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IN THIS ISSUE:
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Notes from Heather
-- Taking Family Trips
Helpful Tips
-- Share With Our Readers!
Resource Review
-- Candy's 4-Way Phonics
Reader Question
-- Reading Aloud with Teens
Additional Notes
-- Newsletter Archives
-- Sponsorship Information
-- Reprint Information
-- Subscriber Information

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Notes from Heather
===================

Thank you to EVERYONE who wrote in and shared all the great ideas/tips for our
coming visit to Philadelphia!  I will compile and share them very soon. :-)

-- Heather

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Reader Feedback on Taking Family Trips

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"Heather -- I don't have any tips on Philadelphia to share with you, but I just wanted
to say 'way to go' for finally planning this trip.  We had been the same way about
always wanting to take our kids to Washington, D.C.  We have two older kids, now 17
and 12, and three younger, now 3, 4, and 6.  Before we had the younger three, we had
always planned to take the olders when they were 'old enough'.  When the others came
along, we knew our wait was going to be much longer.  Then one day we realized that if
we waited for the younger children to be old enough, our oldest would be gone!  So we
thought, why not take TWO trips?  We'll take the older two now, and then we'll take
another trip when the others are ready.  So, in the fall of 2008, some family members
came to stay with the younger children and off we went!  It was SO exciting and satisfying
to be able to take our boys on that trip we had always wanted to take them on, and we
made memories that will last forever.  I remember standing on the National Mall looking
at all of the places we had been reading and studying about and just being so thrilled
to be there.  We were so glad we just stopped talking about it and DID it!

I know you and your family will have a wonderful time, as will you and your husband on
the bonus trip!  Enjoy every minute!!!" -- Mindy

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Do you have comments to share? Please do!

Send to: mailto:heather@familyclassroom.net

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"I just wanted you to know that I really enjoy your course, Homeschooling ABCs.  I'm learning
so much even though I have been homeschooling for some time now.  I also enjoy working on one
subject at a time; it gives me the time necessary to read the free material and for thinking
it through.  Thanks a lot!  I am looking forward to the next sessions!" -- Myriam

http://www.familyclassroom.net/HomeschoolingABCs.htm

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Helpful Tip
==========

If anyone sent in a tip since our last issue, I didn't receive it! :-(

Since it might be a problem with the email address, I have changed it to my regular newsletter
address below.  If you tried, please try again -- if not, please take the time to share with us!

Remember -- anything goes!  :-)

---

Do you have a website, tip, idea or experience to share with our readers?

Send to: mailto:heather@familyclassroom.net

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Resource Review
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Candy’s 4Way Phonics
Author: Carol Kay
For more information or to order: www.candy4wayphonics.com
 

Candy’s 4Way Phonics is a systematic curriculum that takes the student from
basic letter sounds through reading mastery.  The program is available via
download, and contains everything you need to teach phonics for several years
(or however long it takes your child to finish).
 
This is an intensive program and, because it covers several years of instruction
and is so thorough, it can seem a bit overwhelming at first.  When you download
the program, you have several files from which to choose.  The first is an
overview of the program, which introduces the program and recommends that you
read the next file, “How to Teach...” through several times.  The author does
an excellent job of laying the foundation of “why” you should teach phonics
in this format, and then explaining how to implement the program.
 
The rest of the files are there for you to print.  The curriculum relies on
lots of charts, and of course, daily lessons.  I appreciate Carol’s emphasis
on mastery, and her reminders to not spend too long (especially with very young
children) on your daily phonics instruction.  As they advance through the course,
students will complete review drills, memorize sight words, and use the provided
readers for each level.
 
This is a very affordable program, and if implemented consistently, according
to instructions, will grow your child into a proficient reader, ready to tackle
any word they encounter.  The cost is kept down by requiring the user to print
all necessary lessons, charts, and readers.  Even with the cost of ink and paper,
this is probably the one of the most thorough and affordable phonics programs
I have seen.  Highly recommended!

