Preparing Miss.SingSong for Literacy - Reading

I served a Mormon mission in Russia.  By the end of my mission I could read and comprehend most non-technical articles written for adults in the Russian language.  I could not read to understand a children's book to save my life.  The variety of words used in children's books is immense.

Preparing Miss.SingSong for Literacy - Talking and The Well-Trained Mind

In The Well-Trained Mind, we are taught that from the day you bring your baby home you should be talking to her constantly.  I like the idea, and I try to talk a lot to Miss.SingSong, but I'm an introvert and I need quiet time!  Motherhood is filled with guilt about how much we can or can't do for our children, it seems.

Rules for Miss.SingSong

Most of the teaching books I read while I was a teacher discussed classroom management and engagement more than they did teaching.  There's a reason for that.  Students simply can't be expected to learn if there are 29 other students jumping around, talking, throwing things, or - as I personally know - having fistfights in the classroom.  But even if everyone is in their seats and sitting quietly, students won't learn if they have never been taught focus and discipline.

Meet Miss.SingSong

 Little Miss.SingSong came into the world rather unexpectedly at 34weeks.  She then spent two weeks in the NICU.  I look back at that time and know that I was so stressed and worried and in love and tired and happy, but I only remember the love and that happiness with any real clarity.  The rest of it just fades away because those things that were so stressful get resolved, and then don't matter anymore.

Well-Trained Mind

Mr. Perfect and I knew that we wanted to homeschool our children before we even knew that we were going to get married.  Rather, I should say that I knew I would homeschool my children, and I let him know it before I let the relationship get too serious.  He really liked the idea, and that helped progress the relationship toward a more serious stage.

A New Teacher, 2011-2012

Our family's journey into the home school world begins one early August morning.  It was my first official work day as a public school teacher.  There weren't any students yet, but the teachers and administrators were having meetings to prepare for the new school year.  Within half an hour I had decided that I would homeschool my children.