The homeschool product that I have been the most excited about this year is the My Father's World Bible Reader from the first grade program. I think the entire year's program is absolutely wonderful; but as I bought it primarily to teach reading (for the phonics lessons, the Bible Reader and Bible Notebook), we have not used the whole program as scheduled.
Because JB is technically a kindergartener, we have been taking our time working through reading lessons and it has made for a very pleasant experience. (Just aiming to have the materials fit her, instead of vice versa. We had tried several other reading programs/approaches---she had been asking to learn to read---and I had not found anything with which I was totally pleased. I actually first learned of the MFW 1st grade program when I was evaluating a local student's portfolio. After listening to him talk about his Bible notebook, and looking over the materials, I was sold!)
JB recently worked her way up to the lessons where she would begin working on the Bible reader. Here is an excerpt from my journal:
JB started the Bible Reader that goes along with the My Father's World program!! I was so excited that I did a song and dance (literally) after she read the first page. So then she decided to tackle the next page. (I'm pretty sure it was to hear me sing and shout again! But seriously, the look in her eyes was priceless.)
THEN she took the reader in her room and read the third page all on her own and then called me in to hear it! (When she hears me retell this, she always adds in that she did need help with one word..... :-) ) So to celebrate her surprise for me, I decided to surprise her with a trip to DQ for a little treat (complete with more jubilant singing).
Before the end of the day, she had read through the fifth day of creation (five pages) and we had so much fun waiting for Daddy to get home so she could read the pages for him. Even though we told everyone we saw or talked to for the rest of the day (including JB's ballet teacher) the big news, we did not call Daddy in order to keep it a surprise. She couldn't wait! She even went on to read one page further in the end.
::::: I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it! :::::
It was such a special day! She was reading beginning readers up to this point (a few Bob books, some Scholastic readers, some BJU kindergarten readers and such)-----but the start of the BIBLE reader, well that was the big time! After all, it's a BIBLE on her reading level (and "look mommy, it has a table of contents!"). Even now when I hear her read (about a month later) I am still amazed that she is r-e-a-d-i-n-g.. It's such a magical time! (Our little girl is growing up! )
We have been on a break from the regular lessons and have just been reading up a storm in all sorts of books, however we will be returning the sequenced lessons again soon and following them more closely. I'm in no rush to finish at any particular time, so we will most likely continue working through the reader and notebook into next year. It will make such a wonderful keepsake!
Here is the first page from her Bible Notebook (completed just this week):
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