Extension pack for fun?

[tpschettle]

Hi!

I have a son going into 6th grade next year who is very interested in the extension pack books for Res. to Ref. The catalog lists these for "mature readers." Would it be ok to let him read them for fun? Or should I try to work through them rather than the listed books? Or should I just say "no"? They're a significant investment & I don't want to be wasteful if they're going to be beyond him, but I want to encourage him to read good books, too.

He's a good reader. He read Treasure Island (unabridged) in 2nd grade, inspired by the movie. He also read Call of the Wild and White Fang around the same time. Just because he can read advanced material doesn't mean he's comprehending at that level. He tested at grade level this year at school. Is there a disadvantage to letting him read material that's beyond his ability to analyze?

Thanks for your insight!

[LynnH]

Carrie posted this teaching tip this week on facebook and it might be helpful as you consider things.
Teaching Tip:

My tip this week comes from more than 23 consecutive years as a teacher (which definitely shows my age). The only reason I mention my years of teaching experience first is because this tip is born out of those years "in the trenches". My tip is that reading classic literature at the "right time" can make a literature lover out of anyone. Deciding when the "right time" is to read various pieces of classic takes some thinking, as it is not the same for everyone or for every piece. First of all, prior to reading (longer) unabridged classic literature, the child must have the reading level that will allow him/her to comprehend the literature. Next, he/she must have a strong vocabulary (or at least quite a bit of exposure to understanding higher level vocabulary) so that reading the literature actually has meaning. An understanding of the historical time period of the literature, experienced with a previous pass through the time period is often hugely helpful in understanding the context. Stair stepping through gradually more difficult books leading up to the reading of harder classic literature is also hugely helpful, rather than dumping a child into the literary deep end. Weighing mature elements and themes within a piece of literature is another area that deserves strong consideration. Reading abridgments at an early age can often give parents the impression that a child is ready for the more difficult unabridged version; and, after reading an abridgment, a child can often get through the unabridged version. However, this doesn't mean a child was truly ready for the unabridged version in the first place, and it also doesn't mean that the unabridged version is appropriate (in content or level). Instead, it just means that the abridgment provided the summary of the story that will allow the child to make sense of the unabridged version. I'll share that in true Charlotte Mason fashion I am not a huge fan of abridgments, as I believe that waiting to read the story in unabridged form often provides a much richer experience. Being able to read and enjoy the unabridged version is also a better indicator of whether it is the "right time" for the child to read the piece of literature. Struggling through classic literature at the "wrong time" without the steps I've mentioned above in place can kill the love of literature and make a literature hater out of anyone.

One more thought is that even if your child is an amazing reader who can read unabridged classic literature at a young age, it is good to weigh whether the experience would be richer if you waited until your child was older. I know with my oldest son this was the case, even though he read the unabridged Robinson Crusoe when he was 8. Would it have been richer and better if he read this work in late middle school or high school? I believe so, and I believe this is true in so many cases. Anyway, I share these thoughts not to be controversial, but instead to get you thinking about the question, “When is the ‘right time’ for my child to read various pieces of classic literature?” Also remember that just because a child "can" read something, it doesn't mean that it "is" the right time for him to read it. Truly, some books are best savored later! The good news is that with Heart of Dakota, all of this thinking has already been put into our literature selections (and the place that they hold in our various curriculums) for you. So, if your child is well-placed within his/her HOD guide skill-wise, then the literature placement will be right too.

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

Good thoughts, Lynn- and that was a great post by Carrie for Facebook! Thanks for sharing! My oldest ds is an avid reader, but he is on the young side of the guides. He is - and always has been - an excellent reader. What I have done is purchased the previous two years' back extension packages each year for him to read for his free time. So, when he did RevtoRev, I let him read CTC's extension package books, for example. His favorite genre is nonfiction, and he loves history, so this has worked well. I don't like trying to find good books of the length he now enjoys reading on the fly. I love HOD's book choices, yet I think reading the extensions along with all he is being asked to read and do within whatever HOD guide he is doing would detract from the amazing experience of being fully invested in the books for the guide he is supposed to be enjoying and taking the most from (as he is on the youngest end of the target age range). He has loved reading the extensions later, and I have loved having excellent reading material for him to read at his leisure. Maybe something like this would be something your ds would enjoy! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie