Home Education: Vocabulary
This short post can otherwise be known as 'Reason number 341 to home educate':
Your 4-year old will have a stellar vocabulary {and he will even know what stellar means!} For instance:
Dad: "Langston, why do you have such a long face?"
Ryland (He answers for his younger brother, because that is what older brothers do): "That's just because he's been so cross today!"
Or, during a Saturday morning snuggle, when Ry came running to Dad with his Bible:
"Dad, I was coming to see if you were available to read to me?"
Or, upon explaining something to him and he replies:
"I'm concerned about this."
And, on a typical Nebraska afternoon (umm, that means WINDY for those out-of-staters)
"I believe it is too gusty to fly my kite today."
There are many more 'Rylandisms', but I wanted to share just a few of our latest favorites with you. And also encourage you, especially mothers, to read {and don't read twaddle, either. Charlotte Mason, anyone?} with your children, discuss the stories with your children, use real language with them {no baby talk!} and then see if they can narrate {explain what they understand from the reading} back to you. Even a 2-year old is capable of this, at a 2-year old level of course. It is fun and rewarding, and the mothers who are reading this and have already discovered the treasures listed above can affirm with their own testimonies the incredible vocabularies of their own children. {Disclaimer: your child may blurt something out in Church. This is not a reason to avoid conversational style learning with your children, just a friendly warning. It's not a reason to avoid going to Church, either. Please don't ask how I know. . .}
*And*, this is just my own personal belief and speaking from my experience, I truly believe that if children have the words and ideas to express themselves correctly and in context, they tend to be less frustrated in general. That's a good thing. Anyone relate?
Concluding, Hollie :-)
P.S. Almost forgot to mention - we haven't even started 'formal' pre-school yet. Hmmm...
26 May 2010
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Ditto, ditto, and ditto! Great post, Hollie! I love Charlotte Mason too - until I read Andreola's book on her many years ago, I planned to just re-create the classroom at home. She really defined genuine education.
ReplyDeleteI should clarify, I have only ever read Andreola's Charlotte Mason companion as well - someday, someday, I vow to read Charlotte in her own words. That someday will come when I have hours to devote in an afternoon, as I really think I'll need to sit and let it absorb into me! I re-read the Charlotte Mason companion at the end of each summer as a reminder of what trap not to fall into. It's a must read for every home educating family!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gwen!
My!! Oh!! if all the mother who are home schooling like you two (and I'm sure there are) "What a difference it would make in our society". Now here is a ?...How do you put your name and picture on?? Where it says select Anonymous .. I understand that. I'm afraid I will mess it up if I start exploring!! Gramma
ReplyDeletePhew! You've got some smart boys! A large vocabulary is also a benefit of reading LOTS. Only then (ahem) you sometimes don't get the pronunciations right. (-; Mom caught me with a wrong one just the other day. (o;
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember a little girl that qualified for a spelling-bee contest while in first grade and participated in the first through third grade showdown later that year ....and won .She also could spell a village that her Grandfather fought near during WWII. It started Civit??//? Well,, she knew how to spell it.I can't take any credit except I did show her what smart pills looked like one time
ReplyDeleteHi Hollie I forgot to put my name on the post when I previewed it Love to all Dad/Granpa bill
ReplyDeleteLove your posts & pictures!
ReplyDelete