder if our children would be better off with the second income instead of homeschooling.
My first nursing job was at a university health service. Our facility provided not only urgent care services, but also limited in-patient services. It amazed me how much those young adults had to say in the middle of the night.
Without exception, every young person that talked to me said they wished their parents had spent more time with them. They lamented that their parents had spent their time working, to give them money and "stuff", but what the kids really wanted was time. You can't imagine how many times I heard, "I wish they had given me themselves instead of 'stuff' ".
Although you might wonder if you are giving your child what she needs when others are enjoying 'stuff', remember you are choosing to give of yourself to your child. That will last far longer, and have far more positive benefits than any 'things' you might have provided with a second income.
Invest in what lasts!
My first nursing job was at a university health service. Our facility provided not only urgent care services, but also limited in-patient services. It amazed me how much those young adults had to say in the middle of the night.
Without exception, every young person that talked to me said they wished their parents had spent more time with them. They lamented that their parents had spent their time working, to give them money and "stuff", but what the kids really wanted was time. You can't imagine how many times I heard, "I wish they had given me themselves instead of 'stuff' ".
Although you might wonder if you are giving your child what she needs when others are enjoying 'stuff', remember you are choosing to give of yourself to your child. That will last far longer, and have far more positive benefits than any 'things' you might have provided with a second income.
Invest in what lasts!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Summer Math games
While we hear about lots of summer reading ideas and programs, we all know summer math can suffer from neglect. Leaving math to wither over the hot summer means needing review as you start up again in the fall. Some classroom settings may spend one, or even two, MONTHS reviewing!
Let's not. Encourage your child to keep up his math skills; with estimation as you go to the store, with one or two math lessons each week, or the most fun, with games.
We used a board from a standard board game, 2 standard dice and a special die with the math symbols on it, +, -, etc. We found one at our local teacher store. Each player would roll all 3 dice, to yield 2 numbers and one symbol. The player performs the function, say, 3+5=8, and moves his token that many spots. It makes for a painless way to review those math facts.
If you do flash cards, make that a game. Each time the child can give the correct answer, let her keep the card. Who has the biggest stack after once through, you or the child?
There are unlimited possibilities, choose a variety of games and activities you both enjoy, and jump start your school year!
Let's not. Encourage your child to keep up his math skills; with estimation as you go to the store, with one or two math lessons each week, or the most fun, with games.
We used a board from a standard board game, 2 standard dice and a special die with the math symbols on it, +, -, etc. We found one at our local teacher store. Each player would roll all 3 dice, to yield 2 numbers and one symbol. The player performs the function, say, 3+5=8, and moves his token that many spots. It makes for a painless way to review those math facts.
If you do flash cards, make that a game. Each time the child can give the correct answer, let her keep the card. Who has the biggest stack after once through, you or the child?
There are unlimited possibilities, choose a variety of games and activities you both enjoy, and jump start your school year!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Extracurriculars....
One extracurricular activity that we enjoyed for years is 4-H. Although you might think of this as only for farm and ranch folks, projects are available for everything from Electricity and Rocketry to Cooking and Photography, as well as livestock.
Excited by the huge variety of choices, I WAY overestimated on projects that first year. By the second year I had realized that we needed to choose one or two and finish those. It wasn't until doing livestock projects that my children were interested in competing at the fair.
They put huge amounts of work into their livestock animals, and for the most part it was a great experience. We learned SO much about why the Lord refers to us as "sheep", not particularly a compliment, by the way. Sheep need care, they are silly, foolish, comical, and very lovable. They truly do know the shepherd's voice.
This summer may be a great time for you to check out a 4-H club (there are county rules that are common to all clubs, as well as club charters that specify rules for that individual club). Talk the leader, some of the parents and members, maybe attend a meeting. This is a busy time of year as members work on their books and do all the last things required for their projects to be ready for the fair.
Good questions for you to ask might be how often and what time are the meetings, are there project meetings in addition to club meetings, is there a project leader for the project of your child's interest, or will you be doing it yourself, does the club have requirements for when the project books are finished (the county does, but individual clubs might have additional rules). Become familiar with what the club might require in terms of time commitment.
This research will pay off in a good "fit" between your family and the 4-H club. Meetings often start up again in September or October and the sign up deadline is usually by Dec 1st.
Check it out!
