Hybrid K/1st learning?

[Mommy22alyns]

I'm new to HS with my Becca, who just turned 5. She's at a first grade reading and math level, with very good handwriting (probably a first grade level as well).

 

Right now, I'm planning to follow WTM with Saxon Math 1, probably not starting until July or August. Right now we're working up to it, loosely doing worksheets, writing, reading, and informal math. I'm also doing a mostly fun, short unit study on ocean life with both girls, working up to an aquarium visit in a few weeks.

 

I want to challenge Rebecca, but I don't want to overwhelm her to where she doesn't enjoy learning. So has anyone done kind of a hybrid K/1st grade? Regular K activities are too easy for her and she'd just glaze over - she's already bored in her part-time preschool even though she has a ton of fun there. But I don't want to overwhelm a new 5 year old with a super-focused first grade load. Or will she be up to it?

 

Does anyone have advice or suggestions for me? I'd appreciate anything, any insight. This is all completely new to me, and as Becca is my first child, I really don't have a concept of what a kindergartener or first grader does. Help please! :)

[chiguirre]

I started Calvert K with dd at the end of January and she blew through the math. After finishing up the Calvert math, we started Horizons K last week. She went through the first 20 lessons in a weekend because they were easy for her, but now we're working on counting by 10s, addition and place value. Horizons moves very quickly and the K level actually gets through what most programs do in first grade so its a good choice for a quick learner. It doesn't require much writing so it's great for 5 yos.

 

We're going much slower through the rest of the Calvert lessons (reading, science and art) but we should be finished by September or October. I plan to keep going with LLATL Blue and Pathway readers next year. Dd turned 5 in March so next year is her K year and she'll be in K level extracurriculars, but for school she'll just do what she can do without stress.

[LisaKinVA]

My dd is just finishing up K right now. The only K item we had for her was penmanship. Everything else is a 1st grade curriculum. Most of the K programs involve worksheets and lots of coloring -- haven't seen any that are particularly challenging.

 

We've been using Abeka (if that matters).

 

The 1st grade math starts out pretty simple, repeats anything challenging from the K book, and about 1/2 way through started to become more of a challenge for my dd. But it's certainly not a stretch for her to still do two lessons of math a day, if she wants to.

 

You might have better luck keeping her challenged (but not too stressed) by doin the 1st grade level, but taking it slower. There will still be parts your dd whizzes through -- but enough new and a bit more challenging material to keep her interested.

 

First grade phonics also pretty much repeat K, but add-on.

 

This has worked better for our K years than "K" stuff (which we always finished way too quickly and then had to go out and buy the 1st grade stuff anyway).

[Quad Shot Academy]

We still did K, but did not using a boxed curriculum. He did 1st grade math, continued practicing reading skills by getting books from the library and continuing with his phonics program, which was not divided by grade level. He also started Greek and Spanish. I used the year to expose him to a wide variety of subjects since when doing TWTM, you focus on one area each year. We read "Earth and Space" and "The Complete Book of Nature" and the Linnea books. We did lots of books from the library on all sorts of subjects, American History, our state, unit studies on oceans, quilting, bread making, basically anything that caught his interest. Also lots of science experiments, keeping of little critters and growing of plants. I tried to give him a well rounded exposure to as much as I could and make him understand that learning is fun. The only thing that bombed was cultural studies. He just didn't get it. He thought it would be fun to live in a mud hut and play in a garbage dump all day!! HTH!

[Mrs Mungo]

I keep my kids in their grade level according to their age. However, some of their work is above their "grade level" because I try to make certain they are challenged in their work. They are at "grade level" in some work and maybe a bit below "grade level" in other things. The grade level is there as a guideline. When I test them, I test them at grade level because then they are compared with kids their own age, development and maturity level. It's not a contest. So, I'd say every grade we have done has been a hybrid of grade levels but I don't see any need to call it that.

[K&Rs Mom]

We started slowly, and added a new subject every few weeks, so we've been at a full "first grade" WTM program since about January with my 5yo. Late last summer she started the first book of Miquon math and the first CHC speller. Somewhere around there she became truly fluent in reading, so I stopped the phonics things I had been doing. Last fall, when all her age-peers were starting kindergarten, we started a kindergarten religion program, and added WTM-style biology and Galloping the Globe. We finished GTG by Christmas (didn't do the full program, just an overview), and started SOTW1 in January, and added in Prima Latina a few weeks later.

