CHILDREN'S BEATITUDES
Blessed is the child who has someone who believes in him, to whom he can carry his problems unafraid.
Blessed is the child who is allowed to pursue his curiosity into every worthwhile field of information.
Blessed is the child who has someone who understands that childhood's griefs are real and call for understanding and sympathy.
Blessed is the child who has about him those who realize his need of Christ as Saviour and will lead him patiently and prayerfully to the place of acceptance.
Blessed is the child whose love of the true, the beautiful and the good has been nourished through the years.
Blessed is the child whose imagination has been turned into channels of creative effort.
Blessed is the child whose efforts to achieve have found encouragement and kindly commendation.
Blessed is the child who has learned freedom from selfishness through responsibility and cooperation with others.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
What are your thoughts on critical thinking or logic for young ones?
ReplyDeleteI also have a question about reading. When do I turn over reading to my child? And how much do I continue to read to them. My oldest is 7 and reads free reading on her own. Today she devoured the first chapter of Robin Hood in a half hour! Is it time to turn over most of her reading? (I read your quote from CM on reading.. I just need confirmation that Im reading this right.)
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteMy short answer is I think it is a non issue for young children. I think critical thinking should be passed down naturally to our children through meaningful, daily discussions and quality literature. My own children have proven to me that this works beautifully, so I don't ever plan to buy 'critical thinking' books. our dinner table is our most important critical thinking tool.
Vix,
I think seven is a little young. So did Miss Mason. She recommended reading aloud to them at this age. I don't have my source in hand right now. You will have to dig through her writings and schedules to find this. Also, you can look through the AO forum archives. The reason we recommend reading aloud to a seven year old is because the vocabulary is very rich. New words are being introduced constantly to them. They can not possibly take them all in-and we don't expect them to either. But when I read aloud slowly and clearly -occasionally explaining difficult words or passages, their comprehension increases dramatically. I gradually turn the schoolbooks over to my children towards the middle or end of year three. In year four, I may read one or two of the more difficult books all year long and start off reading other school books such as Age of Fable but after a few weeks or so, I hand them over for my children to read on their own. If they struggle with comprehension, I pick it up again for a while longer. Each child is a little different from the other. Some begin reading on their own a little earlier and some later. My third child, Pippi, is a reading whiz. She devours books faster than her sisters ever did, but her comprehension is awful. My other daughter is a slow reader, but her comprehension is great. And then there's Strong Joy. SHe is somewhere in between.
hth,
lindafay
Let me Narrate back to you. :P So I should read all her books to her for another year? I should not release one or two books to her that are easy for her? Perhaps I should just test it and see if she's comprehending well?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post! Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteVix,
ReplyDeleteAlmost. I am speaking about general principles, not something set in stone. Reading guidelines will look a little different for each child. You, as her mother, will know what is best. If your daughter is able to read some of the easier books, then of course, let her do so. I am only speaking about the rich literature that comprises the heart of the curriculum.
For example, in second grade, I would insist on reading This Country of Ours,Tanglewood Tales or Wind in the Willows to my seven year old because I want to have some discussions about some of the events and characters and I want her to have greater comprehension, (sometimes I may want to edit, too) but I would let her read The Whipping Boy by herself, etc... I also turn the free reading over to my 2nd grader IF she can read the books without frustration.
One more thing - reading aloud should never completely end. I make sure that I read aloud at least one book from my older children's booklists to each of them or in pairs. The interaction is priceless and important issues are discussed. Does that make my position a little clearer?