The Education of Emma Sage

Emma Sage loves to write. Everyday, she carries a notebook around with her and asks me to spell words for her, usually things that she finds in her day to day life and then she writes them in her book. So today, we were making a sign for her friend Nash for his 6th Birthday [something we have done every year for the last five years] but before, I always made the sign and then Emma Sage sat next to the sign to have her picture taken so we could post in for her friend. This year, she wanted to write the sign herself. I was leary, as we only had one large piece of poster board in the house [with four children, we go through a lot of poster board for various projects].....and she grabbed the big, chunky Sharpie marker, so I was afraid she would not get the hang of the fat, chisled point. But she did!!!!! I am so proud of how she just loves to write, and she is able to write in order the letters you give her [in a pretty good straight line]. She has a few words that she can spell by heart, like her name, Mommy, Daddy, Otto, cat, dog.....and as she ages, I know she will be able to do more and more. We have not begun spelling tests in our schooling. I'm going to introduce that in about a year. Right now, I figure her asking to spell and her writing down the words is a great first step. Here is a picture of her a few years ago with her sign for Nash. I have to organize my photographs, as I had been storing them on disk for the last five years and now I'm trying to find the time to add them to my f:drive.