Meaningful Minutes: Audio Books

We went on a LONG car trip this weekend.  Unfortunately, the audio book we listened to was not really approved for all listeners (however, the concerning ones slept through the questionable parts). It was a fun and fairly spontaneous trip.  It did remind me how great it is to have lots of listening options on hand.  Here are some free or cheaper resources for audio books (many are in the public domain, some have volunteer readers which can be hit or miss).

Librivox - This is my go to location.  Most readers are pretty good - just listen for a minute before you download.  Your kids will memorize the little intro that goes with all of these recordings - but FREE.  If you looked at the Ambleside list last week and wondered what was available on audio - here is your connection.

Sparkle Stories - This is a free app that has stories for younger children (4 to 8).  They focus on stories that have cooperation and teamwork and stay away from scarier themes for children.  I haven't really listened (my kids like the scary stuff) but many friends recommend it.  If you are interested use the trial and see if your kids like the stories.

Lit2Go - This website also features primarily older books but most of them have some acknowledged literary value.  Ambleside records MANY things - this is a more curated (I can't believe I just used that word) listing of stories.  They also have it available in PDF and easy to read on screen as you listen - this might be good for kids who are just learning to read.

Of course, we all know about the wonders of your local library and remember that if your library has Overdrive you can use it to check out audio books without leaving your house!  Audible is the most well known pay service.  I have yet to use it but here are some tips for getting the most out of it (here, here and here).

I am sure that there are more services (and some that we used to use that I can't seem to find anymore - bummer).  I imagine there is a whole world of podcasts that deals with this subject too - but I haven't delved into it.  If you have places you like to go for free or cheap audio books for kids - let us know!

Meaningful Minutes: Narration

This week we turn towards a skill - narration.  Is that really a skill? Yes, it is!

What is narration? 

This idea seems SO basic. In fact, it is probably one of the most frequently used skills and it almost seems natural. You listen to a sermon or podcast and someone asks "What was it about?".  So you narrate - or tell back - often with some reflection, connection and emphasis on what impacted you or what it made you think about.  Although the concept is simple, it actually requires quite a bit of mental focus and thought to do it well.

What should they narrate? 

Anything and everything!  Honestly, if a child narrates a math problem you can better see their thinking and find where they have gone off track. Narrating is most often associated with reading or listening to lectures.  Sometimes, as parents, we feel we must read everything our child is reading in order to have a good conversation.  Honestly, they need you to listen to their narrations - they don't need comprehension questions or deep literary thoughts (especially in elementary school).  If you listen, they re-tell you stories all the time (tv shows come to mind).  Did you realize this is preparing them for being good conversationalists, writers and presenters (wait, they are already doing that)?

In some ways, this doesn't mean doing much different - it means valuing what your child does.  It can be BORING to listen to the 100th re-telling of a Magic Treehouse story - but it is how they think through and process what they are learning.  Start appreciating it for the great skill that it is.  If you want to elevate the conversation provide them with different material to listen to or read!  If you want to practice this skill Aesop's fables are a great place to start.  They are short, simple stories - but don't tell "the moral" - allow them to reflect on it.  

I will say that it is very DIFFICULT to narrate a textbook.  When all the facts have been distilled for you there isn't much story to tell.  Stories are much easier (and appropriate) to narrate. That's why you may not remember the sermon points but you do remember and re-tell the story he used to make his point.  Also, kids younger than 6 will spontaneously narrate their lives to you but they shouldn't be expected to do so.

If you are reading aloud always ask the children to remind you what happened last time in the story before you start reading a new section or chapter.  This is a great informal way to sneak narration in and make sure everyone is on the same page.  Mason also encouraged that children only hear a passage once and then tell it back to encourage them to pay attention the first time.  If they know you will read it over and over whey would they pay attention?

Still don't believe me . . . 
If you want to learn more about the details of narration here is a multi-part part series.  It discusses why this is a valid assessment method, how to help students begin to use narration thoughtfully, how narrating moves items from short to long term memory and other useful insights. Try to avoid interrupting, prodding or looking for "the right answer"; the whole point is to see what your child thought was interesting, remembered or found important.  If they seem way off track - well, now you know and can ask questions and discuss it. If you are trying to find ways to make it more creative or interesting - there is a long list here.

In the end, narration isn't about them getting every point of the story right, it is about helping children remember these stories long term.  So, only use this technique with stories and thoughts worth remembering.  It can also form the basis of thoughtful conversation as they grow older and are in the habit of telling you what they are reading, listening to and thinking about.

We did it!! Fall Readings and reflections

As I was reflecting on our past semester I realized that we did it!   We read one edited life of Plutarch and all of Pilgrim's Progress (I thought we were listening to little bits but we read it WAY faster than 2 years).

We used Anne White's Publicola and I highly recommend it.  We got most of the phrases she explains from the context but it was handy to have it right there.  She also has some thoughtful connections and explanations.  Plus it was open and go and I need that.

Listening to Pilgrim's Progress as a dramatized version was VERY helpful.  Having long car rides a few times a week made it easier too (although we do listen to just a section or two - less than 15 minutes at a time).  My 7 yo followed it fairly well.   Unfortunately, we learned that my 10 yo is studying a condensed version at church this semester.  Maybe he'll get some different insights doing it in class?  He is going to know that story backwards and forwards!  Hopefully it will give him insight when he needs it.

We finally started Trial and Triumph.  I think we might be reading it too fast so we are going to slow down a bit.  So interesting though.  My son drew comparisons between St. Patrick and Harriet Tubman - they were both slaves who went back to bring people out of slavery.  Well, there is that!

