Category: Teaching

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From Uh-huh to Eloquent: Why Primary Vocabulary Matters

As children begin their journey of literacy, they are introduced to the building blocks of language – letters, sounds, and words. While these are crucial in learning to read and write, there is one aspect that often goes overlooked, vocabulary. This refers to the words that children use and understand in their daily lives. Vocabulary playa a vital role in their overall language development. Unfortunately, there is a significant gap in vocabulary among children today, leading to struggles with reading comprehension and academic success. Let’s delve into the importance of primary vocabulary and how addressing this gap can help children become more eloquent and proficient readers.

Vocabulary words are the building blocks of language and have a significant impact on a child’s overall language development.

Why is vocabulary so important in literacy development? The answer lies in its connection to reading comprehension. Vocabulary is essential for understanding and interpreting texts. When children have a vigorous vocabulary, they are able to grasp the meanings of words and make connections between words and concepts. On the other hand, a weak vocabulary can greatly affect comprehension, leading to difficulties in understanding what is being read.

Unfortunately, many children today are facing a significant vocabulary gap. They are lacking exposure to a wide range of words and are not receiving adequate vocabulary instruction. This gap has a direct impact on their reading comprehension and academic success. To address this issue, it is crucial to implement strategies that enhance vocabulary learning in children. By focusing on vocabulary instruction and providing ample opportunities for children to engage with words, we can help them become more eloquent and proficient readers.

By explicitly teaching vocabulary, we empower children to expand their word bank and develop a robust vocabulary. When children have a wide range of words at their disposal, they can understand and express themselves more eloquently. They become better equipped to comprehend complex texts, make connections between words and concepts, and draw upon their knowledge to infer meaning.

The transformative power of focused vocabulary instruction lies in its ability to unlock a child’s potential as a reader and communicator. It gives them the confidence and skills they need to tackle challenging texts, participate in meaningful discussions, and express themselves effectively in both spoken and written forms. With a strong vocabulary foundation, children can navigate the world of language with ease and become proficient and confident readers.

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Unleashing Social Learning: The Lemons-Aid Way in Virtual Classrooms

Social Learning Online

God created us to be social beings, and we need connection with others like we need oxygen. Sadly, during the COVID-19 shutdowns, loneliness struck with a vengeance, and we realized that our mental and physical health, and even our ability to learn, are significantly impacted by our interactions with fellow human beings.

 

Social learning encompasses two aspects: learning with and from others. Think of it as joining a community where you not only soak up knowledge and learn skills but also observe the behavior of those around you and model it. It’s like watching a bunch of adorable puppies learning good manners and pack norms from their fellow furry friends. However, not every environment is a puppy paradise. Take off-leash dog parks, for instance. They might provide an emergency vet’s job security, but they’re not exactly the best place to socialize your puppy. Why, you ask? Well, there’s a risk of learning bad behaviors and even getting hurt.

 

Now, let’s tackle a persistent myth about homeschooling. People often assume that homeschooled kids aren’t “socialized.” They think public schools are the holy grail of social skills education and social connection. But hang on a second! Some public schools can be downright toxic cesspools of chaos, devoid of any godliness. In these places, kids feel unsafe, their values are ridiculed, and their identities are challenged or even despised. Despite being surrounded by peers, they can end up feeling lonely and disconnected. These schools are like those off-leash dog parks but for humans. Not the kind of place you’d want your kids to learn social skills, right?

 

In stark contrast, homeschooling parents are the champions of social opportunities for their children. They create a network of family life, church, sports, jobs, and neighborhoods where social skills are honed in a much more healthy way because they have better models.

