NationStates Jolt Archive

So, I got my new curriculum for my 3 year old today, Our school year runs year round, but we start a new "year" every November (not that you need to know that but whatever) anyway, one of the subjects she is studying this year is reading, my oldest was a self taught reader and so was I so I pull out this phonics book and start reading how to teach this so that I can start making lesson plans, when I realize that I didn't know all this stuff, like C copies S whenever it's followed by an E, I, or Y and that anything else it copies K...... there are all kinds of rules about reading that I didn't know like the "when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking" (ex Eat, Beach, Float etc)

So....what's the point of the thread? I had long ago decided that the things I taught myself I knew better than the things that someone else force fed me, but what if I was wrong? what if I wasted all this time figuring out how to read on my own when I was 3 and could have just let someone else figure it out for me and went to learn new stuff?

So, what do you think is better being self taught or learning from someone else? does that change with certain subjects? what have you taught yourself to do?

So, I got my new curriculum for my 3 year old today, Our school year runs from year round, but we start a new "year" every November (not that you need to know that but whatever) anyway, one of the subjects she is studying this year is reading, my oldest was a self taught reader and so was I so I pull out this phonics book and start reading how to teach this so that I can start making lesson plans, when I realize that I didn't know all this stuff, like C copies S whenever it's followed by an E, I, or Y and that anything else it copies K...... there are all kinds of rules about reading that I didn't know like the "when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking" (ex Eat, Beach, Float etc)

So....what's the point of the thread? I had long ago decided that the things I taught myself I knew better than the things that someone else force fed me, but what if I was wrong? what if I wasted all this time figuring out how to read on my own when I was 3 and could have just let someone else figure it out for me and went to learn new stuff?

So, what do you think is better being self taught or learning from someone else? does that change with certain subjects? what have you taught yourself to do?


I taught myself how to mix my own blackpowder when I was a kid and how to use it to make big firecrackers. They used to sell saltpeter and flowers of sufur in drug stores then. Now big chains like CVS and stuff don't carry anything good. I had a fun childhood.

The grammar of the poll is funny considering it is to do with learning to read. :p

I give this 10 posts before someone says something rude.

I think it really varies depending on the subject, especially the more advanced you get in the subject. From personal experience, like learning to play guitar, I found myself hitting a wall until I spent a couple of months with some friends and they explained some stuff to me I'd never been able to pick up on my own.

Life lessons, however, I think you have to learn on your own. You've got to step in it to find it.

The grammar of poll is funny considering it is to do with learning to read. :p

I give this 10 posts before someone says something rude.

I thought it was funny, I really tried to misspell something too, but I don't remember if I did or not... LOL

I like learning many subjects, like history, on my own, but I think that subjects like foreign languages are easier to learn when taught by someone else. I've learned a few words from computer programs, but it's easier to learn it from others so that if you have a specific question, you can ask it. A computer program can only teach so much, and, besides, I don't learn very well from the computer programs I've tried because they don't really explain the grammar, and I like to learn the structure of a language before memorizing vocabulary. It makes more sense to me that way.

How to start fires. :cool:

How to start fires. :cool:

that goes under mischief.... :D

So, I got my new curriculum for my 3 year old today, Our school year runs from year round, but we start a new "year" every November (not that you need to know that but whatever) anyway, one of the subjects she is studying this year is reading, my oldest was a self taught reader and so was I so I pull out this phonics book and start reading how to teach this so that I can start making lesson plans, when I realize that I didn't know all this stuff, like C copies S whenever it's followed by an E, I, or Y and that anything else it copies K...... there are all kinds of rules about reading that I didn't know like the "when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking" (ex Eat, Beach, Float etc)

So....what's the point of the thread? I had long ago decided that the things I taught myself I knew better than the things that someone else force fed me, but what if I was wrong? what if I wasted all this time figuring out how to read on my own when I was 3 and could have just let someone else figure it out for me and went to learn new stuff?

So, what do you think is better being self taught or learning from someone else? does that change with certain subjects? what have you taught yourself to do?
you learned the hardest lession of all... Learning is an on-going experience.

as long as you are willing to learn, it don't matter who teaches you... the Teacher, yourself, a family member, or even the television.

btw, the bolded parts I learned from "The Electric Company", "Charlie Brown" and "Between the Lions" ;)
Use I before E Except after C or when sounded as "I" as in Einstein or "A" as in weigh, neither, weird, foreign, leisure, seize, forfeit, and height are the common exceptions spelled right, But don't let the C-I-E-N words get you uptight!
as for who's better at teaching... It depends. I would rather learn about something like surgery from an actual surgeon...

Taught myself how to hide the fact I'd been looking a pr0n on the net :D

So, I got my new curriculum for my 3 year old today, Our school year runs from year round, but we start a new "year" every November (not that you need to know that but whatever) anyway, one of the subjects she is studying this year is reading, my oldest was a self taught reader and so was I so I pull out this phonics book and start reading how to teach this so that I can start making lesson plans, when I realize that I didn't know all this stuff, like C copies S whenever it's followed by an E, I, or Y and that anything else it copies K...... there are all kinds of rules about reading that I didn't know like the "when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking" (ex Eat, Beach, Float etc)

So....what's the point of the thread? I had long ago decided that the things I taught myself I knew better than the things that someone else force fed me, but what if I was wrong? what if I wasted all this time figuring out how to read on my own when I was 3 and could have just let someone else figure it out for me and went to learn new stuff?

