| Question: |
Your resources are a blessing! I am so grateful to have stumbled across them. I want to use some of the material for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade with my almost 6 year old. Specifically, he is an avid reader (he has been absorbing 4th grade level chapter books for at least a year now and reading fluently since before he could really talk), but I don't want him to miss the sweet lessons CHC outlines for younger children since he is still so very young. I think, perhaps, I should purchase all of the lesson plans (he needs 1st Gr handwriting, 2nd Gr math, advanced reading) and all of the CHC reading program Elementary level books, just to be safe, and I anticipate he will read them all within a month, but go on to reread and revisit them for the rest of the year, as is his style with all his series-style books. I really would appreciate your guidance and input in tailoring my son's curriculum, what is your opinion about my son's reading? If I limit exposure to the beautiful readers over the normal projected course of years, he will just find something else to read (like the Nintendo games' manuals, or Calvin and Hobbes treasury, or Magic Tree House series). At least if he had the CHC series in his library, there would be something wonderful to compete for his attention. Yes we have many children's Bibles, but I never see him choosing these to read when he sneaks a book whenever he can. |
| Answer: |
Dear Parent, Thank you for your question! I'm glad that your son really enjoys reading. That is great to hear! It is something that should be fostered in every child and it sounds as though you are doing very well at that. As you have probably already noticed, there are two distinct aspects to reading that need to be considered. It is important for the parent to assess the level at which the child can read, or decode the words, but it is also critically important to assess the child's comprehension level. Generally it's a good idea for your child to be at the same pace in both decoding and comprehension. So if your child reads at 4th grade level, and comprehends at 4th grade level, you are on the right track. Some parents make the mistake of thinking that because their 1st grader can read at 3rd grade level, it means they can also comprehend at that same level, and the very bright children quickly get bogged down because the comprehension level is too high. These are just some points that you should consider when you are assessing your son's reading level. The same applies to every subject that he is learning. Be aware that you don't want to start him too early with the 2nd grade lesson plans, as those are meant for 1st Holy Communion preparation. However, it sounds as though you have a very good knowledge of your son's abilities. Yes, you want to expose him to many enriching books that will improve his reading level, as well as his comprehension. When he is reading his books, it's important to encourage a higher level of thinking and talk about what he is reading, what he thinks about the characters, what he thinks will happen next, and so forth. That way you can constantly stretch his mind in terms of his comprehension, and help him truly understand and remember what he is reading. As his parent, it is your responsibility and joy to introduce to your son all the riches of the Catholic Faith, and of God's World. Sure, it is fun to read a Nintendo manual, or even Calvin and Hobbes every now and again, but he must also read the books that deepen his Faith, and help him understand the world around him. You can help him choose good and fruitful books at the library, and help direct him towards that which will expand his learning in a wholesome way. CHC's materials completely follow this thought. I hope you enjoy using this curriculum.
God bless you and your family!
Laura Nicholson |