  • Family life is like a crash course in sibling diplomacy, submitting to authority, pulling their own weight, playing, negotiating, loving, sacrificing, putting the needs of others ahead of their own, laughing, crying, and serving God with gusto.
  • Church is more like a hospital than a country club, filled with imperfect people whom kids learn to serve and love sacrificially. It’s where kids deepen their understanding of God and build healthy relationships with mentors.
  • Sports is the ultimate training ground for teamwork, collaboration, sacrifice, and the rollercoaster ride of victory and defeat. Failures and successes are shared with others, creating bonds and memories that last a lifetime. Parents are right there with them helping them understand the fallen nature of man, how to deal with conflict, and how to please God even in a community of people with different values.
  • Jobs—when kids reach the age to work, it’s time to dive into the world of jobs. They learn the art of treating customers with respect and kindness, even in the face of mistreatment. They discover the importance of hard work, effective communication, submission to authority, money management, and so much more. My own kids even mastered the fine art of smiling, making eye contact, and engaging in delightful conversations with strangers at our local Chick-Fil-A. It was “their pleasure!” 😉
  • Neighborhoods become the place for adventurous kids on bikes. They explore fields, play street hockey, engage in the occasional argument, and learn the art of conflict resolution. It’s a playground where they discover the magic of solving problems together.

But what about education? Skilled homeschool moms and dads know how to create social learning opportunities for their kids as their children learn with and from siblings, extended family, and in online classes, co-ops, micro-schools, local pods, and other exciting new ways.

 

Welcome to Lemons-Aid Learning, where students have a positive community in virtual classrooms! We’ve mastered the art of social learning, ensuring that our students not only acquire knowledge but also thrive in a supportive community. Whether students are discussing grades with teachers, cheering on fellow students during presentations, praying together, or meeting deadlines with finesse, our platform provides a healthy environment for social growth. Get ready to embark on an unforgettable educational adventure where learning and camaraderie go hand in hand. It’s the Lemons-Aid Way.

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Boosting Learning through Accountability: The Lemons-Aid Way

Let’s dive into a crucial aspect of learning: accountability. Did you know that holding learners accountable for their education can significantly improve their learning outcomes? Let’s explore why this is the case, introduce the concept of authentic assessment, and connect it all to biblical principles. 

Accountability: The Key to Effective Learning

Holding students accountable for their learning means making sure they take responsibility for their educational progress. When learners understand that they’re expected to actively participate and engage with the material, they will learn. They even begin to pursue knowledge and understanding with genuine enthusiasm as their natural curiosity kicks in.

Roadblocks to Accountability

Pain. That’s what gets in the way. Since learning is an active process, it takes engagement and intentional effort. But learning is hard! Remember struggling with a piece of writing or a math concept? It’s uncomfortable. We don’t like it. We want it to come easy. 

The second roadblock is an education system and a culture that won’t allow our kids that struggle. When my kids were little and in Christian school, they would throw themselves on the floor, spewing bodily fluids from their noses and mouths when things were hard. I confess I sometimes removed the struggle for them by contacting the teacher and saying it was too hard. Embarrassing, I know. But other times, I told them to suck it up and be tough. I reminded them that learning is hard and that they can do hard things! We want our kids to struggle! They should be standing up on their tippy, tippy toes to reach new learning. Learning takes effort, work, and perseverance. If we remove the struggle, they miss out on so much, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 

Thankfully, I figured this out. When they were homeschooling with me in middle and high school, they had learned to work through those painful moments of confusion. They learned to use resources to figure it out! They got tough. I stopped being a roadblock myself by allowing the natural roadblocks to remain in place for them to navigate. This is accountability. 

Authentic Assessment: A Form of Accountability

Now, let’s talk about authentic assessment. Why do I use the word “authentic?” It means the assessment is a true measure of student learning or skill acquisition. It’s a tool to measure AND communicate. As an educator since 1995, I have grappled with this issue, reading theory and research, to understand the relationship between assessment and learning. But the most formative lessons I learned were in the classroom.

I discovered that the more accountability I removed, the lazier students became and the less they learned. It was when I stood firm on due dates, limiting “re-does,” and using authentic assessment, students rose to the occasion. Learning improved. I could only do this in a school where things were a little counter to our culture. Grace Christian School in Alaska was a special place with special families. People in Alaska embrace struggle just to live in America’s Last Frontier. Everything is hard work but worth it because the enjoyment that comes after or from the work is outstanding. Think hunting, fishing, hiking, and skiing! Those things are hard, but so fun. So, most parents didn’t get mad at me when their kiddo got a bad grade. Instead, they told their kids to work harder. Get help. Toughen up. And they did! 

