More updates from Portland May 2009
Hi all,
Here are some more images of recent goings on around here.
Ben has been working so hard on his reading skills. Parents of first graders often hear from educators that the best way to support a child's reading development is to "read to your child." Ben has always loved books from babyhood on. We read to him daily. However, Kimie suggested some time this winter that we start having Ben read aloud to us every day. We started with very simple books with just a few words on a page. Sometimes we read something more complicated and take turns alternating sentences or pages with him. His progress has been incredible. We see his confidence increase daily. At first he would laboriously sound out each word, even words that had appeared in a previous page or sentence. Now he has many sight words and uses a variety of strategies for reading. He is now reading simple chapter books that are appropriate for his age level. Good job Ben! And thanks to Aunt Kimie, his wonderful teacher!
Paul sings with the "Poco Choir" (grades 1-3) of Oregon Repertory Singers Youth Choir. They had their final season concert, "African Celebration" on Saturday and Sunday. Here is Paul looking spiffy in his choir costume outside St. Mary's Cathedral:
Paul has improved so much as a choral singer. He kept his face forward and his eyes on the director the entire time he was performing. He did a great job and is looking forward to moving up to the choir for grades 4,5, and 6 in the fall.
Here he is (front row, left, near piano) singing in the premiere of the mass choir piece (all the children in 6 choirs) in "Mpaka Simba Watapo," an arrangement of an African proverb and African American spiritual, arranged by composer Lee Kessellman who was present at the concert, along with African drumming specialist Kathy Armstrong, who led the instrumentalists.
And here he is with his group, Poco Choir, third from the left in the middle row:
While Paul was singing on Saturday, I took Ben to his T-ball game. We rode our bikes in fine weather to the ball field. The rain started to fall as the game started. After 30 minutes, the game was called due to rain. Here are some shots of Ben up at bat, on first base, and running home from third base:
And here we are enjoying a snack at nearby Jim and Patty's coffee shop, waiting for the rain to quit before riding our bikes home. Kimie took this photo:
Paul has been doing research at school on the Civil War era. Each child in his classroom has selected a decade in US history to research. He got interested in Abraham Lincoln last year as a second grader, and wrote a biography of his life (and death), and is continuing to delve into that era. He has written a historical fiction piece about a slave boy escaping the south and joining the Union army. Here he is in his Union army costume at school:
Paul started piano lessons last month. I am thrilled because I found a very good teacher and she lives only 4 blocks from our house. I had called her in the fall, but she could not take new students then. I was just about to give up waiting and make arrangements for Paul elsewhere, when she called me to let me know she could take new students again. She is great with kids, respectful, patient, and encouraging! Paul gets great feedback for his posture and hand position. Of course I'm biased, but I think he's a natural! Her coffee table is loaded with books for kids, toys, crayons and paper, so Ben is never bored as we sit during Paul's lesson. (So far, Ben has only exhausted the light-up yoyo, and book about outer space.) Paul enjoys it, but of course he is still in the honeymoon period. Here's a photo from yesterday's lesson:
That's all for now. Will post more after Ben's birthday -- he is turning 7 years old tomorrow!
Hi all,
Here are some more images of recent goings on around here.
Ben has been working so hard on his reading skills. Parents of first graders often hear from educators that the best way to support a child's reading development is to "read to your child." Ben has always loved books from babyhood on. We read to him daily. However, Kimie suggested some time this winter that we start having Ben read aloud to us every day. We started with very simple books with just a few words on a page. Sometimes we read something more complicated and take turns alternating sentences or pages with him. His progress has been incredible. We see his confidence increase daily. At first he would laboriously sound out each word, even words that had appeared in a previous page or sentence. Now he has many sight words and uses a variety of strategies for reading. He is now reading simple chapter books that are appropriate for his age level. Good job Ben! And thanks to Aunt Kimie, his wonderful teacher!
Paul sings with the "Poco Choir" (grades 1-3) of Oregon Repertory Singers Youth Choir. They had their final season concert, "African Celebration" on Saturday and Sunday. Here is Paul looking spiffy in his choir costume outside St. Mary's Cathedral:
Paul has improved so much as a choral singer. He kept his face forward and his eyes on the director the entire time he was performing. He did a great job and is looking forward to moving up to the choir for grades 4,5, and 6 in the fall.
Here he is (front row, left, near piano) singing in the premiere of the mass choir piece (all the children in 6 choirs) in "Mpaka Simba Watapo," an arrangement of an African proverb and African American spiritual, arranged by composer Lee Kessellman who was present at the concert, along with African drumming specialist Kathy Armstrong, who led the instrumentalists.
And here he is with his group, Poco Choir, third from the left in the middle row:
While Paul was singing on Saturday, I took Ben to his T-ball game. We rode our bikes in fine weather to the ball field. The rain started to fall as the game started. After 30 minutes, the game was called due to rain. Here are some shots of Ben up at bat, on first base, and running home from third base:
And here we are enjoying a snack at nearby Jim and Patty's coffee shop, waiting for the rain to quit before riding our bikes home. Kimie took this photo:
Paul has been doing research at school on the Civil War era. Each child in his classroom has selected a decade in US history to research. He got interested in Abraham Lincoln last year as a second grader, and wrote a biography of his life (and death), and is continuing to delve into that era. He has written a historical fiction piece about a slave boy escaping the south and joining the Union army. Here he is in his Union army costume at school:
Paul started piano lessons last month. I am thrilled because I found a very good teacher and she lives only 4 blocks from our house. I had called her in the fall, but she could not take new students then. I was just about to give up waiting and make arrangements for Paul elsewhere, when she called me to let me know she could take new students again. She is great with kids, respectful, patient, and encouraging! Paul gets great feedback for his posture and hand position. Of course I'm biased, but I think he's a natural! Her coffee table is loaded with books for kids, toys, crayons and paper, so Ben is never bored as we sit during Paul's lesson. (So far, Ben has only exhausted the light-up yoyo, and book about outer space.) Paul enjoys it, but of course he is still in the honeymoon period. Here's a photo from yesterday's lesson:
That's all for now. Will post more after Ben's birthday -- he is turning 7 years old tomorrow!
Comments
How handsome Paul looks in both outfits! That shot of Ben up for bat is GREAT! And I love the big toothy grin at the cafe!
Good job, Mama and Papa, for all you do for those boys! They are clearly thriving.
Happy birthday, Ben!!!! We love you!!
Paul, too seems to be enjoying such a variety of activities. How lucky to get piano lessons. I remember how much I wanted lessons when I was a kid but my parents said I would never practice.
I used to play all the pieces from Howard's lessons and my mom thought it was Howard practicing. I was so sad when he quir and the books stopped coming.