Last May, Charlie got to pick out his very own book at the school's Book Fair. It was a big deal to get to pick and an even bigger deal because he found the perfect book.
1. It is about Hot Wheels.
2. They race inside a volcano.
3. The green car wins.
4. The green car in the book is a car that he has.
Could it get any better?
Inside the front cover is a preprinted bookplate area that reads, "This book belongs to:"
Dowlan filled it out with his complete name, address and phone number. I teased him about this being excessive--I know it seems like the end of the world if he loses the book, but I doubt anyone will return it.
He said, "That's not why I wrote it. I wrote it because he makes me read this book to him ten times a day. Every single word. And if I read his full name, address and phone number to him often enough, he will learn them."
Brilliant.
Months later, this book is still read at least two or three times a day and Charlie now reads along with the name and address. He's still not too sure about the phone number, but it's progress!
1 comment:
Add to that mommy's pop quizzes on address and phone number.
Sometimes one can find a way to weave into a child's natural inclinations, interests and abilities so that a change is not an external discipline but to guide natural growth.
I heard an observation once that perhaps that was what was meant in Proverbs when it speaks of training up a child. They will "not depart from that path", because it has become part of their identity, not an external force to be rebelled against.
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