We also listened to Black Beauty, found at the library, and part of ELTL level 4.  That one is a bit convicting - so be careful.

We totally failed on Shakespeare.  We read about half of Twelfth Night.  I have decided to add a dramatized version to our "car reading".  We did listen to most of Bill Bryson's Shakespeare on CD though, so I guess we did get some Shakespeare.  If you want a short and interesting history - I recommend it.  (Well I recommend anything by Bill Bryson - some parts you might have to "edit" for family listening).

We listened to parts of CAP's God's Great Covenant.  I enjoyed it and learned some of the history and cultural pieces that you don't get by just reading the Bible.  My kids liked it for the most part too (well the 4 yo didn't but - see below).   We don't do the workbook - just listen to and narrate the stories.  I used some of the stories to help prep for my Sunday School class.  We got the MP3 version so we can listen to it in our car.

Speaking of MP3s, I am still looking at perfecting our usage.  Any hints (other than let the 10 yo do it)??  I try to make playlists (often taking things from librivox) so that we can go from nature lore (Among the _____ People) to a chapter from a story to history (50 Famous Stories) - but some days it works and some days not so much.  Other days we just listen to "Beethoven's Wiggles" because my 4 yo is obsessed with this CD (apparently if you have amazon unlimited it is free - maybe?).

I do have to give props to my husband, he has started reading aloud - often when he comes home from work while I am finishing dinner - and it has been SO helpful.  YEAH!!   He did a book about Stephen F. Austin (we do live in Texas), All of A Kind Family, Five Children and It, the first 4 Harry Potter's and others.  I read Little House on the Prairie, lots of picture books and the history spine for Artios with my kiddos.  

What did you read this semester?  I am amazed at how much a little bit at a time allows you to accomplish.  Thank you Charlotte Mason! I am a bit amazed that we did this because half the time when we read aloud the 4 yo starts YELLING - even with his mouth full of food!   Redeeming time in the car goes a LONG way.

Wednesday with Words: Beatrix Potter and Mr. Tod

This year we are probably spending too much time in the car.  It is a BRAND NEW car - with the ability to play an MP3 player (our old car was pre smart phones) - so we can listen to things more easily than ever before.  I feel SO blessed! (Except for when you hide the MP3 player from the 20 month old and can't remember where you hid it - AGGH)

We have been enjoying many librivox selections recently.  I know that they need to hear me read aloud and read to themselves - which does happen - but this mama needs community so that requires some driving!  I feel like I am redeeming the time.  It also helps that the 4 year old doesn't loudly protest the whole time we are listening - at home he often starts being disruptive after about 10 minutes.  (Yes, we are trying strategies like eating while listening, letting him do quiet activities, etc.).

We have been listening to Clara Dillingham Piersen's The Dooryard Stories.  My oldest now gets some of the little things she includes about people's behavior that is lost on younger ones.  I have enjoyed all of her stories.

With my second kiddo we are working through  English Lessons Through Literature, Level 1  again so we are reading through Beatrix Potter.  Of course, listening means you miss her illustrations but we have read many of them together and enjoyed the illustrations.  Yesterday, we listened to Mr. Tod (one of the longer ones) again.  It is "about two disagreeable people" which my oldest enjoys.  The quote I chose is a side note but so true. Flopsy's father in law, Old Mr. Bouncer, foolishly lost all the baby bunnies to Tommy Brock. She is beyond furious. This is her response:

Apparently angry cleaning is nothing new!  Angry cleaning is not my "go to" method (although I did it when I lost the MP3 player - it still hasn't shown up) but I grew up with some angry cleaners.  I questioned what would happen when they had attacked all the possessions and vanquished the dirt? Flopsy really did have a right to be mad - Old Mr. Bouncer got off easy!

I love how these older animal stories bring characters to life in unexpected ways and reflect the good, the bad and the ugly.  They provide great ways to discuss actions, reactions and relationships without naming names!  Hopefully you are enjoying your children's reading this semester.

See what others are reading at Ladydusk.

A.R.C.H. - Read Aloud Discussions - 2 Cautions, Narration and 6 types of questions

This week we have considered why we read aloud, thoughts about what to read aloud (beyond standard fare) and making time for reading aloud.  Today we'll address discussion and reading aloud.

First, two cautions.

Often, we are concerned that we need to ask the "right question" to make sure our children "get the point" of a story.  In some ways I think this is pestering. Are children that dense?  I don't believe so. Children might see in stories things that we miss because we have been trained to look a certain way.  Plus, as you are reading aloud at home, is there "one lesson" they should be getting?

The second caution is along the same lines.  Often we hope to read stories to help "teach" certain things. When we are trying to convey facts this makes perfect sense; however, it gets tricky when we try to teach morality and virtue the same way.  Honestly, it gets heavy handed.  Along similar lines is the idea of "bibliotherapy" - choosing stories (often realistic) that help children work through issues. I did a whole project on this idea when I was taking graduate classes in gifted education.  Although they sound appropriate, in practice, they steal the joy and art of a story.  Dissecting a story at this young age does not develop a love of story and often makes reading aloud more of a chore for everyone. There are two podcasts on this issue that are helpful (the first and the second - just remember that they tend to use fancy terms but they are not difficult).

With these two cautions in mind, lets take a look at what we might do to open up a conversation with our children.

Narration 

Narration is telling back what you hear. This seems too simple.  However, it is what children will be asked to do for the rest of their lives and it helps them cement what they have learned (and gives you a window into what they gained from the story).  As an adult, after reading something you give your friend an overview highlighting key ideas or thoughts.  Encouraging small children to do this equips them for true interaction of texts, sermons and lectures for the rest of their life. This does not have to be formal (although there are thoughts about how to help with narration- a template, a lesson plan, tips for narration, FAQs (more than you need)).