So, what do you think is better being self taught or learning from someone else? does that change with certain subjects? what have you taught yourself to do?



Oooh, tricky one. I think it would depend on what your aim in learning is. If you want to learn something for your own use, say, speaking a language, reading, etc. it's perfectly ok to learn it in your own way. What matters is that you know how to do it in the end. How you got there is really up to you.

Take a look at learning a language : There is grammar, there are pronounciation rules, etc. So one way of learning a language is by learning the structure.
Another way would be to learn expressions and sentences, one by one, and slowly getting a feeling for the grammar, without actually being able to name the rules behind it.

You took the second way when you learned to read, and now you'll have to use the first one to teach your kid... yes, you will have to re-learn it, I'm afraid.

I think teaching the kid would be a one of a kind pleasure that you would enjoy for a lifetime. (with each word taught/learned)

you learned the hardest lession of all... Learning is an on-going experience.

speaking of....

that rule you put....I only knew part of it

"I before E except after C or when sounding like A as in neighbor and weigh"

I think I will copy/paste all of that and post it by my computer, because I do have problems with that C I E N rule

I am all like "a friend is a friend to the end" half the time LOL

Use I before E Except after C or when sounded as "I" as in Einstein or "A" as in weigh, neither, weird, foreign, leisure, seize, forfeit, and height are the common exceptions spelled right, But don't let the C-I-E-N words get you uptight!

The "e" doesn't take an "a" sound in any of the bolded words, unless I've been pronouncing them all horribly wrong.

The "e" doesn't take an "a" sound in any of the bolded words, unless I've been pronouncing them all horribly wrong.

the rule works... I think it was mention... 99% of the time.

and yes, it does depend on how you pronouce the words. I've heard either pronounciation.

(not saying your way of pronoucing it is wrong. ;))

Taught myself how to hide the fact I'd been looking a pr0n on the net :D
like I told Ruffy....that's Mischief on the poll LOl



You took the second way when you learned to read, and now you'll have to use the first one to teach your kid... yes, you will have to re-learn it, I'm afraid.
oh, I am excited about learning to read all over again, I wonder what kinds of other rules I will learn along the way, this will be very fun!

I give this 10 posts before someone says something rude.
Taught myself how to hide the fact I'd been looking a pr0n on the net :D
What do I win? What do I win? :D

What do I win? What do I win? :D

A life time supply of the finest Earl Grey, wot.

You still owe me a fluffle for that Census-link!

like I told Ruffy....that's Mischief on the poll LOl


oh, I am excited about learning to read all over again, I wonder what kinds of other rules I will learn along the way, this will be very fun!

I couldn't tell you for the life of me... when I learned English, we learned the spelling and the word itself simultaneously, so I don't know ANY of those rules in English. I could tell you a few grammar rules, though... ;)

I couldn't tell you for the life of me... when I learned English, we learned the spelling and the word itself simultaneously, so I don't know ANY of those rules in English. I could tell you a few grammar rules, though... ;)

That's how we learned German grammar, we learned what the rule was when we encountered an example of it, like the plusquam perfekt(pluperfect), which I had never heard of at all previously, even in English.

A life time supply of the finest Earl Grey, wot.
Huzzah!

You still owe me a fluffle for that Census-link!

:fluffle: don't tell Ruffy....

I don't recall ever learning any rules for reading. I'm sure I must have, but I can't remember. I've been teaching myself math for years. Not so much entire subjects as reading/working ahead, although I did teach myself vector calc several summers ago when I was bored (yes, I'm weird like that). Also, I taught myself a lot of French, mostly through direct exposure to the language in French speaking countries. So when my boyfriend, who started learning French a few years ago, asks me questions about how to say something I can usually answer but not be able to tell him why it's the correct answer.

That's how we learned German grammar, we learned what the rule was when we encountered an example of it, like the plusquam perfekt(pluperfect), which I had never heard of at all previously, even in English.

You do have it in English, thought. It's the "had had"-form :)
One thing I'll never forget about English grammar are the indicators for perfect - since and for.
And "place before time". English, unlike German, has a very rigid structure of sentences...

You do have it in English, thought. It's the "had had"-form :)
One thing I'll never forget about English grammar are the indicators for perfect - since and for.
And "place before time". English, unlike German, has a very rigid structure of sentences...

Oh, I know we have it in English now, I just wasn't aware of it before learning about it in German.

I always figured that's be hard for a German learning English, cos you have the whole time->manner->place thing, and the verb being the second idea, or going to the end when you use a modal verb. In English it seems like 'Yeah, whatever. Put that crap in any order'. I actually have no idea if we have any rules for sentence structure, apart from it needing a verb.

like I told Ruffy....that's Mischief on the poll LOl
Fires are not mischief!
:fluffle: don't tell Ruffy....
:eek: :(

I thought of something else I taught myself.
Suffice it to say:
*fap fap fap fap fap fap fap fap fap*

I thought of something else I taught myself.
Suffice it to say:
*fap fap fap fap fap fap fap fap fap*
You can fly? http://www.studip.uni-goettingen.de/pictures/smile/fly.gif

You can fly? http://www.studip.uni-goettingen.de/pictures/smile/fly.gif

That's flap, not fap. Silly GN.

