Christian Series: The Millers (a recommendation)

The Sonlight Christian homeschool curriculum company has exposed us to many wonderful authors and book series. I couldn't be more grateful for their work in perusing children's book markets, both secular and Christian, and bringing many gems to the forefront that parents may have missed on their own. 

This year my daughters' Sonlight Core B curriculum features Missionary Stories With the Millers by Mildred Martin. I couldn't love this book more. With each story I read aloud to the whole family, I'm more enamored with this author's work and her dedication to the discipleship of children--a topic near and dear to my heart. The missionary stories book is definitely for the whole family, perhaps starting at 3 years old. Each missionary story is about 4 to 5 pages long--perfect for nightly readings before bed, or for breakfast readings, accompanied by prayer for missionaries and persecuted Christian families the world over. 

Even adults learn much about the faithfulness and power of God, as we read how the Lord rescues and provides for his beloved children of God on the mission field.

I plan to buy all the other Miller books for a family Christmas present. No toy or outfit is as valuable as discipleship material. As Christian parents, we need to give gifts that matter for the heart and for eternity. Some Legos are great, but along with them we must give Life. 

When your children are grown and gone, you can use these discipleship materials for Christian classes you may someday be blessed to teach...and remember your grandchildren too!

I found the following list of materials here, along with buying prices ($7 each). There are a couple companion workbooks offered, which I've not featured here. 

Enjoy!

Note: The only computer I have is a desktop PC, so I'm not aware of how this blog appears on tablets and phones. Please let me know if there are any problems with format or color design of my blog, as it relates to your device interface. Thank you! I changed my blog background back to white, which I hope made things easier.

Thrilling adventure stories based on actual happenings. In these pages missionaries meet witch doctors, disease, drought, hate-filled guerrillas, a Bible thief, and dangerous wild animals.

Gather around the table with Sharon, Peter, Timmy, Laura and Beth Miller, and read about how Timmy saves an elderly neighbor's life, Sharon teaches summer Bible school, Peter shoots the wrong deer, Sioux Indians return good for evil, and much more! As always, each "Miller" story is based on true incidents and illustrates verses from Scripture.

Excellent devotional stories for primary and junior children. Each story is based on a proverb. The Miller children learn many lessons and ideals from God's Word during everyday life, family worship, and their parents' stories.

Ten character-building stories for preschool children. Each story teaches a positive moral lesson and begins with a Scripture verse for memorizing or discussion when the story is read. Attractive artwork.

Whether your children attend a church school or a homeschool, they will enjoy and learn from these true-to-life, character-building chapters. Read about "Peter and the In-Thing" (peer pressure), "The Five-Dollar Glove" (keeping agreements), "My Heart Says Amen" (death of a classmate), "The Wrath of Man" (God's power over an angry witch doctor), and many more!

Join the Miller children as they learn about health, safety, and courtesy . . . from the Bible. Each story includes a Scripture passage and illustrates various aspects of prudent living.

Weekly Homeschool Wrap-Up: The One With the Thanksgiving Books 11/7

Good Friday to you, my friends. I made it through days and days of migraine in what I hope was my hormones' last hurrah. I'm forty-eight and a half...more than ready for my hormones to take their expected life rest. To finally be rid of the migraines I've had since age 26 would be a miracle. The medicines out there just don't seem to alter the course of hormonally-induced migraine.

But on to our homeschool, which must go on, no matter how mom is feeling...

If you're only interested in the Thanksgiving books featured in this post, scroll down to that, the last section. Enjoy!

The boys, ages 11 and 12, are reading Archimedes and the Door of Science, Theras and His Town, Story of the World Vol. 1 (Ancient Times), and Usborne's Encyclopedia of World History.

Synopsis: (Student review, which was the best available on this book) This book is set in ancient Greece, in two towns, Athens and Sparta. Athens is a beautiful city, with fine art, architecture, and music. Sparta is a small town with unadorned buildings, little art, and no music. In the beginning of the book, Theras, a young Athenian boy, lives a happy childhood with his family in Athens. He goes to school, where he learns to write and sing, and does athletics every day. One day Theras' father, Pheidon, is called to war far away from Athens, and he departs, leaving his family behind. Everything is fine for a few weeks, until they receive a distressing message from cousin Metion that Pheidon is lost at war. Theras' mother is forced to sell the house, and Theras is sent to Sparta to live with a distant relative.

In Sparta, Theras is made to live as a Spartan boy, separated from his parents, and trained as a soldier. After a year of this life, Theras wishes urgently to go home and live his old Athenian life. Eventually, Theras flees from Sparta with another boy, Abas, who also wishes to go. Theras and Abas must then endure many perils in the wilderness road to Athens, just to be free.