Here are a few simple, informal ways you can start incorporating this strategy into your home:

1.  Ask the child to share a story with someone else (dad for example) that they heard that day.  Typically, my husband shares what he read over lunch with my children at dinner and we need to encourage them to do likewise.

2.  When you start reading the next chapter of a book ask the children to remind you what has happened so far in the story.

Although this idea seems simple, it takes concentration, organization, speaking skills and more. Asking a child to narrate a small portion as they start the process will help them gain confidence in this skill.  Overwhelming them, even with appears to be a short story, may be too much.  Aesop fables are great for beginning to learn this skill.  Some key rules: read it once and then do not interrupt, do not prompt them, and do not correct.   If you feel that they are off course you can easily see where their comprehension has gone awry and correct that when you next read or offer your own narration.  If they are more practiced you can ask them to tell you where in the text they found something that sounds incorrect.

Sometimes, we feel like narration isn't enough.  If that's you, here are some simple questions that can be used with most texts you encounter.

The KEY Question

There is one question that can unlock most things that you read, spark a debate and help kids think through what they are reading.  This is the "Should" question.  Instead of pointing to moral strengths and weaknesses, this question helps children see how actions testify to underlying beliefs, attitudes and morality.  This is the formula (the attached brief article explains how to help children frame their own questions with this format):

    Should character X  do action Y?

Should Mercy Watson ride in the car?  
Should Goldilocks be in the forest by herself?
Should Elephant give Piggie his ice cream?

It can serve to ask very basic questions and, as children get older, they can ask larger questions. Should Edmund have followed the White Witch?   As you do this I encourage you to, on occasion, take up the other side and help your children explore reasons either way.

Comparison Questions 

Good stories should help us reflect on life.  There are different levels of comparison that children can easily learn and help connect this new story with what they already know.

Compare text to text (internal - characters, scenes, change in character):  How are Goldilocks and the Three Bears alike?  How are they different?

Compare text to text (external - compare one story to another story):  How is Goldilocks like Hansel and Gretel?  How are they different?

Compare text to self (compare story with self):  How are you like Goldilocks?  How are you different? (Try not to share your own reminders of when they wander away!!)  At our house we have had many conversations about who is most similar to different Winnie the Pooh characters.

Compare text to world (compare story with reality):  How is Goldilocks like the real world?  How is it different?  How can Goldilocks teach us some real world lessons?  (Try to do this only when the kids bring it up - not all stories need to be directly tied to reality to provide insight).

These prompts should provide you with tons of great discussion.  Again, we are not prescribing specific answers and thoughts about the characters and situations - we are helping students draw their own conclusions from their observations.

The Story Arc

If the prior questions seem vague and loose to you, you might want to try the syllabus that the Center for Lit produces for guiding literature conversations (this can also be applied to historical narratives).  It focuses on teaching children the arc of the story and providing questions (178 of them) that can help children consider all parts of the story.  You can hear Andrew Adams explain more about it on this podcast.  I personally have found that just the notes/syllabus gave me enough to use it informally with my children (and will last throughout their reading life).

The 5 Topics

The 5 common topics are the basis of all classical writing.  Again, they seem simple but can provide the basis for even the most sophisticated writing.

Definition  -  This is simple enough - just define what something is.  Of course, for a young child this might be factual recall.  However, this idea of definition is the basis for Lincoln Douglas debate in high school and college.  What is love? justice? equality?  For younger kids you might ask questions like What is friendship? What is fairness?  Then you can relate it to the story - did the Ant and the Grasshopper show friendship - why or why not?

Comparison -  The major categories of comparison are above.  To compare well requires real thought about the nature of the two things and drawing links between them.

Circumstance -  What is the situation?  What is happening with another character at this same time? What is going on in another location? What is happening elsewhere in the world (especially fun to do with history)?  Actually, this is the basis for most of Genevieve Foster's history books.

Relation - The most common type here is cause and effect.  How does this decision impact the next? This is a higher order thinking skill, so don't expect your 5 year old to always see the connections. However, you can discuss this in a story to help model this type of thinking and connection for him.

Authority -  Going to the experts.  This is for writing papers and speeches where you include what authorities in the area say on the topic to lend support to your argument.  As kids get older (tween or teen) it is important to teach them how to choose the authorities they quote.  Wikipedia is NOT the same as a peer reviewed journal article.  However, this is beyond the scope of the 4 to 8 year old age group.

These questions are aimed at opening up the conversation not drilling down to the "one right answer".  Used frequently they will teach a child how to question, compare and think about a text they are reading. As you listen to their answers you get a glimpse into how your child sees the world, what they enjoy and how they connect thoughts in their mind.  With just a few questions in your pocket you can have all kinds of good conversations in the car, over dinner and wherever the mood strikes.

Next week we move into Coaching the Academics.

Share with us what you are reading aloud to your little ones now!  If you are still looking for ideas check out the Read Aloud pinterest page.

A.R.C.H. - 8 Myths that Stop Us From Reading Aloud (and ways to overcome them)

Today I am going to address a few myths that might stop us from getting started reading aloud.  After realizing that there were so many genres besides just "literature" -  you might throw up your hands - BUT WAIT - don't despair.  

At the beginning of the week we looked at 3 reasons to read aloud, next we considered 8 different types of stories we should consider adding to our household and today we tackle myths that keep us from reading aloud.

Myth #1:  I need to set aside a lot of time to read aloud. 

Truth: You need 10 to 15 minutes a day. 

