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After being gone for 2 days, I came home this evening to find that my copy of BLHFHG had arrived. I was tired and had unpacking to do, along with supper dishes. But, I couldn't wait to look through it. I am so excited about doing this with dd. Here I am at midnight and I haven't done my dishes or finished unpacking, yet.

I've also been looking at my copy of TRL. I had planned to begin Beyond in August sometime. I'm not sure where dd will be in reading when she finishes K, but TRL looks like it will have a good deal that she probably will know. I know someone said in another post that the review would be good. Would it be better for me to wait and just begin TRL in August and possibly do a lesson in a day or 2, or should I begin with her now while she is in school and work each lesson as it may correspond with what she is doing at school. She only has school 3 days a week. She still has over 3 months of school. If she becomes an emerging reader by that time, she will be bored with all the TRL review in 1st. I believe there will be work left to do in August, even if I start it now. Maybe I'm too anxious and shouldn't push it. I guess the review wouldn't hurt. Any suggestions would help.

I'd better get my dishes done

The next day: I did get my dishes done last night I just wanted to add this. Some may think, since I have 3 that graduated from homeschooling, this shouldn't be a big deal. But, those 3 went to school in the beginning. So, teaching a child to read is new to me. I can probably say that is another reason I decided to put dd in school. We were having some struggles. But, I feel confident with HOD format, we can progress. I just want to make sure I give her the right stuff at the right time. I don't want to push her too hard, but I don't want to hold her back.

Pam,

Since your dishes are done, do you want to come and do mine? I'm so glad that you have your Beyond manual in hand! How exciting!

I know how you feel about teaching your children to read, even though you should feel like a pro after graduating 3 kiddos already. When I came home after 11 years of teaching in the public school, I was concerned about teaching a child to read from the beginning too. As far as your daughter goes, you could easily work with her on reading from The Reading Lesson on the days she doesn't have school. It would be good to shoot for 3 days a week for steady progress. I'd set the timer for 15 minutes and quit after that. Keep the lessons short and sweet and be very positive with her!This would be a great plan since she's already underway with her reading at school.

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie,
Thanks for the encouragement. I hope this works. I just have noticed that, because she has another teacher, if work is sent home and I don't do it the way her teacher does, she gets upset. But, this will be MY work for her, so I just need to set a routine for TRL and stick with it. In May she will need to attend school every day to the end. It is to get the kids ready for everyday first grade, even though I am not leaving her there for 1st grade. That will be a long month Since finding and deciding on HOD for her schooling, you don't know how many times I wish I could pull her out of school and begin that. I feel now like I could have handled the reading. But, I know that would not be a wise thing to do. She knows she is being homeschooled in 1st, so I just need to be patient and stick it out. Pray that there are no more snow days tacked onto the end

I appreciate your help.
Pam

Pam,

If your little honey ends up feeling like starting The Reading Lesson now is extra work, you may want to put it aside and start later when she comes home to school instead of going away to school. You want her first experience with you as her teacher to be a positive.

On that thought, you could also consider having her be done with her school away from home experience when the rest of the kiddos at her school begin going daily to prepare for first grade. This would be a logical stopping point for her since her first grade year will be at home. And, you could have her begin her school with you at her regular 3 day a week speed that she was going before just to get her used to the program and to transition to her school at home. You could tell her it was her preparation for first grade. Then, you could break for summer. Just a thought to ponder that may give you a positive start and a less stressful year-end.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks again, Carrie. As much as I would love to bring dd home, (it's already crossed my mind a few times ) I think it will be best to let her finish the year. She's made some friends there, and because of her processing issues, she probably wouldn't understand why she isn't going to school and her friends still are. I'm not sure if I will begin TRL now or wait, but I definitely plan to be more involved with the work she is doing in school, as I see there may be some areas of weakness. Because the teacher doesn't seem to be recognizing some of this, dd's O.T. and I will be addressing some areas we can work on outside of school. Unless something changes dramatically with dd in the next couple of months, I know she will need the review from TRL. One day at a time! I appreciate your help.

Pam