ondreeuh Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I realized today that my son is reading at a third grade level. This is a HUGE accomplishment for him! To give you an idea of how big this is, let me take you back to where we were a year ago. Prior to homeschooling I had taken my son to a Lindamood Bell tutoring clinic 5 days a week for 5 months. At the end of 5 months, they advised me that his progress was so slow as to basically not be worth the money I was spending. I have the printout from the clinic from last Feb. that shows in the 5 months of tutoring he had barely made any improvement - and then only in sight words, not in phonics. Most disturbing is the last paragraph of the report: "As stated previously, we recommend that Corbin's difficulties with speech, attention, anxiety, and frustration be reevaluated. He often stated in his daily sessions that no one likes him, he hates school, he hates [Clinic] and his instructor, and even said he wishes he could die. Naturally, these comments were of great concern to us. Many of our students struggle with self-esteem issues. Corbin's daily mantra was of greater intensity than we normally see here. His learning is definitely negatively impacted by his other struggles. In order to maximize his learning potential, we believe he will need to have these other areas addressed. Corbin is a smart little guy with a sweet heart. At this point, he is not able to demonstrate his true academic abilities." I promptly took him out of tutoring and out of public school (the tutoring was replacing his reading instruction at school after THEY couldn't make progress either). We went back to the beginning of phonics, and have just worked from there. He still gets frustrated, but nothing like they are describing. We keep it low-pressure and fun, and he LOVES learning and LOVES being homeschooled. I attribute his success to this forum - I have benefited so much from your wisdom and see which programs work for other kids. This is where I learned about AAS, which unlocked his phonemic awareness and got us off to the right start. I never could have taught him to read without the support found here. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 :party: Wonderful! Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I am so happy for you and Corbin, Andrea! :party: Congratulations to you both on all of your hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemykids Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 That's wonderful. See, only you, the untrained parent, can really do the best job. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 What a great story! Makes me so excited to "officially" start homeschooling next year! Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greensummervillian Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 That is wonderful! Your story brought tears to my eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 That's wonderful. See, only you, the untrained parent, can really do the best job. ;) Ain't that the truth! I just re-read Overcoming Dyslexia yesterday and was struck by the very patronizing tone. "You are just the parent. Leave teaching reading to the professionals." Yeah, THAT worked out well. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen+4dc Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I realized today that my son is reading at a third grade level. This is a HUGE accomplishment for him! To give you an idea of how big this is, let me take you back to where we were a year ago. I promptly took him out of tutoring and out of public school (the tutoring was replacing his reading instruction at school after THEY couldn't make progress either). We went back to the beginning of phonics, and have just worked from there. He still gets frustrated, but nothing like they are describing. We keep it low-pressure and fun, and he LOVES learning and LOVES being homeschooled. I attribute his success to this forum - I have benefited so much from your wisdom and see which programs work for other kids. This is where I learned about AAS, which unlocked his phonemic awareness and got us off to the right start. I never could have taught him to read without the support found here. :grouphug: :party: Way to go, Mom. Isn't it such a great feeling!! :thumbup1: After struggling and struggling and struggling with reading for over a year my son finally told dh the other day, "Dad, reading is easy." It brought tears to my eyes, literally. Homeschooling is the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 :party: What a beautiful demonstration of the power of hs'ing. Nicely done, Mom. Wow!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 What a great success story, and it gives me hope. My dd has never been to PS, but she struggles with reading. She turned 8 in Nov and is probably at a mid - late first grade reading level. Hearing your story gives me renewed hope that she will eventually get it, we just need to take it at her pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 :party: Way to GO!!!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsiew Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 :party:How wonderful! What a great success story! WTG Mom and Corbin! We as parents/teachers get the tough stuff, but we also get the celebrations! This is cause for great celebration! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Yea!!! I attribute your success to the fact that you care enough to follow through. ((Hugs)) I would also encourage you to print this thread off, and store it in a safe place, for those days when everything goes wrong and you feel like you are spinning your wheels. It is good to remember where you came from, and how where you were wasn't working at all. That gives you the courage to pick it back up and keep going, even through you aren't exactly going at the speed you thought you would (forward, instead of two steps forward and one step back). Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 That's awesome! I'm so happy for you. I love seeing their little happy faces when it all starts coming together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 That is incredible, wonderful, awesome news! Great job MOM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Ain't that the truth! I just re-read Overcoming Dyslexia yesterday and was struck by the very patronizing tone. "You are just the parent. Leave teaching reading to the professionals." Yeah, THAT worked out well. I remember reading that line! I put the book down. I'm happy you found guidance here, but don't forget to pat yourself for the mental elbow grease you applied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 Well yes, I had to do the teaching, but honestly I would have had no idea what to do or what kind of attitude to have if I hadn't benefited from everyone's experiences here. I knew he was "reading challenged" for 2 years before I began homeschooling and I stuck with the approach that had worked with my daughter (Bob Books) but didn't know what else to do when that wasn't working. Without the homeschooling community (and this is the forum I find most helpful) I would still be wandering blind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaura Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Congratulations to both you and Corbin. What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment you both must have! Way to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 :thumbup: Woo hoo! Congratulations to both of you. Woolybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 What a great story, thanks for sharing and congrats to you and Corbin on making such great progress!! I am really impressed with that note from the tutor, their concern and honesty was impressive. But I am even more impressed that you took immediate action and pulled him from ps. There are many parents who wouldn't have the foresight/courage/concern/whatever to do the best thing for their children and would just continue to trust the public school "experts". You should be so proud of both yourself and your son!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Oh Andrea, I'm so happy for you and for him! The report they wrote just brought tears to my eyes, and what joy that he is now reading well!! Amazing! Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 That is awesome! Thank you for sharing and big, fat KUDOS and CONGRATS to you all! WOO HOO! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Yes, I am very, very impressed you had the fortitude to take him out of PS and do it yourself. You go girl! You have just changed your son's life forever. Congratulations! And congratulate him for his hard work. My friend's DD had issues with reading. She tried several things. But all of a sudden, about age 8-9, her reading just took off and she was soon reading Harry Potter. Sometimes i think there is just a development switch that takes longer in some than others......along with a nice healthy dose of phonemic awareness skills and phonics. You did it! :party: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cair129 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Congrats, that is so great to hear and encourages us new to homeschooling!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 :party: Absolutely awesome! Make sure you celebrate with your son. Seriously. Take him out someplace fun to play. Do something special. Make sure you tell him how proud you are of him at this milestone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquilt Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Woohoo!! That is awesome - good work mom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 What a great story, thanks for sharing and congrats to you and Corbin on making such great progress!! I am really impressed with that note from the tutor, their concern and honesty was impressive. But I am even more impressed that you took immediate action and pulled him from ps. There are many parents who wouldn't have the foresight/courage/concern/whatever to do the best thing for their children and would just continue to trust the public school "experts". You should be so proud of both yourself and your son!! :iagree: This is almost word for word what I was going to say! I'm impressed they admitted it wasn't working out, but realized that your son was a bright boy! Plus that you took action, got him out, searched out answers and applied what you felt was best for your son! CONGRATS to both of you! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 We just took yesterday off and spent the day sledding at the mountain. Does that count? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Here is a photo of Corbin that I took yesterday. We took a "field trip" to the mountain for a day of sledding. The only other sledders were another homeschooling family :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Wonderful! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Oh Andrea, how fantastic! :grouphug: Way to go Mom :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschooltoone Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Wonderful:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2bdeutmeyer Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I didn't read the other responses, but wow!! What a great story. So nice to hear :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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