Theras and His Town is excellent. This book has suspense and excitement aplenty, with difficulties for Theras, who is brave and loyal. The book also has plenty of historic information about Greece, Athens, and Sparta. (This book review was written by a 6th grade, 11 year old Calvert School student, and published by his Mom.)

My Notes: This book was so engrossing that both my boys were sorry to see it end! Excellent adventure and suspense with a clean, wholesome feel.

Synopsis: (Homeschool mom's review on Amazon): I just got done reading this aloud to my homeschooled 6th grade twins. What a treasure! The author weaves together mathematical and scientific principles into a delightful story format. My kids had no trouble understanding the well-illustrated concepts.

We used this book in our unit study on Ancient Greece. It just so happened, that during the reading, our Science lesson was on the six simple machines, a few of which Archimedes was the founder! As if all this isn't enough, my children took away with them an interesting outlook. We take the principles such as the center of gravity, buoyancy, pi, exponents, all that we know about geometry, etc. for granted. It's so much a part of our lives. This book helped us to imagine a time when these concepts were yet to be uncovered, an exciting time in the development of applied science and technology. It also helped us see Archimedes as a real man, and not just another boring scientist to learn about.
Even though my kids are homeschooled, they moan and groan about their work just like any other kids. This book was still able to capture them. It was a great selection that complemented our studies very well, and was a good investment of time and money.

My notes: My boys find this far better than they imagined, given the non-fiction genre. Sonlight knows how to choose them, thank the Lord. They make my job so much easier and pleasant. There's never a fight about any of the reading they're assigned.

Publisher Synopsis: This first book in the four-volume narrative history series for elementary students will transform your study of history. The Story of the World has won awards from numerous homeschooling magazines and readers' polls—over 150,000 copies of the series in print!

What terrible secret was buried in Shi Huangdi's tomb? Did nomads like lizard stew? What happened to Anansi the Spider in the Village of the Plantains? And how did a six-year-old become the last emperor of Rome?

Told in a straightforward, engaging style that has become Susan Wise Bauer's trademark, The Story of the World series covers the sweep of human history from ancient times until the present. Africa, China, Europe, the Americas—find out what happened all around the world in long-ago times. This first revised volume begins with the earliest nomads and ends with the last Roman emperor. Newly revised and updated, The Story of the World, Volume 1 includes maps, a new timeline, more illustrations, and additional parental aids. This read-aloud series is designed for parents to share with elementary-school children. Enjoy it together and introduce your child to the marvelous story of the world's civilizations.

Each Story of the World volume provides a full year of history study when combined with the Activity Book, Audiobook, and Tests—each available separately to accompany each volume of TheStory of the World Text Book. Volume 1 Grade Recommendation: Grades 1-5. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white drawings and maps

My Notes: The boys still love Story of the World and tell me "it's a great book and a great author." They read it on their own. I have yet to buy the tests, but I'm thinking about it. The read-alone age range is higher than the age-range given in the publisher's review, in my opinion. We do not use this as a stand-alone history book. Sonlight supplements it with more non-fiction, and with historical fiction.

In science the boys are reading Evolution: The Grand Experiment, and Cool Stuff 2.0 and How It Works.

In the interest of time, I'll feature the rest of the boys' books another week.

Girls' School News: Things are going smoothly with the girls' schooling. They both enjoy All About Reading, and Beth, age 5, loves to read her stories over and over, just to feel that phenomenal "I can read!" feeling.

Sonlight image

They're looking forward to their science experiment today, and also enjoying the read alouds and non-fiction history and science books from Sonlight Core B. We use their history/geography and read-aloud selections, but not the reading books, except the Dr. Seuss books as supplements. Right now they are learning from Usborne Peoples of the World, and Missionary Stories with the Millers. In Sonlight science B (ages 6-8), they are learning from The Usborne World of Animals, The Usborne Book of Science Activities Vol. 1, and See How It's Made.

Sonlight image

Thanksgiving Picture Books to Share

See the page on my blog "Thanksgiving Picture Books" to view the 9 titles I shared last year.

This year I found more wonderful books, most of which you can get at your public library. Some are older titles, but if your children's section has a holiday or Thanksgiving section, you will probably find them there:

An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott (first published 1881)

Publisher Synopsis: Thanksgiving morning is here, and the Bassett family's cozy kitchen is filled with the hustle and bustle of the holiday. But this year something is different: Tilly, Prue, and their brothers and sisters have been left in charge of everything from the roasted turkey to the apple slump. They tie on their aprons and step into the kitchen, but are they really up for the challenge of cooking a Thanksgiving feast?

In this stunning new edition of Louisa May Alcott's classic holiday tale, James Bernardin's joyous illustrations bring the spirit of a truly old-fashioned Thanksgiving to vibrant life.

