French

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Last month I started a little French club with some of my younger children and some of their friends.  For the record, I don't speak French even though I had years of it in starting in 6th grade in Canada and then through my sophmore year of college.  Therefore, I'm not calling myself a teacher, I'm merely learning (or re-learning) alongside the kids.

We are using L'Art de Lire by Nallenart. The French Canadian bent suits me just fine. I figure as the kids get a little further along I'll add in Pimsleur and the accents will balance each other, and most hopefully of all, cancel out their Tennessee drawls.

So far the things I like:

• phonetic layout and presentation
• grammar within a story line context
• useful vocabulary
• easy to divide up daily work
• the audio track reinforces daily work
• almost no prep work required

All in all I'm finding the first book to be a very gentle introduction to a foreign language.  Very doable for my younger students and an easy extra-curricular for my older students. 

I'm looking forward to seeing how the programs builds and grows.

Teaching Reading, a Warning

My 5th child is on the cusp of moving from beginning reader to Reader. As in, I'll have to start taking his books away from him at bedtime. It's a really exciting time for both of us.

I remember this point with all my children though none of my children have had the kindness to have similar learning styles as an older sibling. Therefore teaching each of them has been a learning experience for me as their mom/teacher.

But..... with all of my children I noticed a couple of things that drove me absolutely nuts until I realized it was normal.

When your child is learning to read they may (will) have totally unexplainable and unpredictable periods when they seem to have forgotten all of the basics. You will wonder if they fell out of their bed onto their head that morning. You will wonder if they are purposely torturing you. Breathe deeply. Remember how much you love them.

It is not your fault.

They will also have totally unpredictable leaps forward in their comprehension and ability. Generally this will happen after you realize that you've been a terrible mom and have totally dropped the ball with their reading program. You'll sit down with your child with feelings of great trepidation only to hear them sight read 3 syllable words and suddenly be able remember the phonic rule you had been tempted to have tattooed on your forehead.

It is not your success.

In the absence of learning disabilities it isn't going to matter terribly what curriculum you use if you remember two things during each lesson: they are the ones learning how to read; and you really,really, love your child.

Check out Thirsty Thursdays for great teaching tips.

And Works for Me Wednesday for more tips on everything.