Isabelle, My Tiny Dancer

This little girl. I love her so! She started learning how to read in March/April, and has mastered all of her uppercase letters now, knows digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh, kn), can read words and sentences.

She's essentially caught up to Ellie - except I feel her education is lacking in vocabulary. Ellie's had nine months of vocab practice, and Isabelle only two... and that, fleetingly since I focused more on letters and words.

If Ellie is my buddy, my (awesome) challenge, my little friend, Isabelle has my heart. When I think of the beautiful moments that make life ridiculously special, so many of them are comprised of Isabelle. She is innocent and sweet, curious, expressive. Unlike her sister, she's easygoing and resilient. There's not much that a kiss, a snuggle, and a little chat can't fix for her little heart.

The other morning I was too busy to do their lessons. Her learning basket/station was on the sofa where we work together, and she hobbled over to it (she's one-footed). She sat for a half hour on her play station singing, talking, dancing, twirling... she brought her toys there, she pretended to slay dragons, all poofy and scary monster cockatoo style. She was just so very happy to play on her learning station, oblivious to the world, talking to herself and passing the time, waiting for me to join her for lessons.

My heart just melted and I gave her so many kisses and hugs.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to teach her next. Like Ellie, her accuracy rate on short words is decreasing from boredom. Tonight on 56 words it iwas 71.5%. (Previously it had been 85%.) I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and teach her lowercase letters... by then hopefully I'll have figured out this pretend story thing with Ellie, and can just apply it to Isabelle too.

Last week I asked Ellie a bunch of questions. In our interview, she declared she didn't like Isabelle.

Apparently the feeling is mutual! This is hilarious.