More Reading, Less Lessons

 

Books...  they are the backbone of our homeschool.  I might need a break once in awhile, and give my girls some workbooks.  But books have been the main tool of our school.

I returned to college last semester.  I was never taught how to do MLA and APA papers.  It wasn't a "thing" when I was in high school...  or college.  But I learned how, and I learned quickly.  I had some classes that wanted papers written in MLA format.  I had other classes that insisted on APA.  With multiple papers due, it was learn fast or flunk. I learned fast.

My children need the ability to do this.  They need the ability to look at information, to read the knowledge, and use that knowledge in the way that is appropriate.  I learned to write papers in two different forms in a couple weeks because I read the chapters in the English book that talked about these formats, and then I applied that knowledge.  No, it wasn't simple at first.  I had my grown daughters that have been in college in the last few years check my first few papers to ensure I was not making errors.

We are four weeks into this school year and the year has been a fight with me and my youngest daughter.  She is smart, but is very distracted.  I planned and planned this year.  She is ADHD, and we have always worked around it in the past.  This year she is struggling like I have never seen her struggle.  It's like trying to get her to see clearly through mud.

And I am working on my college courses also.

But then I remembered that I am probably putting too much on myself.  My girl loves to read and is normally quite happy.  She loves to be creative and is always singing.  Maybe I'm trying too hard, expecting too much. 

Knowledge comes in books. I know this.  We are a reading homeschool.  And yet, when stressed, I cut her books.  What?!  I gave her more workbooks?  What was I thinking?

Workbooks have their place and, in moderation, can be an asset to homeschool.  But I want my daughter reading.  She learns so much from reading.  She jumped multiple reading levels after first grade because she read all summer.  She will spend hours writing down facts and drawing pictures, all based on what she is reading in her books.  When given the chance, she is self-taught. 

And so, I spent the last couple of days logging book after book into an Excel spreadsheet with titles, authors, and reading levels.  They are listed by reading level.  I have a couple lists going, actually.  One list is books I want her to do that have accompanying curriculum that I feel supplements nicely.  The other list is books...  old, new, Kindle, print.  Some I own.  Some I will have to purchase.  Some will be borrowed from the library.  The list is, currently, over three hundred books.  This in no way is a comprehensive list, however, including every book from every level.  

It is a mix of old and new.  I have some Robinson curriculum choices, my Heart of Dakota selections, some others I have purchased over the years, and some recommendations from various sources.  On Monday, she will have some assignments, and then she will read.  I want her reading from my lists, with some time for her to read what she wants.  Then, she will have time to delve into her own interests.  

My format is simple...  reading, writing, math, personal.  She will have a LOT of reading time.  Right now her writing consists of copywork, vocabulary, dictation, with Grammar and some creative writing.  She will write more as she gets older.  She will have math.  Right now I have her math time split into two half hour segments.  That seems to be working.  She doesn't get as tired in two shorter sessions than she did in one long session.  Finally, she will have personal time, for piano lessons, music and art, and free reading. 

That is it.  She focuses well when she is reading.  So, I'm going to give her reading time with lots of breaks.  My little wiggled needs to move, so she can move.  I need her to learn, and the materials I am using will help.  

Knowledge, true knowledge, comes from books and experiences. No one lives life in a bubble.  My daughter still interacts with her world.  She is a social little buttlerfly.  Her brain may be maturing at a different rate than others, and I need to be able to work with her, not feel at odds with her all the time.  

Science shows that the ADHD brain develops and matures a little slower than others her own age.  I do t want her to think she is a problem.  And yet, I have felt that way often the last couple weeks.  And I realized that I was causing more damage than good with my attitude.  Ironically, it was a fellow college student that unintentionally helped me.

We have discussion boards every week, since I'm taking online classes.  One student in my major was homeschooled.  We were discussing the value of libraries.  He stated that he spent his middle school years in his local public library, reading all the time.  He said it was the best education ever because he was given that time to dig into his interests and to live in other worlds.  

Yep, that is what I want for my children.  

And so, I am relaxing.  Yes, there is math and grammar.  There is writing.  But I want my daughter to fall in love with learning.  I want her to be able to learn whatever she needs to learn when she needs to learn it, as I did with writing papers.  That skill comes from learning how to learn, from digging into her interests and escaping into worlds with heros that show how to solve problems.  

So much comes from reading!  The brain of a reader receives many benefits.  Vocabulary grows.  Thought processes differ.  Readers even develop more empathy.  Language skills are boosted, but so are math skills!  Reading even boosts writing skills, which is one of the goals I have for a semester or so, before we go back to our literature-based curriculum.

So many literature based homeschool programs have touted the benefits of reading.  And yet, when I planned school, I didn't olacethe focus on literature this year.  In wanted well-rounded.  But it is clearly not working as I planned.  Then I read a quote that basically stated that there is a costnfor everything.  If you try to do it all, you won't do anything well.  

I knew this in my personal life, but didn't apply it to my homeschool.  At this time, when I'm trying to complete college classes as well as homeschool, it requires being selective.  I need to be able to balance all the balls in the air. 

I am praying this will be an answer.