 

I expect SOTW1 to be a 12-month program, not really a "schoolyear" but she'll still be ahead of her age-grade, finishing halfway through what "should" be first grade. When I have to declare a grade to sign her up for outside programs, I mostly use her age-grade, but as far as academic work I just continue the programs we're using as she is ready to move up. This would probably be different if we lived in a state where we had to report a grade-level or keep track of our teaching days by subject. What we've done wouldn't work if we didn't do year-round schooling, either.

 

HTH!

[Donna]

starting one or two subjects then adding others as she becomes more focused. I follow the WTM loosely (use their curriculum suggestions) but do it with what I call an unschooling flair. We do school and the subjects she is interested in. I keep everything out where she can easily reach it with lots of options like computer games (Music Ace and Rosetta Stone), manipulatives, art supplies, books, etc... I am also readily available to answer questions and read to her whenever she wants.

 

My dd 5yo did what we call her 1st grade year this past year. Her school included Saxon math (she went through Saxon 1, 2,and half of 3 since August, lessons in Spelling Power, Rosetta Stone for Spanish, and lots of reading. We did not formally do history or science though she learned a lot by being involved with her brother's school when she was interested and reading nonfiction. I plan to start SOTW with her in August (didn't want to start too young because didn't want her learning so much about war so young). She also takes violin and fiddle lessons for which she practices about 2 hours a day, give or take, depending on her interest.

[Storm Bay]

I'd work with her at whatever level she is able to work comfortably. Unless she's asking for more, I'd stick with no more than an hour a day at 5 of written/book work and let your reading, discussion, etc do the rest. I thought Saxon 1 more of a kindergarten level, and I think it's a good place to start if you like Saxon (and many do!) However, I did Saxon 1 with a child who did better with Singapore Math, which we've done 2-5 with her. Her older sister did three years of Saxon, however, but starting with 54 when we pulled her out of public school.

 

As for grade levels, mine don't always do all their work in the same grade level. I have one who is always a grade behind everything else in spelling, and I agree with the poster about maturity level being a factor. When I was brand new to homeschooling I put my dd's a grade ahead of their age peers with the school board and am sorry now I did it because I'm not sure if they'll be ready to go to college at 17 or not. I'm not concerned about their academics, but their being ready to leave home at 17.

[Mommy22alyns]

When I have to declare a grade to sign her up for outside programs, I mostly use her age-grade, but as far as academic work I just continue the programs we're using as she is ready to move up. This would probably be different if we lived in a state where we had to report a grade-level or keep track of our teaching days by subject. What we've done wouldn't work if we didn't do year-round schooling, either.

 

HTH!

 

 

We're going with an umbrella school/satellite school, so I do have to declare a grade for her. I planned to just say K and work with her at her own level regardless. Will this even out by high school? I'm also planning on a year-round approach - I think she'll forget everything if we have 3 months off all at once!

[K&Rs Mom]

There's no way to tell now whether it will even out by highschool, but if you have to declare a grade now I'd definitely list her as K. Kids learn in spurts, so how *far* ahead she is may vary year to year. You can always "skip" a grade later if she's just way too far ahead, but holding her back would be harder.

[Nan in Mass]

My children are 13 and 17 now (just so you know where I'm coming from).

 

I'd list her officially as a kindergartener. This will give you more time in high school to do some fun things like travel, plenty of time to take both your core college prep requirements plus whatever else she feels passionate about, let you stick with younger classes if she isn't emotionally ready for something like studying the holocaust, and if you feel she isn't emotionally old enough to go off to live in a dorm at college, will let you tactfully keep her at home until she is 18 without you having to point blank tell her she has to stay home even though she has graduated from school. It will also let her be with her age-mates for things like sports, where it is a good idea to have the child mixed with other children who are the same physical size. You can always skip her ahead later on, if you change your mind, but it might be emotionally tough on her to tell her you have changed your mind and are holding her back. It is hard to tell in kindergarten what will happen 10 years later.

 

One of the most useful things to learn in kindergarten, in my opinion, is how to "do" school. This involves concentrating at something that is hard work or possibly boring for awhile. I'd pick school hours and stick to them. I don't think it matters so much what you accomplish in those hours, as long as you do a bit of work with math and reading and writing, but I think getting into the habit of doing school all at once (more or less) will keep you from having to place chase with your students, trying to get them to sit down and do a bit of math now instead of playing with their legos, later on. This is something lots of homeschoolers struggle with and it becomes more and more of a problem as the child gets older and is expected to be learning harder material.

 

I'd do lots of nature study, lots of art and music, possibly a little foreign language (if you can find a fun, immersion-style way to do it), some math and reading, a little writing, and read tons of library books together.

 

HTH

-Nan