Excited by the huge variety of choices, I WAY overestimated on projects that first year. By the second year I had realized that we needed to choose one or two and finish those. It wasn't until doing livestock projects that my children were interested in competing at the fair.
They put huge amounts of work into their livestock animals, and for the most part it was a great experience. We learned SO much about why the Lord refers to us as "sheep", not particularly a compliment, by the way. Sheep need care, they are silly, foolish, comical, and very lovable. They truly do know the shepherd's voice.
This summer may be a great time for you to check out a 4-H club (there are county rules that are common to all clubs, as well as club charters that specify rules for that individual club). Talk the leader, some of the parents and members, maybe attend a meeting. This is a busy time of year as members work on their books and do all the last things required for their projects to be ready for the fair.
Good questions for you to ask might be how often and what time are the meetings, are there project meetings in addition to club meetings, is there a project leader for the project of your child's interest, or will you be doing it yourself, does the club have requirements for when the project books are finished (the county does, but individual clubs might have additional rules). Become familiar with what the club might require in terms of time commitment.
This research will pay off in a good "fit" between your family and the 4-H club. Meetings often start up again in September or October and the sign up deadline is usually by Dec 1st.
Check it out!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Did you miss it?
I'm coming up for air again after the book sale. My friend, Cheri, and I have been organizing the Missoula/Bitterroot Homeschool Used Book Sale for 10 years now. It seems every year has its adventures, and this year was no exception.
A friend of Cheri's came early, poor dear, we put her to work right away! My daughter and I had arrived a little before Cheri, and along with Cheri's friend, we put up all the chairs, pulled out tables and were nearly arranged when Cheri got there, right on time.
In doing the name tags, we found we were short on tables, a perennial problem! I had tossed in 2 tables of my own, and Cheri went to her church and borrowed one, giving us exactly the right number. The Lord has provided just what we needed each year.
It was great to see so many people, and a wonderful blessing to know that people were able to buy and sell things they needed to. Every year we hear stories from fellow homeschoolers that they were able to find exactly what they needed at a price they could afford. That really makes our efforts worthwhile!
The only sad note this year, I got an email last night from a friend in Anaconda, wondering if she had missed the sale! Cheri and I try to be consistent in planning for the first Monday in June, don't miss it next year!
Congratulations to K.G. of Lolo, who won the gift basket drawing!
A friend of Cheri's came early, poor dear, we put her to work right away! My daughter and I had arrived a little before Cheri, and along with Cheri's friend, we put up all the chairs, pulled out tables and were nearly arranged when Cheri got there, right on time.
In doing the name tags, we found we were short on tables, a perennial problem! I had tossed in 2 tables of my own, and Cheri went to her church and borrowed one, giving us exactly the right number. The Lord has provided just what we needed each year.
It was great to see so many people, and a wonderful blessing to know that people were able to buy and sell things they needed to. Every year we hear stories from fellow homeschoolers that they were able to find exactly what they needed at a price they could afford. That really makes our efforts worthwhile!
The only sad note this year, I got an email last night from a friend in Anaconda, wondering if she had missed the sale! Cheri and I try to be consistent in planning for the first Monday in June, don't miss it next year!
Congratulations to K.G. of Lolo, who won the gift basket drawing!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Summer activities
We like to do a little school during the summer. Maybe one or two lessons of Math per week, some Science experiments, and we still read out loud.
Other summer activities for our family might include hiking, picnicking, gardening. On those hot, hot days, we like to splash in the creek across the road from our house.
Encourage your children to keep reading over the summer. Don't worry about searching out more and more challenging reading. You can find more reading material at about the same reading level by looking for more in a favorite series or more books by an author your child likes. Even though they are enjoying reading at a comfortable level, they will continue to build confidence and improve their reading skills.
You can stimulate their interest by being a role model so, pick up a book and READ!
Other summer activities for our family might include hiking, picnicking, gardening. On those hot, hot days, we like to splash in the creek across the road from our house.
Encourage your children to keep reading over the summer. Don't worry about searching out more and more challenging reading. You can find more reading material at about the same reading level by looking for more in a favorite series or more books by an author your child likes. Even though they are enjoying reading at a comfortable level, they will continue to build confidence and improve their reading skills.
You can stimulate their interest by being a role model so, pick up a book and READ!
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