Dear, Anonymous...

Your comment has spurred many comments.

I think it's a shame that you don't understand real, natural learning and it's a shame that you judged me and my daughter.

I encourage you to check out unschooling, you obviously are not a homeschooler or if you are, you are the militant school at home type.

There are several unschooling links in my side bar, I hope you explore them.

Not that I have to explain, I figured I would give a little background.

I actually thought Cassie would start reading between 5 and 6 yrs old. She was so into books, I read to her every night. She started to memorize them and *read* herself. As time passed and we didn't do it everyday she forgot the words, I realize that memorization is a part of reading but it's not enough.

As with all of my kids, I read to her, I answered questions, I facilitated and provided an environment conducive to learning. No, I did not *teach* her how to read anymore than I *taught* her how to sit up, crawl or walk. I helped along the way but she did it in her own time frame.

Natural learning is a joy to live and to watch the process unfold.

I have 4 always unschooled kids and two read at age 5 and two read at age 9, if you think it really matters then you don't have a clue.

I did the same thing with all of my kids, they have to be ready, willing and able to make the connections, they have to own the learning and control it. All kids are born with an innate desire to learn and when nurtured it grows and develops into lifelong learning. Schooling and force take away the natural desire and also cause many of today's so called *disabilities*

I encourage anyone reading here to take a long hard look at their own schooling and their own kids and do the research and educate themselves.

I will no longer allow anonymous comments, anyone who is willing to tell me who they are can leave me a comment.

She can read!!!

Cassie just read Green Eggs and Ham to me.

She is so excited she was jumping out of her skin after she read a page with lots of words.

She is almost 9 and this is her accomplishment. We are all happy that she is starting to read but I think she is the happiest and that is what matters.

I have always read to her and helped her out but she just wasn't ready to make the connections. In the past she would forget the same word when she saw it on a different page or a different place.

She did so well tonight, I only had to help her with a couple words.

I am so happy for her :)

Well now all 4 of my unschooled kids are reading !

All in their own time not with force or someone else's agenda!

I'm off to bed, just had to share and obviously learning happens at all hours of the day and night.

"I did not learn"

Jared has been reading more and more each day. Just tonight he was lining up his hot wheels and reading the sponsors. This one is cheerios, chex, bad boy, reeses, mom why does this say polar power? Mom why can I read these words?

I said well you just learned how to read. I did not learn, what did I do homework or something? I didn't learn I just know how to write and spell and read that's all, I just know how.

Out of the mouths of babes:)

I did not learn, I just know how.

I love it!

Learning happens, you can't deny it!

If you can read this...

Jason saw a bumper sticker that said, "If you can read this, thank a teacher"

BWHAAAAA!!!!!!!

I'm not knocking teachers as people I have a menagerie of them in my family.

I do not really believe that one teaches one to read. You can do many things to help someone learn to read but the learner has to be ready. AS with anything in this world, the learner has to be ready, willing, able and interested, learning comes from within.

teach
verb, taught, teach·ing, noun
–verb (used with object)
1.
to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in: She teaches mathematics.
2.
to impart knowledge or skill to; give instruction to: He teaches a large class. –verb (used without object)
3.
to impart knowledge or skill; give instruction. –noun
4.
Informal. teacher.

—Synonyms 1–3. coach. 2, 3. inform, enlighten, discipline, drill, school, indoctrinate.

See my difficulty with the word?? INDOCTRINATE! whoa.....

im·part
–verb (used with object)
1.
to make known; tell; relate; disclose: to impart a secret.
2.
to give; bestow; communicate: to impart knowledge.
3.
to grant a part or share of. –verb (used without object)
4.
to grant a part or share; give.

You can say it's just semantics but I believe it is so much more, it's a belief system, an opinion, an understanding, how we use words is very important.

http://sandradodd.com/teaching/

If teaching is external than a teacher is only as good as the learner is ready. All of my kids read at various ages, levels and abilities, as they do with everything because they are INDIVIDUALS. I can't take credit for teaching them, I do facilitate, I answer questions, I live by example, I can read!

Who taught me? I'm pretty sure I was born an autodidact, it makes sense... I could read BEFORE I went to school, my little brother read at age 4. I only remember this because my parents separated and he couldn't go to PS because of his birthday. So mom enrolled him in private school and they tested him. I don't give a rip about the tests but it showed that he was far above *level*, so was I. Schooling really sucked the natural ability and desire right out of us.

I'm not a teacher, I don't want to be one, I'm the facilitator, the helper, the mentor, the guide, the how do you spell, what does this say, mom play with me, let's make cookies, go for a walk, read a book, what's this plus that, endless question answerer... not a teacher.

Path to reading

One thing that people question about unschooling is reading, I suppose math is the other biggie. This post will focus mostly on learning to read as a natural part of living.

The latest feat is Jared, he has been sight reading many words for awhile now, mostly from video games, computer, and store logos.

He is always asking me how to spell something and what does this word say and he makes up his own words too. He does very well with sounds and also sight so he has learned from both.

He gets on the computer and types in words to hear the music he wants, we have iTunes so he plays that a lot. He just loves music and Weird Al and from that he wants to see the videos then he wants to hear the real songs.

Yesterday he called me over to tell me someting, he pointed to a sentence and read it to me. I said that is cool Jare you are reading. He then proceeded to get mad and tell me he isn't. Those of you who have an intense child know what I mean.

The natural progression is awesome, watching the learning process unfold before my eyes. Learning is natural, reading is natural, learning how to read by living with words is a natural extension.

Brennan turned 9 in May, he would be considered a late reader by society but he is starting to read in his time. He is finally getting it and putting it together. A big help for him is playing Runescape, he is reading more each day and typing and spelling and learning. He reads a lot of words and learns more each day, just like Jared is and Cassie too.

Cass has lots of sight word recognition, she knows how to spell many words and she also sounds them out. All of my kids read at various ages and stages, all from living, all from unschooling, no lessons, no tests, no curriculum. Real life learning!!

I didn't mention Kieran but he has been reading since 5 and reads any word that comes before him.