SO, I am calling on all you mom's out there who have had kids in school to give me some advice. I am so frustrated right now. I just don't know what to do. Aurora is in kindergaten right now in a dual language program where she learns spanish for half the day. The problem that I am dealing with is Aurora is not advancing in her alphabet at all (I should point out it is her english alphabet)! I have been working with Aurora on learning her alphabet for over 2 years now. She started off well, but about a year ago she just did not want to do it with me anymore. I thought it was just me and she might do better with a new teacher. She went to school knowing about 20 out of 26 letters and about half of her sounds. My mom and I both noticed in October that she wasn't advancing very much, but I did not realize how bad. In November she was tested by her teachers before their track break and not only is she not advancing, but she has forgotten many of them. She does all her homework and you don't notice a difference in that accept it has become more and more sloppy and she rushes through it. Her math skills have improved and her teachers told me they think she is just better in math. Yesterday I talked to her teacher again and she told me she had to move her down to a lower group because she was not ready to move on to start reading. When you ask her about the letters, she just tells us she doesn't know and she won't try. I observed her class today which happened to be during math, and her attitude toward math is completely different. She was excited about it and finished before anyone else. Her teacher then asked her to go around and help anyone who needed it. But when it comes to her alphabet it is like pulling teeth. I am out of ideas to try, and I have to admit I am just burned out from trying to figure it out. That is when the idea came that she is burned out too. So I need some new ideas to make it fun again. Help me.
8 comments:
Marilyn, don't fret. Kids learn at different speeds, and Aurora will be fine, but she just might be feeling overwhelmed by it right now. Aisling didn't start to really read until about halfway through first grade, and now she's an avid reader/writer. I remember feeling just like you did. She didn't really care about reading or learning letters or sounds. Just keep reading books to her and she'll decide to do it when she's ready.
If she likes math, write out a bunch of letters and have her count those. Maybe add up all the B's for example. Do all the letters throughout a week or so and see if she enjoys the game. Maybe set it up as a game and when she "wins" she gets a prize like getting to choose the next letter or choose how many you or her writes. Maybe have Grandma or Aunt or Uncle play this game with her. Sometimes kids get tired of Mom and Dad ( plus they know what buttons to push.) Hope that helps. Don't worry.
Shock collar.
Merry Christams Tibbets!
Marilyn, I agree with both Whitni and Krishelle. Kids do learn at their own pace, and Aurora will come around. Just keep working with her. I know it can be frustrating if you aren't seeing any progress, but it is there. And playing games with her and having other people play games with her will also help, but don't force it on her, cause she will pull away. Just offer to play them games whenever she wants, and if she disagrees TOO much, just move on to something else. You are doing great! She will get it, no worries. And if she is doing well with the Spanish alphabet, that will eventually transfer over to English and will definitely help her in the long run!! I know I don't have kids, but I sure have worked with a lot, and I see that happen all the time, so keep on keepin' on!
If she has been able to do the letters before than she is just forgetting or just doesn't want to be bothered with it. My kids have also forgotten some letters, especially over summer and longer breaks. Don't push her because she will probably only regress more. The key is to just keep exposing her to stuff, like get postcards and write the letters big and tape them around your house. The more you can expose her to it without her thinking she is learning it will help her remember the letters. I do a lot of songs and alphabet puzzles and coloring books with my kids. In Hannah's kindergarden they send home papers with all the letters and we are supposed to time to see how fast they can name them. Maybe she'd get into it if she sees if she can beat her own time. I wouldn't worry about the reading yet. A lot of kids don't learn until first grade. Once it really clicks in her mind she will take off.
Hey! Be glad that she loves math. It is easier to pick up/ master reading than math, so if she's good there, the reading will come. One thing that I've done is let the kids make and decorate their own flashcards. You just get one of those packs of note cards and have them use the plain side. Have her draw pictures (or you can use clipart or whatever...) of words that start with that letter. Always making it a game is a good way to go.
Also, if you "forget" your letters and sounds and get it wrong and let her correct you, they get a big kick out of that. You see a ginormous letter C on a Coke billboard and say, "That's an R, right? And it says 'ssssss'..." She'll catch at least one, and probably both of your mistakes.
You can also do a scavenger hunt...around the house, the neighborhood, the grocery store, etc. and keep a list with you and make tally marks next to each letter every time you find an item that starts with it...then see which letter "wins".
These are just some fun things to re-inforce and chances are, she won't even know she's "learning". That's the key. Trick them! Hahaha...No, but seriously, she'll get there. Don't stress. She can sense your stress and then she REALLY won't want to do it!
If she likes to work on the computer there are some great websites that make learning letters and sounds fun. As a computer teacher in an elementary- one of the kids' favorites is starfall.com. #1 ABC's. There are tons of great resources on the internet- if you need anymore let me know!
What has really helped my children love the ABC's is a website that Robert found www.starfall.com Karalee and leon on love it because they learn while they have fun. Plus, I feel like I am not harassing them all the time about their ABC's. Leon already knows his whole alphabet and points to the letters as he says them. I believe that this website helped him. Check it out. She'll be okay just don't push to hard because not only she'll resent learning she will get a complex and then probably resent you. Love you!!
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