^{Cindy Prechtel, www.HomeschoolingFromTheHeart.com}

=============================
Last Issue's Reader Question
=============================

"I would love to hear from families who have read-aloud through the junior high and
high school years.  How did you maintain the children’s interest?   What quiet
activities might they pursue while you are reading?  How long were your sessions?
Did you have the children share in the reading aloud?" -- Chun Mei in CA

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Our Readers' Responses
=========================

"I wasn't home schooled myself, but my Mom often read to us.  During high school
I did embroidery and hand sewing (school projects) while she read to me; she read
to my Dad while he worked on model airplanes and she read to us in the car.  I
remember her reading Christy and even some theology books that she was working
through, and the chance to interact at that level brought a lot of bonding.  I
think the key would be to catch the teens' interest with mutual interests so that
there is a genuine exchange of reactions and ideas.  See if they can suggest books
or topics, and maybe the keenest person can start reading the book for the others.
I could see reading plays together, too." -- Brenda in Thailand

---

"When my children were younger, I read aloud to them fairly often.  As they have
gotten older, they've taken over the interest in reading, and now my oldest (age 14)
reads aloud to the other children.  This is something they enjoy especially when
they are in the car, even just going to the grocery store.  My oldest reads and
the rest of us listen.  They always want more, and when she pauses the question
always goes up, 'What happens next?".  My second oldest is almost 13 and she loves
to be read to in this way, but when we are home and a younger sibling is sick she
will read to them, sometimes for hours.  If I read a story to our younger children,
I often find the others slowly picking up interest and gathering around or just
listening from afar.  It seems they are never too old to be read to!" -- Mary in DE

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"My children are in 7th and 8th grades.  We use Sonlight and often read aloud together.
We all three enjoy it, and I plan to continue through high school.  I try to break up
the reading with more active things and we sometimes take turns being the reader.  One
of my children does not like to sit still, so I try to accept that she is listening
while moving!  We often are so into the story that we stop to discuss things as we go.
One thing that she really enjoys is sketching the scenes as she listens, either on
paper or a white board.  When available, I also download audiobooks that we can listen
to together.  I think the most important thing to hold their interest is selecting
great books!" -- Tina in FL

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"We do read-alouds with my 2 teenagers.  I check out the classics from the library or
we read from the Bible.  My daughter, who is 16 and learning disabled, usually knits
with her Knifty Knitter while I read -- and will ask questions.  My son, who is 15,
generally doesn't like it, but will listen as he draws cartoon characters and such.
He has been known to draw out the characters from the story.

The read aloud time is more for me than for them, as I went totally deaf and need to
keep my speech skills going and this allows me to do that." -- Kristina

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"Hi! We have been home schooling our 4 children for 7 years, starting our 8th
year. Our oldest is going into 10th grade and our youngest is going to 2nd
grade. We have been reading aloud to our children for most of this journey. We
have read many classics such as The Scarlet Pimpernel, Treasure Island, and Ben
Hur as well as fun stories such as Watership Down, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of
NIMH, and Redwall stories. Of course, when our children were younger we read
books like Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan, and Anne of Green Gables.
My husband works 2nd shift so our family meal is at lunchtime. After lunch he
reads one chapter of our current book.
 
My best advice to you would be that you read to the older child's/children's
abilities and vocabulary. You will be amazed at the vocabulary your younger
children will build. Be willing to stop and look up any words that anyone has a
question on. I've learned lots that way. ;) We try to coordinate our read aloud
to a particular unit of study or time period in history to keep it relevant.
 
Find a time that works for you and your children. Who says you can't read aloud
at bed time or after dinner, just because school is over for the day? How about
outside on the porch as dusk is settling? If you find the right kind of books,
the children will always ask for more... especially if it is bedtime!" -- Cindy S.

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"My friend who is a teacher taught her class to knit/crochet for read aloud
time.  Keeps their hands busy and their interest up!" -- T C in Indiana

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"As my second son gets ready for tech school in January and my last homeschooling daughter
registers for online courses for early graduation, ...

One of my fondest memories of their junior high years is 'poet's tea'... Thursday afternoons.

Between driver's ed and jobs the schedule got pretty hectic and it was great to set aside a
time when we were all together to read aloud.  Everyone took turns finding and sharing a
favorite, setting the table, brewing custom tea combos in a pot -- an oasis of connectedness.

You could adapt this by having everyone share a favorite passage from their current read as
well.  Enjoy!" -- Kristin R.

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Answer our NEW Question
=========================

"My 13-year-old daughter is fascinated with anything having to do with Japan.  She
really wants to learn to speak and write in Japanese.  She is very self-motivated
in this and has used some tools online to learn different phrases.  Does anyone know
of a good curriculum that we can use or have any tips for learning the language?"
-- Mary in South Dakota

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Would you like to make a recommendation for Mary and her daughter?

Please send your email to: mailto:HN-answers@familyclassroom.net

=====================
Ask YOUR Question
=====================

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Send it to mailto:HN-questions@familyclassroom.net and we'll see
if we can help you out in a future issue!

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