Read-alouds are every one's favorite part of our home school adventure. The sad thing is, they are the first to get bumped when the schedule gets tight. Everyone continues squeezing in their own personal reading and the littles (what I call my non-fluent readers) always manage to find someone to read to them. It is settling down and ALL of us sharing the same story that goes. This weekend I providentially came across an audio download titled "A Less Hurried Approach to Homeschooling" by the Bluedorns.
It has some extremely practical points on the nitty-gritty of how to do read-alouds with a bunch of kids. I found it inspriing and encouraging. Please, no one create an image in their head with children snuggled beside me,others at my feet, listening quietly with rapt attention. It has never happened. Everyone is allowed to do pretty much what they want as long as they remain quiet doing it.
There are lots of interruptions, questions about the story, which I welcome and then questions about what is for lunch, which I do not welcome! The littles will often play with my hair, draw, puzzles or play quietly with small toys. The older kids draw, crochet or work on some other handiwork project. When we are in a pinch for time and still want to get read-alouds done, the kids will fold laundry while I read. Today, we made play-doh. (It doubled as math!!)
Everyone settled down with their still warm play-doh and I curled up in the rocking chair for a rather pleasant read-aloud time.It is nice to resume familiar routines.
I checked out the links. Excellent Ideas. I am going to try and start read alouds with my bunch. That play dough looks like fun also.
ReplyDeleteKristi
Ok, Eva you make it look like so much fun. I need to add read alouds back into our day. It seems like we never have enough time to read everything we want to read.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are not going to tell us what you are reading aloud? Oh, the suspense!
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