I highly recommend, especially for young children, to read at most 15 minutes at a time.  I think we picture reading marathons and figure we don't have time for that.  Save that for winter break.  For the everyday habit you need only 15 minutes (even 10 is worth it).  At 15 minutes a day you read for over an hour and a half aloud a week.  That adds up.  

Myth #2:  We should read one thing at a time. 

Truth: Vary what you read.  Try a loop schedule.  

With young children most of what they learn comes through conversation or what is read to them. We need to vary the type of stories and information they are exposed to.  Sometimes, we feel that they can probably only follow one story line at a time - you would be surprised at how well they will follow an engaging story.  For many of the types of genres for this younger age group they can be read in one or two sittings.  As an adult, you probably vary your reading - an easy, medium and challenging read.  Others choose topic areas: personal growth, literature, hobby, spiritual.  You see, we read different things for different reasons.  Kids should hear a variety of authors and types of stories and poems. 

One way to help yourself with this is to develop a loop schedule for your reading.  Basically, choose your books and create an order: Fairy Tale, Nature Tale, Math/Science and Poems.  You can choose to do these on specific days (Monday - Fairy Tale, etc.); however, if Monday gets crazy you feel badly. With a loop schedule you just read what comes around next.  Who cares if it just happens four times a week - it is much better than NEVER!  Here is my sample loop topics for the coming year.  I plan to put all of these books in a basket and pull them out (probably at lunch or dinner) and read what is next on the loop.  

I don't put our literature books in the loop because I tend to read them at a different time (a different 15 minutes) and will read a few chapters a week (typically 3 or 4).   Add what you like.  Do you want your kids to look at more DK books and other non fiction with you- add it in your loop and basket and you are set.  

Myth #3: We have to read everything right now. 

Truth: Your children will be under your roof for a long time, pace yourself. 

On the flip side, please do not burn yourself out trying to read "all the right books" and covering everything out there.  We are used to school where you are only in a certain grade or with certain teachers for a short amount of time (yes, even 9 months is short).  We feel the pressure to "get everything in".  However, they will be with you for the long term so SLOW DOWN and remember that what you don't read this fall can be moved to the spring or even removed.  

Develop a system (if you have one I'd love to hear about it) for marking books that you hear about and want to read in the future.  Right now I try to do this in the wishlist at our library and on Amazon. I think I need to improve my system though!  

Myth #4: Bed time is THE right time to read aloud.

Truth:  Whatever fits your family schedule is the right time to read. 

Technically, there might be some benefits from reading before bed.  Again, if the choice is don't read or read another time - choose read another time.  

Morning - In high school I had a friend whose family had strict morning devotionals - the whole family was up at 5:30 to accomplish this family time.  SAY WHAT!?  However, could you read for 10 minutes while people eat their breakfast?   

There is also an idea out there called "morning time" or "morning basket".  Basically, if you want to include Scripture reading, prayer, and some other literature (maybe a story from your loop) this would be a great way to do it.  It's a way to start your morning establishing what is most important to your family culture.  There are TONS of ideas about this topic BUT I hesitate to even link you because it can get overwhelming VERY quickly. So, before you click you have to promise me to think about what will most enrich your children and your family culture. The idea of a morning basket (or whenever during they day you do it) is to do things in small bits - 5 or 10 minutes - then move on.  A bit of exposure over a LONG time adds up to deep learning.  Big time-intensive projects have a place - but it is often these little layers over time that make the biggest impression.  

Snack Time - What about making a snack time habit of reading together.  Fix a fun snack for when they get home and share a good story.  The idea of "poetry tea time" might give you more thoughts about making this a fun thing (or it might stress you out!).   

After Dinner - Maybe it works for your family to linger around the table and enjoy each other's company - why not add a story (maybe with some dessert).  

Before Bed -  Of course, there is the classic pre-bed read aloud.  If it works for your family - why change it?

Honestly, if you just chose 2 or 3 of those time and did a ten minute set - that would be 20 to 30 minutes a day!  In a week that is over 3 1/2 hours!!  If you can make it into a habit and use stories that kids really look forward to - what a great family memory.  

Myth #5:  We need to be sitting quietly and focusing to make it "count". 

Truth:  Kids listen better when their hands are busy. 

Have you noticed that in old timey books they are always knitting or whittling or something.  Yes, they needed to get work done but it also helps the mind focus to keep the body busy.  So, as long as you can tell they are listening let them play quietly or eat (that's what I choose).  There is some advantage to encouraging beginning readers to cuddle with you sometimes so that they can see the words as you read them - but this doesn't have to happen with every book. 

Myth #6:  I am not good at reading aloud. 

Truth:  You are better than you think. 

If you start reading aloud while your kids are younger, when they don't care as much about voices and characters, you will have lots of grace as you practice.  The more you read aloud the better you get at it.  They don't need you to have a perfect accent to enjoy the story.  In addition to practice, listening to books on tape and hearing how others do it can help you as well.   One of my favorites to read aloud are the Piggie and Elephant books - they show you just how versatile words can be.  It's not about your great reading ability - it is about enjoying time, story and life with your kiddos. 

Myth #7:  I have to be the one who actually reads aloud.  

Truth:  Use recorded stories to your advantage. 

There is something special about you reading aloud with your children, but lets be honest we can't do it all the time.  So, what to do?  Redeem other times in your day.   

Do you drive to school, practice or other places? Listen in the car. 

Do you work together in the kitchen getting dinner ready? Play something while you set the table, 

Can't quite imagine yourself reading in the morning but know it would help calm your crew?  Listen instead.   

I like the way Simply Convivial talks about listening at her house.  Do you see how each reading is short but she stacks them?  This is what I am trying to figure out how to do well in the car - currently I just juggle this in my 6 CD player in my car (I used to think this was excessive - but now I find it essential).  If you have tips about how to do this in a car without an MP3 port I am ALL EARS! 

