An Inspired Little Boy

I have been working with Corbin on learning to read, and while it hasn't been unpleasant by any means, what he is learning hasn't been sticking as well as I would like it to.  He is compliant and cheerful and cooperative during his lessons, but it just seems like he isn't really paying close enough attention to retain what we are doing.

Just recently we have had several breakthroughs that have made me really hopeful that everything is about to change!

Breakthrough #1:  Corbin started writing!  It began with him copying his sister's artwork, then doing artwork of his own, then he began tracing his name when I wrote it for him at the top of his worksheets, and finally it culminated in him writing his name without me even prompting him to!  He is one of those kids that I can encourage but not push.  If I push, he will push back.  I am so very thankful that the Lord revealed this to me about Corbin at a very young age!  I never "told" him to write his name.  I would casually ask him, "Corbin, do you want to try to write your name at the top of the page, or would you like me to?"  He would usually say, "You can."  I know that if I had made a big deal out of him learning to write his name he would have become angry and defiant.  Because I let him decide when he was ready (with just a little encouragement and gentle prompting from me), he is excited and proud at his new accomplishment!  Mommy is pretty darn proud, too!!  At our homeschool co-op this week he wrote his name from memory on his craft project and was beaming as he tried to show everyone.  It was a big moment for us!

Breakthrough #2:  I realized that the phonics program that I used for Abby (100 Easy Lessons) just was not going to work with Corbin, no matter how wonderful a curriculum it might be.  I noticed that Corbin is very interested in memory work and repetition (I think he knows some of Abby's memory work better than she does!), so I speculated that perhaps The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading might be a better fit.  Abby has been doing it as continuing phonics lessons, just much further on in the book, so I gave it a whirl with Corbin ... and he loved it!  Not only did he enjoy it so much more, but he actually remembered what we had learned.  BIG sigh of relief from Mommy!!

Breakthrough #3:  I believe one of the reasons Corbin was not very motivated to learn to read was because he hadn't yet seen all of the wonder and excitement and mystery and adventure to be had in being able to read on your own.  Mommy can read to him ... Abby can read to him ... Daddy can read to him; why did he need to learn to read for himself?  That all changed when I read to him a book from the Billy and Blaze series.  I have never in my entire life seen a child so excited to be hearing a book read aloud!  He was jumping up and down on his stool, letting out squeals of excitement, and clapping his hands ... I was in awe at how emotionally involved he became with the characters.  He asked to have the book after I finished and went to sit at his desk.  He asked me if I could read it to him again and I told him he would have to wait until everybody was finished with school.  He frowned, looked at the page he was on, and pointed his finger at the first word on the page.  "Mommy, what is this sound?"  I told him what it was, but told him he would have to learn to read to be able to read the whole book.  "Okay, Mom," he said determinedly, "I need to learn to read."  I think my heart skipped several beats!!  He got it!  Right before my very eyes, he realized just what a privilege it was to be able to read on your own ... to go on those adventures by yourself.  I felt like I had just witnessed something very sacred and profound. :)

Corbin is a passionate, passionate boy.  My biggest struggle with his education is going to be finding ways to keep that passionate mind focused on the goals I have for him.  I am thankful beyond words that the first and often biggest hurdle - that of getting a child to care about learning to read - seems to be behind us!