Biblical Principles: Humility & Wisdom

The Bible emphasizes the importance of learning from parents (and by extension, teachers). Proverbs 1:8-9 (NIV) says, “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.” This passage highlights the value of seeking wisdom from those who guide us and the idea that wisdom is a treasure worth pursuing.

Embracing this biblical principle, we encourage students to seek guidance from their parents and teachers, taking ownership of their learning and becoming wise learners.

The Lemons-Aid Way: Accountability and Assessment in Action

At Lemons-Aid, we’re dedicated to helping learners reach their full potential. We understand the importance of accountability and authentic assessment in the learning process, so we’ve designed our courses with these principles in mind.

Our approach ensures that students not only grasp the material but also develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed for real-life success. Through assessments and ongoing feedback, we help learners stay accountable and track their progress, setting them up for a bright future with the skills to leap over those roadblocks. Because they’re tough enough!

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Is Teaching and Learning Grammar a Waste of Time?

The Purpose.

The purpose of learning grammar is to write something beautiful. Or persuasive. Or inspirational. Or . . . . Fill in the blank. Authors strive for clarity, but writing is also an art. Grammar knowledge is like having a number of gadgets in your toolbox to help you get the job done. If you want to build a beautiful piece of furniture–say a patio table that will seat your guests for long, summer dinners–you need to have the right tools. Furniture has function, of course, but it also has style. Do you want the top of your table to have a beveled edge? Why? Your choice to stain the wood instead of paint it is grounded in a stylistic or functional purpose. Writing is the same! How can an author use words, syntax, and grammar to bring about an emotion in his reader? When should you start a sentence with an participial phrase? What effect does a long string of dependent clauses have on the advancement of an idea or theme? So, teaching and learning grammar is not a waste of time. To communicate well, and with a stylistic and functional purpose, writers need to understand how to use the tools of the trade–nouns, verbs, semicolons, oh my!

What About Sentence Diagraming?

I used to teach sentence diagraming. I liked the mathematics-like structure of the language and saw beauty in the variety of how words could be placed together to form an idea. Frustrated that my middle school students didn’t see it my way, I was even more discouraged that their skill in diagraming didn’t translate to beautiful composition. What was I to do? 

The Vertical Planning Meeting.

As a middle school teacher and high school teacher at a small Christian school, we had a vertical planning meeting for English language art curriculum. An elementary teacher asked a high school teacher what she should be doing to prepare students for secondary school. The high school teacher responded, “Teach them how to write a sentence!” At that point, our sweet elementary teacher was not so sweet anymore. “That’s all we do!” she responded defensively. 

Research to the Rescue.

I wanted to know why my middle school and high school students couldn’t write sentences since that’s all they had done in elementary school. 😉 

I discovered that students compartmentalize grammar knowledge and do not transfer their knowledge when composing pieces of writing. I also discovered that students should be combining sentences all the way through high school! We high school teachers are the ones that need to teach them how to write a sentence! As students age, their speech naturally becomes more complex; they don’t know how to punctuate those complex sentences. 

Recommended Curriculum.

Homeschool moms know a thing or two! They’ve been using the following curriculum for a long time, but once I implemented the techniques in these books, my students made quick progress that awed me. Here’s the list: 

Easy Grammar. The sentence combining is the most valuable and without this aspect of the curriculum, I would not recommend it. 

Donald & Jenny Killgallon texts. I start with the elementary book even with high school students as it’s hard for them. There is one caveat here–these are not texts to just give to your learners and have them go at it alone. I found that you need to explicitly teach and model and guide them along, so they have success. 

Recommended Courses.

If this is something you want to outsource to Lemons-Aid, we are happy to teach! Check out these courses: 

A Cut Above (a 2-day, get-your-feet-wet course)

State of the Art (an ongoing subscription course)