Here are some of my favorite FREE resources for read alouds: 

Librivox - All of these stories are before 1923.  The readers vary drastically so you have to check before you download.  If you want to see librivox recordings used at Ambleside online this is a quick reference.  

Barefoot Books -  They have a podcast featuring quite a few stories - some you'll recognize and some are new stories.  Most are between 7 and 15 minutes. 

You can buy or borrow these CDs: 

Jim Weiss - He has recorded all types of stories at a variety of levels.  We check them out frequently from our library (scroll to the bottom to see the recordings for youngest children). 

Rabbit Ears -  Great stories read by actors.  We check these out frequently from the library.  You can also download them on your MP3 or get CDs.  

I know there are MANY more.  Share your favorites.  

Myth #8: We have to read things quickly so that we don't forget what is happening and can get in lots of variety.  

Truth: Slow reading encourages children to think more about what they are reading. 

I admit that I used to devour books.  Granted, I didn't read much "great literature" when I was young, but what I did read, I read fast.  Often, when I encountered more complicated books it was on a tight schedule because it was a college course.  For some reason, we see fast reading as a badge of honor. However, slow reading allows us to savor, ponder, predict, consider and ultimately remember and be changed by what we are reading.  Not all books deserve to be read slowly - but some are worth it. Reading a chapter a week might not sound like enough, but it might be just right to encourage a child to make the story their own through play, discussion, comparison and "the wait" to find out what happens next.  What stories are you savoring at your house?  Try the "slow reading" challenge below.  

Hopefully, you found a few ideas that can help you vary what you read aloud, slow down and enjoy the process and pick a rhythm that fits for your family. 

The final subject we'll tackle this week is discussing books at home.  

A.R.C.H. - Beyond Books, 8 Types of Stories (Plus Poetry) to Read Aloud

In the last post, I included two of the most popular handbooks and resources for reading aloud. Both of those focus heavily on literature.  I will quickly add one of my favorite people's lists: Literature of Honor for Little Boys (she had 8 of them) and favorite family read alouds.  Okay, one more list.

Today, I want to encourage you to branch out into short stories and poetry that expose children to a variety of people, places, time periods, ideas and ways of writing.

First, I believe in stories that have bad guys.  Books offer a wonderful opportunity to help children deal with pain, hurt, loss, injustice and meanness.  Providing only a sunshiny view will cause them to distrust us as they get older and realize that "I love you, you love me" is not the motto of most of the world.  Of course, you need to temper this for your own child, but please don't think you are doing them a service by shielding them from some of the tougher parts of life.  Books offer a great way to introduce these difficult concepts and let kids think about them in a non threatening context.

Here are a few genres of reading aloud you might consider:

Bible Stories
Folk and Fairy Tales
Aesop's Fables
Nature Lore and Tales
Tall Tales
Myths
Geography
History/ Science Tales
Poetry


Bible Stories 

All kids can benefit from knowing Bible stories because they are a cultural reference in art, painting and music for many hundreds of years.  Being familiar with these stories can inspire faith in those who believe them and help all students better understand the inspiration behind many artists of the past.

Folk and Fairy Tales

Although written long ago they offer some great lessons and introduce children to themes that are used throughout literature.  Although we may not "get" them, a great argument can be made that they have lasted for so long because children DO get them and they fill a need for children.

Not only that, many stories are referenced, played upon or re-used in literature for grown ups. PLEASE read the originals.   After reading the original "Beauty and the Beast" with my then 5 year old, his primary question was, "What is virtue?"  That, my friends, is the benefit of reading the original tale.  Allow them to read other versions on their own if you like, but I highly recommend the original read aloud.  Just know that the Little Mermaid is not a happy ending - it was "Disneyfied".   You can also read versions of fairy tales that came from many lands (like Lon Po Po or the Egyptian Cinderella).

Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang has some of the most popular tales.  If you want a reading list there is a good list at Ambleside Online (scroll to the bottom of the page).  They also have a great discussion about alternatives if you think the originals are a bit too disconcerting.   You might also try the Red Fairy Book.

Grimms Fairy Tales and Hans Christian Andersen are probably the two other well known fairy tale writers (or collectors).  I offer the web links so that you can easily see the stories.  I personally prefer to purchase a nice volume and read from a real book, each family will have their own preference.

Perrault's Fairy Tales - These tales are a bit longer, but many classics are from this Frenchman.

Shakespeare's Story Book -  This is a set of tales that might have inspired the bard to write many of his plays.  It's a great read and a fun introduction to Shakespeare.

I am sure there are many other cultural tales (Juan Bobo) that could be included here.

Aesop's Fables 

These short tales offer great food for discussion.  Did you know that the morals were added later? Kern suggests that you don't share the morals and let your child think about it for himself.  Arnold Lobel's version is one of my favorites.  In classical writing circles, Aesop's fables often form the basis of the writing curriculum for 3rd and 4th grade students.

Nature Lore or Tales 

This type of tale is something that isn't written often anymore.  We might think of Beatrix Potter - but even that isn't quite within this realm.  Nature tales are meant to teach us about animal habits while also conveying lessons (sometimes a bit heavy handed) about the character of the animal involved. Thornton Burgess wrote close to 175 books that take this approach. His Burgess Animal book and Burgess Bird book cover a range of animals and are great for read aloud.  Old Mother West Wind and The Adventures of . . . series provide texts that good readers of this age might be able to enjoy on their own.

Another good choice is Clara Dillingham Pierson.  These stories are better for read aloud because of their length and more complicated vocabulary but kids enjoy the story.

