Positions for Reading and Mythological Lampshades

After a standard Wednesday morning of drama lessons and choir teaching/participation, MissyGeorge arrived in my room with her box of readers from Sonlight and her "a" reader from Progressive Phonics. The reading bug has suddenly bitten, and it has bitten badly. This is a child who really did not have the slightest interest in learning to read a few months ago (despite lots of subtle - and not-so-subtle - hinting from me and her elder siblings). Now that she has decided she is interested she is unstoppable. She seems to be using a combination of word-shape reading and phonics, but with a definitely leaning towards the phonics approach. Despite having only started in earnest a week or so ago, she is already managing up to 5-letter blends. She does still confuse some letters, but this is improving hourly! What has amused me hugely today is how she sits to read. She has not picked one "normal" position all day. I do wonder if there are many teachers who would feel comfortable with their students reading like this in their classrooms:

MissG now reading comfortably

SirBiggs came up with another of his off-the-wall creative ideas today: He presented me with a ring of mythological creatures (each wearing unique T-shirts, appropriately) as a lampshade enhancer. I'm smitten - it's gorgeous!

My newly-enhanced lampshade

Cyclops, wearing a cyclops superhero T-shirt

Minotaur, wearing a t-shirt featuring a sword

In other news: ZooDaddy (who departed for work looking like Darth Vader this morning in his new anti-pollution cycling mask) has been feeding handfuls of my small red glass beads to some of the Zebras at the zoo. More of that later...