mudcuddles Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 This is our daughter's kindergarten year. This is actually our second year of it. Her birthday is late, she obviously wasn't ready, so we decided to wait. My dilemma: reading instruction has been so very difficult for us. I taught school, even worked on multisensory reading instruction for my graduate degree. I should know how to do this!!! But I feel I failed her. We worked on phonemic awareness activities early on, she learned letter sounds from Leap Frog, then I tried sitting her down for direct instruction. Progress stopped. During this period, I tried 100 Lessons, OPGTR, AAS, Starfall, ETC, ETC online, Orton-Gillingham instruction, etc. She hated all of it. Then we tried Reading Eggs - success! She's reading several words, books, and asking for more! What is her learning style? Is it visual? What am I missing? What other programs are out there that I can utilize for her style/benefit? We did MUS Primer last year and she loved it. I wanted to try RS (thinking she was kinesthetic) but it hasn't kept her attention like MUS. We were going to start BFSU for science but I'm second guessing everything now. (We tried MFW K and it was not for her, either. She hated the craft projects.) Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 It sounds to me like "time" was what worked as far as reading goes. I don't think the programs you used made much difference.:001_smile: I would not worry too much about figuring out her learning style. They are way overrated, IMO. Pick programs that YOU are comfortable teaching and that help meet your goals. Tweak to make more hands-on if necessary, drop some crafts if your child doesn't care for them but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsrae Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 It sounds to me like "time" was what worked as far as reading goes. I don't think the programs you used made much difference.:001_smile: I would not worry too much about figuring out her learning style. They are way overrated, IMO. Pick programs that YOU are comfortable teaching and that help meet your goals. Tweak to make more hands-on if necessary, drop some crafts if your child doesn't care for them but I wouldn't worry too much about it. :iagree: From one former PS school teacher to another...:grouphug:. Whew! I really beat myself up when things were not going along swimmingly with my eldest DD for K last year. I mean, how hard is it to teach your own child--whom you love and care for--when you are used to wrangling a room full of kids? It's actually very hard, I found! I was SO personally invested in her success that I pushed way too hard. And DD6 is smart, but school is not her "thing" as it is her mother's :) So give yourself a little break. Relax. If you are second guessing everything, you are probably spending a little too much time on it. (I know I have!) Research, ask questions, try samples, attend a homeschool convention in your area so you can hold the books you want to try in your hands--but realize that you aren't going to ruin your daughter if something doesn't click right away. We spent all of last year sobbing our way through OPGTR; started Phonics Road this year, and it has fit us like a glove. From the list of phonics programs you tried, I would say (in the most loving way possible) that perhaps you are obsessing a little too much. Take it from someone who knows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudcuddles Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 Thanks for the advice! Sounds like I really need to focus on what works for me and chill a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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