So....what's the point of the thread? I had long ago decided that the things I taught myself I knew better than the things that someone else force fed me, but what if I was wrong? what if I wasted all this time figuring out how to read on my own when I was 3 and could have just let someone else figure it out for me and went to learn new stuff?

So, what do you think is better being self taught or learning from someone else? does that change with certain subjects? what have you taught yourself to do?

Math is so straightforward I'm not sure it needs to be taught at all. It just is.

But with reading, I generally object to the rules-based teaching methods, because the rules don't apply universally. And that means the child, having learned the rules, will head out into the world and make mistakes while at the same time absolutely convinced that she's right. I don't see that as a positive.

Plus, I see considerable disadvantage in teaching the spoken language first. I prefer to start with the written language as early as possible.

:fluffle: don't tell Ruffy....
I won't! ;)
That's flap, not fap. Silly GN.
"I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings..."

Math is so straightforward I'm not sure it needs to be taught at all. It just is.

But with reading, I generally object to the rules-based teaching methods, because the rules don't apply universally. And that means the child, having learned the rules, will head out into the world and make mistakes while at the same time absolutely convinced that she's right. I don't see that as a positive.

Plus, I see considerable disadvantage in teaching the spoken language first. I prefer to start with the written language as early as possible.

she is 3 how much earlier did you want me to start? the kid spoke in complete sentences before a year old...

RuffyTehتثبجشظف: smunkee, dont make me eat your freezer!
;)

Oh, I know we have it in English now, I just wasn't aware of it before learning about it in German.

I always figured that's be hard for a German learning English, cos you have the whole time->manner->place thing, and the verb being the second idea, or going to the end when you use a modal verb. In English it seems like 'Yeah, whatever. Put that crap in any order'. I actually have no idea if we have any rules for sentence structure, apart from it needing a verb.

You do, actually, and as I said it's more rigid that the German one. Simply because in German, the grammatical form of each word in the sentence can tell you what it's supposed to be. But you can't do that with English words.

It has to be Subject - Verb - Object, otherwise you've got no way of distinguishing between the subject and the object.
Example :

"Susan walks the dog"
In German, it can either be "Susan fuehrt den Hund aus" or "Den Hund fuehrt Susan aus", depending on what you want to stress. Changing that in English give the sentence a completely different meaning.

You do, actually, and as I said it's more rigid that the German one. Simply because in German, the grammatical form of each word in the sentence can tell you what it's supposed to be. But you can't do that with English words.

It has to be Subject - Verb - Object, otherwise you've got no way of distinguishing between the subject and the object.
Example :

"Susan walks the dog"
In German, it can either be "Susan fuehrt den Hund aus" or "Den Hund fuehrt Susan aus", depending on what you want to stress. Changing that in English give the sentence a completely different meaning.

Ah. This is true. My ignorance of the rules of English grammar is vast.

"I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings..."now days, who needs wings to fly high! :D

Oh and I am teaching myself Japanses...

now days, who needs wings to fly high! :D

Oh and I am teaching myself Japanses...
Ozzy did a nice song about that... "Flying high again"

she is 3 how much earlier did you want me to start? the kid spoke in complete sentences before a year old...
3's okay.

I didn't speak at all until I was 2, but I already had the basics of reading down.

3's okay.

I didn't speak at all until I was 2, but I already had the basics of reading down.

how in the heck did you make it to 2 without speaking? did nobody talk to you like ever?

she can read.... kinda, sometimes, sorta, but really I think it will help her to know phonetically how to sound out words, she can't just memorize every single word ever.

how in the heck did you make it to 2 without speaking? did nobody talk to you like ever?

she can read.... kinda, sometimes, sorta, but really I think it will help her to know phonetically how to sound out words, she can't just memorize every single word ever.

the memorization will come with usage.

and yes, some children are not encouraged to speak for a long time. sad but true.

the memorization will come with usage.

and yes, some children are not encouraged to speak for a long time. sad but true.

it's not so much that I encouraged them, just that they had opinions at a very young age LOL I can't get them to shut up.

yeah, I know about the usage..that's how I learned to read, I figured out a few words and used them to figure out new ones (mostly that worked on words with a common latin base)

but my 3 year old is so "rules" oriented I really think this will be best for her.

it's not so much that I encouraged them, just that they had opinions at a very young age LOL I can't get them to shut up.

yeah, I know about the usage..that's how I learned to read, I figured out a few words and used them to figure out new ones (mostly that worked on words with a common latin base)

but my 3 year old is so "rules" oriented I really think this will be best for her.

ever heard of "School House Rocks"? the history and science ones are mightly glossed over, but the Grammer and math is pretty good.

"Conjuction junction... what's your function..." :D

how in the heck did you make it to 2 without speaking? did nobody talk to you like ever?
They talked - I didn't respond. At 2 I started with whole sentences.

Given my personality now, I suspect I practiced talking a lot when I was alone, but didn't bring it out in public until I was confident I was good at it.

she can read.... kinda, sometimes, sorta, but really I think it will help her to know phonetically how to sound out words, she can't just memorize every single word ever.
She'll be better with the language if she does. Depends how good her memory is.

