mymommy1
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Posts posted by mymommy1
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My son is much like yours, but he is 6. I was set on SL because I love to read, and he will listen and comprehends. But, it just wasn't enough to engage him. We still read lots and many of the SL RAs for his age, but we have choosen KONOS. Here are some things that might be helpful for you to consider.
I am not a unit study person. Most of those I saw online were lapbooks and paper activities around a theme. KONOS is not that. You could make a lapbook for the activity, but it is ACTIVITIES. As a comparison, my son loves robots, so I got the Download N' Go Robot unit study for him. He did enjoy the videos and tolerated the lapbook, but keep asking when we were going to do the robot activity, ie, make, be, create a robot.
From the bird unit we did, here are some sample activities: read books about or stories with birds, make bird feeders, observe birds in yard and look up in guide, draw birds, fly like birds to discover why breast are meatiest part, disect a chicken, go to zoo and discuss bird beaks and legs, determine what type of beak bird needs to eat different foods, etc.
Before we considered KONOS, we looked at MFW, HoD, SoTW w/activity books, etc. As you consider any, consider if the activities are ones your son will like. Mine really wants to do and create things, not paper stuff. Also, since he is 6, we wanted to be able to skip around and pick things that interested him or us. KONOS let's us do that. Also, I love the character trait emphasis. So when he needed help in being responsible, we did some of those units. It really helped.
I will say that MFW looked awesome, but we are waiting for Adventures in 2/3 grade if we go that route. I love the hands-on and the CM side of it.
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Thanks all! We will try some different things and see how it goes.
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When did you start trying to get them reading? I'm thinking I'll take the summer off for sure. See what happens in the fall when he would be starting 1st grade. I noted the reading start from RB/LB World and talked to my husband about it. I'm wondering if it is worth the effort to work so hard now if he will most likely not read well for another year or two anyway.
Is Earobics or LiPS something I could do with him now instead of phonics/reading lessons? We just want him doing and learning something. We have started Miquon Math, which is the first time he said he liked math, and KONOS for the activities. If he has too much down time, his impulsiveness and bad behaviors seem to come out. Of course, we read lots and could read more.
Also, looking into eye testing.
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My 6 year old son has been slowly working on learning to read. He knew his letter sounds early and learned the names. We didn't start reading lessons he was 5. We worked for maybe 5-10 minutes as his attention span is very short, and he is quit easily distracted. Since January, we made it through 3 letter words and the first set of BOB books. From the beginning, I could tell he was memorizing words. He also skipped or had great difficulty learning to recognize short words - to, the, is, in, on. He is pretty secure in short vowels, but has to sound out almost every word and really fusses.
My husband and I have been trying to discern if the fussing is truly because it is hard or because he doesn't want to. We are working on his helping and working even when he doesn't want to, but I think this goes deeper. Although I have only diagnosed it through reading and looking at my husband, he has inherited my husband's ADD and my trouble learning to read. I didn't get phonics. I read "Right-Brained Child in a Left-Brained World" about ADD, visual learners. That is my son, and the author describes something to learn to read much like Charlotte Mason did - basically, memorizing words then building phonics from that. So, I tried CM style lessons yesterday using the poem "Little Kitty".
Here is what happened: He learned like and kitty and sort of little. When asked to sort several of those words into piles, he put like and little in the same pile. When I helped him sort those, he put some of the like's in the kitty pile (I think because they have a k.) and some in the little pile (because of the l). I gently asked him to compare the words again. At times he corrected it; at others, not.
What do I do? I want him to enjoy reading, and right now, he hates it. He loves to be read to and listens to audio books extensively. Do I take a break? Seek help? Keep going? We are okay with him not learning to read right now if it really is too soon. Is there something else I can do with him first?
Thanks!
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Your son sounds a lot like my 6 year old. You explain things to him, but it doesn't get in. Over and over and over. Are there other 6 year olds who still through dirt? He is hard to play with when he gets excited. I, too, thought about Aspergers, but doesn't have the other symptoms. I'll be anxious to see what you find out. The more I read about ADD, the more I see that many of these social issues are ADD.
The tags, the gag reflex, and touching - I am reading "Right Brained Child In a Left Brained World", which is great. He talks about in there that kids with ADD/ADHD have a high sensory level. That is, they hear all kinds of things, see things, feel things, that most of us just don't pay attention to. We are focused on something. They focus on everything. So stuff bothers them. For my son, food has to feel right, clothes are uncomfortable, the hum of the freezer is distracting music.
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For those that have done it, do you remember the age level? My son will be 6 and loves science. I was thinking of trying this. I know I'd have to leave lots out and do it again later. Just wondered if he would get anything out of it since it is marked for 3rd grade. He will listen to longer reading if it interests him and there are pictures.
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I wish someone could answer this. I am considering the two myself. Which levels are you thinking of?
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On the nature series, I haven't seen it, but there are opportunities for nature study in 106 Days. Since it covers creation, there are many times that you observe stars, bugs, animals, water, etc. Maybe you could use it with the Nature Handbook. Or just have them observe something once a week, draw a picture or sketch in a notebook. Then look up more info in guides as desired. I think that would be a great and fun way to start. Then the kids can get into it. Or try Harmony Art Moms idea of studying the tree for a year. Draw it each month and make notes. Something simple.
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I just got 106 Days to use with my son used on here with the experiment book and How Science Works. It looks good. Combines Bible and science some. On the SCM forum, some moms said they used Netflix to get videos about the topics, not necessarily the ones listed. We have a good library system, so I was going to get another book on the topic if not the one listed.
