Halcyon Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 We have so many books here that I want to read to my kids, but haven't found the time. Has anyone done a "read-aloud" week, where they just read to their kids for a week? My children LOVE listening to books...would my voice completely wear out? Probably, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 That sounds like a fun idea. I haven't devoted an entire week to it but could see many benefits for doing so once in awhile. I do read to my girls every night a chapter book but our days are interspersed with lots of board books and picture books so we can grab my 19 month's old attention as well. I noticed the other day, when I had a massive headache and couldn't do our complete our nightly read-aloud, how much our nightly readings have affected my kids. They were crushed when I attempted to cut our reading short and Mira (my 5yo) asked if she could finish up the chapter. I already knew she was a great reader and reading well above her age level but when she read she was doing a phenomenal job of changing her voices and having pausing for the proper punctuation. I dare say she did better than some adults I have heard reading. :) Those skills aren't necessarily ever taught per-se but picked up. She definitely is picking it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 YES! We do this when we are burned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amie Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Sounds like a fun "spring break" to me! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol S Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Sounds fun! I already read aloud a lot during our normal schedule though, During the summer for my younger kiddos its mostly made up of reading aloud and activities to go along with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Be careful. A read out loud week is sometimes so successful, that it changes your educational philosophy. If you have already invested in expensive textbooks for next year, you might not want to do it :-) Otherwise, go for it. First teach your children a new handwork skill, so they can knit or braid as they listen. Have some coloring pages and crayons handy that go along with the books. Use an audio book or two to give your voice a rest and give you a chance to do some of the handwork too. Maybe buy them each a small journal to document the week. Maybe even name the week, and plan on making it a yearly event. Stock up on cocoa and popcorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieshy Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 We do " reading weeks"-older kids drop most of their regular schoolwork and everyone focuses on reading from their book lists. I try to read extra to the littles and in the evenings we'll informally read aloud whatever someone is really wanting to share. Sometimes it's just funny. My girls all loved Little Women and also Jane Austin- we all remembered references (not complimentary) to Romance Of the Forest. I found a copy and we had a blast reading portions out loud during the Winter reading week. I often use reading weeks to play catch up on my planning, or something really exciting like... doing our taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoZeeCo's Mom Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I absolutely love this idea. I'm going to do it the week before all the spring activities start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 We basically do this most weeks since we do CM. :D I say go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Be careful. A read out loud week is sometimes so successful, that it changes your educational philosophy. If you have already invested in expensive textbooks for next year, you might not want to do it :-) Otherwise, go for it. First teach your children a new handwork skill, so they can knit or braid as they listen. Have some coloring pages and crayons handy that go along with the books. Use an audio book or two to give your voice a rest and give you a chance to do some of the handwork too. Maybe buy them each a small journal to document the week. Maybe even name the week, and plan on making it a yearly event. Stock up on cocoa and popcorn. We do a lot of reading already, but this sounds like so much fun that we might just drop everything next week and do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Great idea! We've got several books on our to-read list that I just haven't made time for... And we've just reached a good stopping point so I believe we'll do this + chose-your-own-fun-pointless-art-craft for our school work next week! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 Okay, we may just do this during public school's spring break. Boys are going to morning camp, but I wanted to have something enjoyable to do in the afternoon...this might be it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Be careful. A read out loud week is sometimes so successful, that it changes your educational philosophy. If you have already invested in expensive textbooks for next year, you might not want to do it :-) Otherwise, go for it. First teach your children a new handwork skill, so they can knit or braid as they listen. Have some coloring pages and crayons handy that go along with the books. Use an audio book or two to give your voice a rest and give you a chance to do some of the handwork too. Maybe buy them each a small journal to document the week. Maybe even name the week, and plan on making it a yearly event. Stock up on cocoa and popcorn. Hunter, thank you so much for this practical advice! !!!! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Be careful. A read out loud week is sometimes so successful, that it changes your educational philosophy. If you have already invested in expensive textbooks for next year, you might not want to do it :-) :lol::iagree: I never plan days/weeks for this to happen, but it definitely has happened. We enjoy when this happens so much that I find myself wondering why we don't just do it all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 We have so many books here that I want to read to my kids, but haven't found the time. Has anyone done a "read-aloud" week, where they just read to their kids for a week? My children LOVE listening to books...would my voice completely wear out? Probably, right? If my voice wouldn't wear out, my dream would be to have a read-aloud life. Seriously, if I could do an entire elementary education by reading aloud, I'd do it. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 That sounds like a great week! I'm going to have to give it a try here (and just hope my voice holds out.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Sounds like a fun "spring break" to me! ;) :iagree: I think we might just do this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnointedHsMom Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) OH! I see a 4 weeks on, 1 week read aloud, 4 weeks on, 1 read aloud. :thumbup: Now why didn't I think of this??!!!? Edited March 4, 2012 by AnointedHsMom I can't spell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 This is basically how every week is for us. The only subject not covered by read alouds or a optional game/video is handwriting. (Sometimes when the kids are at a point in math they might have to do seat work for math for a week or so, but then they are off the hook for seat work math till another thing comes along that requires seat work) We have audio books for some, me reading for others. I must admit I sometimes feel we aren't doing much since we aren't doing any worksheets, ... or whatever other people do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I've been adding more and more and we've really been enjoying it. You might want to intersperse an audiobook into your reading to give your voice a break. If you don't want to purchase one, Tim Bulkeley does an amazing job reading Just So Stories (version 5 on Librivox) and Karen Savage did a very good job with The Railway Children. Both recordings are on Librivox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I read aloud a lot normally, but we have lots of days (never an entire week yet) where we just all read. I read to them, oldest reads a few hours on his own while I read more to the younger ones, yummy lunch and snacks. We do this on rainy days, and on nicer days when we can sit and read outside. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 I want to start doing something like that: a "Robinson Week" each month, where each kid does one math lesson, one writing lesson/activity, and then just reads. And that would include a lot of reading aloud by me - especially right now. So we'd have 3 weeks of regular lessons, and 1 week of mainly reading from a variety of books. I'm hoping I'll be able to recharge and plan on that week as well. I do notice on the nights I don't read a bed time story, the kids take a lot longer to settle down. I've been trying not to miss story-time for that reason (and I'm enjoying the books, especially Heidi and the Prydain books from Lloyd Alexander). [I have four books (including 1 of the FIAR books) plus the King James Bible (trying to get used to the language so we are reading a Psalm each night) in a basket, and the kids & I take turns choosing. I did that because we read "A Door in the Wall" in about 2 weeks (it has 10 chapters I think) and I don't believe they retained the story as well as the books I read at a slower pace for school.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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