I annoyed my brother by doing that when he was learning math. 2.5 years my elder, he was learning multiplication using flash cards - he was probably in grade 1. But I memorised all the cards (just by sitting nearby watching him use them), so when I would jump in and claim that 8x7 was 56 right away before he'd had a chance to work it out, he'd ask my father, "How does he do that?" I wasn't doing the math, though - I just remembered what the other side of the card said.

This made him a much better student than me over the years. He know how to work things out, whereas if I didn't know the answer right away I was screwed.

Because I learned to read first, I was much more likely to know how to read a word but not how to pronounce it. I recall badly mangling both machine and paradigm the first time I tried to use them in conversation. My brother did exhibit a similar problem when he would proudly declare that E-X-I-T spelled "door", or K-R-A-F-T spelled "cheese".

ever heard of "School House Rocks"? the history and science ones are mightly glossed over, but the Grammer and math is pretty good.

"Conjuction junction... what's your function..." :D
Those are brilliant. Watching those you will learn more about adverbs and interjections than the majority of English speakers have ever known.

Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,
get your adverbs, here!

C should not be a letter or it should represent 'ch' or something.

I sort of learned myself...at age 2.5

So, I got my new curriculum for my 3 year old today, Our school year runs year round, but we start a new "year" every November (not that you need to know that but whatever) anyway, one of the subjects she is studying this year is reading, my oldest was a self taught reader and so was I so I pull out this phonics book and start reading how to teach this so that I can start making lesson plans, when I realize that I didn't know all this stuff, like C copies S whenever it's followed by an E, I, or Y and that anything else it copies K...... there are all kinds of rules about reading that I didn't know like the "when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking" (ex Eat, Beach, Float etc)

So....what's the point of the thread? I had long ago decided that the things I taught myself I knew better than the things that someone else force fed me, but what if I was wrong? what if I wasted all this time figuring out how to read on my own when I was 3 and could have just let someone else figure it out for me and went to learn new stuff?

So, what do you think is better being self taught or learning from someone else? does that change with certain subjects? what have you taught yourself to do?


the last thing your 3 year old needs is a formal teaching of reading. its completely inappropriate to do phonics with a pre-schooler. you might want to look around for a different cirriculum provider.

chances are that if you let it go, your child will learn to read on her own by age 5. especially if you have a book-rich home. if she isnt reading by the time she is 6, then you should start a formal teaching program.

if she isnt reading by the time she is 6, then you should start a formal teaching program.
If she isn't reading by the time she is 6 she will never be very good at it. It will always be like a second language to her.

If she isn't reading by the time she is 6 she will never be very good at it. It will always be like a second language to her.

generations of people learned to read in the 1st grade. its the standard age to learn to read.

C should not be a letter or it should represent 'ch' or something.

I sort of learned myself...at age 2.5

"C is for cookie, that's good enough for me!" :D

Oh, I know we have it in English now, I just wasn't aware of it before learning about it in German.

I always figured that's be hard for a German learning English, cos you have the whole time->manner->place thing, and the verb being the second idea, or going to the end when you use a modal verb. In English it seems like 'Yeah, whatever. Put that crap in any order'. I actually have no idea if we have any rules for sentence structure, apart from it needing a verb.

Don't worry. I didn't know about the pluperfect until I had

There are more rules in English than in Latin. In English, you have to put the subject before the verb and the direct object. There are no such rules in Latin. Basically, especially in Latin poetry, the word order is extremely flexible.

Don't worry. I didn't know about the pluperfect until I had

There are more rules in English than in Latin. In English, you have to put the subject before the verb and the direct object. There are no such rules in Latin. Basically, especially in Latin poetry, the word order is extremely flexible.

Isn't that true in all poetry, though? Poetic license and all that.

Isn't that true in all poetry, though? Poetic license and all that.

Yes, but considering that Latin doesn't use punctuation and doesn't require word order to make sense, it's even more flexible than poetry in other languages. It's pretty flexible in prose, too. Usually, the verb is at the end, the subject is at the beginning, and everything else is in the middle, but that also can change.

If she isn't reading by the time she is 6 she will never be very good at it. It will always be like a second language to her.

Huh? When I got into first grade, I could barely spell my name (that is, I made one letter the wrong way round). Can't remember about reading, but I think that can't have been much better... If I calculate correctly, I was 7 in first grade. It's not second language to me, even if I had to learn High German at the same time...

Personally, I think that with the age group we're talking about (under 6), if the child enjoys doing it, then leaving them to do it themselves is best. Sure, when they ask for support you should give it, but don't kill the joy by timetabling it.

If the child really dislikes the activity, you should try and make it more fun, and make sure they do it regularly for short periods of time.

My elder brother is about a year and a half older than me, so when he started to learn how to read in school, I was at the age where I could follow bits of it. I was often there when he was being taught how to read, and at one point my parents actually encouraged him to learn more by getting him to read his books to me. The result of all this was that I ended up reading his books, from the top sets of classes two years above me. I loved (and still do love) reading.

Ironically, when I actually went to school, I thought my teachers were completely insane when they handed me a book of the "See Spot Run. Run Spot Run." variety, and when after a few months I realised it was unlikely to get any better I simply refused to read them. This resulted in me ending up in the "Special" class for reading. This teacher, instead of setting books, tried to make the whole thing more fun by letting us pick our own. I simply walked out the classroom, into my brothers one next door, pulled a book off the shelf, came back and read it. (They actually ended up dunting me up a year just to keep me quiet)

Regardless of whether they want to learn and you leave them to it, or whether you have to make them try, the best advice I can give is to give them something that is just a little bit too hard for them, and bet them they can't do it.

