Okay, a show of hands: How many of you remember the Hooked on Phonics commercial from the 90s? The one with the little red-headed kid chirping, “Hooked on Phonics worked for me!” Okay, now how many of you learned to READ using Hooked on Phonics? Do you remember sitting down with your cassettes and your tape player doing the lessons, workbook in hand? Or were you, like me, part of the older generation that grew up during the time of the dinosaurs and the 8-track tape players? (I know. I’m totally dating myself!)

I Had My Doubts

Though I was too old for Hooked on Phonics, I decided to use it with my little boy. At 5 1/2 he literally wasn’t able to sound out words at all.  I was skeptical at first because I was raised during the Whole-Language Approach toward reading and believed that the Phonetic Approach would make my kid a poor speller. (I was wrong. In 5th grade, he’s actually a terrific speller in addition to being a good reader.)

Like Mother, Like Daughter

I have to say, though, I was privileged to hear, first hand, an incredible story of Olga, a loving mother who was determined not to give up on her daughter, and a young girl who was determined not to give up on herself. For years, Olga reached out to us because she wanted others to benefit from her experiences. When we finally reached her, here is the story she shared with us:

Are you a grown-up Hooked on Phonics kid? Share your story with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

#TBTHookedonPhonics  #HookedonPhonicsWorkedforMe

While reading through the messages on the Hooked on Phonics Facebook page this morning, I came across this one from Lindsey about her 3-year-old son, Ben, who can read CHAPTER BOOKS. Yes, you read that right! Lindsey graciously agreed to let me share her Hooked on Phonics success story and this adorable video with you.

“I just wanted to let you know what an amazing program you have. My son successfully completed your Hooked on Phonics Pre-K through Second Grade Learn to Read program at 2 years old, just over one year ago. This program was so fun for my son, with learning the alphabet and letter sounds up to learning to read, with the program’s easy and straightforward progression.

“I started reading to my son from birth and he has loved reading ever since. His love of reading encouraged me to invest in this product and teach him to read shortly after he turned 1. He is now 3. He still loves to read and can read for hours all by himself, anything from simple books to beginning chapter books. I love watching his imagination expand as he reads aloud, smiling and learning. Thank you for a wonderful product that parents and children can share to learn and bond at an early age.

“Here are a few pictures of him reading and a short video. His name is Ben and he turned 3 in July. He finished the second grade learn to read in September 2014. Again thank you for such an amazing product.”

Happy Reading!

Parent-teacher conferences bring to mind images of leading my mom through the familiar halls of my school, introducing her to my teachers, waiting for the inevitable  report: “Julie’s doing well in school, but she’d do so much better if she didn’t TALK so much in class.” I was always puzzled. Wasn’t that what school was FOR? To share your feelings on the latest episode of the Brady Bunch and play Cat’s Cradle under your desk with your best friend while stuffing wads of Bubble Yum in your mouth?

Unlike parents nowadays, my parents didn’t have an email relationship with my teachers. Back in the “Stone Age,” parents relied on phone calls, face-to-face meetings, and hand-written notes pinned to our coats with straight pins (of all things!), which inevitably stabbed you in the cheek by the time the note reached its intended recipient.

It’s All About Me—I Mean—My Kid

Now, as a parent of two elementary-age children, parent-teacher conferences take on a whole new meaning for me. In some respects, I feel like my kids’ report card grades are a reflection of me and my husband (although he would probably disagree with that statement) and how we’re doing as parents. I know that’s ridiculous because children are their own people and it’s just my mommy guilt (okay, with a touch of narcissism) coming through. I do believe my job as a parent is to help my children learn to be responsible for themselves and take pride in doing a good job for its own sake, rather than to make someone else happy. But that’s often easier said than done, especially when your kids are little. And, of course, many times there are extenuating circumstances preventing your child from learning optimally.

Fortunately, our daughter has taken to reading like a fish to water. However, as much as I love her 3^rdgrade teacher, I think we all made a mistake. At the beginning of the year, she told Katie that she was the best reader in the class. While that made us proud, it also seemed to give Katie permission to take it easy and coast a bit. As a result, at Katie’s recent conference, her teacher told us that Katie was losing ground compared to her classmates and her grades went down. She’s also spending too much time “chit-chatting with her friends during class.” Hmmm . . . I wonder where she gets that?

Recently, I read about a study that showed that children who were praised for “working hard” did better in school than those who were praised for being “smart.” Researchers found that praising a child’s BEHAVIOR (studying, thinking, discussing, etc.) positively affects school outcomes more than telling children that they’re intelligent. It’s because being “smart” is looked at as a fixed characteristic—you either ARE or you AREN’T. It can’t be changed. So why bother studying?

After reading this research, and seeing it first hand with our daughter, my husband and I decided to start my daughter on the next Hooked on Phonics reading program, Master Reader. We’re hoping that this and the Reading Pro app will make it more fun for her to work on improving her fluency, comprehension, and flow. Now, all I have to do is figure out how to get her friends to come over and chit-chat about reading (instead of Pokemon) at the same time, then I’ll have the perfect solution. I’ve got it: a kids’ book club! As long as food and friends are part of the equation, it’s sure to work for me—I mean!—HER.

How did your child do on his last report card? What feelings did it bring up for you as a parent?

Updated July 2017: The Master Reader Program and Reading Pro app are no longer available for purchase.

Brooke from Sandviks Publishing on Vimeo levitra cijena.

Wanikka from Sandviks Publishing on Vimeo.

For more info: https://hookedonphonics.com/

Everybody Sing the Alphabet with Me from Sandviks Publishing on Vimeo.

The Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read Program is your partner in building a confident reader, one step at a time.

Learn to Read Promotion from Sandviks Publishing on Vimeo.

We have received hundreds of testimonials from parents who have used Hooked on Phonics over the years and want to share their story. Our educational specialists have teamed up with award-winning artists and authors to create the best Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read yet. Hear what Dan has to say about the new Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read.

Dan and his daughter from Sandviks Publishing on Vimeo.

We have received hundreds of testimonials from parents who have used Hooked on Phonics over the years and want to share their story. Our educational specialists have teamed up with award-winning artists and authors to create the best Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read yet. Hear what Melissa has to say about the new Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read.

We have received hundreds of testimonials from parents who have used Hooked on Phonics over the years and want to share their story. Our educational specialists have teamed up with award-winning artists and authors to create the best Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read yet. Hear what Joe has to say about the new Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read.