Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Can you tell which adults learned to read at 4, and which learned to read at 10? My son learned to read at almost 8, and now, two years later, he can read on a high school level. Once they learn how to read, they know how to read.
Actually, yes. They are the ones who would not get out of first grade if they could not read.
That sounds like less a matter of unschooling, than the personality and quirks of the child herself. I don't see how a child - unless she had been neglected and locked away in a barren house - wouldn't have been introduced to the idea of measuring things before 11. I'm guessing she had some type of learning disorder, if she truly *couldn't* do it. It's possible she just didn't want to.
As far as the reading goes, natural reading "clicks" at different ages - most kids learn to read by 11, but the range I've seen goes from 3 - 13, with the majority learning around ages 7 - 8. If she did, indeed, have a disability, that could cause her to be a later reader.
The previous poster did not indicate that this girl seemed to have any learning disabilities. As I understand it, "unschooling" is allowing the child to pursue his/her own interests, which in the case of this girl did not seem to include measuring with a ruler. Perhaps it never occurred to her teacher (her mom, one would presume) that such was something important to know. That is the problem with having just one teacher, who is not educated him/herself in teaching.
As I recall, the far end of reading proficiency is the end of 3rd grade (8-9 years old).
That sounds like less a matter of unschooling, than the personality and quirks of the child herself. I don't see how a child - unless she had been neglected and locked away in a barren house - wouldn't have been introduced to the idea of measuring things before 11. I'm guessing she had some type of learning disorder, if she truly *couldn't* do it. It's possible she just didn't want to.
As far as the reading goes, natural reading "clicks" at different ages - most kids learn to read by 11, but the range I've seen goes from 3 - 13, with the majority learning around ages 7 - 8. If she did, indeed, have a disability, that could cause her to be a later reader.
The highlighted part is what I 'got' from her... that if she didn't want to, she didn't have to.
I self taught myself a lot of things - standing behind my older sister. I was potty trained fully before 1 year, I was a full on reader by the time I was 4, I could ride a bike without training wheels (that was waaay too big for me) by the time I was 3... but I TRIED to learn. I always WANTED to learn.
This girl didn't just NOT KNOW how to measure - she had no interest in learning HOW. That's not a learning disability.
I don't know anything, as I said, about 'unschooling'... but I felt this child, in particular, needs to be 'schooled'.
Actually, yes. They are the ones who would not get out of first grade if they could not read.
Really? I think you would be surprised. There were still kids in my 5th grade class who had trouble sounding out words when we had to read aloud in class, but were in the same college prep/honors classes I was in by the time we were in high school.
There is a HUGE variance in when kids learn to read. I know some unschooled kids who did not read until 11/12 years old. One family in particular has one kid in college and another doing high school level work (on her own volition). The assumption that all kids must learn to read by age 6 or else they'll never learn is incorrect.
Really? I think you would be surprised. There were still kids in my 5th grade class who had trouble sounding out words when we had to read aloud in class, but were in the same college prep/honors classes I was in by the time we were in high school.
There is a HUGE variance in when kids learn to read. I know some unschooled kids who did not read until 11/12 years old. One family in particular has one kid in college and another doing high school level work (on her own volition). The assumption that all kids must learn to read by age 6 or else they'll never learn is incorrect.
I am only going by what was required by the school I attended and where my sons attended. You couldn't read by the end of first grade, you did not go to second grade (kids with disabilities aside)
FWIW...I probably shouldn't be commenting in this thread, I read it because it blows my mind. Homeschooling, I completely understand. Unschooling is so far out there it is mind boggling.
It is far out there. I did'nt understand it, either. It can be scary and mind-boggling to go so far outside the norm, but it's also extremely liberating and quite an awesome experience!
I am only going by what was required by the school I attended and where my sons attended. You couldn't read by the end of first grade, you did not go to second grade (kids with disabilities aside)
FWIW...I probably shouldn't be commenting in this thread, I read it because it blows my mind. Homeschooling, I completely understand. Unschooling is so far out there it is mind boggling.
Reading at what level? First graders are mostly sounding out words, but not reading for content. Reading for understanding starts in 2nd or 3rd grade in US schools.
Note that in Germany and many other countries with high literacy, kids are NOT pushed into reading until they are 7 to 9 years old.