My Notes: Don't miss this one! Heartwarming, fun, delicious, and beautifully written.

Thanksgiving With Me by Margaret Willey (published 1998)

Publisher Synopsis:

Sit down, Mother, and tell me again. When are my uncles coming? When?

Pressed against the windowsill in breathless anticipation, a little girl cannot wait for her beloved uncles to arrive for Thanksgiving dinner. She begs her mother to tell her about each and every one of them. What follows is a lyrical duet culminating in the whole house rollicking with music, dance, song, and a joyous feast. And just as they finish their reverie, who should that be coming around the bend? A holiday tale perfectly suited to any child who has waited impatiently for the arrival of favorite relatives to turn a special day info one of true thanksgiving.

My Notes: Cute, heartwarming, nostalgic, and I love the rhythmic verse.

Food and Recipes of the Pilgrims (Cooking Throughout American History) by George Erdosh
published 1997

Synopsis: Chock full of recipes with step-by-step directions for kids to follow, this series is a unique way for kids to eat their way through American history. Many modern historians think the history of mankind is not to be found solely in the decisions of rulers and battles won or lost, but in the lives of everyday people. Looking closely at the environment, economics, eating habits, and favorite foods of our American forebears teaches us volumes about their world and ours.When the seeds that the Pilgrims brought with them from England refused to grow in American soil, the settlers turned to the Native Americans for guidance. Students will learn the true spirit of Thanksgiving as they make the baked butternut squash and Pilgrim's honey apples that fed our hungry forefathers and mothers.

My Notes: This is also an engaging primary history book, which I'm not sure is evident in the above synopsis. We will be trying several of the recipes! Author George Erdosh wrote several in this series, including Revolutionary War cooking, Civil War cooking, Native American Cooking, and Thirteen Colonies Cooking.

A Thanksgiving Turkey by Julian Scheer  published 2001               

School Library Journal Synopsis: K-Gr 6 In this picture book, a 13-year-old and his mother move to his grandfather's farm in rural Virginia. Reluctant at first, the boy adapts to country life, finding there is much to learn from his granddad. Determined to track and shoot an old tom turkey that had been a worthy adversary for years, the grandfather takes the boy hunting. The seasons pass and they are never able to spot the bird, just hear him. One fateful day at Thanksgiving time, they corner the old turkey with his long beard, only to discover the joy in letting him fly free. After all, he had been in the woods as long as the old man and deserved their respect. Soft, watercolor illustrations and a story gently and respectfully told in the first person evoke memories of a time past (when a hard-earned dollar and eighty cents bought a fat turkey). It is a tale well told, reminiscent of sitting and listening to the old folks swap stories at a family gathering.

Publisher's Weekly Synopsis: A 13-year-old boy and his grandfather spend months hunting down a wild turkey in the early-morning darkness in this nostalgic and affecting story. But when they finally come face-to-face with their prey, the grandfather cannot bring himself to shoot it. Scheer and Himler (previously paired for By the Light of the Captured Moon) simultaneously develop the boy's relationship with his grandfather and with the woods. The story smoothly incorporates facts about turkeys' roosting habits, while the sketchy but realistic watercolors evoke the enchantment of the predawn hours. Ages 4-8.

Giving Thanks: Poems, Prayers, and Praise Songs of Thanksgiving Edited with reflections by Katherine Paterson (published 2013)

Publisher Synopsis: Newbery Medal winner Katherine Paterson and cut-paper artist Pamela Dalton give fans of all ages even more to be thankful for with Giving Thanks, a special book about gratitude. Katherine Paterson's meditations on what it means to be truly grateful and Pamela Dalton's exquisite cut-paper illustrations are paired with a collection of over 50 graces, poems, and praise songs from a wide range of cultures, religions, and voices. The unique collaboration between these two extraordinary artists flowers in this important and stunningly beautiful reflection on the act of giving thanks.

Synopsis: (Booklist Review): As they did in the beautiful Brother Sun, Sister Moon (2011), Newbery medalist Paterson and cut-paper artist extraordinaire Dalton combine their considerable talents to bring to young people the concept of giving thanks. Paterson offers several meditations on ways she experienced thanksgiving, gratitude, and love throughout her life. Following each are several pages of poems, hymns, and snippets of praise songs from various cultures and religions, allowing readers to experience emotions and practices through many voices. Dalton, who is a practitioner of the early-nineteenth-century American paper-cutting technique called scherenschnitte (“scissor cuts”), has used paper “antiqued in a coffee solution, ironed, and illuminated with watercolor.” She fashions wondrous garlands, lattices hiding birds and rabbits, individual flowers and butterflies, and frames housing families reading books. The considerable thought to design—from substantial buff-colored pages to the placement of the art—is balanced by an equal appreciation for the works selected. Wonderful to have on hand for Thanksgiving, this is a book to be picked up throughout the year and savored and discussed. Grades 4-7

My Notes: I'm still not sure what I think of Katherine Paterson's work. Bridge to Terabithia is awfully heavy and sad. Jacob Have I Loved is also somewhat controversial with its grown-up topics. Her work is extensive (100 books) and good, but the selections for older students often require a lot of parental guidance. This selection is good for giving children a sense that gratitude has been important for all time, for all cultures. It's an essential human mindset that enriches life, despite our trials. God also commands it!

