Hope Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 OK, I have been doing a "little" afterschooling and want to try a couple of hours a day with both of my kids for the summer to see if I could actually homeschool. Help!!! I am organizationally challenged and like so many curriculums that I am having a hard time limiting things and laying out a day. I would love to see the schedule of those of you with kids of similar ages (going into K and 2nd grade this coming year). I will list some of the curriculums that I already have and put in parentheses what I am thinking about purchasing. Please let me know if you have any better curriculum suggestions, which ones I should leave in/take out and how I should schedule their day to make this work best. It might be also be nice to start out with a few things and add on as the summer progresses??? Thanks for your help!!! Both - SOTW 2nd grader - Apologia Botany, Explode the Code, A Reason for Handwriting(Singapore Math), (Lively Latin), Kindergartener - FLL, Saxon K, OPGTR, Explode the Code, (Handwriting?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shay Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Hope, It's so hard to try to lead someone else with what would be best! I don't particularly like workbook type things for afterschooling (unless your child likes them and is behind ........). I love both SOTW and Apologia elementary science. Those are great for afterschooling (in my experience) and don't at all mimic what they do at school (at least in ours). I like your idea of starting Singapore Math. I used to afterschool my dc with SM during the school year and it enabled them to transition seamlessly to a new curriculum that other kids had a hard time with. But, now my plans are to just use it during the summer and try to make sure that they understand the grade level they finished (for ds, it's 6.......dd 3, and ds 2). I also have a 5yo and he really needs to improve his handwriting. I'll probably start Handwriting without Tears with him, as he has really struggled in this area. I wish I could be of more help! By the way, I belong to a wonderful group of afterschoolers at afterschoolers.com ........check out the forum! ~Shay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto5 Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Are you committed to studying a range of subjects or looking to keep them engaged in learning? The reason I ask is that it may impact what curriculum you use and your daily schedule. Maybe start with a list of goals you have for them and then back into curriculum? I use unit studies here during the summer. I think up a couple of unit studies and propose them to the kids. I usually have no more than 2 units going at a time but all the kids participate on their own level. For example, we just ordered caterpillar eggs for a unit study on butterflies. All the kids will be learning about butterflies. One of my dd will learn about using the library and finding research materials - while looking up information on butterflies. My littles will be learning about letters and letter sounds - incorporated into the butterfly theme (B for butterfly, C for caterpillar). One child needs to get excited about science so she will be learning about observation as a scientific principle - by taking notes on our caterpillars progresion - and giving us a presentation on metamorphosis (I'm having her use our digital camera to take pictures and then use the pictures in her presentation). Sorry that got long winded. Its just an example of how we do it here. Good luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickelfritz Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Oops. I misread. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 Your dc are young and school doesn't have to be so stressful for any of you. I'm sure you are reading on the K -8 board as well. I'm not sure you can really "test" homeschooling. If you feel that is what you would like for your family you might want to consider taking the leap for next year. My children were in K and 2nd grade when we started to homeschool. I'm not a super organizer and I like to go on field trips, travel with my husband... For me the hardest part was was making that final decision . For a while I kept the option open to send them back "next year" . The way we look at school, curriculum, doing some school in the summer, and our commitment developed over the years. I continue to fret and worry, have to get more motivated and all that fun stuff but the older the children are the more we don't look back. Homeschooling is not for everyone but it's been a great blessing for us. I find that a couple of hours, in the summer, either first thing in the morning or when it's too hot outside in the afternoon is a good time for some school. When we have company or are out for a good part of the day I don't worry about what gets done. (I drank my coffee and read with my little one to get the day going.) We loved SOTW with the activity book, and kids like all kinds of science :) We also had reading time for years. Every afternoon for an hour the kids were on their beds looking at books, reading (or napping). This gave us all a break and I could rest or get something done.:lol: Enjoy your summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I started homeschooling my 2 ds(8) this past January. I really wouldn't recommend buying much curriculum right now. I'd start with one area of interest (something your kids are into or an area they need help in) and try to make it fun. My boys needed some time to 'decompress' from ps. They didn't want to look at a workbook for awhile. Then I needed to really focus on noticing their learning styles. We were all so stressed from the ps by the time we started homeschooling-the best advice someone gave me was to just have some fun with the kids. I don't know your families situation so feel free to ignore my advice if it doesn't apply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BabyBre Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I agree that you should just take the plunge or not. We've found that summer is far too laid back to be an accurate representation of whether you "can" homeschool. IMO, if you feel it is something that would be beneficial to your children and/or your family, do it. No it's not all sunshine and roses and you'll probably have to MAKE it work for you. You CAN do it, the question is will you? When I first began to consider homeschooling, it was terrifying to me and discouraging to read that it can take a couple years to really figure out what works for you and your family. But those years are SO full of learning on everyone's part, that they truely go very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndsWell Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Read out loud as much as you can Pick a group of animals to study, or a biome, and make a book Make a lapbook about something Unit study of any sort that your kids love Lots of outside time - pick something to look for, and go on an "X" hunt -Adriana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.