So I've been homeschooling since Noah released a pair of manipulatives. I feel like I'm back at the proverbial Square One with more questions than answers. I haven't been to a curriculum fair in six years, haven't visited a homeschool store in five, and will have only one child, not three, to come up with plans for.
I have done Tapestry of Grace for the past four years. Love it. But has anyone used it with just one kid--a kindergartener? I taught rhetoric level (high school) and only assisted with lower grammar (non-readers) in a co-op one year.
Joel loves hands-on stuff, is great at computer games, loves music, and has started to read.
Can anyone suggest things for me? I need curriculum that will give me basic plans. I don't need a scripted lesson manual and am not picky whether it's Christian, per se. I am not an Usborne fan because of the busy, jumbled mess of pictures all over the page and the evolutionary junk in it, but if there are a few worth Usborne titles you've enjoyed, I'll consider it. I don't care for cartoons, but other than that, I am flexible and willing to look at a lot of options.
So, what d'ya say?
8 comments:
Well I'm far from being a expereinced homeschool mom... but I've been using Sing, Spell, Read & Write with my kindergartener and she loves it! It came highly recommended from homeschool moms out here in AZ. It does give a scripted lesson but I usually pick and choose each day what we'll do.
Best of luck to ya :-) Oh and I hope you are feeling better!
I say, I'll sleep on it and let you know in the morning. I'm starting my third kindergartener in five years in a few weeks. Maybe I'll come out of my fifth grade planning fog to offer a suggestion manana. :)
Have you checked out Winter Promise (www.winterpromise.com)? It is a literature based program similar to sonlight, but with crafts - a lot of hands on stuff. It's expensive though. I drool over this catalogue, but because I'm homeschooling a group, we are doing stuff that is multi-level so I can't just buy what suits her.
Have you lent out your TOG part 1 yet? If not, could I take a look at it before we leave? I'm doing a classical-type thingy this year and would love a sneak peak at her book lists.
I thought Joel was going to Chesapeake?
Tara, I have seen SSRW. Looks like fun for kids, just not sure I would stick with it.
Laurie, I gave my year 1 back to DAna McKee (it was hers on loan to me) and she returned year 4 to me. You're welcome to look at it again. I will use it loosely this year for a good reading list, mostly, and to start geography which I love!! I have never heard of Winter Promise but love the sound of it. CAn't wait to check it out. But if it's pricey, well...maybe not. Tuition for 3 older kids is due today!
Jessica, I'm sure you're a wealth of help. CAn't wait to hear from you.
Beth, maybe next year Joel will go to Chesapeake but this year will be at home. I doubt he'll spend a career at home b/c he is too darn social and I am pert near worn out, but I'm up to the Lord's leading again.
I use ACE curriculum, last year was the first time and I did 1st grade; this year I'm doing Kindergarten and 2nd grade. It's a bit pricey for kindergarten, but I like that it's all self contained and my guys like the 'workbook' format. Plus, with my last one we learned reading so effortlessly using it that I'm completely sold on it.
Kindergarten with my oldest was by the far the most fun. I had a 2 year old and a baby and we just enjoyed learning. I am by far, not an expert. You've taught more kindergarteners than I have! It's just fresher in my memory.
We did Saxon K math which is super easy and very hands-on. Sometimes we did 2 or 3 lessons a day because he liked it so much.
For reading, what I've found really helpful is to learn the 70 phonograms (we got them from the Spell to Write and Read program) and then put it into practice by learning to spell and write a few words a week and by reading a page a day in Phonics Pathways.
For the rest of language, we read a ton of stories together and do handwriting practice.
With my oldest our reading was whatever we wanted. He was a great listener of chapter books by that time. But, we did lots of chapter books.
Now that we are in Tapestry with the older ones, our K reading will be mostly year 1 LG resources and crafts.
Science is very easy. We're doing Biology for all this year. The K and 2nd sat with our Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Natural World the other day and picked out the twenty animals/critters they want to study. They are so cute because they are SO excited about it. We will get picture books and early reader science and videos on those animals, go on appropriate field trips, and do narration pages.
Like I said, you probably know more about all this than me. Happy Kindergarten!
Thanks, J. It helps just to have titles out there to springboard from. Yes, I've taught more kinnnies, but as you said, it's fresher in YOUR memory. I am definitely more relaxed and more flexible than I was "back in the day". What I love is gloss and glitz presentation of basic, must-have foundations. Joel has never liked "kiddie" music, probably b/c he lives w/ teenagers. But if I can incorporate art into whatever he learns, we'll be in good shape. If there's one thing I've learned from having olders, it's that God does give them a bent and it sticks for life. Ben at 19 is just as concrete, clear-cut, image-conscious, sports-minded, focused,
hardworking, etc as he was in kindergarten. Sarah still loves to nurture babies, work in the kitchen, organize events, read a lot, and wants to teach in some capacity. My STephen is the same Stephen who has a quick wit, bright mind, gentle spirit, and gift for technical things like computers. So I imagine Joel will be on an engineering track all his life, designing things far greater than Lego buildings, and it's my job and privilege to tailor his education to his bents. That is the ooolest thing about homeschooling other than just really getting to spend so much time studying your kids!
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