More Thanksgiving books coming next week!

Have a wonderful week, friends. Thank you for reading here.

ADHD is Not a Moral Issue: Notes From the Trenches

One of the most profound truths I've learned over these last 12-and-a-half years of mothering a special-needs child is this: ADHD is not a moral issue. These kids display some pretty frustrating, even shocking behaviors, and it's so tempting to look at them in disgust, wondering how they got so selfish and mean. Their behaviors are often attributed to bad parenting and it's no wonder. From the outside, the characteristics look like bad parenting:

~ intrudes on other's needs and space without regard to social cues (grabs toys, steals candy, takes over another's birthday, garners all attention)

~ excessive talking without regard to social cues (will follow you around talking incessantly, will talk all through a movie, sees your frustration but can't control impulse to talk, nevertheless)

~ reduced ability to delay gratification (sometimes, inability, other times, just reduced ability)

~ trouble waiting turn

~ disorganized, messy (some also forget everything, but not so much my son. My husband does forget personal belongings--glasses, keys, wallet, cell phone--as does one of my neighbors who has the condition. She is forever leaving things here at our house, and she leaves her homework at school, or at home.)

~ hyper-focuses on one thing (any intense single interest--i.e. animals or nature, or for some, computers) to the exclusion of all else (not even eating or sleeping right, which makes their ADHD symptoms worse)

~ trouble with aggression, but not always physical aggression toward others (could be throwing things, hitting walls, breaking things, etc.)

~ trouble staying seated at table for meals, trouble sitting for lessons or during movies, fidgets during sermons

~ maturity is three to four years behind unaffected peers

~ needs constant stimulation and creates it negatively during down times in schedule

~ has trouble with transitions of any kind (getting ready for bed, cleaning up, coming in from recess, starting school)

~ has trouble with holidays, special occasions, and weekends due to heightened excitement and inability to delay gratification

~ doesn't learn from mistakes (makes same ones over and over in the same day)

~ they appear to never be satisfied--the grass always looks greener on the other side for them, despite you lecturing about gratitude and thankfulness. This is not indicative of their hearts, as much as their difficulty in delaying gratification. Everything around them looks very good and they want it all, and right now!

The common denominator to their behaviors is this: lack of impulse control

The effect of irritating so many people over so many years is that the ADHD person never feels entirely loved. They crave love and try hard to get it, but instead, they only create more hostility in those around them. Oftentimes, I can think of only one word to describe the whole phenomena, at least from a human-needs perspective: tragic

The parents of these children want so hard to be loving, nurturing parents, but their stress levels are so high, that their best work as parents is often lacking. And no, this is not to say that they could cure the condition if only they could be good parents for a week. It's incurable, and medicines only create other problems with their side effects. Sure, many children are helped by medicine and need it to read, study, and complete their school work, but the quality of their lives is also reduced by their medicines.

My own son takes Strattera (not a controlled substance) for ADHD, rather than the stimulant drugs that are all similar to Ritalin. With Strattera there are no sleeping problems, no eating problems, and no trouble with the medicine wearing off just in time for nightly homework and familial interaction.

The down side is that Strattera doesn't work very well on impulsivity, and only takes the edge off the hyperactivity, in our case because he hasn't been able to tolerate more than a 10 mg dose, which is the dose for a six-year-old child's weight (Peter is 5 feet 2 inches, 100 pounds and gaining fast). We've tried twice to take it to 18 mg for better impulse/hyperactivity control, but in both cases he became increasingly angry/aggressive, evidenced by the hole in the drywall in his bedroom.

To never be able to reach your goals as a parent, except for tiny windows of opportunity, feels terrible, believe me. There is a learning curve here, of course, and we do get better at understanding and managing all of it.

The child, similarly, feels intense frustration trying to be good and compliant, and yet never being able to achieve it for more than a day or half-day.

Are there advantages to the condition, or is it all tragedy?

According to the famous ADHD psychologist Dr, Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction, and himself an ADHD-sufferer, there are indeed advantages. This condition produces many entrepreneurs and CEO's, and the reason for this is that they are aggressive, risk-taking, engaging, outside-the-box thinkers, intelligent, creative, hyper-focusing people who make things happen. I imagine they can be especially successful when paired with a detail person who can fill in for their organizational, detail-oriented deficits.

