Holy Buffalo, We Have READING!

So, HQ has been kinda stuck in prereading limbo for a long time now. He could sound out words, had 30 or so sight words, but hadn't had that whole point where those parts fall into place and become reading. So he could do reading worksheets at grade level, but it was a struggle, and he didn't enjoy it. But night before last, he sat down to read the little ernie bedtime book that his sister loves, and really read it. Not recited it from memory, read it. Admittedly, it's only like 9 pages, but we counted and it was over 100 words.

And then last night, we grabbed Hop on Pop. And he read it. All 64 pages. Word by word, using that collection of interconnected skills (sounding out, sight words, context, comparing to other words) that make real reading.

HUZZAH!!! My goal was to have him reading actual books, not word lists, without any pressuring by about midway through first grade, end of the year at the latest, which would put him comfortably at grade level, and we are meeting that goal right now, about when the schooled kids go back from winter break, so perfect. I've been, not worried, but ready to start more actively pushing the reading thing by spring if I had to, and now I have results I wanted from our non-pressured, almost but not quite unschoolingish method. I couldn't assume it was working out just because he's above grade level at math, because that is mostly his natural aptitude and love of numbers, but now he has conquered something that was hard for him mostly on his own, (in the sense of without me pushing him and drilling phonics,) and with that sense of accomplishment that comes with knowing you id it yourself.

He read it again for my mother in law, and she cried. I told my mom on the phone, and heard her tear up, and now she's gotta hit the bookstore before she comes over again.

My boychild can cottonpicking READ! eleventyone.