catherine smith Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 My 8 year old daughter has been confessing so many things to me lately. today she told me she had only been reading the beginning and end of some of her independent reading. We use old fashioned education and Robinson list of books to cover history, science, and literature, so it's reading that counts, not just reading for pleasure. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have her re read a good bit...we've been discussing sowing and reaping, and I can't not let her experience the consequences, etc. my question is, how do you hold your child accountable for independent reading? I generally spot check each day by having her narrate something back to me, but not books like Young Folks Plutarch, because I know they are a little more difficult than say bobbsey twins, Heidi, etc. so, to me, it was enough for her just to absorb what she could and I'd be happy with that. She is nearing being able to summarize in paragraph form from writing with ease, wondering if she should do that ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Well, that is a very useful study technique, but maybe it is also a request to use a method with less independent reading. That is a lot of subjects for an eight year old to be self studying via assigned reading. Can you read more to her? Organise more hands on projects? Watch documentaries with her? Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Have her listen to you or someone else (like the Librivox person) read it. Personally I'd have her narrate that and skip the Bobsey Twins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Well, that is a very useful study technique, but maybe it is also a request to use a method with less independent reading. That is a lot of subjects for an eight year old to be self studying via assigned reading. Can you read more to her? Organise more hands on projects? Watch documentaries with her? Rosie :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2hunangirls Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 My 8 yr old does the same thing...but you're ahead of me, mine doesn't confess yet. She's good though, she'll read a page here or there...certainly if I give her certain pages to read she'll be sure to know something. Every few books something will catch her and she'll actually read the book. I made it all the way through college figuring out what pages I needed. I didn't even read Cliff Notes in their entirety. Sailed through tests. I'm no genius, I had a knack of knowing what looked important and a pretty photogenic mind. But, I just couldn't stand to read books. I coul absorb info in any other way with joy. So, with my 8 yr old, who learns fine and I'm sure of it. I'll just continue to ask questions and if she can answer them, good for her. If she can't she is told to re-read and then she will get new questions. And I just keep hoping that a book here and there will catch her and she will WANT to read. Now, if she confessed...I'd be like you and feel I need to do something as consequence. But since she confessed it would be on the light side (honestly, I'd be so happy mine confessed I'd have to stop myself from buying ice cream!). If re-reading doesn't work for you, what about having her copy a chapter so that she'll have to read every word? I suppose the most logical thing is to have her write a report....but I know what *I* would have done with that assignment. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Why don't you each have your own copy and you sit and read them together? Then you can talk about it. I generally don't ask my kids to read things that I haven't read myself. And it sounds like she is gleaning something from those books. If you couldn't tell she hadn't read them thoroughly then she must be doing a pretty good job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I also think this thread from 2010 has some useful suggestions. (Note both Ester Maria AND Reya contributed.) http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169854 I think expecting an eight year old to do her own work all on her own could be problematic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 It's been so long since I read about The Robinson Curriculum, but I thought the reading always led to a writing assignment. I thought that is how the parent knows the child is understanding the reading? I don't recall at what age they have the kids reading independently for all subjects though. It seems a rather hefty expectation for someone as young as 8 years old. I suppose you could have her do an oral narration after each reading. But if you don't read the books first, you may not know if she's just summarizing a couple of pages out of a whole reading assignment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I don't recall at what age they have the kids reading independently for all subjects though. It seems a rather hefty expectation for someone as young as 8 years old. :iagree: I know there are exceptions, but I think most 8 year-olds benefit greatly from quite a bit of supervision and guidance as they do their schoolwork. I'm not saying she can't do some reading on her own, but that perhaps you need to be right there in the room, making sure she actually does it. If you weren't aware that she was pulling a fast one on you, I hate to say it, but you weren't paying enough attention. (And I'm not blaming you for that -- you thought she could handle doing the reading on her own, and she was clever enough to read "just enough to get by." I'm just suggesting that you may need to re-think the way you and your dd handle the school day.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I think expecting an eight year old to do her own work all on her own could be problematic. :iagree: (speaking as the mom of an almost 8yo, and a former 8yo). I think it is great that she told you though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I think it is great that she told you though. I do, too. And I don't think I would punish her, because that would discourage her from 'fessing up in the future. She did the right thing by being honest with you, so I think it would be best to just move on from there and keep a closer eye on her in the future. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it, or make her re-read any of the books. I would just continue with the next book on your list, and leave it at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I do, too. And I don't think I would punish her, because that would discourage her from 'fessing up in the future. She did the right thing by being honest with you, so I think it would be best to just move on from there and keep a closer eye on her in the future. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it, or make her re-read any of the books. I would just continue with the next book on your list, and leave it at that. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natalieclare Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I do, too. And I don't think I would punish her, because that would discourage her from 'fessing up in the future. She did the right thing by being honest with you, so I think it would be best to just move on from there and keep a closer eye on her in the future. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it, or make her re-read any of the books. I would just continue with the next book on your list, and leave it at that. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I do, too. And I don't think I would punish her, because that would discourage her from 'fessing up in the future. She did the right thing by being honest with you, so I think it would be best to just move on from there and keep a closer eye on her in the future. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it, or make her re-read any of the books. I would just continue with the next book on your list, and leave it at that. :iagree: And as a former kid, I was the kind who never did the reading if there was something else interesting available. I would talk with her, add fun, etc but I wouldn't think she's unusual. I think she was very mature to fess up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Researcher Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I do, too. And I don't think I would punish her, because that would discourage her from 'fessing up in the future. She did the right thing by being honest with you, so I think it would be best to just move on from there and keep a closer eye on her in the future. I wouldn't make a big deal out of it, or make her re-read any of the books. I would just continue with the next book on your list, and leave it at that. :iagree: You could also try turning the reading selections into read alouds for a while and have her narrate those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catherine smith Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 Thanks for the input, I think the general consensus is I may be expecting too much from my eight yr old. She's my first, so it helps hearing from others what is age appropriate. Thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 My 8 year old daughter told me she had only been reading the beginning and end of some of her independent reading. ?? why isn't she reading? is reading easy, or does she have tracking/processing challenges that make her uncomfortable with that much reading? reading was a challenge for me until jr high, even though people thought I "could read" fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I would absolutely reconsider your approach. As others have said, it's great that she told you. Don't punish her for that. But she is EIGHT. Why should she be so *isolated* with so many of her subjects?!? Children *need* interaction. They need mentoring. They need discussion and feedback. Independent reading is all well and good, but except in desperate circumstances (the origins of the Robinson Curriculum, for instance), I strongly believe that it should *not* be the method for all subjects for young children. If you want to go over some material again, I suggest you find a way to do it *together*. You read to her. She reads to you. You snuggle on the couch. Chat about what you're reading. BE ENGAGED. Expecting an 8yo to self-educate in that way is age-inappropriate and unfair. She has given you the chance to make some adjustments. I am ALL FOR accountability for children. But not when the requirements are unreasonable for age or ability. Yes, cover the material again if she has missed important aspects. But find another way to do it (with or without Robinson) that does not punish her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Speaking from personal experience with the Robinson Curriculum, I would strongly suggest that you pre-read the book selections before assigning them to your dd. Many of them have an outdated feel (not in a good way,) and would bore me to tears, so I can only imagine that your dd would hate them, too. It may not be the reading in general, or the quantity of reading, that is a nuisance to her; it may be the book selections. I bought the RC when my ds was quite young, and after looking at quite a bit of it, I decided against using it. I know it worked out wonderfully for the Robinson family, but if you look at the number of hours per day that those kids spent on schoolwork, it's a lot, and it's quite regimented. I think they were better able to handle it because it wasn't just one child sitting alone at a desk (like my ds would have been, or like your dd would be) -- there were several Robinson kids, and although it initially sounds as though they all worked independently, I'm pretty sure the older kids worked with the younger ones -- and just having company in the classroom probably helped a lot. Also, I don't think the mom ever intended the kids to self-teach, but after she died, the father did what he felt he had to do in order to make homeschooling work for the family. Whatever the case with your dd, please remember that all of us have made mistakes, and I'm sure most of us have modified our teaching styles and/or changed curriculum many times over the years. What's not working now may be perfect in a few years, and what's great right now may be a nightmare later on -- but that's OK, because one of the best things about homeschooling is that we can make changes on the fly, and try new things and discard others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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