Dr. Hallowell doesn't state if those with comorbid conditions--depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, Tourette's Syndrome, schizophrenia, oppositional-defiant disorder, conduct disorder--enjoy the same level of success as those with uncomplicated ADHD. My guess is that no, they don't, which is why some people are so angry at Dr. Hallowell for claiming that ADHD is a trait, not a disorder. This depends entirely on personal health history.

To his credit, Dr. Hallowell acknowledges that prison rolls are full of ADHD people, and there are scores of others living unhappy, unfulfilled lives.  Managing ADHD well and early--using medicine when appropriate, with therapy or coaching--produces the best outcomes.

As far as parenting goes, it's crucial to be consistent and to manage your own emotions well. 

These kids are off kilter even more when Mom or Dad are angry, or dole out ridiculous consequences that reflect more anger and punishment mentality than prudence. The goal is not to punish, but to give consequences that lead to change.

Success like Dr. Hallowell describes--entrepreneur or CEO status--can ensure financial security, but it can't bring love. It can bring admirers, but it can't bring marriage or child-rearing successes. Indeed, the financial success may come at the expense of family, due to the hyper-focusing involved in achieving it.

The key to adequate love and sufficient grace is internalizing the idea I began with: ADHD is not a moral issue.

I can't tell you how often over the years I've come to the conclusion that my son is a jerk (and my husband too, at times). Further down on the learning curve now, I realize how wrong those private sentiments were, and how tragic. These people cannot help their lack of impulse control. The only thing they can do, with coaching, is try to maintain a strict daily schedule, strict sleep habits, good dietary habits, and good exercise/stress-fighting habits. These help manage the symptoms, but the symptoms don't ever disappear--not even in adulthood. In cases where the adult seems completely cured, I would guess it was never a case of ADHD to begin with, but another condition, perhaps environmental, or something unrelated to neurology.

My son Peter is the boldest evangelist among us. He amazes me. I'm so proud of the young man he's becoming, especially when my daily interactions with him are flavored with grace, love, and knowledge of his condition.

He needs to know that I'm wildly in love with him, that I believe in him, and more importantly, he needs to understand that God's love is perfect, and where those around him fail, God never will.

He needs to bathe himself in grace, and all those who interact with him as well.

I want him to leave my home knowing he is without blemish in his Heavenly Father's eyes. He is whole, loved, set-apart, and saved for a purpose. With a heart of gratitude before the Lord, he can give thanks for his challenges, knowing that because of them, he needs the Lord even more.

And ditto for his parents.

Weekly Homeschool Wrap-Up 10/31

Boys' Science Notes

This week my boys, ages 11 and 12, watched a DVD that came with their Core G Sonlight Science, entitled Icons of Evolution.

Product Description

Are students learning the whole truth about Darwin's theory of evolution? According to a growing number of scientists, the suprising answer is no. They claim that many of the most famous "Icons of Evolution"--including Darwin's "Tree of Life," finches from the Galapagos Islands, and embryos that look remarkably similar--are based on outdated research and sloppy logic. They say students are being hurt by the failure to present both sides of an emerging scientific debate over Darwin's theory.

Come explore this fascinating new conflict over evolution in the classroom--a conflict based on science, not religion. Learn about the controversy that engulfs one town when a teacher actually tries to tell students that some scientists disagree with Darwin.

From the Galapagos Islands to China, Icons of Evolution will take you on a fast-paced, fascinating journey into one of the most controversial issues in today's public arena.

Review: True science and freedom of thought are inseparable, but as this video shows, some scientists prefer power to truth. -- Philip Johnson, author of Darwin on Trial

My Notes: This DVD deals with each of the major points of evolution and analyzes them from a scientific perspective. There is a widely held perception that the only scientists who have problems with evolutionary theory are those with religious views. In fact, many are skeptical due to the poor science involved in evolutionary theory, but these scientists are ostracized in the field. This DVD gives them a voice (and also includes pro-evolution scientists), and it highlights how far public schools will go to keep sound, unbiased science from reaching their students.

This DVD definitely supports the often scoffed at view that public schools are also propaganda machines. Indeed, it may be true that all education is inevitably propaganda, so all the more reason to control the message as best we can as parents, while encouraging critical thinking.

Ministering to Neighborhood Children (related to the evolution topic, and worthwhile books)

We had two neighborhood children over for dinner last night (not siblings of each other), and as my older son brought up what he's learning in science, one of the friends said that no, God didn't have anything to do with the creation of the world. It all happened over many, many years, he said, confident in his view. This is the same friend of ours who came to Christ recently, and this exchange made me realize how hard it is for a child from a non-Christian home to grow in Christ. Any discipling he gets will be through us, at least at this juncture.

