Good Day To Homeschool

We have had some rough days and today was a good day.  We were met with some challenges but I am truly learning how my daughter learns.  At the same time I am learning.  I am learning patience, and the fundamentals of learning.  She finished kindergarten but I realized that she was not completely grasping what she needed to start reading.  It was strange because she was so advanced.  She was recognizing letters before she was one.  I kind of fell off the wagon after having my son and my other dear daughter.   I was hoping for her to be ahead of the game in kindergarten but she was doing ok.  This was one other reason for me to consider homeschooling.  I just know in my heart that the my kids can learn better.  If I were to send her to school  I know she would do just fine, but I do not want her to have time wasted waiting if I can take the plunge and try it at home.

Today she made some amazing progress. I realized she was approaching reading with hesitancy.  I do not know why because she was so ready to read a year ago.  I wonder if she started feeling as though reading was just boring work.  My challenge is to somehow show her that it is work to learn but that it can be such an enjoyment to learn something new. Today I found some new games on http://www.learningliftoff.com/.  I had her play some games. As her usually new way of approaching things she tried to play the preschool games and I said, no way girl that is too easy but I let her play.  I wanted her to see for herself that she could do more.  That she can have confidence in what she has learned, that she can tackle the first grade games.  And she did. She said "mom this is too easy, I am gonna try first grade." She spelled some words wrong but she was beyond excited to learn, She said "its clicking in my head." We had spoke earlier of letters being symbols to a puzzle, the words.  And how its clicks in your mind when you learn more. She was using sticky notes to help herself remember the ed ending in words. I have seen her write little notes to us before but not like this, She was using tools to help her learn.

It so amazing to see this progress.  It reaffirms to me what I want for my children.   Yes I know she can learning public school.  But here at home she was able to take her time.  she was able to pick what she wanted to do.  I lead certain lessons but this was on her own.  It felt good to see her want more.