good finds / HOMESCHOOLING

commonplace

I can't take any credit for this idea, it belongs completely to Dan. Maybe I can earn some points for the follow-through of doing research and making an informed purchasing decision? 

Anyway….a few weeks ago, Dan asked me to find a commonplace for Emma. A commonplace, if you don't know (I didn't) refers to compiling knowledge, usually into books. It is a practice that dates back to Early Modern Europe. (thank you, wikipedia

In this case, Dan wanted me to find a journal for Emma to record the books she has been reading. 

commonplace

Emma was a very reluctant reader. It took quite awhile for the fire to catch. But now, she's the kid who (unbeknownst to her parents) stays up until midnight to finish a book. The girl who disappears into her room to read and read and read. I'm so happy to see her love reading. But I have to admit, there's this part of me that wonders a bit about the speed at which she reads.

She comes to me with a chapter book and says, "I need to go to the library tomorrow. I finished this one today."

commonplace

Nevermind that we'd been to the library that morning.

I know she's not a careful reader. I've learned that in our interactions during the school day. But she is still getting the gist of what she reads. She knows what's going on in the story. And it's recreational reading. Do I let it go and just be happy that she's finally reading? I still feel a bit torn about it all. But how, exactly does one force a child to slow down their reading?  For now my philosophy is that this is recreational reading. She is reading for enjoyment. We can work at all the other "stuff" during school hours. This is her time to relax and read. Right? Right. 

But that's a topic for another day….

commonplace

Emma has really taken to keeping track of the books she's reading. She rates them, writes a few words about what she thought of the book or how her mean mother STILL hasn't found more of these books for her. 

It's a great habit to be in, I believe. In fact, I wish I did the same. I'm so forgetful, especially when it comes to what I read. (Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I read right before bed until the book flops down on my chest.)

Screenshot_06I'm hoping she'll continue with this through the Summer. And in the Fall, I'll get one for Mary, too, who is rapidly gaining on her sister in the reading department. 

You can find the reading journal I chose for the girls here on amazon or on the Potter Style site.

 

I can't take any credit for this idea, it belongs completely to Dan. Maybe I can earn some points for the follow-through of doing research and making an informed purchasing decision? 

Anyway….a few weeks ago, Dan asked me to find a commonplace for Emma. A commonplace, if you don't know (I didn't) refers to compiling knowledge, usually into books. It is a practice that dates back to Early Modern Europe. (thank you, wikipedia

In this case, Dan wanted me to find a journal for Emma to record the books she has been reading. 

commonplace

Emma was a very reluctant reader. It took quite awhile for the fire to catch. But now, she's the kid who (unbeknownst to her parents) stays up until midnight to finish a book. The girl who disappears into her room to read and read and read. I'm so happy to see her love reading. But I have to admit, there's this part of me that wonders a bit about the speed at which she reads.

She comes to me with a chapter book and says, "I need to go to the library tomorrow. I finished this one today."

commonplace

Nevermind that we'd been to the library that morning.

I know she's not a careful reader. I've learned that in our interactions during the school day. But she is still getting the gist of what she reads. She knows what's going on in the story. And it's recreational reading. Do I let it go and just be happy that she's finally reading? I still feel a bit torn about it all. But how, exactly does one force a child to slow down their reading?  For now my philosophy is that this is recreational reading. She is reading for enjoyment. We can work at all the other "stuff" during school hours. This is her time to relax and read. Right? Right. 

But that's a topic for another day….

commonplace

Emma has really taken to keeping track of the books she's reading. She rates them, writes a few words about what she thought of the book or how her mean mother STILL hasn't found more of these books for her. 

It's a great habit to be in, I believe. In fact, I wish I did the same. I'm so forgetful, especially when it comes to what I read. (Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I read right before bed until the book flops down on my chest.)

Screenshot_06I'm hoping she'll continue with this through the Summer. And in the Fall, I'll get one for Mary, too, who is rapidly gaining on her sister in the reading department. 

You can find the reading journal I chose for the girls here on amazon or on the Potter Style site.

 

26 comments on “commonplace”

  1. It’s so great that your littles are keepingreading journals. Don’t you know they will treasure them when they’re grown up people? I really wish I’d done that when I was young!Blessings,G

  2. Such cute entries in Emma’s book! I’m a nighttime, bedtime reader like you, and I found myself (more than once) re-reading the same book and not knowing it until 30 to 50 pages in, so I started keeping track of what I read (in the same little red book) last fall. It’s been a meditative and enjoyable process.

  3. I thought the same thing…imagine a shelf full of these books? And think of all the books of our childhood that we read and loved and have since forgotten.

