@ Chandler Mom Thanks. That was helpful (as was everyone's feedback.) The experience you had with your 2 children sounds very similar to my 2 boys. So I've now changed my expectations and some plans for the fall. Going to wait on handwriting and Explode the Code (My 1st son had also completed ETC Book 1 and 2 in grade K so that was my "plan"). But there is no way 2nd son is ready for ETC Book 1. And he doesn't need Get Set for the Code because he is reading at a 1st grade level. Just had to adjust my thinking and try some other things. I like the tracing paper idea. Going to dry erase and chalkboard too that I already own to see if that catches his interest. CP

Got it! Poet = Hilaire Belloc, 1870-1953. Great boy poems. Some found in poetry collection books. "Cautionary Verses" is a collection of all Belloc! :) Enjoy! CP

Trying to determine if my 5 1/2 year old son is left-handed. He begins K this year and his fine motor skills seem less developed than his older brother who was writing letters by 5 y/o. My older son was plodding along through Handwriting Without Tears in K after just turning 5 in September. While handwriting was not his favorite subject, he WAS able to write letters and numbers. My younger son (now 5 1/2) however is JUST beginning to write "O" and "1" and cannot write his name yet. I have also NOT spent much time teaching him to write his name because he has not shown interest and my philosophy is to not push. I also had it in the back of my mind that I would take a more 'serious" approach when K starts in the fall. Lately however, I notice him picking up the pencil with his left hand (when he HAD been using his right hand to write/color). Inconsistently. And sometimes he throws or kicks with his left hand. But it is all inconsistent. Recently I began putting the pencil in his right hand if he put it in his left hand, but I do not want to force something if I am wrong. Any way to tell hand dominance other than "time"?

Pick poems that are silly, gross, aggressive, and/or disgusting. I have 2 boys (5 and 8 y/o) who LOVE poetry because I dropped the gentle "girl" poems about swings and nature and found stuff that caught their attention (sorry girls...) They LOVE to memorize these "boy" poems! There are great classic poems like this that that are not "twaddle". Have fun with it! I learned to even though I am a girly girl! : ) I cannot think of our favorite poet right now, but I will look him up and get back to you. CP

Thanks! : )

Trying to determine if my 5 1/2 year old son is left-handed. He begins K this year and his fine motor skills seem less developed than his older brother who was writing letters by 5 y/o. My older son was plodding along through Handwriting Without Tears in K after just turning 5 in September. While handwriting was not his favorite subject, he WAS able to write letters and numbers. My younger son (now 5 1/2) however is JUST beginning to write "O" and "1" and cannot write his name yet. I have also NOT spent much time teaching him to write his name because he has not shown interest and my philosophy is to not push. I also had it in the back of my mind that I would take a more 'serious" approach when K starts in the fall. Lately however, I notice him picking up the pencil with his left hand (when he HAD been using his right hand to write/color). Inconsistently. And sometimes he throws or kicks with his left hand. But it is all inconsistent. Recently I began putting the pencil in his right hand if he put it in his left hand, but I do not want to force something if I am wrong. Any way to tell hand dominance other than "time"?

I forgot to add that (since your children are at the same level) perhaps the memory work be done in a group setting (all 3 at once), rotating who responds. My 2 boys (K and 3rd) learn well this way and compete with each other. If one needs a little extra review, he can get it at the end of our "Morning Board" time while his brother begins his written work. May not work for ya', but thought I'd throw it out there. : )

We use a cardboard trifold (from Walmart) and begin our day with the "Morning Board". I stapled plastic sheet protectors to the board. Some are vertical, some are horizontal. I then type our memory work on the computer and print it out and put it in the sheet protectors. Or sometimes I copy the memory work from a book (within copyright laws meaning I bought the book) in 8 1/2 x 11 size so it fits in the sheet protectors. When we are done, I can fold up the Memory Work Board and slip it behind a shelf or couch until its next use! We typically do memory work 3-4 days a week. Hope that helps!

I plan to teach writing using IEW. Any suggestions on when to begin? This fall, I will have a 3rd grade boy (who turns 8 in September), so he is a "young" 3rd grader. He loves to read and tell stories. He is also quite creative and imaginative, but he is not much interested in writing stories down. And he still resists written work. He does Copywork and Spelling, but that is the extent of his written LA. We also do FLL (First Language Lessons), but I feel my LA plans are "weak". I am excited to begin IEW, but do not want to begin too soon if he is not ready. Suggestions?