A measure of progress.

My Reece and Cierah are 14 months apart. Most of you know that we homeschool, and I began this year wondering where best to place them in phonics instruction regarding "grade level" (a term that homeschoolers define a bit differently than traditional schools, as it's easier to simply work at "student level" when you operate a one-room schoolhouse.)

I began the year by placing both children in the same phonics program, noting that Cierah (age 4) was not capable of working the same pace or skill level as her big brother. Reece was already blending three or four letter C-V-C words (consonant, vowel, consonant). Cierah could sound letters out, but not blend them to form words (though was she ever was motivated to learn). Still, I was able to teach most of the phonics curriculum simultaneously to both students, modifying the reading and practice of learned skills to their individual levels.

Worked well.

So well, in fact, that Cierah has decided in the past 3 weeks to just step it into high gear and pass her older brother up in her reading ability. He hasn't noticed (yet) and I am careful not to draw attention to it, as he will likely be sensative to being passed up. He's just a sensative little guy in general.

I feel so blessed to have given my children the gift of reading. My Olivia is a book-a-holic, reading constantly. And she enjoys some very rich subject matter as well, like accounts of Harriet Tubman or Helen Keller. Reece, while not yet reading fluently, has immersed himself in books for a very long time, pouring over images and asking tons of questions. And now 4yo Cierah is discovering her own passion for the printed words on the page.

You know, I reaaally had to laugh tonight though. We were driving around looking at Christmas lights with the kids (yes, folks, that borders on entertainment for a single income family.) The kids were so excited to take it all in, talking out of turn and raising their voices to be heard. It all blurred together for me in a beautiful kind of "freeze this moment in time" symphony. I was drinking it in, when Reece noticed a particular inflatable lawn ornament and exclaimed with hurried excitement, "MOM! DAD! That sign said Haw, Haw, Haw."

Haw? Huh???

I looked back at the house that was quickly disappearing from view and spotted the object of Reece's excitement; the lawn ornament that Reece had read aloud, so proudly demonstrating his phonics skills. For indeed, it would read "Haw, Haw, Haw" based on the phonics rules he's learned thus far. But in reality?

HO! HO! HO! (Okay, now you can "ha ha ha.")

Toni