from jazzymomintx:
I think you are on the right track with not getting anything to formal just yet. Preschoolers learn so much through play and interaction with parents.
My preschoolers all loved Kumon workbooks. I used Rod and Staff preschool books with her last year, and she has really enjoyed those as well. She asks to "do school" everyday and gets disappointed if we don't have time. The workbooks are really simple and require zero prep work. They involve cutting and coloring activities. They are black and white, though.
http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/
Here are some other tips for homeschooling preschool.
from ummibrahim:
Free play w/ various building toys/puzzles/dress up/ etc., Read Read Read together, playdough & other sensory play, water play, library story time, nature walks, bake/cook together, daily living tasks, have lots of art supplies available to explore, have fun!...avoid worksheets and 'crafts'. keep it open ended and child-centered.
Showing posts with label Curriculum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Curriculum. Show all posts
Saturday, August 2, 2008
K12
from momwifefriendedie:
did use K12 for Laura Beth for her K year. It's a great program based on those core concepts by Hirsch (?). It was for the most part engaging and it definitely based it's phonics reading approach on a multisensory system which is great for even those kids with dsylexia and it was all free. The downside it that it definitely had structure and guidelines to follow so it felt like school. Of course, that could be because my child does have learning problems so all work feels like work to us.
from treddlesewingmachine:
used it last year for my 2nd grade daughter who was reading much higher. She was able to do third grade language arts (so that she wasn't skipping too much material.) She also was able to "assess" (take the lesson assessments) for a bunch of the math so that she was able to skip over the beginning of the year review that was totally boring for her because she played math computer games all summer. She loves the science and history, and art was fun too. Music was the only subject that we didn't care for because it was very slow. My son will be starting 1st grade this year with the same program. We also have several friends with learning disabilities who use the program and are progressing pretty well because they can go slowly, but completely. (The only issue that one child has is that she has some visual processing issues and the materials do not come in large type, and type actually gets smaller as the grades go up. But she is working around that.) My kids seem challenged by the program, and we can do as much or little of the activities as we want as long as they can answer the questions for the assessments at the end of each lesson. (That was how we ended up doing music, I taught just the objectives, then we tested. This year we had the option of switching to a language so we will be doing Spanish instead.)
Some people feel overwhelmed by the program, especially with multiple kids, but there is leeway in what you have to do. If a child understands the math with a simple explanation, don't do all the exercises that they recommend. Likewise with grammar or spelling.
I like the classical/core approach - very good reading material, complete and not totally Eurocentric History, science with an experiment almost every lesson. Art and music have classical works that they look/listen and compare. I feel that the curriculum is much better than what my public school offered, (my daughter came home at the end of the 1st grade year with a science notebook that had not been written in, too much emphasis on state testing, too little on science and the world around, no art or music, etc.)
We get ours through a charter school, so we get it free. It means that my son gets his speech therapy and OT, but we also have to do state testing and show weekly progress. (There are ways around that too!) My daughter really loves it, and my very active son is excited to start in the fall, and more excited that he will be learning some things that his sister did not have because she didn't start at the beginning! If you are considering this, find someone else who is in the program and look at their materials, and online lessons. (Lots of the lower grades material is not online.) I really like this program, but if I get in the situation I have to pay for it, I think I am going to look for other curriculum because this one is so expensive because of all the online things that make planning and use easy to do.
did use K12 for Laura Beth for her K year. It's a great program based on those core concepts by Hirsch (?). It was for the most part engaging and it definitely based it's phonics reading approach on a multisensory system which is great for even those kids with dsylexia and it was all free. The downside it that it definitely had structure and guidelines to follow so it felt like school. Of course, that could be because my child does have learning problems so all work feels like work to us.
from treddlesewingmachine:
used it last year for my 2nd grade daughter who was reading much higher. She was able to do third grade language arts (so that she wasn't skipping too much material.) She also was able to "assess" (take the lesson assessments) for a bunch of the math so that she was able to skip over the beginning of the year review that was totally boring for her because she played math computer games all summer. She loves the science and history, and art was fun too. Music was the only subject that we didn't care for because it was very slow. My son will be starting 1st grade this year with the same program. We also have several friends with learning disabilities who use the program and are progressing pretty well because they can go slowly, but completely. (The only issue that one child has is that she has some visual processing issues and the materials do not come in large type, and type actually gets smaller as the grades go up. But she is working around that.) My kids seem challenged by the program, and we can do as much or little of the activities as we want as long as they can answer the questions for the assessments at the end of each lesson. (That was how we ended up doing music, I taught just the objectives, then we tested. This year we had the option of switching to a language so we will be doing Spanish instead.)
