A Year for the Books

We did it!  1st grade for Isaiah officially wrapped up two weeks ago. Whew. Somehow I didn't expect teaching 1st grade to be so challenging, although in reality I think it had far more to do with the younger two siblings than it had to do with Isaiah!

We had plenty of highs and lows this year. We enjoyed the consistent routine of homeschooling each day, the stories, fun science exploration, hands-on math components, music elements, and lots of reading.  The lows typically involved frustration at trying to teach (or learn) while having a toddler clambering for attention, or being interrupted by questions, loud brothers, requests for help, spilled water, etc etc etc!  My brain kind of felt like it got splintered into a million pieces with trying to multi-task constantly and manage three little people at once.  It is still recovering.

                       We went with the Bible school students to a service week at a camp - and took our school with us!                                         Perks of homeschooling. :)

Obviously, our schooling schedule and structure needs help!  I have many goals for next year of establishing 'classroom' rules, a day-to-day schedule so each boy gets some [generally uninterrupted] one-on-one time with me, and being diligent to prep our days better so that I personally don't feel so scattered.  Doing 2nd grade with Isaiah and Kindergarten with Ezra....with a 2-3 year old....seems really overwhelming. However, I remain hopeful because everyone will be a whole year older, and Judah will be able to be focused on an activity for longer than 10 seconds.... Ha!

It has been hard to not do a lot of comparing between the attention that Isaiah got in his early years versus the attention Ezra gets. (Which leads to mommy-guilt...which is entirely unnecessary and unfounded!)  We did a super fun, full-of-crafts and themes preschool program with Isaiah (and Ezra, obviously, though he was just 2).  This year, Ezra was in preschool, which meant he did alot of Isaiah's school program with us, and then I supplemented with preschool pages and small activities as necessary.  However, my heart was sad many weeks at the lack of big fun crafts for him, or the individual learning time together I hoped we'd have but didn't.

And yet... Ezra amazes me!  When I reflect on what he learned and how he grew through the year it is such an encouragement to my heart.  Honestly, I'm not sure he has all the last letters of the alphabet quite straight, (though he knows all the letters' sounds) - we worked on them intentionally far less than I intended.  Still, he started writing quite a bit-- of his volition--has sounded out and spelled some words on his own (say what?!?!), can count to 100 with 2-3 helps in the bigger digits, memorized the 39 books of the Old Testament in order (!), and was really just so eager to learn and be taught all year.  In his skinny bundle of barely-harnessed energy, it was wonderful to see his ability to focus and apply himself grow tremendously this year.

As far as Isaiah, well, the kid learned to read.  If he hadn't learned anything else this year it would still be a success, because he's learned the key to learning for his entire life! (Don't worry, he did learn alot of other things. :) ) Although I love to read myself, I had no clue how to teach a child how to read.  Day after day in his phonics curriculum we learned a new sound or a new pairing of sounds.  Week after week he learned, reviewed, and practiced, until he was reading the Level 1 books well. Then, his neighbor and friend lent us some chapter books; I hoped he would find something to grab his interest and motivate him to push past his perceived limits.  I think I read maybe 1/2 of the first book to him?  One day he picked it up on his own, and came to me later saying, "Mom, guess what I read!?" with a huge smile on his face. That was it--he was hooked!

A typical scene these days...

Isaiah read 20 of the Magic Tree House books in about 2 weeks in the first part of May.  He is now devouring anything else we can find (our local library is almost exclusively in French, so it is a bit more difficult to find books for him), and has read several books now by Beverly Clearly, Judy Blume, and more.  I am blown away at the big words he'll read aloud to me without stumbling, and at his level of comprehension with what he's read. Increeeeeedible!  I feel like I had basically nothing to do with it, so it's easy to brag about him. :)  

Isaiah reads quite often to one or two of his younger brothers.

One thing that has been a bit tricky is finding books that engage him that is still content appropriate.  He is still just 6 1/2 years old--so scary stuff, potty jokes, and lots of name calling is what we really want to avoid.  If you have any great books or series that you think would be good for him, please recommend us with your favorites! 

Isaiah's newfound love for reading has changed the dynamic in our house; all of a sudden our oldest is tucked away on a couch or his bed, with his nose in a book and almost completely unaware of his physical surroundings. :)  This leaves Ezra and Judah to fend for themselves more as far as entertaining themselves goes.  Their play gets a bit more wild and destructive quicker than when Isaiah (our rule-follower...) is leading the group.  I have been hearing the question, "Mommy, what can we do?", alot more often from Ezra and Judah.

And oh, Judah! This little kid is a charmer. He is as adorable as ever, but his stubborn, I-want-it-my-way streak has started to make a regular appearance throughout the day.  He loooves to ham it up, and be silly just to get a laugh out of us.  He is also incredible polite!  He says "'anks" (Thanks) and "'ease" (Please) (with sign language signs also), so often we hardly need to prompt him.  He is setting the example for his older brothers in this regard! 

For as many fights as I break up in a day, I am really enjoying this phase of parenting. The boys are so fun and engaging, and it is a joy to watch their personalities develop and their awareness of the people and world around them grow.  More than all that, it is an incredible blessing to see their love for Jesus grow, and to watch as their understanding of the relationship God wants to have with them expands. We hear it as they pray, in the questions they ask, and in the quiet moments of conversations we have together about tough things and difficult experiences.

We have much to be thankful for--what a gift these three boys are to us!