The only thing is some of the family parts are quite simple, which is good for families with many ages. My son is only 6 but loves science. I will try many of the experiments with him when I can. The experiment book looks great, usable for many topics. It's nice to have a different one to go with our Usborne Experiment books.
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I forgot about All Through the Ages. I'll check into those ideas.
For K we did a very scaled down version of the Guest Hollow plans. Those are a true treasure for free! I think we might do those again when my younger son is a little older.
FIAR users - I've looked at it. My son would not read the book everyday. Do you think I could just do the activities? I need to check it again. It seems kind of like unit studies to me, and I just can't wrap my head around those. My son learns a lot by listening to the book. If so inspired, he usually makes up his own activities. Hmmm.
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Do you think Beyond would be too much for a first grader? He can listen to stories, but not do all the writing and assignments.
Thanks for the other suggestions as well. I hadn't thought of those.
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I am brainstorming and searching and discussing with hubby about first grade history/geography. He doesn't want to start with ancients, so I am looking for not SOTW, etc. I'm looking for something differnt - maybe American, maybe not.
I like the idea of WP Hideaways in History. It's kind of like architecture through history. I've considered BF Early American Primary. I've also seen a history of science and one for transportation for older kids. Is there something like that for younger? What about American history/patriotics through holidays?
We lean toward CM, living history, but am looking for something with some activities. I don't mind taking an activity book and adding library books, etc. We did SL K this year and found we quickly but the TG aside and just read at his speed.
Any ideas? TIA.
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Thanks for all the ideas. He is not left-handed; although, he sometimes tries to use his left-hand to write. I'll keep all these in mind and see how he progresses the next few months.
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Sorry, when I posted that link, I didn't realize it had a sales pitch at the bottom.
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I know you have come to a place to start or restart thinking about this, and I'm so glad I read that. That is what I need to do with my child tonight!
I wanted to speak up because like your daughter, my son doesn't fit one of the lists: he is a little ADHD, a litte Asperger, a little sensory, etc. There are two books I've read though that describe him. When I read your daughter's description, I thought first of "Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. Then of the book by Lucy Jo Palladino, "Edison Trait" or "Dreamers, Discoverer, Dynamo". Here is a link to an article http://www.quickstudylabs.com/EdisonProject/Information/the_edison_trait.htm
Just a thought.
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Not sure if this is the right place for this post, but here it goes. My son is almost 6. We have had problems with his behavior, attention, and focus that lead us to Feingold program. We have seen success with this. Since starting that, his reading has improved. He is on book 10 of the first set of Bob books. He does some things that I'm not sure are due to age, being very right brained (as is my husband), or ADHD tendencies. (I like to think of him more as a dreamer.)
1. letter reversal b/d/p/q, m/w, 6/9
2. skipping small words or adding them in (He is reading with the help of the pictures. He has a great appetite for stories and likes to add to the short sentences in his Bob books.)
3. writing from the bottom up or backward
4. not remembering more than one direction or instruction
5. not responding to people who are talking to him (If you give him several minutes, he will either answer or act on what you said, so I know he hears. It's like he answers in his head.)
I see that these things can indicate problems at later ages. How do I know when it is a problem? Is there something I can do now to help him?
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Thanks for the replies. That's very helpful. I forgot about review questions, but I think I"d use the narrations more. The activities do sound like ones he might go for, Kristen.
Satori, I love your lego projects on your blog. That is exactly what my son would like to do. Thanks!
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I am thinking of using SOTW 1 for my six year old first grader next year. He loves to listen to stories and look at books like the Usborne encyclopedias. He learns lots this way.
I wonder if the AG will be useful for us. He doesn't color. We do globe activities and might use some maps. I would love the extended reading ideas, but also want to incorporate the SL readers and RAs, etc. In the WTM, there are many books listed. Would this be enough or is the AG very different?
He will do some activities, not really crafts. I can't say we have had luck doing activities in the past; he is usually not interested or it's just me doing the activity and him watching. He would be more likely to build things from legos. He likes science experiments. I can't really see him dressing up or things like that. Anyone else have a boy like this or an idea of what type of activities are in there for him?
Right now we are doing SL K and that fits us well. We want to move to a 4-year history rotation next year.
Thanks!
I'm afraid DS is going to hate math :(
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
I don't know your son, but I know mine. I also have been reading lots on teaching math to young kids, since I"ve only taught older kids.
Many kids, including mine, have trouble moving from the concrete stage to the abstract stage. So if you ask him 1 + = 10, that is very abstract for most young 6 year olds. Mine wouldn't know what to do. However, if I asked him to make a tower of 5 blocks. Then how many more would it take to make 8, or whatever, he's great. This is the concrete/oral level they need to be at until they are developmentally ready to move forward.
I also originally picked RS because I heard how strong it is and thought it would be good for a wiggly young boy. I sold it when my son began to hate math. We moved to Miquon. He loved it once he got the hang of it. (If you do decide to go with it, here is a great idea I saw somewhere. Take out every page that you think your son could possibly do. Put them in a binder. Let him pick what he wants to try.) We mostly do activities that I get from Mathematics Their Way, but have Miquon here.
I wouldn't rush into another program. Stop the RS. Play with whatever manipulatives you have. Make pictures with blocks. Do mazes or puzzles. Give yourself a week or two to decompress and regroup!