Get and Give

Another blog about something that really had an impact on my life. Day before yesterday, I attended a day-long event in Salt Lake City presented by the NSA (National Speakers Association). Our hearts and minds were fed by 10 different speakers; some of the top motivational speakers in the country. Here are their names:

Marty Val Hill, Jean Palmer Heck, Mark Eaton, Doug Nielsen, Judith Rasband, Jathan Janove, Jason Hewlett, Brad Barton, Tim Border, Kathy Loveless and Dan Clark.

I invite you to google each of them and find out why they are so special; see what they've done with their lives.

There are so many horrible things going on in the world today. It can really get us down. But, when I attend something such as this, it reinforces my confidence in humanity. If you are feeling a little empty inside, and even if you're not, look around you for the many opportunities there are for you to go and get filled. Check into your community's calendar and go to a seminar, take a class, go to a concert, etc., etc. Also, a good, uplifting, motivating book will do the trick.

Then once you have been filled, you will be more in a position to give to others. I like to call it, "get and give." There's just something about seeing other people giving and sharing their talents to help me that makes me want to go out and do the same. I'm sure you can guess that the way I like to give is through improving literacy. I LOVE teaching kids how to read, and I LOVE teaching parents how to teach their kids how to read. I'm also a big supporter of volunteerism.

If you don't have a cause, go out and find one. To name a few, there's: volunteering at a school, or an animal shelter, you can call your city office and ask if they need volunteers for anything, be a Boy or Girl Scout Leader, a 4-H Leader, be a SCORE counselor (they help people in small businesses), help the less fortunate, and on and on. Even just a phone call to lift someone in need. There's something that's a perfect fit for you.

The really amazing thing about this NSA event was that all proceeds were being donated to the Boy Scouts of America! Talk about giving!!!

I hope that if you're ever feeling down, these words will come to your mind and you will go out and do them: "get and give."

Doreese

Music and reading?

I saw something last night that inspired me so that I wanted to blog about it, even though it didn't have anything to do with reading. Then as I thought about it, I realized it has everything to do with reading! My son took me to see a young man, Haochen Zhang - age 19, who put on a piano concert. I was completely blown away by what I both saw and heard. He played five numbers, some with three and four movements by Mozart, Brahms, Chopin, Shuman and Stravinsky. Then he played an encore piece. He had it all memorized; nearly two hours worth! The numbers had the right mix of loud and soft, fast and slow. I especially liked the loud, fast parts. When he played fast, his fingers were just a blur! And it sounded so neat. I really could not believe what I was seeing and hearing.

In order to learn all of that, he had to know how to read music. Music is the universal language. It is decoding note symbols into corresponding tones. As a mother of five who all grew up learning how to play the piano, I know some of what it takes. Before I ever had children, I determined that they would all learn how to read books and they would learn how to read music. Reading and playing music greatly helps increase learning in other areas, especially math. The piano and other instruments that require two hands are really good because they use more of both the right and left side of the brain's power.

Haochen began studying at age three. When he was five, he had his first recital at the Shanghai Music Hall. He played 15 Bach 2-part inventions and sonatas by Mozart and Hayden. Wish I could have seen that! At age six, he played with an orchestra.

His experience supports my belief that the best time to start learning is when you are really young. Children are like sponges; soaking up everything. I haven't really pushed reading with two-year olds other than just reading the beginning books to them. But, I am now working with some two-year olds, and I have realized... "Don't under estimate the two-year olds!" They are really capable of learning a lot and they have so much fun doing it.

Experts say that just listening to classical music stimulates learning. So, way before your child can learn a musical instrument, or if playing an instrument isn't going to work out, just let your child listen to the music. If the experts are right, it will make a difference.

Doreese

Every Day Literacy for Pre-schoolers

Pre-school age children can learn a lot about literacy just from their every day environment. Take advantage of the many teaching opportunities that are all around you. Start with street signs. Both the shape of a stop sign as well as the word "STOP" which is written on it are forms of literacy learning. Same with yield signs. It's been interesting to me to observe that most pre-school children readily recognize a stop sign, but they don't know what a yield sign is. Where I live, there are almost as many yield signs as their are stops signs, yet children don't know what one is. (Hint: If you teach them to recognize a yield sign, they will more quickly learn the clue I use for upper case 'Y'.) Literacy doesn't have to always involve words. Point out railroad crossing, school crossing and speed limit signs; just anything you drive past. Logos are great. Do they know what it means when they see the double arches of McDonald's, or the big hat of Arby's? There are many things they can learn before actually learning how to read. Just get them observing things around them. You can still show and tell them signs with words on them such as what it says on the grocery store, gas stations, banks, clothing stores, etc. It may surprise you what they will pick up on.

According to the Webster Dictionary, literate means, "Versed in learning and science; educated." Doing the above activities takes literacy and brings it down to a 2-5 year olds' level. It has to begin somewhere, right?

So, the next time you go somewhere, turn your outing into a pre-school literacy adventure!

