Part One
I will describe how I taught my children some of their reading and writing skills, using 1800’s curriculum – The McGuffey Readers.
I will first offer the “assignment” and then the “explanation.” McGuffey Readers:
Assignment
1. Read the lesson out loud.
2. Copy it (exactly) into a notebook.
3. Use the vocabulary words in a sentence.
Explanation
1. I started Rachel (my oldest) on the 1st Reader. (I did not begin using the McGuffey’s until she already knew how to read.) We would go over lesson one. She had to read each sentence perfectly. I would show her the commas, periods, question marks, etc. I expected her to “pause” at a comma and change the tone of her voice for questions or at the end of a sentence. I had to read the sentence for her and then have her repeat what I said. This is how she learned to read very clearly. This is excellent for “speech” training.
I was able to quickly correct her if she got any words wrong. I could also explain definitions. This helped build her vocabulary and comprehension.
If she got any words wrong, or did not read the sentence correctly, I would (cheerfully, patiently and lovingly) teach it to her again. She was not allowed to move on to the next sentence until she got it right. But I encouraged her and praised her as we went, to help keep her motivated.
[This took anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes (depending on the length of the lesson). I could work with her while nursing a baby, washing dishes, or sitting at the kitchen table sipping on tea. It happened at any time during the day or evening. There was no set time for reading to me.]
2. She had to copy the lesson into a notebook. I expected to see paragraph indentations, the use of margins, and a clear title and page number. I made sure she did not rush through this. She had to spell everything right (by looking at the lesson), use proper punctuation, etc. Her handwriting had to be very neat as well. This was how she learned to write and compose her own sentences. She was copying excellent literature and it was absorbing into her mind.
[She did this without my help, but I checked her work and corrected it when she finished. While she worked I may have been folding laundry, watching a movie or sitting on the couch resting.]
3. At the end of the lesson, there is a list of vocabulary words. I gave her a verbal spelling test. If she got any wrong, I would (neatly) write them down. She was expected to practice saying and writing them for the next day. She had to write those 10 or 20 times and say them as she wrote.
She also had to write sentences. She could only use one of the vocabulary words in each sentence. I told her to make them funny and interesting. I would not accept two word sentences (such as “Come back!”). I also wanted to be entertained. This helped her to be creative. She loved to see my reactions to what she came up with. (As she got older I had to make some rules, however. She was not allowed to write any swears or anything vulgar. –smiles)
We never, ever, ever went on to the next lesson until she did it perfectly. She had to read clearly, write neatly and spell all the words without looking. Once she mastered this, she was able to move on to the next lesson. There were times she had to do the same lesson every day for a week, but that was okay. She was learning and improving.
What subjects have we just covered with McGuffey? We have studied Speech; Reading; Vocabulary; Creative Writing; Penmanship; Spelling; and Grammar.
How long did it take? We managed to efficiently teach for only 15 to 30 minutes.
In Part Two I will explain how to teach your student to enjoy editing and proofreading. This will greatly help improve writing skills.
In Part Three I will explain how to develop fun writing ideas for your students. We will use nothing more than a notebook, pen and a dictionary.
In Part Four, I show you How to Teach Mental Math Skills.
Blessings,
Mrs. White
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