Monday, January 12, 2009

4 green walls called a school room


Ethan is eight years old.

The child started reading right around the time he turned 6 years old. His wonderful Kindergarten teacher taught him to read. It is a good thing I wasn't a homeschooling weirdo at that time. The boy may still not be reading.

He is reading, however, and he is an awesome reader!!! I didn't quite realize his talent until around the end of Kindergarten. We were turning books in at his school and the other children were turning in books that Ethan had read and turned in months prior. His teacher explained that Ethan was one of the best readers she had ever taught! He caught on easily and excelled effortlessly.

He walked into his doctor's office and shocked the nurse as he read "antibiotics" as if it were "ant". He shocked me as he read "cardiovascular and digestion" in my doctor's office. He obviously didn't have to put much effort into excelling at his reading skills. I don't know if you noticed, but the English language doesn't always phonetically make sense! However, Ethan could take a couple tries and figure it out. His spelling is the same way. He remembers rules and could easily spell most words we would verbally throw at him for our at-home spelling bees.

Am I bragging about my genious child?

Nope...I'm questioning his laziness enduced by his ability.

Although he has this ability, he chooses to not exercise it. You would think that homeschooling would be easy if your child is only 8 and can read as well as you can!!

Thus the reason I love homeschooling!!!

Is it important that Ethan can read? yes

But to us Bucklands, it is more important that he realizes education is a gift that shouldn't be taken for granted.

I love homeschooling, even when he is testing me with silliness, because I get to remind him that God expects his best.

I don't want Ethan to go through his education thinking that he is learning to do math or to do grammar because education will get him where he wants to go. I want Ethan to learn that faith in the Lord will get him where he needs to go. Education is a blessing and a tool that God is giving him to help him carry out God's plan in his life.

I enjoy Ethan. I am learning as he learns. I am learning that on the days we sit in this school room(made up of 4 green walls), as we are now, and we spend sometimes an entire hour on a worksheet that should take 15 minutes, his character is being exercised along with his phonics skills.

And in the end, my patience is being exercised as well!

5 comments:

  1. Hi! I see you got sucked into the "blogger" world. It's addictive isn't it. I hope things go well leading up to your surgery, and of course the surgery itself. Tell everyone we said hello. Not sure how you feel about having your children's pictures on the www, but we'd love to see them occasionally! Good luck with the blogging,
    Greg, Lindsey & Dixie

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  2. You're a good writer, Jamie. Keep this up! You never know when what you have to say is exactly what someone else needs to hear.

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  3. Thanks Gina! I know how much encouragement I've received from things I've read, so I just thought I'd try being on the other end for once!

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  4. HELLLLLLOOOOOOO friend!!! I am so glad you are here now! what fun!
    And glad I got to hear your voice today....so glad i decided to pick up the phone :)
    I miss you tons and am praying for you lots this week! by the time i get back to WV (in 2 years) you should be able to dunk!!
    love you!

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  5. ps....and what is up with that pic? you crack me up!!

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