  4. I love this, Molly. And I say reading fast and furious is both proof of and a way to deepen her appetite for reading. I recently started reading David L. Ulin’s The Lost Art of Reading, and he talks about how he read carelessly and indiscriminately when he was young. And now he’s book critic for the LA Times! And I think back over my own high school and college experience and recall that the only books I didn’t finish were (some of) the ones I HAD to read, for class. Anyway … just musing on how a love of books evolves.

    I’m so forgetful about the books I’ve read as well! I’ve tried some online commonplaces 🙂 but so far haven’t had enormous luck committing to using them. Maybe something simpler and more tangible, like this.

  5. I have just started using Goodreads for myself. It helps me keep track of the books I read and those I wish to read.

    I say let it go for the moment. I think their is such excitement with early readers that they just want to finish. I think more thorough reading comes as they slow down and savor the book.

    I will pick up one of those books today for my voracious reader.

  6. Thanks so much for sharing this! I have one of those girlies, too and husband and I have talked about how to keep a record of all she’s reading. I love it.

  7. This is a great idea – one I will be using at home for sure! I especially love “It is a horsey book . . .” What a sweet funny kid!

  8. I used to keep this kind of record when I was a kid. Now I use Goodreads which I love for the record keeping, reviews and seeing what m.y friends are reading.

  9. I am a super fast recreational reader. I was also the kid who would stay up all night to finish a Nancy Drew book and got in trouble in school for having a book in my lap during math lessons. I don’t think the speed reading is something to worry too much about. You may miss some of the excruciating detail when you read that fast, but I find that when doing my unofficial version of speed reading, I only skip over the truly unimportant “fluff.” It had never hurt me in my scholastic or professional life… when I need to slow down for important details, I do. 🙂

  10. Years from now the two of you will have the best time re-reading her entries together. She’ll be able to give you insight in what was in her head at the time. Plus lines like “the love stuff…not so much” are just plain funny!

  11. My daughter Julia (11) is a speedy reader too. I know she’s not really taking in everything. But she’ll improve later, when she begins to realize she’s missing stuff by going too fast. This morning she asked for Flora Thompson’s “Lark Rise to Candleford,” b/c we’d been watching the BBC series. After a few minutes, she said, “There’s so much description!” I told her to read slowly, luxuriously, as if she’s allowing the writer to paint a picture of the place, with her words. I hope that helps. Kids today are used to action and instant plot development in movies. We need a love of the long, descriptive paragraph 🙂

  12. what a fantastic thing! i had never heard of a commonplace either, but what a great idea.

    i love the photos. what a treasure to hold onto. and i could use one myself, i used to keep a notebook with my list of books, but as time has started flying by and i read less, i’ve kind of fallen out of it.

    last month, i got 1/3 of the way through a book i’d already read, lol.

    thanks for the suggestion and thanks even more so for including the link!

  13. I’m a fan of Goodreads for myself, but it never occurred to me that the children might like to record what they read too. Perhaps accounts for all are in order.And I wouldn’t worry about the speedy reading either – I was much the same as a youngster.

  14. My 12 year old is a prolific reader as well, although he will re read his favorite books over and over again. That’s why I’m happy to buy books for him, even though he’s usually done in a day. I figure that if he’s not picking everything up on the first read, then by the time he’s read a book 5 times, he should have it…and the good ones his sister will read too. But then we have so many books around the house. I love to have a book I’ve read. This is a great idea. I’ve actually been thinking about adding something like this to my blog…more chance I’d keep it up to date that way.

  15. Lisa, thanks for this comment. It’s encouraging to hear from all these other young “speed” readers. I’ve tried online, too. For me, it’s just one more “thing”. I do think, however, that something like this might be more successful for me.

  16. When I read your comment, I had to admit, that I tend to skip the fluff sometimes, as well. (though it depends on the author. Some fluff I love.) I try to tell her to savor these books that she loves so much, but she’s just excited to get through and see what happens. And I’m okay with that. It looks like, from the comments, there are lots of young speed readers among us!

  17. My girls LOVE that series too. We just started watching it from the beginning. I think it will be part of our summer “survival” plan.

    And I love the idea of reading slowly and luxuriously . So well put.

  18. a few summer’s ago, I read a bunch of Jane Austen….but I read them too close together and all the stories became one in my head. So, I can sympathize with you re-reading a book you already read! 🙂

  19. I just love this idea. I just put the journal in my cart on amazon. I too have an avid reader at home. He is 8 years old, and like your daughter, speeds through chapter books. I just recently started a mini book club with him, where him and I read the same book and discuss. He loves the idea and I love that we have that special time.

  20. Your Emma sounds like my Kayla!! She took awhile to read and now she does the same thing, zips through books and demands we need to go to the library, NOW! She is however, a very slooowww reader outloud, which leaves me wondering how much she actually digests, but am not fully convinced it matters. I know you are on a much similar page…and about the commonplace! I am so getting those for my girls! How cool!

    :)Lisa

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