I can't remember when I learned to read, but I remember distinctly that I was writing stories for fun on my own by second grade.

The "e" doesn't take an "a" sound in any of the bolded words, unless I've been pronouncing them all horribly wrong.
the rule works... I think it was mention... 99% of the time.

and yes, it does depend on how you pronouce the words. I've heard either pronounciation.

(not saying your way of pronoucing it is wrong. ;))

Your pronunciation is downright waird! Are you a foraigner? :)


Isn't that true in all poetry, though? Poetic license and all that.

They took mine away when I lost control of a simile and ran down an old lady. :confused: :)

It has to be Subject - Verb - Object, otherwise you've got no way of distinguishing between the subject and the object.
As the old saying goes, "English is Subject-Verb-Object, except..." "Except when?" "Except when it's not". ;)

Trying to teach ESL/EFL and you quickly find out that most of the rules have a number of exceptions, or are in place for no better reason than it sounds better.

Back to Smunkee's question though, I taught myself to read, but I wouldn't sweat the grammar rules. Most native speakers are not aware of them, we know them in the bone as it were because that is out language, which is why your kids never come up with wildly improper sentences.

My parents taught me to read when I was about three.
When I started scholl they gave me one of those "Dick and Jane" books. Ya know, one of the "see Spot run" jobs.
According to my father, I took it back the next day and told my teacher it was a stupid book. Didn't win me any brownie points from the teach, though.

Your THREE year old has a curriculum? What ever happened to letting kids be kids?

My parents used to read to me, so I did learn to read before I entered kindergarden, but there was no formalized schooling at 3 years old. In kindergarden and the rest of my schooling I was always at the top of the class, so not having all the infant flashcards and computer games obviously didn't hurt me any! As to the grammar rules, I picked them up from conversation, then from school when I got there.

How about just playing with your three year old, and reading for fun? I love to read because it was always for fun and entertainment, not an assignment forced on me.

She'll be better with the language if she does. Depends how good her memory is.
there are over 1 million words in the English language, no matter how many you think you know there will always be new ones, nobody can memorize all of them....at least I don't think anyone can.

I annoyed my brother by doing that when he was learning math. 2.5 years my elder, he was learning multiplication using flash cards - he was probably in grade 1. But I memorised all the cards (just by sitting nearby watching him use them), so when I would jump in and claim that 8x7 was 56 right away before he'd had a chance to work it out, he'd ask my father, "How does he do that?" I wasn't doing the math, though - I just remembered what the other side of the card said.

isn't it more important to know why 8x7 is 56 ?


the last thing your 3 year old needs is a formal teaching of reading. its completely inappropriate to do phonics with a pre-schooler. you might want to look around for a different cirriculum provider.
she enjoys learning, I don't think that I am doing anything wrong by helping her to achieve goals she sets.


generations of people learned to read in the 1st grade. its the standard age to learn to read.
I don't really think there is a standard age for anything, when she asked me to learn to read what was I supposed to do "sorry honey, you can't learn until you are 6, I know that your sister knew how at 4 but really it's not normal.. it's bad"

she wants to learn, her brain works different than mine and her sisters, I am learning to teach her how she learns best.
Personally, I think that with the age group we're talking about (under 6), if the child enjoys doing it, then leaving them to do it themselves is best. Sure, when they ask for support you should give it, but don't kill the joy by timetabling it.

we are pretty unstructured around here, they have work to do in their inbox, when they are done they put it in the outbox and I grade it, the 3 year old isn't graded on anything yet though, she gets stickers for finishing ;)



Your THREE year old has a curriculum? What ever happened to letting kids be kids?

she wants to learn, her sister does school, she wants to do school, again what am I supposed to say to her "nope, we aren't learning to read until you are 6, go sit in the living room and play" :rolleyes:

How about just playing with your three year old, and reading for fun? I love to read because it was always for fun and entertainment, not an assignment forced on me.
we play all the time, we learn a lot just by playing. She is homeschooled though and whenever she wants to learn something it's my double responsibility as her parent and teacher to make sure she is provided with the opportunity.

she enjoys learning, I don't think that I am doing anything wrong by helping her to achieve goals she sets.

I don't really think there is a standard age for anything, when she asked me to learn to read what was I supposed to do "sorry honey, you can't learn until you are 6, I know that your sister knew how at 4 but really it's not normal.. it's bad"


shes 3. a 3 year old shouldnt be doing anything but MAYBE playing school for half an hour a day. she should be playing. thats how a 3 year old learns about the world.

what i meant by saying "wait until 6" was not to suggest that you put up roadblocks to her learning to read but that you shouldnt mess with formal teaching of any sort until she is that old. she may learn to read before then. you seem to indicate that she is well on her way. when she is older, you learn phonics through the systematic learning of spelling. grouping words by similar spelling schemes.

you dont treat a 3 year old as if she were 8 no matter how smart she is. she is still 3.

shes 3. a 3 year old shouldnt be doing anything but MAYBE playing school for half an hour a day. she should be playing. thats how a 3 year old learns about the world.

what i meant by saying "wait until 6" was not to suggest that you put up roadblocks to her learning to read but that you shouldnt mess with formal teaching of any sort until she is that old. she may learn to read before then. you seem to indicate that she is well on her way. when she is older, you learn phonics through the systematic learning of spelling. grouping words by similar spelling schemes.