Some people feel overwhelmed by the program, especially with multiple kids, but there is leeway in what you have to do. If a child understands the math with a simple explanation, don't do all the exercises that they recommend. Likewise with grammar or spelling.
I like the classical/core approach - very good reading material, complete and not totally Eurocentric History, science with an experiment almost every lesson. Art and music have classical works that they look/listen and compare. I feel that the curriculum is much better than what my public school offered, (my daughter came home at the end of the 1st grade year with a science notebook that had not been written in, too much emphasis on state testing, too little on science and the world around, no art or music, etc.)
We get ours through a charter school, so we get it free. It means that my son gets his speech therapy and OT, but we also have to do state testing and show weekly progress. (There are ways around that too!) My daughter really loves it, and my very active son is excited to start in the fall, and more excited that he will be learning some things that his sister did not have because she didn't start at the beginning! If you are considering this, find someone else who is in the program and look at their materials, and online lessons. (Lots of the lower grades material is not online.) I really like this program, but if I get in the situation I have to pay for it, I think I am going to look for other curriculum because this one is so expensive because of all the online things that make planning and use easy to do.
Sonlight
from thesummerhouse:
Have you looked at Sonlight? They use a lot of literature-you get to read to your kids. When my boys were young, they would color or draw while I read to them. I have 2 boys so I know they love to move. I would also suggest reading For the Children's Sake. She talks about doing 15 minutes per subject in the younger years.
My sons are now 14 and 16. I would just have to say...enjoy them now. It's all worth it and I would do it all again.
A friend told me about it when I started homeschooling 5 years ago. They scedule out the reading and lessons on either a 4 or 5 day plan. I use the 4 day and leave Fridays open for fun classes, field trips and dr. appts.
With Sonlight you won't have to spend much time planning. Take a look at their catalog-all real books. And it will be fun for you too.
Then add in maybe Horizon Math, Handwriting and some science and you are all set.
from cl-susanmercy:
We use Sonlight, and it's great--my kids do something active while I read to them--ride their scooters or bikes, swing, draw, build with Legos, make jewelry, play with clay, etc. I can't imagine making either one of them sitting for long periods of time. They can, of course, if necessary--but I save that for things away from home, like church, honors choir, etc.
from mommy24angels:
We bought the P3/4 Newcomer package and love it!!! We have a 2 and 3 yo so I thought we'd get lots of use out of them. I asked all the grandparents to chip in and bought it as a bday present when Colton turned 3 in April. I'd totally recommend it. Even my 10 and 13 yo listen in on some of the stories :-) Have fun!!!
from leach0976:
We have used pieces of P 3/4 this summer as a warm up for this fall when we will be using P 4/5. My kids love the collection books and we have read them over and over this summer! I didn't use an IG, we just did our own thing. I let the kids choose the stories, and some days we read 5 or 6 books other days we read only a couple of pages. My DD 3 (4 next month) loves all the stories we are reading, and our 5 and 6 yr old DS love them too. Even our 12 and 10 yr old love listening in for story time!
Have you looked at Sonlight? They use a lot of literature-you get to read to your kids. When my boys were young, they would color or draw while I read to them. I have 2 boys so I know they love to move. I would also suggest reading For the Children's Sake. She talks about doing 15 minutes per subject in the younger years.
My sons are now 14 and 16. I would just have to say...enjoy them now. It's all worth it and I would do it all again.
A friend told me about it when I started homeschooling 5 years ago. They scedule out the reading and lessons on either a 4 or 5 day plan. I use the 4 day and leave Fridays open for fun classes, field trips and dr. appts.