If you have never considered or read this type of book you might want to take a listen to this podcast about the benefits of these types of books.  For an EXTENSIVE list of these types of books and living books on a number of other subjects you should check out this website.   You may wonder if it is wise to read these older science books - what if they are wrong? - at this age science should be about inspiring wonder and questions and not just facts and information.  If facts are wrong, correct them.  Science theories change and this is a teachable moment. Current books don't quite approach nature with the same attention to detail and sense of wonder as older books do.

Tall Tales 

This is almost a sub set of folk tales.  Many school curricula include tall tales as a part of their first or second grade reading because they are fun and tell us something about the values of the people who wrote them.  Steven Kellogg has some great picture book versions and Mary Pope Osborne provides stories with slightly more text.

Myths

Some people have strong opinions about when and how to introduce myths to young children, you need to make that choice for your family.  I encourage you to seriously consider including them at some point in your child's early education because they reveal much about human nature and are referred to frequently in art, literature and music (much like Biblical stories).  Knowing these references provides much more depth to their reading experiences as they get older.  Another helpful part of reading them aloud is that you can edit as needed as you share a myth.

D'Aulaires Greek Myths and Norse Myths are classic works for the older end of this age group. The illustrations are fascinating and the text is not overwhelming but tells the tales well.

The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus provides a simple overview of the life and times of some of the most well know characters.

Greek Myths for Young Children is another option.  I have not read this one but it is published by Usborne, who I trust, and is meant for this audience.

If you intend to enter your children into the world of Percy Jackson at some point, I highly recommend that you have them read the originals first.  As your children become "tweens" there are tons of great options for these thrilling adventures for kids.

Geography 

This isn't geography in the sense of learning landforms and capitals.  Instead, these are tales that share about lands around the world.  The most popular right now is Give Your Child The World which was released earlier this summer.  It covers each continent and provides a short description of a variety of books that share about the history and culture of that area of the world.  In fact, you can follow the reading club (a bit behind schedule) at Simple Homeschool.

If you would like a free resource you might checkout Barefoot Ragamuffins list (scroll down for her general reading list and geography reading list).  If you want a combination of science and geography you might like the Holling C. Holling series - these books follow animals and a handmade canoe, among others, through places like the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River and others.  Peeps at Many Lands is an older book that takes you on a narrative history through ancient lands.

History/ Science Tales 

There are many older books that tell colorful tales of parts of history many of us probably don't even remember studying.  In some of these books terms might be used that are no longer acceptable (red man, savages, etc.)  You can either substitute or change the word (you are reading aloud) or use it as a teachable moment.  These older books do a great job of capturing the action and adventure of history.

50 Famous Stories Retold 
30 More Famous Stories Retold 
50 Famous People 
Eva March Tappan and M.B. Synge have written a number of history books, but they might be better for children 7 and older.

Biographies of scientists are also wonderful for this age.  As mentioned in a recent Delectable Education podcast, often we just tell the end of the scientist story - when they finally figured it out - and leave out the difficult parts.  Biographies will help overcome some of that difficulty by giving students a glimpse into the struggles of being a scientist.  (That site also has a plethora of math books).

Poetry

Although last on the list it is certainly not an afterthought.  In fact, reading poetry to young children was a key feature of education for many years. Students were introduced to great poetry in part because it uses unique vocabulary, imagery, word order and turns of phrases that are fun for children and help enhance their writing long term.

There are of course modern children's poets - Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky and others. Ogden Nash Custard and Company Poems and Hilaire Beloc Cautionary Tales for Children also offer funny poems - but you might want to read them before you share them with your child!  Of course A.A. Milne of Winnie the Pooh fame wrote Now We are Six and When We Were Very Young which are children's poetry,  There are quite a few children's poetry anthologies available as well.

Traditionally, young children were first exposed to Mother Goose rhymes and just learned them as a matter of course.  Turns out I learned a ton of them in my music classes growing up!  This type of poetry is unique to the English language and provides easy and fun exposure to this medium.  This version is the one that we have - but it can be a bit overwhelming - who knew there were so many of them?   I am sure that Gyo Fujikawa's edition is beautiful (he has illustrated many older stories) and I always love Tomie DePaolo.  Ambleside Online also provides a list of poets who are well suited for this younger age group.

Students of old often memorized portions of Longfellow poems like Hiawatha's Childhood or The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.  If you want to know why it might be worthwhile to memorize poetry this is a great introduction.  Here is a great, simple list of poems to memorize by age group. People used to talk about "furnishing a child's mind" by providing the child with beautiful music, pictures, poetry and the like.  What is furnishing your child's mind?

WHEW!!!  That is a ton of options (and I am holding back)!  How in the world can you even hope to share all of this with your child?  Well that's what we will look at next.  



Quickly I will offer two sample reading plans (of course you pick and choose the bits and pieces you like).

Ambleside Year 1 (here it is week by week),

Pathways Year 0 (roughly 5 and 6 yos) - Unfortunately you do have to sign in to get this FREE list but it provides 2 years of plans.  She lays them out week by week, includes older books and new "classics", provides thoughts for reading from 1 day a week to 4 days a week.  It is worth it!!

A.R.C.H. - Reading Aloud: 3 Good reasons you may not have considered

The past two weeks we have focused on play- outdoor and creative - as key issues as we provide an A.R.C.H. for our children as they pass through the second part of early childhood (ages 4 - 8).  

This week our focus is reading aloud. One of my favorite comments about reading aloud comes from CIRCE founder, Andrew Kern.  At one point, he said that if we leave most six and seven year olds to their own devices and don't read aloud to them they become some of the stupidest people on the planet (he does not use that word lightly).  If your reading is limited by "Pat and Cat sat on a mat" - it's true.  Let's not allow that to be the fate of your precious ones! 