you dont treat a 3 year old as if she were 8 no matter how smart she is. she is still 3.

she wants to learn, I am teaching her, I don't see the point in not doing it if she wants to.

she learns at 15 minute spurts throughout the day most days, it ends up being 2 or 3 hours total a day, some days she doesn't bring it up so we don't do anything but play.

shes 3. a 3 year old shouldnt be doing anything but MAYBE playing school for half an hour a day. she should be playing. thats how a 3 year old learns about the world.

what i meant by saying "wait until 6" was not to suggest that you put up roadblocks to her learning to read but that you shouldnt mess with formal teaching of any sort until she is that old. she may learn to read before then. you seem to indicate that she is well on her way. when she is older, you learn phonics through the systematic learning of spelling. grouping words by similar spelling schemes.

you dont treat a 3 year old as if she were 8 no matter how smart she is. she is still 3.if a child wants to learn, then the child should be taught. it doesn't matter if the child is three, two or 16. to say they should only be taught for half an hour is wrong and doesn't cultivate the child's natural curiosity and desire to learn. Learning doesn't stop at any age, and it doesn't start at any set age. the fact that her eldest is reading books normally seen as High School level... I cannot and will not fault Smunkee's methods.

shes 3. a 3 year old shouldnt be doing anything but MAYBE playing school for half an hour a day. she should be playing. thats how a 3 year old learns about the world.

The brain is an amazing organ. A single brain has more space for information storage than all the hard drives ever created. Not only that, but this child WANTS to learn. How can you deny the brain its need to learn?

Generally speaking, the more a person learns, the more he or she wants to learn. This generally leads to a crescendo of learning ability and desire that lasts throughout life. Only a fool would squelch that deliberately and cripple his/her child for life.

Wow Smunk! You have got to get some curtains or blinds! It's amazing the number of people who have the capability to look inside your home and see exactly what you and your children do, how long you play, the detailed curriculum.....


A curriculum is simply a description and outline of courses of study. My son even had a "curriculum" in daycare when he was 12 months old. Yes a formal curriculum-OMG FOR SHAME! I was given a summary of the kinds of things they would be doing in his room. Colors, numbers, letters, textures, hand eye coordination. They detailed how and why and the length of time they would be spending on each skill. It was very useful because I used the same things at home with him. You guys act like she marches her 3 year old around the house and slaps her hand with a ruler if she mispronounces a word. Honestly, if you know Smunk, you know she is very pro-education with her children. Maybe it's not what you'd choose, but they are her children and she knows what they are and are not ready for. It's rude and insulting to assume you, a stranger at a computer, know what's best for her kids.

The brain is an amazing organ. A single brain has more space for information storage than all the hard drives ever created. Not only that, but this child WANTS to learn. How can you deny the brain its need to learn?

Generally speaking, the more a person learns, the more he or she wants to learn. This generally leads to a crescendo of learning ability and desire that lasts throughout life. Only a fool would squelch that deliberately and cripple his/her child for life.

a 3 year old is not the same as a school aged child. they dont learn by sitting at a desk and doing worksheets.

a 3 year old learns by playing. playing IS school for a child that age. she should be spending her day playing with her dolls, kitchen stuff, water and sand, going outside and running around.

limiting a 3 year olds learning to school is handicapping her, not giving her a head start. she has too much important stuff to learn to be wasting her time with "i before e except after c"

"Conjuction junction... what's your function..." :D


hooking up words 'n' phrases 'n' clauses.....

a 3 year old is not the same as a school aged child. they dont learn by sitting at a desk and doing worksheets.

a 3 year old learns by playing. playing IS school for a child that age. she should be spending her day playing with her dolls, kitchen stuff, water and sand, going outside and running around.

limiting a 3 year olds learning to school is handicapping her, not giving her a head start. she has too much important stuff to learn to be wasting her time with "i before e except after c"LOL! I play with puzzles with my nephew and while playing he learns the Alphabets... and he's 2.

learning and Curriculum does not mean sitting at a desk with pencil and paper. it can be learning shapes by drawing... or learning words by singing... Learning is not limited to a classroom environment. and if a child wants to learn by imitating big sister in school... then why discourage it. of course if the child wants to do something else, that's fine to.

a 3 year old is not the same as a school aged child. they dont learn by sitting at a desk and doing worksheets.

a 3 year old learns by playing. playing IS school for a child that age. she should be spending her day playing with her dolls, kitchen stuff, water and sand, going outside and running around.

limiting a 3 year olds learning to school is handicapping her, not giving her a head start. she has too much important stuff to learn to be wasting her time with "i before e except after c"

I don't limit their learning at all, I teach them what they want to learn, I teach them when they want to learn, you are the one putting artificial limits "most kids learn at 6, it's the standard age, 3 year olds shouldn't be taught to read".

hooking up words 'n' phrases 'n' clauses.....

heya Kat, you are a teacher, is it bad to teach a 3 year old to read when she asks to learn?

hooking up words 'n' phrases 'n' clauses.....

LOL!

when Bobby came home with the flu...
the Doctor knew just what to - do
he cured the infection
with one small injection
while Bobby uttered some INTERJECTIONS!

