Hi there, I'm Stephen, a fellow homeschooling parent, father of 5 girls (1 more on the way), and an English teacher in Asia since 2004.

Seeking the Ancient Paths

Over the past few years I have spent large amounts time, money, and energy plowing through phonics materials that were either too complex or cumbersome for any normal parent to use; too simplistic and vague, lacking necessary instructions; or just crazy expensive.

In my search for the best homeschooling phonics and writing curriculums for my own children I stumbled upon the classic reading and spelling books used in America and England.

It turns out that intellectual giants of the past (including the father of American Education, Noah Webster) had already figured out the best way to teach our students how to read, pronounce, spell, and write with excellence. But their way was different from the methods used in modern schools, and even most homeschooling curriculum. They taught reading by teaching students to spell words, first. 

But there are a few main problems with these older materials that affect a modern parent's ability to use them:

• the absence of clear instructions on how to use the materials 
• the lack of pre-reading, and handwriting instruction
• the natural change in word meaning and usage over the centuries

My desire is to take that wisdom of the past, that created generations of literate people, add some of the missing steps, clarify what might cause confusion, and make it easy to use in your own homeschool setting.

The journey to reading and writing should be as clear and straightforward as possible; in language that normal parents and students can understand, and at a price they can afford. That's why I wrote ABC Journey.

THE RESULTS

ABC Journey is meant to guide your child from the pre-reading stage to a 12th-grade reading and spelling level, as well as give your child the skills to write in elegant cursive.

With daily work through this book, you can be confident in your ability to teach your child to read and write, and be confident that your child will have everything they need to succeed on their Journey to Literacy.

In Your Service,

Stephen Kurkinen

Fellow Homeschool Father, and Friend along the Path.