This week we will cover the WHY, the WHAT, and the WHEN of reading aloud.  We'll also talk about some resources to enhance your conversation about what you are reading.  

Let's start with motivation - why we do it. 

I don't intend to list the academic benefits of reading aloud (vocabulary, story ark, exposure to ideas, etc.).  Instead, lets look at some less touted benefits of this practice. 

First reading aloud encourages our children to become life long readers.  Kids are born to imitate. 

Below are two of my favorite "experts" on reading aloud.   

Jim Trelease, The Read Aloud Handbook - We had this book in our house growing up and I was gifted a copy when my oldest was born.  It is a great resource for choosing read aloud stories.  This blog post covers some of the most important benefits he has found.  One of his interesting points is that reading aloud is great "advertising" for books - it helps draw students into them.  

Finally, reading aloud to your child is a commercial for reading. When you read aloud, you’re whetting a child’s appetite for reading. The truth is, what isn’t advertised in our culture gets no attention. And awareness has to come before desire.

One of my friends used to talk about "will before skill" (this is what makes toddlers tiring - they are constantly wanting to do it before they really can).  Basically reading aloud creates that will so that they want to conquer the difficult task of reading on their own.  For most of human history reading was a special skill of the few - it is tough - and certainly not something expected of a 5 or 6 year old in the past. Sometimes parents are afraid that if they keep reading aloud their child won't read on their own. What you read with your child should be more complicated than what they can read alone.  We'll talk about the skill of reading next week. This idea of making reading enticing is also the point of this Read Aloud Revival post:   

When you focus on nurturing your child’s love of stories first and foremost, you get a child who can read, and a child who loves to read. You get both. You may not get the first part on your timetable, but you’ll get it on your child’s unique timetable, and he’ll have an insatiable appetite for stories, as well, which is worth its weight in gold.

Speaking of Read Aloud Revival, Sarah Mackenzie provides a whole series of podcasts dedicated to encouraging you in your read aloud journey.  She also has her own list of favorite read alouds.   She is the go-to girl for all types of reading aloud questions, thoughts and suggestions.  

The second reason to read aloud is that it is an EASY way to enrich your family culture. 

Read Aloud Revival recently posted a great article that illustrates the point.

 

Reading together provides a shared experience and adventure without leaving your living room.  You meet heroes, villains, aliens, animals and more in all types of situations and laugh, cry and enjoy them together.  Movies can do this, but books allow a child to use their imagination as they picture the scene and the slower speed allows them time to process the story and think about what is happening.  It is not just a two hour experience - it can be a week long adventure (or more).  

One of my favorite outcomes of reading aloud in my family are the inside jokes that come from stories we have read.  If someone is acting like Eugenia - we all know what that means.  Plus, as we read about different female characters my boys get a glimpse into how girls think (very necessary since their sister is so much younger).  I honestly get a better idea of the types of women they may some day marry (or at least fall for) as they talk about the heroines in stories. This extends to all characters as they discuss the good, the bad, the funny and sad.   Which stories and characters do they like best?  Why?  It helps me understand more about what makes them tick.

As we read together and talk about the stories I get to peek into my child's thoughts without being heavy handed.  There is a reason my kids know more about superheroes than your kids - because their dad listens to the history of the superheroes (CDs upon CDs worth) in their presence.  Not my favorite choice but it does bind those boys together.  Maybe the trivia will come in handy some day. 

Caught Up In a Story is an interesting take on this idea.  Sally Clarkson's daughter shares the impact of her mother's love of stories on her own development and life.  Her idea of a storyformed life encourages me and provides me vision for my own children.  Children who are challenged, inspired, instructed and shaped by what they hear.  

Finally, reading aloud increases empathy.

My first introduction to this crucial role of stories was Robert Coles' work The Call of Stories - I read it in high school and have been obsessed with the ideas ever since.  He teaches graduate medical students bed side practice and care through poetry and literature - showing that this practice never gets old.  Now "science" is showing what the good Dr. Coles has been doing for years - reading good stories can increase empathy.  By reading books that put you into the shoes of others, break our stereotypes, and make us face difficult situations, we grow as people.  However, the study found that only literary fiction offered this type of growth.  Most popular fiction does not delve into character and popular plots often reinforce our expectations, which doesn't challenge our thinking and help us to grow.  Literary fiction takes you behind the scenes into the inner life of its characters and this is where the growth happens.  Quite bluntly

It stands to reason that popular fiction does not expand the capacity to empathize.

So while it is fine for kids to enjoy Junie B Jones, Encyclopedia Brown and others on their own; I encourage you to choose read aloud stories that feature more complicated characters and plots.  As we choose stories we need to be mindful of this.  Although wrapped in a story, some ideas and concepts need to be saved for when children are older.  I have read a few books too early and just stop reading them (or read them only to my oldest child).  There are so many good choices that it's fine to stop in the middle of one that isn't a great fit and try something else. 

So change the world by cuddling up and reading with your little ones and don't stop - EVER!  

Circle Time, Part 2 - Read Alouds

Since most of my children are on the younger side I keep our morning circle time short.  We do however try to read throughout the day, normally in conjunction with food or playing with building toys.  This might become more complicated as we add in more commitments throughout the semester - but for now it is working well.  I really like the Latin Centered Curriculum idea where you focus on one (okay, I do two) subjects a day and read aloud/ narrate from that subject.  I like the concept of loops - but have found that assigning specific days and leaving extra cushion on Friday works better for me.  I also have 4 potential times I can read aloud any day- morning snack or break, lunch, afternoon snack or handicraft time and then dinner.  I might even try bed time (more for catch up in Bible if needed).  

