How Do You Teach a Little German Boy

...the difference between a "v" and a "w"???

I’ve come to a realization about Sam. He’s not dumb. That’s not the realization—I already knew that. But I’ve always held to that “maybe he’s not ready” philosophy concerning the fact that he still doesn’t know all of his letters. Kate & Joe both knew their letters before they turned two years old. That puts Sam 3 years older than they were and he still doesn’t know ‘em all. I try real hard not to compare one kid to another. They are all sooooo different and I realize that they will learn different things at different times in different ways and at different rates. And I’m cool with that. I don’t want to push a kid to learn something before he’s truly ready and make him hate learning because of it. Anyway, I’ve always assumed that perhaps Sam was just one of those kids who was going to wait until he was 5 or 6 or 7, then learn all there is to know in a week’s time. That’s where my realization comes in.

I have come to realize that I really don’t know if Sam is “ready” to learn his letters or not. That’s because he has sold himself into doofus mode and enjoys being the “dummy” around here—plays it up and accepts it as his role in the family. Sam: the trouble maker who makes us mad but usually makes us laugh at the same time…and the one who doesn’t know his letters yet. I think he considers it to be his job, almost as if he’s proud of it. Well, that’s not going to work! So I decided that, ready or not, the kid is learning his letters!!! Mental capability is not the problem (never has been), it’s just INTEREST. But now that he’s become interested in “staying dumb” I really don’t care if he’s interested in learning his letters or not. He’s gonna. (Said as only a teacher could! Ha!)

So several days ago we sifted through the letters Sam does know (most of them) and figured out which ones are still giving him trouble (only 6 or 8). I had him choose one and he grabbed for the letter “D.” So for the next few days he had to wear a big “D” pin on his shirt at all times and I quizzed him non-stop about what his letter is and what it says. Made him draw it over and over again and cut out its shape and color pictures of things that start with it. I sent him outside one day and told him that when he came back I wanted him to bring me something that started with a “D.” He asked if he could use a shovel. “Sure, Sam! So you can d-d-d-d-DIG in the d-d-d-d-DIRT???” He didn’t get it. He was determined to go dig up some d-d-dinosaur bones to bring to me. Ha!

Anyway, I felt as if Sam has successfully mastered the letter “D,” so yesterday I had him choose a new letter from the magnets still remaining on the refrigerator. “V” was his choice, so now he’s wearing a big “V” on his shirt every day. This is not going to be as easy as “D” was, however. I asked him if he knew what the letter “v” said. You’d have to be familiar with how Sam speaks to really appreciate this, but he responded, “Uummm… vagon!” (Wagon, that is. The kid has always spoken like a little German boy. “Mom, vould jou like summer or vinter veather?”) I said, “No, Sam, w-w-WAGON doesn’t start with a ‘v-v-VEE’.” “Hhmmm,” he said, “sounds like it!” Ha! How do you win with that?! Joe has him well trained that “V” is for v-v-valosiraptor, one of his favorite dinosaurs. He’s also learned that “V” is for van… but that’s not how Sam says it. “What does ‘v’ say, Sam?” “Uummm… wan!!!” ~sigh~ Wish me luck! ;-)

IN OTHER NEWS…

We’re leaving again!!! We’ll be heading out in the morning for Arizona. We’ll spend tomorrow night with my Great-Grandmother (my Mom’s grandmother), then move over to the Shulers’ house. We’ll be in District Convention there in Phoenix on Friday and Saturday, be at the Phoenix church on Sunday, MAYBE stick around on Monday and have a family dinner with Grandma Bunny and the Shu crowd, then come home Tuesday. Or we may skip the extra day on Monday and come home then. Either way, that’s what we’ll be up to and why you won’t be hearing from me! ;-) Please pray for our Convention out there. I am soooooo excited!!! It seems like forever since we were able to visit the churches out there. James has been a couple of times without me. Maybe that’s why. Anyway, we’ll be back early next week!