Whether one believes in evolution or not is certainly not a crucial point, but the belief that God has nothing at all to do with creation, means that the child doesn't understand the majesty and power and omniscience of our Heavenly Father.

This child is the one I am babysitting a couple nights a week. On Thursday nights at 7 PM we go to a library program so my son Paul can have some regular art in his school week. Our neighbor then, age 9, goes with us, and loves to check out Goosebumps books on my library card. I'm horrified at these books--especially the covers, but I haven't read any. The librarian confirmed for me that they are indeed scary. I don't need to peruse them to know they aren't adding any value to this child's life--and in fact, they are probably desensitizing his heart. Our hearts need to be nurtured and fed thus:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Discipling Neighborhood Children Who Do Not Have Christian Parents

The Holy Spirit guided me at the library in the last two weeks, however, with the reminder that the Father will work on one thing at a time in this child's heart, and I am to follow His lead. First, for instance, I must teach the truth of the above verse, and then wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to this child's heart about scary books and movies. To this end, I have copied the verse on chart paper and posted it in my house, as a conversation starter. Children notice what is written on large chart paper, and so I use charts as a tool as we minister to neighbor children.

The following is a chart I have up to teach them about having a prayer life, and what breadth of things we can appeal to our Heavenly Father about. Even my own children benefit from having it posted, to remember that we are called to have a prayer life--one rich in what is important to God, not merely superficial. This is just one chart that details how we pray for children.

In Other School News: silent e and b/d confusion

My daughter Mary (an All About Reading Level 2 student) learned that the silent-e rule is also called the "name game syllable". As such, the silent e goes up to the vowel, who he met at a party, and says, "Hi, what's your name?"

This is a semantics change from the way I taught silent e, and the language used makes more sense to children. My daughter is remembering more often what to do when she encounters silent e in her reading. 

She also learned that lower case b is also called "bat ball" to signify that the stick goes first, then the ball. Conversely. lower case d is called "doorknob door" to signify that the doorknob goes first, then the door. These tips are helping my dyslexic daughter tremendously, as I remind her to ask herself what comes first when her finger comes upon a b or d word. Does your finger touch the bat first, or the doorknob? Having the child move the finger under the word in the same direction we read, is a crucial part of using this b/d trick successfully. Otherwise, without this directional cue, they see the stick and ball and can't make sense of it (since b and d both have a stick and ball).

If the b/d confusion doesn't clear up by the beginning of second grade, it's time to think about possible dyslexia. Before second grade, it's fairly normal to confuse the two.

Birthday Notes

My middle son turns 11 this weekend, followed by three more child birthdays fairly quickly. All four of mine were born between November 2nd and January 11th, with the girls' birthdays only one week apart on the December calendar. Makes for a busier couple months with the holidays thrown in the mix.

2014 Picture Books to Highlight (to be added to my picture books blog pages)

Science

Animal School: What Class Are You? by Michele Lord

Synopsis: In this poetic exploration of the five vertebrate classifications—mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish—animals come to life in lush color. Each class gets the spotlight in breathtaking digital woodcut art accompanied by rhythmic, kid-friendly poetry. With a focus on trademark characteristics, such as birds’ beaks or the scales of fish, the book explains the differences between the five classes. Back matter includes an index and a glossary of scientific terms, as well as a table with information and examples from each classification for cross-referencing.

National Geographic Kids: Seed to Plant by Kristin Baird Rattini

Synopsis: A plant is a living thing . . . that grows and changes, just like you. Beginning with its opening line, this National Geographic Readers title will spark kids’ curiosity. From interactive dialogue (How many plants did you eat today?), to basic diagrams, to plant jokes and Buzzword word banks that are included on the photographed pages, the text keeps readers engaged and asking questions. Tightly organized, the text also builds on itself, with introductory information about plants and how they affect other organisms to concluding opportunities for applying the information with the appended directions on how to grow a bean plant, as well as quizzes to test new knowledge. Through a fun and simple lens that is perfect for the new, curious reader, this title celebrates a plant’s special place in the world. Preschool-Grade 1

The Little Raindrop by Joanna Grag

Synopsis: Beginning with a beautiful fall through a rainbow, the title character takes the journey from the beginning to the end of the water cycle. Gray delivers a complex scientific process in an approachable way through well-chosen words while Kolanovic's illustrations are superbly suited for the story. The raindrop's adventures are documented in soft pastels displaying the beauty of Earth's rainbow, streams, rivers, and oceans, while he encounters a variety of birds, bunnies, worms, moose, bears, and aquatic life. The raindrop makes his way ultimately to the ocean shore, to be evaporated back up into the sky and begin the voyage all over again. While not nonfiction, this title would make a great introduction to nature units covering forms of precipitation or types of bodies of water. Additionally, with the smoothly flowing story and picturesque illustrations sweeping across the spreads, it would make a fine read-aloud as well. Just like water in real life, the little raindrop can make a big impact on his readers Preschool to grade 2

