Children are not created equal. Some are avid readers, some are fantastic at math, some are gifted with learning languages. Marina is most definitely a natural speller. In seventh or eighth grade she had tested out of Spelling Power, my spelling curriculum. She is my oldest and most self motivated child. When she was three she would insist on every sign being read to her when we went to the botanical garden or zoo. She set the student bar high. It was easy to think I was an incredible teacher.
Not that Chase and Sierra are poor students. They are just more discriminating in their learning interests. I had to teach through trains and later through dinosaurs or Chase would glaze over. I'm still learning how to teach Sierra. That's the point. They make me work those teaching muscles like miniature personal trainers.
4 comments:
Haha, you read my mind. lol I was just telling my husband right now that I think Emily is going to spoil me too. She is so motivated, wonderful with languages. Knew the alphabet at 18 months, started reading at 3.5, reads at a 1st grade level now at 4.5, understands addition and subtraction, counts to 100, etc. People ask what I do, but I feel shy about it, because I feel like I really don't do that much. My husband always says "Take credit for it." But I feel like I can't fully. I know I did some things, but she is just the way she is. And her learning style + my teaching style are the perfect match. So far our 20 month old has proven to be different. More defiant when I try to read to her, throws tantrums if I coax, says her letters and sounds, but could care less what they look like. I think she is still smart, but will cause me to think more creatively. I have a feeling she won't be teaching herself to read as easily as Emily did. It's going to be interesting. And I know now that I need to be sure not to compare them to each other.
Mini-Me spoiled me. :-) She was easy to teach. She still is.
:-)
Another great comic! :-) My son has no interest in spelling rules beyond complaining about how infuriatingly inconsistent they are. :-)
I know what you mean. I think I must've been like Marina, a natural speller. Logan is an avid reader but not a good speller, which used to surprise me, but he's taught me that the two don't necessarily go together.
Blessings,
Paula
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