Flash Card Fun

"We have really enjoyed the "See abc's" program in our family. My 4-year old and 2-year old like to play the flashcards together. We set out half ot the lower case alphabet at a time and then my 4-year old plays teacher as he asks his little sister to find the 'e' elephant. She looks and finds it and then puts in in her pile. Then together, they get out their choppers and say "Elephant says /e/," three times. It's a great way for my 4-year old to review as he is getting ready to read. He feels so big and important as he helps his little sister! And it's a great way for the 2-year old to learn. The best part is, to them it is just a fun card game!" - Chris Nethercott

I have also found this to be the case with my grandchildren as the older one teaches the younger two. The 2-year old especially loves playing card games with the "See abc's Alphabet Flash Cards." He feels like he is such a big kid now that he knows how to play cards!

Too many people who get the program ignore the flash cards and just focus on the books. So, get out your cards and use them. It is a great way to learn, review, and remember the letters. Some of you are asking, "How do you get a 2-year old to play cards?" Well, as Chris said above, put out half of the lower case letter cards (after taking out the long vowel cards, and the copycat cards which are cent, gerbil and 's' with a zipper tab on it). The whole alphabet is way too much to do at a time. Put them with the picture clue side facing up. Then I will say to my grandson, "Can you find the 'h' hat?" (Say the letter name before saying the picture clue so they can start making some connections.) He will look around until he finds the hat. Then I say, "Good job, put it in your pile." He then proudly puts it in his pile. Then we get out our "choppers" and "chop" the sound for hat three times in a row, "Hat says /h/."

My 2 and 3-year old grandkids are now to the point where I can put the cards down with just the plain letter side up and they can find it. I call this the "guessing game" and it becomes something new and different, therefore making it fun all over again! The 2-year old sometimes guesses wrong. When he sees he has chosen the wrong card, he just puts it back down and tries again. It has never frustrated him when he chooses the wrong one. If your child does get frustrated with it, continue using the picture clue side until he/she knows them better.

That's just a couple of the games you can play. When they know the upper and lower case letters, you can play matching games with the them. Play games with the short and long vowel cards. When they start reading, get the cards out and make words with them. Have your child put a different letter at the beginning of the word to learn about rhyming.

Just make up your own games. If you come up with something fun, share it with the rest of us!

Doreese

It's the Most Wonderful Time..... to Buy Books!

Not only is this the most wonderful time of the year, as the song goes, but it is also the most wonderful time to buy books. Tis the season of giving and what greater gift than the gift of reading. I think many of us think books make a great gift. But, don't overlook the great seasonal books that are out right now. I've noticed in the ads I've been getting that stores have been using Christmas books, including wonderful children's Christmas books as a teaser to get people into their stores. So, treat yourself and your children to a pre-Christmas gift. For all the running around you do this time of year, all the gift wrapping, all the goodie making, etc., etc., you deserve it.

Here are a few of my favorite titles that I've gotten this year. For preschoolers: What Santa Can't Do. It says that one of the things Santa can't do is drive a car (that would hurt the reindeer's feelings). It's a very cute book. There is also a fun musical board book for Up on the Housetop. My grandkids love it! For a little bit older children, I got a child's version of It's a Wonderful Life. What a classic story. The lead character is the son of George Bailey, Tommy. It has a similar theme as the original. Then, I got the board book version of Christmas Oranges. I've wanted to get this one for a few years now, and I just kept passing it up. But, with the great teaser price, I couldn't resist this year. I plan to read it to my family Chrismas Eve.

Christmas books just add to the anticipation and excitement for your little ones. Enjoy their sweetness and innocence this holiday season. They are, after all, the most precious gift we have been given.

Doreese

Won't My Child Be Bored???

Hi, Doreese here. I often get asked, "Won't my child get bored in school if he/she learns to read before Kindergarten?" Of all the children that I know of that have done the program before school, I have never heard that any of them have gotten bored. I just hear things about how high their self-esteem is because they feel so smart, are at the top of their class and put in the highest reading groups, and how much they are enjoying reading any book they want to. I asked a mother to write down for me her feelings about this, having had two children go through the program. This is what she had to say:

"I have two daughters that had the opportunity to learn to read using the See ABC's reading program before entering Kindergarten. I am so thankful that they were able to have this head start. I believe it gave them the confidence and self-esteem they needed to be successful in school. Their Kindergarten teachers were wonderful to keep them challenged and excited about learning. My girls were always given the opportunity to move ahead on a higher learning level to reach their potential.

After my girls completed the Imletteration part of the program, they knew that they could pick of any book and read it if they wanted to. I feel that the See abc's reading program is a wonderful gift to give a child...the gift of the love of reading."

- Monae Murray

Headline News!

I have headline news this week! My granddaughter that just turned four this last September is reading!!! Yup, she has moved on to the Chop and Blend book where she is now sounding out words. It is SUPER exciting to see how quickly she learned to read! She is sooo proud of herself and of course her parents are thrilled! I feel blessed to have a few of my grandchildren living close enough to me that I can teach them how to read. I LOVE our product! Carry on friends, reading success is at your fingertips with the See abc's Reading Program.