More reading

First thing Jack did when he woke up was ask to continue the reading book.  We did another 6 lessons.  The reason he knows the lowercase letters is because he's been typing on the chromebook, which has a lowercase keyboard.  At least, I think that's how he knows them.  Now that I think of it, he was pretty familiar with the letters even before the first time I remember him asking me for help typing something.  I had a printout of the lowercase alphabet taped to the wall this summer when Elazar was thinking about lowercase and wanted to learn them.  I don't think Elazar knows the lowercase letters as well as Jack does.

Jack begged me for the book even before I had breakfast.  I'm lucky that I have some familiarity with this book from when my friend was using it with her daughter sixteen years ago.  My friend had really liked it and had told me the theory behind it, so I was able to do it with Jack with no preparation beforehand, right when he was interested.

I'm also lucky that I have a lot of experience with different reading methods, so that when my unschooling child expresses an interest, I have a variety of options and possibilities that I know about and can choose what I think would work best for that particular child.  I actually tried last week to do some basic phonics with him when he brought me a package to read, and he read some short words, but I realized he wasn't getting the concept as a methodology and I began thinking he would be happier with a more methodical, less haphazard method, and then I remembered this book.

If you are less experienced, and don't have over a decade of educational philosophy and methodology, then don't be intimidated.  It's just a matter of looking around (and asking around) and trying different things.  As I mentioned yesterday, my first foray into Japanese for Chana didn't work out as well as she wanted.  She's still interested, so we're trying something else.  We had a few attempts on finding algebra programs, too.

Trust that if your child is interested in something, they will be patient with you on your journey as you find the best way to teach them.  And even if you don't find the best way or the best program or aren't as adept as a professional teacher (my children certainly feel my math teaching skills leave a lot to be desired), you or they can always supplement with other resources or other teachers.  I think I just want my children to have the sense that knowledge is out there for the grabbing, and when they want it, they can access it.