Welcome to The Learning Link! Your weekly dose of homeschooling tips, tools, and inspiration to make teaching easier and more joyful. If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up for your own copy here.

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Enjoy 617 words of homeschool inspiration below. ⬇

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My kids have each had their own journey into reading. While my boys were more slow and steady and really took off after they each turned seven, my daughter began reading at age six. Same mom. Same reading program. Same environment. Different kid.

To clarify, when I say "reading," they didn't know every combination of letters and they weren't reading sixth-grade-level stuff at that point, but they did start reading words that we hadn't technically "covered" yet in their reading program. It had finally "clicked." (We still continued to work through their AAR program to lay a strong foundation.)

But, what can you do after they finish the phonics program? Here are some ideas - just don't try them all at once!! ;-)

📝 Fresh Picks

Reading to themselves - I know this sounds silly to write this on here, but seriously reading lots of books, reading broadly and freely, is one of the best educations our children can get. It's at this point that my children start spouting out facts they have learned that I didn't teach them - because they read it in a book.

​Memoria Press literature guides - Other companies have these as well. So, this is just an example of what is out there.

​Learning Language Through Literature - A friend of mine used these with her kids and recommended them to me. I haven't tried one yet, but they've been in my "back pocket" for a while.

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🧰 Teaching Tools

​Daily Reading Practice - I used this with one of my kids in first grade as a comprehension practice. If you're looking for something short and simple, this series goes up into high school. They aren't riveting but also don't take a ton of time each day. You'd need the teacher's guide to go with it too.

​Elson Readers - I'm considering one of these for my rising fifth grader. I can't remember where I first heard of it, but these old texts didn't play around - they had some serious reading material.

McGuffey's Readers - Check out this short video review of these oldies. The YouTuber I linked to talks a lot on her channel about how much better textbooks were in the early 1900s and before.

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📚 On My Bookshelf

​The Boxcar Children* - I devoured these as a child, and now my kids love them too. Your library might have them, and if not definitely check out Hoopla, Audible, etc. We particularly enjoy listening to them - they make for quieter car rides!

​I'm Praying for You* - Nancy Guthrie is one of my favorite Bible Study teachers, and I am using this book right with a group of friends to pray for our friend who is fighting cancer.

​Chemistories* - This little storybook about the elements on the periodic table is adorable. I have read about half of it, and I think my kids will really enjoy it next year when our memory work for science focuses on chemistry. It has made me more interested in the elements simply from reading what I've read already!

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💰 Deals and Steals

​15% off YOUR ENTIRE ORDER with the purchase of one All About Math Materials Set (through April 27th)

All About Learning Press GIVEAWAY for this month here*

​Tuttle Twins - Get 20%, Give 20% off

Happy Homeschooling!

Emily

​TeacherTutorMom.com​

P.S. Don’t miss my latest posts on TeacherTutorMom.com for encouragement, strategies, reviews, and more

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