Tutoring Update

It has been requested that I update you on the tutoring project. So I'm happy to oblige.

I have continued to work with the twins and - with Anthony when he came - since my last post on the subject, back in April.

The twins seem to be advancing fine with reading. Much as I personally loathe Junie B Jones, they are taking turns reading chapters out of her first book. I hope to have them through the second book by the time school wraps up in June. I had high hopes to work hard with them through the summer and have them well prepared for school in the autumn, but unfortunately they are being taken off to California to visit with family throughout the summer. The Grandma has arranged a tutor for them while they are away - and I will be sending a reading assignment with them, too. It's the best I can offer without having them to work with face to face.

They are reading much better, most of the time. T still lags behind M, but both have improved a great deal since we began working together.

A friend from the House told me his password for a website called edhelper.com, which creates printable worksheets on a variety of subjects and grade levels. So in order to better work with each child each week, I have been creating worksheets geared to each individual level. Sad to say, the girls are both lacking in math and do seem to be showing signs of dyslexia with numbers - writing 81, 19, 20, etc. Perhaps it will change with lots and lots of practice. I hope so, for their sakes. They haven't had much chance to work with Clyde, because he always has bigger children and they obviously need more one on one time.

I have even considered asking to have each child come on a different day, so that I can work with them separately. So there's no competition for affection and attention between them.

It's really difficult to give them all enough attention and praise, especially when they often come to class exhausted. This past week they showed up, wiped out from weekend dance recitals. Their Gma had brought Clyde and I a raw food meal to share, as we rarely manage to eat before we start working. When she had left and I had tried to work with the girls for 30 minutes with little luck - I broke out the food and fed them. They both INSTANTLY perked up and started chattering and telling me stories about life at home. And they were both instantly able to focus on their work.

There's definitely a lesson in there about feeding children healthy foods. Although I continue to worry about their overall nutrition. However, that's not my job, I guess.

Anthony didn't show up this week. I had started him on a Magic Tree House book last week. Possibly not the best choice, because it's about dinosaurs, and he finds sounding out aloud a gargantuan task. But he seemed to have less problems psychologically about reading a book for his grade level. On the other hand, he does that thing where he guesses the word and quickly looks at me to see if I make a face or give him the thumbs up for it. Usually the guess is wrong and I have to say over and over again "Sound it out". I've tried to show him how to break the word in to syllables so that it is easier and shorter to sound out. But it's very slow going.

I'm happy to have edhelper.com to do these worksheets, though, because it makes it easier for me to set him something to do while I work with the girls. Last week I had him go do Reader Rabbit for a while, but it's a grade level lower than he is, and I'm sure he found it dull.

At the end of each class, I read to all the kids. Right now we are reading Ramona Quimby, Age 8. I am enjoying it - probably more than the girls - although they do seem to enjoy it and laugh quite a bit. Anthony is not amused by it, and I haven't been able to get him to tell me what he is interested in at all. One week we just had boys, and I read some Matt Christopher, but again, Anthony showed all signs of being bored out of his skull. And this after telling me he liked sports. So I don't know what to do about that. I told him that when we are done with this Ramona, he can pick the next book. Perhaps he'll choose something scary? Something wizard-y? I don't know. I don't hold out great hopes that he'll be open to choosing, because i'm doubtful about how well he comprehends the book titles, but, we'll see.