We have a Language Arts curriculum that centers around a book. I give ds the choice whether he wants to read on his own or be read to, and he chooses for me to read. I figure I'll take it while I still can, any teenager who begs me to read is a-ok by me! We've done some really great books together and we always spend 10 minutes or so after each chapter discussing and delving deeper as part of the curriculum, then the vocabulary for the week comes out of the week's reading, they have some exercises to do for comprehension, then some dictation and grammar/writing activities.
I don't stop in the middle though (although sometimes I'm guilty of making funny faces at them when I come across a vocabulary word so they'll be sure to notice it in the reading), that would get quite irritating! We do discuss it, but not until the end of each chapter. If either kid wanted to read it on their own, I'd be fine with that, but for now both enjoy doing it together. That's part of the fun about homeschooling I think, lots of choices.
Now, we do spend up to 6 or 8 weeks on each book, so if that's the complaint, yeah, I'm guilty of that. My son does often complain about having to stop the reading, but all in all the program works and we've both read some books we wouldn't have otherwise chosen.
Both kids also have an assigned history book at any given time and my son always has a pleasure book going too. His history moves almost TOO quickly though, for example he has a week to read A Tale of Two Cities and with his current rodeo schedule and other obligations it's been tough for him to find time (so I gave him 3 weeks, lol, that's another advantage of homeshooling, I don't have to follow the directions!)
"The main part of intellectual education is not the acquisition of facts but learning how to make facts live."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes
Aly loves to read. Right now, she's all about reading, writing, and playing Wii (and Zoo Tycoon). If she can do one of those things she is blissfully happy.
She reads about 2-3 chapter books a week right now.
I've never had to make my kids read. In fact, I've had to tell Kurt to stop reading and do other things at times.
Kurt will read pretty much anything. Right now he is reading the Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. its mine and he saw it on the table so he took it to read. he even brought it on his school ski trip. lol
He likes a lot of series type books like the City of Ember books. I can't think of the other ones offhand. He also enjoys reading newspapers and newsmagazines. I wish he would show more of an interest in some older books like the Outsiders and Animal Farm. I know he took the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy books out of the library but he didn't like all of them.
Yes, Kurt enjoys reading. Luckily his sister does too! We're big readers around here. :o)
We LOVED Guess How Much I Love You! Evan's favorite stuffed animal through infancy and the beginning of toddlerhood was a "Nutbrown Hare". It was just large enough for him to hold in one hand and was VERY portable. This is important when you're a working mom and have to schlep (haul) stuff to and from daycare every day.
I had to LOL at your comment about the cereal box because I literally have to clear the kitchen table of printed material in the morning in order to get Evan to finish breakfast. If there is anything to read (yes, cereal boxes - that's where it started- coupons, milk cartons, flyers, syrup bottles, catalogs, old church bulletins, etc.) He LOVES to read and always has. I sent him to school the first day of first grade with a Junie B. Jones book and told him to check with his teacher and read it if he finished his work early. The next year it was the first Harry Potter book. I hoped it would keep him out of trouble.
My nephew reads. Not a lot, but no one minds that much right now. His days are long ~ he leaves at 6.30 am, he's back at home at around 4 at the earliest at sometimes at 6 or 7.
Everyone in our family is a bookworm, I am sure that he'll pick the habit up in time. His dad was the same way - we barely saw him reading for pleasure when he was growing up but now he reads a lot, both for work and for pleasure.
Rachel has always enjoyed reading & is a voracious reader, if anything we have to tell her to stop so she can eat dinner or go to bed! Now Jamie is a different story, she is much more particular & has to have something she really enjoys reading. She
Pages
We have a Language Arts curriculum that centers around a book. I give ds the choice whether he wants to read on his own or be read to, and he chooses for me to read. I figure I'll take it while I still can, any teenager who begs me to read is a-ok by me! We've done some really great books together and we always spend 10 minutes or so after each chapter discussing and delving deeper as part of the curriculum, then the vocabulary for the week comes out of the week's reading, they have some exercises to do for comprehension, then some dictation and grammar/writing activities.
I don't stop in the middle though (although sometimes I'm guilty of making funny faces at them when I come across a vocabulary word so they'll be sure to notice it in the reading), that would get quite irritating! We do discuss it, but not until the end of each chapter. If either kid wanted to read it on their own, I'd be fine with that, but for now both enjoy doing it together. That's part of the fun about homeschooling I think, lots of choices.
Now, we do spend up to 6 or 8 weeks on each book, so if that's the complaint, yeah, I'm guilty of that. My son does often complain about having to stop the reading, but all in all the program works and we've both read some books we wouldn't have otherwise chosen.
Both kids also have an assigned history book at any given time and my son always has a pleasure book going too. His history moves almost TOO quickly though, for example he has a week to read A Tale of Two Cities and with his current rodeo schedule and other obligations it's been tough for him to find time (so I gave him 3 weeks, lol, that's another advantage of homeshooling, I don't have to follow the directions!)
"The main part of intellectual education is not the acquisition of facts but learning how to make facts live."
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes
Aly loves to read. Right now, she's all about reading, writing, and playing Wii (and Zoo Tycoon). If she can do one of those things she is blissfully happy.
She reads about 2-3 chapter books a week right now.
I've never had to make my kids read. In fact, I've had to tell Kurt to stop reading and do other things at times.
Kurt will read pretty much anything. Right now he is reading the Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. its mine and he saw it on the table so he took it to read. he even brought it on his school ski trip. lol
He likes a lot of series type books like the City of Ember books. I can't think of the other ones offhand. He also enjoys reading newspapers and newsmagazines. I wish he would show more of an interest in some older books like the Outsiders and Animal Farm. I know he took the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy books out of the library but he didn't like all of them.
Yes, Kurt enjoys reading. Luckily his sister does too! We're big readers around here. :o)
Hi Amy nice of you to stop by.
My nephew reads. Not a lot, but no one minds that much right now. His days are long ~ he leaves at 6.30 am, he's back at home at around 4 at the earliest at sometimes at 6 or 7.
Everyone in our family is a bookworm, I am sure that he'll pick the habit up in time. His dad was the same way - we barely saw him reading for pleasure when he was growing up but now he reads a lot, both for work and for pleasure.
I think what I did to get my son to be
Pages