reading

How to Inspire Your Children to Read

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

I don’t worry much about reading before age 9. The longer they play the better! When my children start asking me “Mom, how do you spell…?” That’s when I know they are ready for reading. When a child is ready to learn to read it’s so easy to help them.

When it comes to learning to read there shouldn’t be a struggle. Dyslexic children and creative kids struggle because we are trying to teach them too soon. Dyslexia Games helps prepare the mind for reading and writing without stress, and helps to teach reading in a self directed way that works for creative kids.

Still, sometimes the brain just isn’t ready for the job of reading before age 9 (for some it may be age 11, kids who learn to read late tend to be very artistic and creative.)

The 1st key to inspiring a child to read is to find out what the child wants to learn about and be attentive to what he is passionate about. Provide books on ALL levels about those topics. Look at the books together, and use books with a Fun-Schooling Journal. Allow the child to do a lot of drawing in the Fun-Schooling Journal if they can’t write, and please do some of the writing for him or her while the child watches and dictates (writing for your child once a week is enough).

The 2nd key is to model a love for reading real books and writing on real paper – in front of your child – that’s what Mom-School books are for. When a child sees a parent reading and writing (not on a computer) they automatically desire to do it too. The brain is wired to give children a drive to do what adults do. (One big problem with classrooms is that all the kids are the same age, and kids are not getting an example of how people learn at a higher level.)

Curiosity will drive the desire to read, and the brain will begin to wire itself to read, write and spell. When a child is curious about reading they are going to learn quickly and efficiently. When a child feels the need to read, they WANT to learn.

When you try to force kids to read. write and spell before they desire to do it naturally you are going to face a constant struggle. If the child desires to learn, they are going to be active in the learning, and actually teach themselves – it’s beautiful and joyful.

So, precious homeschooling mom, if your eight year old can’t read, don’t worry, just remember the two keys!

A Day Full of “Yes!”

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

You have heard of homeschooling, and maybe you have heard of Un-Schooling… Well this family enjoys FUN-Schooling (find out how to Flip to Fun-Schooling here)! Watch what happens when a mom practices saying “yes” to whatever the kids want to do…

“Can I build a fort?”

Yes.

“Can I make the dinner?”

Yes.

“Can I sew buttons?”

Yes.

“Can all my friends come over?”

Yes.

“Can I play with your coin collection?”

Yes.

“Can I sew a purse?”

Yes.

“Can I spend the whole day reading?”

Yes. Yes. Yes. (Note: This doesn’t happen everyday.)

This little video below is full of wistful memories and children who were much smaller…a decade ago! It shows what a day full of “Yes!” looks like!

And, while you’re at it…tell yourself “Yes!” about something you really want to do today!

Inspiring Your Child to Read

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

I don’t worry much about reading before age 9. The longer they play the better! When my children start asking me “Mom, how do you spell…?” That’s when I know they are ready for reading. When a child is ready to learn to read it’s so easy to help them.

When it comes to learning to read there shouldn’t be a struggle. Dyslexic children and creative kids struggle because we are trying to teach them too soon. Dyslexia Games helps prepare the mind for reading and writing without stress, and helps to teach reading in a self directed way that works for creative kids.

Still, sometimes the brain just isn’t ready for the job of reading before age 9. For some it may be age 11– kids who learn to read late tend to be very artistic and creative.

The first key to inspiring a child to read is to find out what the child wants to learn about and be attentive to what he is passionate about. Provide books on ALL levels about those topics. Look at the books together, and use books with a Fun-Schooling Journal. Allow the child to do a lot of drawing in the Fun-Schooling Journal if they can’t write, and please do some of the writing for him or her while the child watches and dictates (writing for your child once a week is enough).

The second key is to model a love for reading real books and writing on real paper – in front of your child – that’s what Mom-School books are for. When a child sees a parent reading and writing (not on a computer) they automatically desire to do it too. The brain is wired to give children a drive to do what adults do. (One big problem with classrooms is that all the kids are the same age, and kids are not getting an example of how people learn at a higher level.)

Curiosity will drive the desire to read, and the brain will begin to wire itself to read, write and spell. When a child is curious about reading they are going to learn quickly and efficiently. When a child feels the need to read, they WANT to learn.

When you try to force kids to read, write, and spell before they desire to do it naturally you are going to face a constant struggle. If the child desires to learn, they are going to be active in the learning, and actually teach themselves – it’s beautiful and joyful.

So, precious homeschooling mom, if your eight year old can’t read, don’t worry, just remember the two keys!

How My Fun-Schooling Story Began in a Library

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / 1 Comment
Picture

Back when I was 14, my parents looked into homeschooling because of some health issues my little sister had. I expressed an interest in also being homeschooled, but they said we’d have to wait until we got our tax return because they had spent a lot of money on my sister’s curriculum. My reply to that was, “Who needs a tax return and who needs curriculum? Aren’t there enough books at the library?” We had a library just a couple blocks away and what I said made sense to my parents, so after Christmas I got a library card and didn’t go back to school. It was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I had something more valuable
Than a university degree–
I had a wise librarian
And a local library.
And locked up in my spirit,
Curiosity untamed,
My mother set me free from school
And I walked down Library Lane.

There were bookshelves to the ceiling
And a million mysteries–
The stories of 10,000 lands
Now opened up to me.
And I found my place in science 
And I sailed though history,
And the wise librarian smiled
As she shared a book with me.

What do you want to learn now, child?
What do you want to be?
The pages are the treasure troves
And this card is the key.
So I filled my sack with freedom
And a dozen new best friends.
I savored every story;
I wished each one would never end.

I read my way through worlds
That I never knew could be.
I discovered whole new cures
And I was rescued from the sea.
I pitched my tent on mountain tops
And I learned to watch the stars
I paged through Egypt’s Secrets
And I traveled wide and far.

And I, because a fighter, 
A writer, and a queen,
I discovered galaxies
That had yet to be seen.
Old friends just passed me by,
In a yellow bus each day the same,
With my pack of books, I waved goodbye
And I turned to walk down Library Lane.

And I never sought a teacher
Or a classroom in a school–
I had a local library
And I knew I was no fool.
So satisfy curiosity’s fire
To research, think and dream.
To seek jewels and reach higher
I began to spread my wings. (click Page 2 to continue reading)

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5 Tips-How to Help a Dyslexic Child Improve Reading Skills at Home

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / 1 Comment
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1. If you have a child that has been struggling with reading, writing and spelling it’s important to take a break from any schoolwork that is causing stress for 3 to 6 weeks to focus on therapy.

2. During this break from conventional schooling provide your child with creative learning tools like art supplies, cooking opportunities, audio books and games they enjoy. Don’t push them to do school at home.

3. Once the child is relaxed and enjoying games and creative activities introduce a gentle Dyslexia Therapy. The therapy is most effective when the child is not stressed out by his or her learning challenges. Turn on some classical music and provide the child with a peaceful place to focus.

4. Print out dyslexia therapy pages and provide the child with gel pens. Dyslexia Games is a therapy can be used at home, without professional help. The child will use 3 or 4 worksheets per day, no help is needed because the games focus on the child’s abilities, curiosity, creativity and logic. Find it at DyslexiaGames.com

5. Parents can relax while kids spend about 45 minutes playing games to overcome reading confusion. Dyslexia Games are easy for kids to use without help from a teacher, tutor or parent. Kids will be able to get ahead and improve reading skills without the stress!