With Sonlight you won't have to spend much time planning. Take a look at their catalog-all real books. And it will be fun for you too.
Then add in maybe Horizon Math, Handwriting and some science and you are all set.
from cl-susanmercy:
We use Sonlight, and it's great--my kids do something active while I read to them--ride their scooters or bikes, swing, draw, build with Legos, make jewelry, play with clay, etc. I can't imagine making either one of them sitting for long periods of time. They can, of course, if necessary--but I save that for things away from home, like church, honors choir, etc.
from mommy24angels:
We bought the P3/4 Newcomer package and love it!!! We have a 2 and 3 yo so I thought we'd get lots of use out of them. I asked all the grandparents to chip in and bought it as a bday present when Colton turned 3 in April. I'd totally recommend it. Even my 10 and 13 yo listen in on some of the stories :-) Have fun!!!
from leach0976:
We have used pieces of P 3/4 this summer as a warm up for this fall when we will be using P 4/5. My kids love the collection books and we have read them over and over this summer! I didn't use an IG, we just did our own thing. I let the kids choose the stories, and some days we read 5 or 6 books other days we read only a couple of pages. My DD 3 (4 next month) loves all the stories we are reading, and our 5 and 6 yr old DS love them too. Even our 12 and 10 yr old love listening in for story time!
Abeka
from jazzymomintx:
I am worried that you are setting yourself up for failure with the Abeka DVD program. If your child does not like sitting for long periods of time, the Abeka DVD program is not going to be a good fit, especially not at the level where you have to move at Abeka's pace. If you do choose the DVD program, for your own sanity, go with the one where you can move at your own pace.
It sounds like you may feel intimidated by the thought of teaching your children and keeping them on track, but it is really so simple. Programs like Abeka come with lesson plans that tell you exactly what to do/say. I am not at all telling you not to use the DVD program. I just want you to know that you are capable of teaching on your own. That being said, go with the DVD program if that's what you really want to use. It really could work out well for you. But if it doesn't work out, don't consider yourself a failure at homeschooling, just realize it may be the teaching method that isn't a good fit.
I do not have anything against Abeka - it is actually the program we use and love. But I do think moms can set themselves up for failure with this program. It contains MANY schoolish activities that are just unnecessary and will take a long time to complete. We probably do 1/4 of the work the lesson plans call for and it has been MORE than enough to teach my son everything he needs to know.
Make sure you understand the concept of busy work. Abeka lesson plans contain plenty of activities that are just that - stuff that is just meant to keep your child busy and does not add anything to the learning experience. Learn to identify this stuff and skip it - especially if you have a wiggly little boy. Don't feel like you have to do all of your lessons at the kitchen table. You can read to him while he plays with playdoh, digs in the sandbox, plays with matchbox cars, etc.
I am worried that you are setting yourself up for failure with the Abeka DVD program. If your child does not like sitting for long periods of time, the Abeka DVD program is not going to be a good fit, especially not at the level where you have to move at Abeka's pace. If you do choose the DVD program, for your own sanity, go with the one where you can move at your own pace.
It sounds like you may feel intimidated by the thought of teaching your children and keeping them on track, but it is really so simple. Programs like Abeka come with lesson plans that tell you exactly what to do/say. I am not at all telling you not to use the DVD program. I just want you to know that you are capable of teaching on your own. That being said, go with the DVD program if that's what you really want to use. It really could work out well for you. But if it doesn't work out, don't consider yourself a failure at homeschooling, just realize it may be the teaching method that isn't a good fit.
I do not have anything against Abeka - it is actually the program we use and love. But I do think moms can set themselves up for failure with this program. It contains MANY schoolish activities that are just unnecessary and will take a long time to complete. We probably do 1/4 of the work the lesson plans call for and it has been MORE than enough to teach my son everything he needs to know.
Make sure you understand the concept of busy work. Abeka lesson plans contain plenty of activities that are just that - stuff that is just meant to keep your child busy and does not add anything to the learning experience. Learn to identify this stuff and skip it - especially if you have a wiggly little boy. Don't feel like you have to do all of your lessons at the kitchen table. You can read to him while he plays with playdoh, digs in the sandbox, plays with matchbox cars, etc.
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