2 from Jessica (phonics rant)

A nice patriotic theme on the first one and the anchors tie in with the lighthouse - but the postal machines were rough on them. Someday I might share everything I am learning from my son about the machines he is learning to work on. For now, all I will say is that they are very big and have a lot of parts. Happily, the very first thing they learn is how to cut the power supply and make sure it is locked in the off position. 

They also have a system where they keep track of how long it takes to fix any issue that comes up. So, it's not like the USPS is not trying to keep things going. I think they only get 3 chances to get a machine up and running before the incident is reported to *national.* I guess that is like getting sent to the principal's office.

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Here is our add-on from the PutOnBlog folder.

I had completely forgotten about this. I can't imagine it is going to catch on - which is too bad - because they show kids how to hold the pencil. And then they have a device, like training wheels for the kids pencil.

IMHO, the name is not a good one because I do not know how to pronounce it. Fasten your seatbelts, here comes a rant. This one goes back to elementary school. When I was 3, and my brother was 6, he started first grade (they did not have kindergarten in Montana - so when we moved to Minnesota, his first experience of school was the first grade). I was home all day with my mom, probably missing my brother, so when he got home, I reviewed his school work and kept honing my alphabet skills. By 4, I could read and we did not have a TV so our only entertainment was reading. I must have learned in some organic way. 

Sadly, when I got to elementary school, they were on a campaign to teach everyone using phonics. (insert  head exploding emoji) There were all kinds of rules. Fine. I know how to learn rules. But then there were so many exceptions to the rules that it made the rules virtually useless. 

Either you have rules or you don't. 

This chaotic method messed up a perfectly lovely little girl for life.

End of rant.

Here is the penmanship learning tool that is probably not going to be a craze sweeping the nation.

https://zonaci.com

In addition to all the various options for how to pronounce the letters, there is no way to know where to apply the emphasis - or accent. 

Thank you for letting me rant about something that's been bothering me for decades.