A Letter from Elena
How can I say thank you to Carole for giving me the sweetest most precious memories I could have ever asked for with my children?
After attending her literature based presentation, I searched for and bought every book on her reading list.From reading Else Minarik's Little Bear to, seventeen years later, reading Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, my children have gathered around me daily to listen, share, and enjoy the great works of literature (often times taking turns to lay their head on my lap).
Obviously, the good memories are not mine alone. The children have asked me daily to read to them and frequently ask for one more chapter at the close of our reading time. Warm, loving, and cozy fellowship around good books will mark my children's childhood memories. In addition, homeschooling was fun and not burdensome for me and my children.
I simply incorporated the ingredients to Carole's educational recipe: Bible, a good math program, great books, and hard work, which needed to be done! Then I followed the directions: morning Bible, math, reading together, "feet off the floor time" (afternoon reading alone for an hour daily), and being out doors. As a result, by middle school, my son tested six grades ahead of the national average in standardized testing, my daughter four grades. The other two younger children have not been tested but are high above average. My oldest son, now a junior in high school, scored 98% in the country in reading comprehension and 90% in writing on the PSAT test. Because of Carole Joy Seid's compelling evidence, educational tools, and testimonies in her literature based education seminar, my familiy's life was impacted. Even if my children would not have been academically strong, I would not have traded the relationship and sweet fellowship that reading together brought. It enabled me to have the heart of my children, which is indeed a priceless treasure. For all of this I say thank you Carole; a million times thank you. Elena Westchester, California