School House Rocks got me an A in history. the teacher gave us an Extra credit assignment to memorize the Preamble...

that was the first time I sang in public... ;)

heya Kat, you are a teacher, is it bad to teach a 3 year old to read when she asks to learn?
*heh* Try to stop them FROM learning.

*heh* Try to stop them FROM learning.

the sad thing is, NERVUN... people do try... both inadverntely and on purpose...

*heh* Try to stop them FROM learning.

that's what I said.

she is a very "there must be rules" kid, my oldest was more of a "what happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar?" and my youngest is the "why does that happen and what if I change the ratio and what if I try it with different ingredients?"

I taught myself how to read (age 4), cook, spin yarn, knit, crochet, embroider, draw, make a killer pie crust, use Excel, Word and Access, and annoy people (I always did believe in going with my strengths).

the sad thing is, NERVUN... people do try... both inadverntely and on purpose...
I know, and it IS sad. But young minds are usually very hungry, they just need feeding.

that's what I said.

she is a very "there must be rules" kid, my oldest was more of a "what happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar?" and my youngest is the "why does that happen and what if I change the ratio and what if I try it with different ingredients?"
If she is ready, go for it. It's trying to force it when she's not that's the problem, but it sounds (from your stories) that she's good to go.

Smunkee isn't saying the three year old doesn't play. She's saying that in addition to playing, she gets 10-15 minute 'lessons'.

I can't agree that whole language (learning sight words) is the best method for teaching reading. Neither can I agree that phonics is. Showing the child both strategies however gives the best success -- I learned to 'sound it out', and I learned to recognize the words that 'sounding out' didn't work for.

I was reading by age three myself. I don't say it's the norm, but it's not impossible, either. My mom realized I could read when I hit my cousin upside the head with the crayon box because she was coloring a bell in her coloring book yellow when CLEARLY the instructions written at the bottom of the page were to "Color the Bell BLUE."

;) My cousin was a year older than I was.

a 3 year old is not the same as a school aged child. they dont learn by sitting at a desk and doing worksheets.

a 3 year old learns by playing. playing IS school for a child that age. she should be spending her day playing with her dolls, kitchen stuff, water and sand, going outside and running around.

limiting a 3 year olds learning to school is handicapping her, not giving her a head start. she has too much important stuff to learn to be wasting her time with "i before e except after c"

Are you suggesting that if a child wants to learn to read, he (or she) should not be taught simply because he (or she) is three years old?

I don't think smunkee is keeping the child from playing when she wants to play, but her child seems to genuinely want to spend time with Smunkee and learn what she knows. There is no harm in Smunkee sharing this information, instead of withholding it. In fact, there is a major benefit in stimulating the child's inquisitiveness by imparting knowledge. It will make her child want to learn more.

At this age, learning is a playing to the child. The child sees no difference between them.

I have an article about learning to read here that you may appreciate:

Article on learning to read (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0838/is_n66/ai_13396210)

The really relevant information is on the second page.

heya Kat, you are a teacher, is it bad to teach a 3 year old to read when she asks to learn?

I'd be careful not to push her when she's clearly losing interest. As long as she is interested, and as long as she gets all kinds of other stimulation including playing with other kids, I can't see the harm.

Give them lots of things to play with like blocks and Lego, TinkerToys and such, and try to stay away from toys that discourage imagination (like licensed character action figures and such). They'll be much more creative in their play and their thinking if they have open-ended toys with no "pre-set" way to play.

Smunkee isn't saying the three year old doesn't play. She's saying that in addition to playing, she gets 10-15 minute 'lessons'.

I can't agree that whole language (learning sight words) is the best method for teaching reading. Neither can I agree that phonics is. Showing the child both strategies however gives the best success -- I learned to 'sound it out', and I learned to recognize the words that 'sounding out' didn't work for.

I was reading by age three myself. I don't say it's the norm, but it's not impossible, either. My mom realized I could read when I hit my cousin upside the head with the crayon box because she was coloring a bell in her coloring book yellow when CLEARLY the instructions written at the bottom of the page were to "Color the Bell BLUE."

;) My cousin was a year older than I was.

an "assignment" that my oldest and I are doing together this week, is while we are reading we are looking for words that don't "follow the rules" phonetically and we are starting a list, our goal is to make a big poster of them and hang it up on the wall of the classroom. :D I don't know that it will be of any use to the 3 year old, but it's going to be fun comparing lists at the end of next week and making the poster (it's an art project of sorts haha)

I'd be careful not to push her when she's clearly losing interest. As long as she is interested, and as long as she gets all kinds of other stimulation including playing with other kids, I can't see the harm.

Give them lots of things to play with like blocks and Lego, TinkerToys and such, and try to stay away from toys that discourage imagination (like licensed character action figures and such). They'll be much more creative in their play and their thinking if they have open-ended toys with no "pre-set" way to play.

we get almost all our toys from here, (http://www.backtobasicstoys.com/) I think they are more fun than the "push button mind numbing battery powered" variety popular now.

They both have a few of those anyway, just because (Furbys, see and says from when they were babies, a few leapfrog toys)

LOL!



School House Rocks got me an A in history. the teacher gave us an Extra credit assignment to memorize the Preamble...

that was the first time I sang in public... ;)

I am proud to say I just bought the brand-spankin' new complete series on DVD. Time for Kat to travel down memory lane AND take her nieces with her.

that's what I said.

she is a very "there must be rules" kid, my oldest was more of a "what happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar?" and my youngest is the "why does that happen and what if I change the ratio and what if I try it with different ingredients?"