Hope For Winter: The True Story of a Remarkable Dolphin Friendship by David Yates

Synopsis:

A story of a baby dolphin named Hope is rescued against all odds.
Exactly 5 years and 1 day after Winter, the tailless dolphin who inspired a major motion picture featuring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Harry Conick Jr., was rescued, something pretty amazing happened. Just feet from where Winter was found, appeared another injured dolphin, orphaned from her mother and struggling to survive. The Clearwater Marine team quickly went to work, attempting to nurse this new dolphin back to health. After a tough fight fought by the little dolphin and by the Clearwater team, the dolphin grew strong and healthy. She now lives with Winter and crowds flock to the aquarium to see them play. Her tale is one of courage and triumph. She was named Hope and this book tells her story.

Social Studies

The History of Money: From Bartering to Banking by Martin Jenkins

Publisher Synopsis:

What can take the form of a stone with a hole in the middle, a string of shells, a piece of paper, or a plastic card? The answer is money, of course. But when did we start using it? And why? What does money have to do with writing? And how do taxes and interest work? From the Stone Age to modern banking, this lighthearted and engaging account traces the history of the stuff that makes the world go round.

This is not your standard children’s review of the historical shift from barter to currency, with emphasis on exotic media for trade, culminating in our own paper and coinage. Instead, this is a post-2008 financial meltdown essay, broken into short, lively chapters tinged with tart humor, that walks kids through development of money and money-lending. ... A spacious layout and Kitamura’s delightful cartoon vignettes make the dense topics of taxation, interest, and inflation, and international currency valuation less daunting.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson

Synopsis: Gr 3 Up—Previous picture books about Juneteenth (the holiday celebrating the day slaves were freed in Texas—two years after the rest of the country) have focused on contemporary children discovering this quirk of history. Valerie Wesley's Freedom's Gifts (S. & S., 1997) and Carole Boston Weatherford's Juneteenth Jamboree (Lee & Low, 1995) fall into that category. Johnson imagines what it would be like to be a slave one minute and a free person the next. Spare text, structured as free verse, hones in on the smell of honeysuckle and breakfast routines as the day begins, like any other. The titular phrase appears three times: first to build suspense, then to indicate the earthshaking import of the message spreading from the port, and, finally, to reflect on the consequences. Lewis paints details not mentioned. The protagonist is a girl living in the slave quarters with her siblings and mother. They are working in the cotton fields when the news arrives. Skillful watercolor renderings depict nuanced changes in lighting and focus, thereby capturing individual responses to a community's new reality—from incredulity and quiet contemplation to rapture. Occasional panels indicate passing time; the brilliant clarity of the fields at noon fades to a green-blue gauze over the revelers heading home from a late-night celebration. A time line, glossary, overview, list of websites, and notes by author and illustrator provide deeper understanding. With a narrative notable for its understated simplicity and lack of judgment, this title allows readers to draw their own conclusions. An affecting entrée to a challenging conversation

My note: There are few words to this text, but the words included are beautiful. Within the first two pages, your tears will flow over the magnitude of what the characters experience on their first free day. It is as though you are there, experiencing their surprise and joy. Don't miss this one!

William Shakespeare: A Man For All Times by Paul Shuter

Synopsis: Grades 7-9 Who was William Shakespeare? How much do we really know about him, and how much of what is believed is myth? This unique biography takes the reader step-by-step through Shakespeare's life, setting out the evidence and what we can reasonably infer about him. It reminds the reader about the world he lived in, such as that standard spelling of words did not exist in his time, and shows how we must think carefully before applying modern ideas to explain his life.

My Note: Chapters include: who was Shakespeare; where did he come from; after school and marriage; what happened next; moving to London; what makes him different; was he rich; the King's man,; did Shakespeare retire; money then and now; glossary; source references; find out more; epilogue.

My boys are learning about Shakespeare later this year as part of Sonlight Core G, (World History Part 1). We will definitely include this source.

Thanks for reading here! Have a great weekend.

My Daughter is Amazing and Other Dyslexia Truths

As the mom of a dyslexic, struggling reader, I make time for articles and books about her condition, partially to understand her needs, but also to manage my level of concern. Many of us, before researching, thought dyslexia was a condition in which the letters and words wouldn't stay put on a page, and consequently, reading was a slow process for the affected student. This is a gross misrepresentation of what dyslexia is, and this lack of understanding in the general public is unfortunate, given that an estimated 1 in 5 people are affected by dyslexia to some extent.

