說到幫助小朋友的學習,兩年前媽媽曾在閱讀上出手過一次,當時除了每晚固定的床邊故事外,我每晚特別多花三十到四十分鐘陪著小孩一個字一個字拼讀,從不識字到能讀百頁的 chapter books, 這個過程長達半年,不過我們兩個當時都很喜歡這樣學習的模式.今年我又準備出手第二次,今年的重點是 writing. 我找了一些材料帶著他練習 set a character, set a plot and connecting sentences. 家有兩歲兒的朋友問"學校沒敎嗎?"我不禁微笑了起來,學校沒敎的事情可多了呢!
Reading 和 writing 都是非常 personal 的,數學科學有整齊劃一的答案,而閱讀和寫作跟個人的生活經驗和感受有關,尤其是寫作.引導小孩的思維,跟生活經驗做連結,這工作需要長時間的慢慢練習,八股文誰都能敎,但是要更上一層樓只有家長能敎.我們離理想的狀況還遠的很,不過沒什麼好擔心的,至少我們正走在這條路上.
其他我們正在做的事其實不多,大概就是敎小孩管理時間,和每晚繼續唸床邊故事.現在床邊故事完全換成中文故事,這些中文故事書可是一袋袋的從中文圖書館搬回家的呢!時間管理上留留做的愈來愈好,早上的情況是,吃完早餐後他自動上樓穿制服盥洗帶書包水壺便當,擦 SPF 50 的乳液後穿鞋下樓,這個時候我通常在車裡悠閒的看書等他.
開學這幾週來他漏了帶水壺和作業過,還有多次忘了擦乳液,即使我發現我也忍住閉嘴不提醒他.自我管理是多麼重要的 skills, 二年級忘了帶作業沒什麼大不了的,要是到了四五年級若是還需要媽媽提醒可就糟糕了!這個年紀的孩子開始有更高的責任心,也有足夠的腦容量可以記更多的雜事,正是學習 consequences 的好時機.這是學習的過程之一,不該因為媽媽好心的提醒延遲了學習的時間點.至於放學後的情況,如果沒有 play date 三點多回家後自己洗澡寫作業,練鋼琴,看書玩電腦,跟媽媽聊天聊個半小時一小時.八點準時上樓刷牙洗臉,自己讀個半小時的書或跟爸爸聊天,八點半滾上床等媽媽講床邊故事,九點鐘熄燈睡覺.
下面是留留兩週前寫的小故事,其實是暑假作業,只是暑假媽媽跟小孩玩的太爽完全忘記作業這回事,直到兩週前才花了一個下午寫完.他的 writing 才剛起步,小故事有點凌亂,還有幾個拼字和文法錯誤,忠於原著我就原封不動的留著.
Once upon a time there was a boy named Matt. His hobby was to travel to places. One day he traveled to a place, one week he traveled to other places. That is why he had a list of all the places he went to. If you wanted to read it, do not feel bad if you don't have enough time cause even the most fast reader would spend a year reading it. He had every map and even the local maps in the world.
One day he travelled to Hawaii. On the way there Matt spotted an island that he never saw on all the maps he had. At school he learned that there are thousands of vacanos at Hawaii. When they landed within a second everyone ploped right into the ocean. Then Matt started to swim towards an island. Matt jumped out of the water and what he saw was a three leged unicorn made out of corn. Suddenly the trees shook and a tall caped wizard appeared that seemed like he couldn't stop saying "wiz". Then the wizard turned invisible. Matt rubbed his eyes and started to look around but he couldn't find the wizard. Matt heard a whisper and it replied, "I am the wizard." Then in a faint voice said, "Most people think I can not stop saying wiz. I came to tell you that this island is for you to name." "I will name it magic.", Matt said.
"Do you like traveling?", asked the wizard?
"Yes I do."
"Then can you go to Hawaii?"
"How can I go to Hawaii if I do not know the way.", asked Matt.
"There is a secret door if you turn left then right then hop down into what seems like a bunny hole and you will be in Hawaii."
"O.K.", said Matt. "But why?", asked Matt.
"Cause I need to make a stew.", said the wizard. "I'll trade for a dog. You can use any kinds of flowers, pebbles, bugs and birds. The only thing I need is a palm tree wood. Please sail back in a canoe. What do you think? Are you ready or not?"
"I need to tell mom first and if she says yes I will come back to tell you." (這句太經典,媽媽平常的教誨真是根深蒂固了)
In a few minutes he replied, "Yes, I can go back to Hawaii."
"First I would like to give you a list, pencil and a back pack. Now you are ready to go. Remember to sail back in a canoe please."
When he was back in Hawaii he landed in a jungle and spotted two wood pieces. He took them quickly, made a canoe and then he hid it. Pebbles and flowers started to appear. He took them, made a bird cage, and caught some birds and bugs. After all was done he sailed back to the magic island. Luckily he found a dog waiting for him on the beach. He gave the wizard the things he asked for and the dig was his.
When he got home he earned some money and bought the dog some things and named it Biscut (Biscuit). Matt and Biscut are best friends.
