Stop and Go

I must have been crazy to think I'd get any schooling done while being in N.C. I had forgotten that the kids were out of school (which means I never saw my girls 'cause they were hanging out with the older cousins) and I hadn't thought through to how crazy things might be the first week of chemo. Anyway, the next week of N.C. should sail a little smoother so I'll take the school supplies and see what happens.

What about this last week? Errr... I kindof decided to continue the break. I've been in this...preoccupied mood... where I'm trying to deal with things in my head and I haven't wanted to go through the rigmarole of putting together and structuring everything.

What we have done is what we were doing before... random learning out of the blue. While the girls are playing in the playroom... I might go in and write a few sentences on the wipe board and have Aidan read them... and then do the same with letters for Ainsley. A few times this week... I've sat Aidan down to read a book together. She'll read the easy parts and I'll read the harder parts. I've also done a few math activities for both girls.

Speaking of reading... I have to change my plans again!

My plan has been to teach the basic phonetic sounds... starting with vowels.... short A, short E, etc. I figured I'd keep working on one sound at a time until she's built up enough in her mind to branch out. Well she's branched out! I've only gotten through the A's but two days ago when I sat down with Aidan to read with her I discovered that in this two week break... Aidan learned to read all on her own. She's reading words and phonetic sounds I haven't taught.

So, I will continue with phonics... but I think I'll let Alpha Phonics and Explode the Code take over on those lessons... I'm just going to concentrate on reading with her.

While I read with her... I'll repeat a phonetic rule. SH says "Shhh" and move on. That's all she needs now. My Aidan has crossed the bridge into true reading. Somewhere inside me I'm an excited little girl.

You know... her brain works so funny! I like to compare people's brains to computers. In her computer I input a few ideas and rules and then, if I let it process for awhile, I realize her inner programing has expanded the information and has built its own fully functioning programs.

I cannot wait to see how Ainsley operates!