If you talk to adults, the age when they learned to read cannot be distinguished. Children can be both gifted and learning disabled. Kids who read late or who read at the average age may be gifted. Sometimes early readers have hyperlexia.
Reading at what level? First graders are mostly sounding out words, but not reading for content. Reading for understanding starts in 2nd or 3rd grade in US schools.
Note that in Germany and many other countries with high literacy, kids are NOT pushed into reading until they are 7 to 9 years old.
If you talk to adults, the age when they learned to read cannot be distinguished. Children can be both gifted and learning disabled. Kids who read late or who read at the average age may be gifted. Sometimes early readers have hyperlexia.
Goodness, I could never remember exactly what they were reading, it was a long time ago, but it was not just sounding out and learning in first grade. That was pre-school and kindergarten.
As I understand it, "unschooling" is allowing the child to pursue his/her own interests, which in the case of this girl did not seem to include measuring with a ruler. Perhaps it never occurred to her teacher (her mom, one would presume) that such was something important to know.
That's why I said, unless she was isolated somehow... I don't "teach" my kids; I don't have an agenda of things they HAVE to learn. Or, rather, the things that I believe would be most helpful in our society to learn (reading, etc.) I know they will pick up from living a rich, supported life. (not rich in money, heh) I have never "taught" my sons to measure, but they know, because there's a need to measure things sometimes. They first saw me measure (measuring for blinds in a house, for example), then measured themselves. I think my youngest learned to measure because he LOVED the measuring tape, that sproings back into its case. Played with it like a toy on its own, recognized the ruler-like pattern, started measuring everything around the house - and keeping lists of his measurements!
I never came to them with a "need to know how to measure" agenda. I trust that if it's needed for a successful life, I'm (or someone in our lives is!) doing it, they'll be exposed to it, they'll learn.
I supposed it's possible that no one in that girl's house had ever measured anything in her presence, but that's hard to believe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana
That is the problem with having just one teacher, who is not educated him/herself in teaching.
I'm not a teacher; I'm a mom, and partner. I don't have to know how to teach, I have to bring as many interesting things to my kids as I can, and support their exploration of what they want to explore.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana
As I recall, the far end of reading proficiency is the end of 3rd grade (8-9 years old).
In school, it would be... although there are actually plenty of school students who *aren't* reading by 9. They get put into special classes, get diagnosed with disorders, etc. In my own experience, of being connected with hundreds of unschooling & natural learning families, I've seen reading click as late as 13 - and, as has been pointed out in this thread, 3 months later, you would never know they hadn't been reading since they were six!
That's why I said, unless she was isolated somehow... I don't "teach" my kids; I don't have an agenda of things they HAVE to learn. Or, rather, the things that I believe would be most helpful in our society to learn (reading, etc.) I know they will pick up from living a rich, supported life. (not rich in money, heh) I have never "taught" my sons to measure, but they know, because there's a need to measure things sometimes. They first saw me measure (measuring for blinds in a house, for example), then measured themselves. I think my youngest learned to measure because he LOVED the measuring tape, that sproings back into its case. Played with it like a toy on its own, recognized the ruler-like pattern, started measuring everything around the house - and keeping lists of his measurements!
I never came to them with a "need to know how to measure" agenda. I trust that if it's needed for a successful life, I'm (or someone in our lives is!) doing it, they'll be exposed to it, they'll learn.
I supposed it's possible that no one in that girl's house had ever measured anything in her presence, but that's hard to believe.
I'm not a teacher; I'm a mom, and partner. I don't have to know how to teach, I have to bring as many interesting things to my kids as I can, and support their exploration of what they want to explore.
In school, it would be... although there are actually plenty of school students who *aren't* reading by 9. They get put into special classes, get diagnosed with disorders, etc. In my own experience, of being connected with hundreds of unschooling & natural learning families, I've seen reading click as late as 13 - and, as has been pointed out in this thread, 3 months later, you would never know they hadn't been reading since they were six!
Just so I have this straight...if I were an unschooled child and had a deep interest in a wooden spoon, my whole life for a year could be learning about a wooden spoon?
Never mind history, algebra, geometry, english, biology etc....I could just hang out with the spoon all day and call it an education?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
