"The Three R's" by Ruth Beechick

I have been putting this book off for 6 years! LOL! I have read many books on various education philosophies, including Ruth Beechick's Question and Answer Book. But never The Three R's. It is a perfect read for this time of year. It is encouraging, and practical. Ruth Beechick doesn't just tell you her philosophies, she gives you examples and actual lesson plans to use with your child.

I was most interested in the Reading and Writing sections, but found the Math to be just as enlightening. I was able to look back and see WHY my oldest struggled in Math and why what eventually worked for her did! I have also determined to use more manipulatives with my youngest, something I did not do with my oldest. I was so caught up with what "I" did when I was in school, I tourtured my oldest to tears. If I had read this book back then, I might have saved hundreds of dollars on the 5 math programs we went through before 2nd grade.

I am also excited about my youngest's progress with reading. Ms. Beechick was very encouraging and gives a whole host of ideas for working with young ones. She is very clear in explaining the different approaches and that there is no ONE way to teach a child to read. Very encouraging to Moms who are faced with hundreds of curriculum each year GUARENTEEING success in reading. The reality for most children is, practice is what makes perfect. Not phonics, not whole words, just practice and patience on the part of the parent. I saw it with my oldest and I'm rediscovering that with my youngest.

Finally, I'm MUCH more relaxed about my oldest's writing and composition. I must confess, I have been struggling all year to find that "perfect" writing program. After numerous hours on The Well Trained Mind Forums, and reading through writing programs, I had about given up. For some reason, I didn't understand how ANY of the programs worked and I am basically an English Major! She basically recommends a mix of what Charlotte Mason and Classical Education users do. I finally understand how to approach it, and I have real-life examples to use.

So, obviously (LOL!) this is a book I'd recommend. It's super cheap, and full of ideas and encouragement.

One down, 51 to go!!