My oldest two daughters are 7 and 9 and I plan on having them read certain fiction books and write a report or tell me about them as part of our "reading" for the year. Do any of you do something like this? And if so, how many books per week do you have them read through?
My 5 and 7 yo are currently reading smaller chapter books, and they are currently required to read 1 chapter per day, however most days they choose to read more than 1 chapter. We also do read alouds in addition. For us the read alouds are the curriculum supplement stuff, and their chapter a day comes from any book they choose (within reason) and currently they are reading Magic Tree House Books.
With my 7yo, he must read aloud daily one chapter from a title I choose, and then read for one half-hour a book that we agree on. If I allow a book that's too "easy," he still has to read for the half hour (and find something else to fill the time). If the book turns out to be too hard, he will generally be a more reluctant (although cooperative) and I usually switch him to something a little easier. We may discuss it casually, but I don't have him narrate formally - I am trying to build a habit of reading and don't want it to "feel" like work.
For my 11 year old, I choose 18 books a year, so that is one every other week of my choice. Usually they are things I thing he would enjoy but wouldn't choose on his own. Last year I forced The Indian in the Cupboard he couldn't believe how great it was! He does read a lot on his own also and we log those books as well. I do expect to have at least 36 books on our log for our portfolio... usually he has between 60 and 100 on it. Oh and we also log read alouds, and this year we will be using some audio book and will log them as well
I think it depends on how well the child is reading. But, that age they should read a chapter a day to you and then 1/2 on there own. Around 20 to 30 books a year or more.
My children go to their room for a half-hour of silent reading each day. Also, if you want them in bed at 9:00, tell them their bedtime is 8:30, but they can stay up an "extra" half-hour if they're reading.... I don't give a specific number per week, etc. If a child is reading "easy" chapter books, and then picks one that is more difficult, you don't want him to feel "punished" because it takes longer.
This is where I am a "bad" parent When the kids were little, they were allowed to "stay up" to read until they fell asleep; it kept them busy and in bed. My oldest and youngest are night owls, so they always stayed up later, while my middle would crash shortly after our bed time story. Now that they are 13, 10, and 8, we still do that. They have their bedtime, but can stay up reading until they feel tired and fall asleep. Sometimes that is after 1/2 hour of reading, but usually it is 1-2 HOURS of reading each night; they have been doing this since they started reading fluidly around age 6-7. As a result, my dd10 has read all of her "school" literature for the first quarter of the year; my ds 13 is almost done with Lord of the Rings, and my dd8 is reading her 4th Ramona book in a month. During the day for "school" they usually have to read 1-2 chapters of whatever book they are working on - sometimes that is all they read, sometimes they read more. Plus they know if they don't finish reading for school, or get behind, they can take the book bed and read it at night. I have found if I let them pick how long they want to read, they read more. In fact, they drive me NUTS about going to bookstores and the library because they run out of books so quickly! For kids in the 7-9 age bracket - pick several pieces of GOOD children's literature (it can be centered around a theme or a period in history you are studying - my familyd.50megs.com lists A LOT) that you want to focus on for school, and do some fun activities around that literature - draw pictures and label them, make posters and dioramas, have them write short reports (focus on something each time - characters, series of events, cause and effect, setting, etc) or make power point presentations on the computer. Then, offer a selection of FUN literature and let them read as much as they want for that. This way they learn that reading isn't just for school but for fun as well. Don't have them write or do projects on the FUN reading, unless they initiate it. Good luck and happy reading!
My kids spend 30 mins a day reading. We go to the library, they pick out what they want, I approve it of course, and it has to be grade level, or challenging, not just 'fun' books for the daily reading.
I am giving my son a list this year for the first time because I think there are books he'd enjoy if he'd try them. He is a crazy-reader, but I'd like to see him branch out a bit. I am not giving him a time limit, but he gets a prize (to go out w/ me for ice cream) when he completes the list.
The half-hour of silent reading each day is MY choice. In addition, my girls read a lot on their own, THEIR choice. Phillip is too busy to take the time to sit down on his own to read, but every now and then the librarian is able to give him a suggestion that really connects with him. Right now, he's reading a Star Wars book on his own, lol!
Gwenny99 not a bad parent..well I hope not I am the same with our kids. My DD can't really read but my son can. So after bedtime stories they are both allowed to read until they fall asleep. My son reads all he can and he only likes information books so I don't see the harm there And my daughter loves to look at the pictures. And I usually check in a hour or so and she will be asleep with a book across her face lol. She has been that way ever since she could pick them up. I just know there is a bookworm in the making and once she learns to read she's going to become the nightowl her brother currently is. He will usually have to be asked to go to bed after a couple of hours of reading. But he functions with a lot less sleep then most so it doesn't worry me or make me feel like a bad parent. I think a bad parent would be the one to deny the books entirely. As to reading for school work. I don't feel the need for my son since he reads so many wonderful books on his own. And he voluntarily offers to read for us and his sister anyway. And I am having my daughter read to me some rebus in an attempt to get her flying on her own.
Thanks northernmama - I get some funny looks when I tell people that I let the kids stay up as late as they want, reading! I just remember when I had to go to bed, I would still try and read in the dark, using the light from the hall to see the text. I figure, if they are going to probably do it anyways, why ruin their eyes?
Gwenny and Northernmomma, just because it's not MY way, doesn't mean it's BAD or WRONG! If it works for you, go for it!
Jackie- I was only replying to Gwenny's post of feeling like a bad parent. I didn't think you had posted anything that said otherwise. And of course it's not bad or wrong we each parent our kids how we feel works for us and for them If I said something to offend I didn't mean to. When I said quote a bad parent is someone who denies books entirely I literally meant entirely as in no reading books ever! And believe me I know a lot of people who have no books in their homes for kids to read.
Oh, no, I assumed you were affirming Gwinny! I didn't take ANY offense, nor did I feel you meant anything against me or anyone else! I also meant mine as an affirmation; sorry it didn't come across like that!
And my "bad parent" comment was said more in jest - but I just could not believe some of the looks I got! From other homeschooling parents no less! To each his own, you know?
Public school KILLED my oldest son's love of reading so our goal as of right now is just one book or one chapter from a chapter book daily.
Last year, I did my own version of Pizza Hut's "Book It" program. I kept a log of the books my kids read and when they got to 150, I took them to CiCi's. But if a book has like, 15 chapters, I count it as 3 books, because those took so much longer. but my kids are not advanced readers at all so I also counted easy readers. this year I plan on doing the same thing,but doing some mini-goals too. ( 20 books earns you a chore-free night,50 books get you an ice-cream cone,etc) they loved checking the log every couple of days and this got them really excited about library day as opposed to "Aww, the library,again?"