I also add in literature - in the past we have had literature scheduled 3x per week with English Lessons Through Literature, but we are taking a break from that curriculum this year.  I just read a chapter of our literature books chosen from Ambleside as the kids request it (we are reading Caddie Woodlawn and Brighty of the Grand Canyon right now).  I am not doing Ambleside's main literature works this term because they are scheduled elsewhere for me - so I picked ones that reflect American history since that is the CC history focus this year.

Monday - Science/ Literature (see above)

Pagoo - once the boys heard it was a hermit crab they were hooked - we have 3 of them!

CC's focus is on anatomy this semester so we are probably going to grab facts and information from this print out a friend of ours passed along (it is a free PDF but it takes a while to download).  I did think about trying out the Sassafras Science curriculum on anatomy but decided it just didn't fit the budget or time schedule this year.

Tuesday - The Classics 

D'Aulaires' Greek Myths - we are reading this according to the schedule outlined in Introduction to Classical Studies 

Shakespeare - My son has already listened to many of the stories from Tales from Shakespeare and I know that it is scheduled in the curriculum we will use next year for literature, so I am doing something different this year. A while back I got Shakespeare's Storybook which is a collection folk tales that he might have known and have similar themes and plots to his own stories.  We read the first one last week and my son keeps quoting me the main line "soft words and a gentle touch" - OUCH!   I am reading and thinking about the suggestions from How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare.   I am also thinking about reading the bard myself - crazy, I know!  I also found a book called The Children's Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit. I can't tell if it is the same as Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare or something separate.  I need to investigate more.  I have it checked out from the library but haven't read it.  If I like it we might read that next semeseter.

Wednesday - American History and Geography, Artist/ Composer

States and Presidents - Since CC is focusing on US history and geography this year, we are reading aloud fun books about these two areas to help give them an overview of history.  We are reading Smart About the Fifty States, Smart About the Presidents, Don't Know Much about the Presidents and Don't Know Much about the 50 States.  Honestly, much of the information is duplicated but my kids really like it.  I wanted to use something that was accessible to the almost 5 yo.  My oldest is also reading about the presidents on his own as part of his reading/ composition time.

Artist/ Composer - We are following the Ambleside suggestions for that this year (in the past we have used the art incorporated in English Language Lessons Through Literature - similar types of selections).  I did decide that we like medieval art and Fra Angelico has some interesting depictions - so I got the set of prints (not the whole book) from Simply Charlotte Mason.  I just ordered them so they haven't arrived yet.  We also have

We also checked out the composers' CD from the library and my husband is looking for it on Freegal. Honestly, we will listen to it in the car and I might tell them a little about the history.

Thursday - Ancient History/ Geography 

Famous Men of Rome is what we are reading this year following the outline in Introduction to Classical Studies.  I decided not to get the workbook, just the text, because we are going to narrate it.  I do like having the weekly outline in the book because it helps highlight key characters, places, themes and helps us pace our readings well.  The suggestion is to read these three works for three years.  However, I plan to tweak it - keep the basics - Bible, Ancient History, Mythology - but change the works that we use (Sutcliffe, Men of Greece, etc.)

We are following Marco Polo using the handy week by week text provided through Ambleside online. This text reads more as an adventure story than anything else - I will have to make sure I do try to focus on the geography a little bit.  Today, though we reviewed quite a few places we learned last year in CC which was nice.

Friday - Literature

We read more chapters from our literature books than what is "scheduled" because the kids enjoy them. Plus, it's a way to calm them down when they are rowdy and it is 98 outside!  Although I do try to remember the caution to not read too fast (thus the reason for two books at a time). But, I have it on the schedule in case we get really busy.

The Wrap Up 

In the end, this might be too much for us to actually remember the stories well.  I have weighted Tuesday and Thursday with the "older" subjects because those are the days my 5 yo will be at preschool.  I don't think he is ready for Greek Myths or Famous Men of Rome yet.   So far, he mostly plays with his little brother or eats when we read these anyway.   Once he starts "back to school" (I picked the most playful preschool I could find) my oldest and I will probably read these while the youngest sleeps (hopefully) - a new (5th chance) time slot for reading aloud.   Again, each day we are really talking about 20 to 30 minutes of concentrated read aloud time. Since I often have 2 subjects in a day I will break it up - read one at morning snack and one mid afternoon.   If the day is really hectic, when my husband comes home, he takes the younger ones (to a bath usually) and I cover what we haven't read with the oldest.

Writing it out like this made me realize that I need to be more intentional about reading books that are at my almost 5 yo's level.  We have been reading aloud from 20th Century Children's Book Treasury (many of the stories we have elsewhere, but someone gave us this collection).  I need to pick a few chapter books like Paddington Bear and Among the Farmyard People (etc.) and some Beatrix Potter and read it aloud to him.  I'll work on that :)  Really, I just need to pick a reading plan from Pathways (it's a free list of good literature, in a schedule, for PreK4 and 5) and put it in our schedule.

This year we are doing dual track history, in large part because CC is doing American history.  We'll see how that goes.  My son is really interested in the myths so it's not hard to get him to engage in that part of what we are doing and I have kept the American history reading light and fun.

So this is the second "element" of our day.  We have our daily read aloud work (morning circle time) and our rotating read aloud work (as it fits into that day).  This is where the "ideas" come from, the story, the connection to art, history, music and more. The last part of our day is individual work. This is where he is developing skills (all the -ings and math/ Latin) as he "imitates the masters and moves towards mastery".  I will cover that in another post!