Afterthoughts

These last couple of weeks I have been reading a wonderful book that a friend shared with me, When Children Love to Learn.  It is a compilation of essays on "A Pratical Application of Charlotte Mason's Philosophy for Today". 

Rather than go into more detail concerning Charlotte Mason and her philosophy (I will write a post about her later), I would just like to quote one of the contributors, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay,  relating to my last topic, using children's interests to motivate them to read.

"I've known teachers who apply Charlotte Mason's Methods with children and teenagers in some of today's toughest schools.  If these teachers are careful to choose books that catch the children's interest and imagination, they and the class are well into accomplishing their goals...Get 'shining eyes' first, and the coveted question, 'Can't we read more?' will come.  This question shows that what you are doing is succeeding.  As children become interested, chapter by chapter, they will form new habits.  It won't seem like work at all!  They like listening, imagining, thinking.  These activities are satisfying!"

So whether you are in the classroom teaching your own children or other's children, how wonderful to have the children excitedly desire to be read to and to read!

May you experience the JOY of reading with your children!!!!.