A Reading Concern? So Far, Nope

I keep telling myself that Yakee is a physical learner... and though he'd sit still longer now when we do read (and I really try to keep it to 15 min sessions) and try harder, he'd still tend to move around.

Last Thursday, he chose to read our book while in front of me (and I was holding the book right) and it was the wrong edge up for him. But he was reading (sounding off the sounds, putting them together, and answering my comprehension questions) so I just let him be, and kept telling myself that I really have to come up with ways to make him move a lot while reading. And more opportunities for him to hang upside down so he'd have a better sense of orientation for his P's and G's.

But dyslexia came to mind... what if?

It was serendipitous that he got a storybook on dyslexia (Xilef by Adarna House) and as the boy in the story told of how letters jumped and danced about on the page, I was able to ask my son if letters do the same for him, without sounding worried or making a big deal out of nothing. He told me they don't because he can point to them and didn't need to hold onto them (just like what Xilef's tutor told him to do).

What's more, the practice of going from right to left and pointing at the letters (then putting the sounds together) were mentioned in the storybook as tools to help a child read... and it's something we do, and something Yakee liked knowing was a good way to master reading.

So, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief that as of the moment, there seems to be no special needs that have to be addressed where reading is concerned. Yakee's writing has improved too. Before, he would just right BAT but now, he felt self-assured enough to write BAG (the G is harder for him, it usually appears like a mirror image). He has written other words... and just made me smile when he wrote "I (heart shape) U" and "We (heart shape) U" :)

He's still writing more near the edge of the paper though... but that's okay. I'm just noting so I can check later when he transitions.

We are on this page now!

 

*~*

 

Extra, extra challenge... no disrupted routine, earlier waking, more rhythm in our activities, more outdoors!  Real hard though with the holidays!!!

Our First Week Or So

Truthfully, I did not aim high for our first week. I wanted to start on more rhythmic days so I made sure there are alternating qualities to their days. So, after waking up, we prepare breakfast and I usually give them free time to just spray water outside (sometimes to create rainbows, sometimes to just shower themselves). And then we read (Ball-Stick-Bird) or do Maths (counting marbles). And then free play.

We also garden by watering the plants every other day (since they spray on them all the time anyway). We have also painted twice last week (and that was very stressful for me, and made me realize I should just really invest in the right, more expensive materials to get the results I want). The boys have been playing with the wooden toys and assisting more in chores.

The biggest struggle though is keeping Yamee preoccupied so he won't bother Kuya and I while we read.

Other things I realized yet again about my Kinder-grade child include:
1) he really likes painting more than coloring or drawing
2) he doesn't have a problem with sizes and shapes, but still confuses T and S, V and Y, M and N
3) he still has to count with his fingers the marbles, instead of doing them in his head... but he can add and subtract that way (so, physical/tactile learner really)
4) he gets restless from sitting down after 10 minutes or so, so even if he doesn't want to stop, I suggest we do since he's already hanging and jumping around... a challenge for me to provide reading activities that include movement

We are already on this page (and yes, I am proud he's really the one doing the reading). I will also admit that I sweat more as I will with my mind for the sounds and connections to come out of Yakee. Haha.

I like that before, he gets stressed and disheartened by the long words but has now adopted the technique of covering a letter to make double letters more 'manageable' for him.

At first, he thought my suggestion we stop when he is becoming restless was punitive... and he hit me with a book because of that last week. Good thing though, he's more cooperative now when I suggest it, having explained that when he starts feeling restless, it's his body telling him he has to start moving.

And because my eczema was acting up and I was struggling... this was the only thing I could come up with by way of lanterns for Martinmas. I just used old ice cream containers and asked Yakee to put glue in the holes I cut so we could paste the colored cellophane. He preferred lighting the candles though.

I couldn't not celebrate Martinmas because it falls on Yame's birthday... and I wasn't brave enough to let them carry the lanterns :D

And I know, I have got to overcome my crafts funk... BUT the thing is, I said the lanterns are our TRASH TO TREASURE thing and Yakee bought it. He likes the idea of reusing and recycling anyway.

Boo!

I am reviving and reinventing this blog.

Before, I planned to document here my journey through the academe as I pursued higher learning. That didn't work out and I also stopped updating this with education-related news.

Now... I am reinventing it as my homeschooling blog as I officially start with Yakee next week on a Waldorf curriculum... which should explain the template since I hope to raise my boys as naturally as possible.

There would probably be a lot of overlap with my Mom blog and our Family blog but that's ok... they are all still MY blogs anyway.