Go outside for this one: Mentos and Diet Coke.

Basically everything I know about computers.

we get almost all our toys from here, (http://www.backtobasicstoys.com/) I think they are more fun than the "push button mind numbing battery powered" variety popular now.

They both have a few of those anyway, just because (Furbys, see and says from when they were babies, a few leapfrog toys)

OH MY GOD!!!


I remember.. and I think I still have... the Rock-em Sock-em Robots!

Go outside for this one: Mentos and Diet Coke.

haha we will try that one when daddy is home also.... like we did when I proved to the oldest that nondairy creamer was flammable. haha.

Go outside for this one: Mentos and Diet Coke.

that's cruel Kat...

at least warn her with "take towels and an umbrella" :D :D :D :D

OH MY GOD!!!


I remember.. and I think I still have... the Rock-em Sock-em Robots!

I just bought the Amazing Marbles tonight, I am giving it to them for Christmas... if I don't tear into it before that.

I just bought the Amazing Marbles tonight, I am giving it to them for Christmas... if I don't tear into it before that.

You should buy Discovery Toys........from me! They are awesome. I totally believe in them. Spendy but worth it. Lifetime warranty and every toy is designed to teach your child something.

I just bought the Amazing Marbles tonight, I am giving it to them for Christmas... if I don't tear into it before that.

THANK YOU SO F*#KING MUCH SMUNKEE...

I just finished paying off my credit cards... and you put that infront of me...

screw my neices and nephews... I'm treating myself to some old friends this Christmas... :D :D :D

we get almost all our toys from here, (http://www.backtobasicstoys.com/) I think they are more fun than the "push button mind numbing battery powered" variety popular now.

They both have a few of those anyway, just because (Furbys, see and says from when they were babies, a few leapfrog toys)

Bookmarked. :)
BTW, I like Discovery Store's kids toys (http://shopping.discovery.com/?jzid=40588002-25-0) -- I bought my niece and my fiance's niece this one -- yes, it's electronic, but it lets them fiddle about with Mozart. :)

OMG they don't carry it anymore! It was a cube that played 8 tunes, and you could turn on or off the individual instruments playing -- hearing what the harp only would sound like, or harp + violin....

that's cruel Kat...

at least warn her with "take towels and an umbrella" :D :D :D :D

Ok, well....

www.eepybird.com

Ok, well....

www.eepybird.com

OMG.....that's just wrong.

we are so doing that Monday!

LOL

OMG.....that's just wrong.

we are so doing that Monday!

LOL

FILM IT! PUT IT ON YOUTUBE!

nuff said. :D

Smunkee... my objection to curriculum for a three year old goes away if SHE is asking to do what her older sister is doing. I guess my concern stems from a mother of my acquaintance, who is a nice person, but who inflicted her child (at age 2) with multiplication and division math flash cards and some computer program that supposedly trains his eyes for hours at a time instead of singing him songs and playing with fuzzy stuffed animals, which is what he would rather have been doing. At Christmas, he only got educational toys. It says something that he was VERY excited about tearing off all the paper, but once the boxes were opened, he was much more interested in playing with the boxes than the toys. The mother also banned books from Dr. Seuss because she didn't feel it was a good idea to let him learn nonsense words. She has already decided the kid is going to be a corporate lawyer when he grows up. I am hoping he becomes a performance artist. :p

If the child shows interest, by all means, let her learn. I just think it unfair of parents who feel that they must force education on a child before the child is ready.

that goes under mischief.... :D

or pyromania :p

...when I hit my cousin upside the head with the crayon box because she was coloring a bell in her coloring book yellow when CLEARLY the instructions written at the bottom of the page were to "Color the Bell BLUE."

Born a moderator, eh?

I think I qualify as a self-taught reader, since I learned before I started kindergarten. I was four, and my sister and father used to write me stories and read them out to me. One day, it just sort of clicked, and I could read. For a while, I was the most advanced reader in my class, but kids started to catch up. Now, I'm a very slow reader, but if one considers the sort of thing I read (I'm currently around page 550 of Vanity Fair), it's not so bad. I'd rather take several months to absorb a classic than race through a new chick lit accquisition twice a week.
I'm not sure if being self-taught actually makes a difference, though. For example, I was probably the worst singer ever before lessons started, but after three years of training, I'm catching up to or passing almost all the self-taught singers in my school.

Born a moderator, eh?

kat's first DEAT... how precious... :D

I think I qualify as a self-taught reader, since I learned before I started kindergarten. I was four, and my sister and father used to write me stories and read them out to me. One day, it just sort of clicked, and I could read. For a while, I was the most advanced reader in my class, but kids started to catch up. Now, I'm a very slow reader, but if one considers the sort of thing I read (I'm currently around page 550 of Vanity Fair), it's not so bad. I'd rather take several months to absorb a classic than race through a new chick lit accquisition twice a week.
I'm not sure if being self-taught actually makes a difference, though. For example, I was probably the worst singer ever before lessons started, but after three years of training, I'm catching up to or passing almost all the self-taught singers in my school.

Probably depends on how you're teaching yourself.

Sides, I find racing through things means you can re-read it that much sooner.