Robert Redford's grandson is severely dyslexic and could barely read and write at 10 years old. The young boy's father, James, was so frustrated about the misunderstanding surrounding his son's condition that he produced The Big Picture, a 2013 documentary which "follows the stories of several dyslexics of different ages, including son Dylan, and examines how people with the condition cope from a young age right through to adulthood." Below is a quote from The Guardian story about the documentary:

Yet the condition is still shrouded in mystery. When Dylan was a child, his parents "felt under fire all the time with misinformation". They encountered teachers who did not know how to deal with their son and people who assumed it was a "made-up" illness that children could grow out of.
"You get a mournful glance from someone who says, 'So, will they be living with you for the rest of your life?' " Redford says. "Or, 'I'm so sorry. Do you plan to have more children?' It's just crazy. That was part of the frustration and it drove me to tell the story as it really is."
The Big Picture explores some of the recent scientific research around dyslexia which has used brain imaging to demonstrate that shrinkage in the arcuate fasciculus, the part of the brain that processes word sounds and language, could be one of the condition's contributory factors.
Once Dylan was officially diagnosed, he started to thrive and won a place to study at Middlebury College, a prestigious liberal arts university in Vermont. Redford says that his son, like many dyslexics, is "a big-picture thinker" who can come up with creative solutions to problems but that mainstream schooling in the US and the UK fails to recognise this.

What exactly is dyslexia? The International Dyslexia Association defines it thus: It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and /or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Wikipedia defines it thus: Dyslexia, or developmental reading disorder, is characterized by difficulty with learning to read fluently and with accurate comprehension despite normal or above-average intelligence. This includes difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, processing speed, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, language skills/verbal comprehension, and/or rapid naming.

Even though my daughter, who will be 8 in December, has been sounding out words for well over two years now, she still struggles mightily with fluency. Dyslexics just read slower than average, and this will persist their whole lives.

John Piper, renowned pastor and co-developer of the wildly successful Desiring God website, admits that he has dyslexia and that consequently, he's not a well-read person, owing to the excessive time it takes to get through books.

And yet he's a brilliant theologian and communicator, and has written or co-written nearly 100 books.

What does he read then, that cultivated his great mind? The Bible. He picked one book--the right book--and became an expert on it. I can't tell you how his story and many others inspire me as I work with my daughter.

Dyslexia can be a gift; see an article by the author of Overcoming Dyslexia, Sally Shaywitz, M.D. entitled "The Dyslexia Paradox: Slow Reading, Fast Thinking", published in Yale Scientific. Dyslexics are the perfect entrepreneurs because they see possibilities and connections most of us don't. They quickly see the big picture and the possibilities, but are often bogged down by details. Scores of famous people have dyslexia.

Sally Gardner, a famous writer (one I haven't read), wrote an article for The Guardian entitled Dyslexia is Not a Disability--It's a Gift. In the comments section many disagreed with her because of their negative school experiences, and because of the stress having dyslexia caused them. It seemed to me that those who felt it was a gift were those who benefited from parents, teachers, peers and friends who believed in them.

My daughter is an amazing young lady and I do, indeed, believe in her, but sometimes I wonder what the narrow-minded world will do to her psyche. Without belief in God and an awe of all that He created, it's easy to be narrow-minded and think "inside the box", expecting everyone to conform to the establishment. Atheists think our silly Jesus is a stupid myth, or at best, just a famous person, and that our Jesus-freak minds are too narrow or brainwashed to view him otherwise.

But doesn't it make more sense that a narrow mind is one who looks at all the beauty and diversity in the world, and the complexities of the human body, and concludes it's all an accident? That is narrow.

Just today my daughter's story included the word bike, among many other silent-e words. Each time she encountered the word, she had to sound it out. Not once did she recognize it from context or from having read it many times in the story. It's so hard not to think silently: enough already! You read this ten times in the last fifteen minutes!

It's hard not to worry about her during her reading sessions and afterwards. Reading anything other than word. by. word. is such a struggle. My dyslexia-reading and research help me, mostly by leading me back to my core values and beliefs.

God is good. He loves us and we are fearfully and wonderfully made...all of us differently.

I have two children, Peter and Mary, who think outside the box and exhibit disabilities that are also gifts. ADHD people, as well, are highly represented among the entrepreneurial population. The biggest question for me as a parent and teacher is this: Where is my faith? In whom? Is it in God, or in traditional education? In God, or in the world's definition of success? Is it in how others perceive me and my family, or is it in God? Is it in my plan or perceptions, or is it in God's?

Science and research and personal stories are helpful, but the Truth of the Bible is my life line. I will continue trying to understand my daughter and my son, but all the while, I will cling to the promises in the Word, remembering that perfect love casts out fear, and we are all wonderfully made, with purpose and a plan.

The more we focus on God's plan and not our own, the wider and more beautiful our view.