My daughter is 5 and doing kindergarten work. We are doing k5 Math for Abeka along with social studies, art, and Science. Then HWOT for handwriting. For reading we went with All About Reading level 1 and I am so glad we did. I was able to look at the lesson plans for Abeka and it would have been way to boring for her. (She was starting to sound out words last year). I like that we are able to move at our own speed. We can fly through one lesson in one day or spend a whole week if we need to. We both LOVE it. I am already looking into next year and I know we will not be doing Abeka for anything except maybe Math. She loves it and does well ( I don't love it).

I was looking into Singapore math. I see for kindergarten there is Earlybird A and B. Then there is Essentials. What is the difference? I also looked (online) at the few pages they show you for Early bird A and B. A looked like it would be waaaaay to easy and stuff my daughter already does. The pictures I saw only had "match the rabbit with the other rabbit". I am not sure if that is just how it starts out or if I'd be better off just starting with B? Do you need the teachers guide for Early bird? If we weren't to go with Singapore I'd prob stick with my original plan of Abeka math. Thoughts?

Thanks everyone! We decided to go with AAR 1. I just felt like that was the way to go and we ditched abeka except for math. I like Singapore so if Abeka math doesn't work I will switch to that. We are also going to do A reason for Handwriting. Trying to keep it simple but boy is it hard!

Thanks for the suggestions! I will let my friend know on the Drawing with Children. Her little girl actually had demmanded tracing work. She couldn't keep up with her. She has tried moving onto copy work but she just isn't having it! And she is now bored with tracing bc she is now really good at it.

We are going to use Whistle Fritz this year. I also really liked the looks of Calico Spanish. The absolute best way for your kids (and yourself) to learn would be to implement a no English at home when your student arrives, except for if he needs help with homework or something or perhaps on Sunday.(Student will get plenty of English at school). Your younger one will probably pick up Spanish faster then your 6th grader! I knew no spanish whatsoever until we moved to Mexico when I was in 5th grade and I now speak it fluently. I truly believe Full Immersion is the absolute best way to learn! What an awesome experience you'll have!

I have 2 questions on writing curriculum one for myself and another for a friend. 1-My daughter will be Kindergarten this year. I finally decided on Abeka for everything except reading (We will be doing AAR 1) She can write almost all the upper and lower case letters correctly. I was going to still use the Abeka handwriting but now I am not sure if that's the way to go. She was in PS for preschool last year and they used HWOT and she did well with it. I have also looked at A Reason For Writing and really like the looks of that. Where would I start her? I am assuming Level k? Do you have any other suggestions for us? And if you have a suggestion which level/grade in that program do you suggest we begin at? 2-Also, a question for a friend. She has a 3 1/2 yr old little girl who is very very busy and LOVES all things art related. She has been tracing things for a long time and is very very good at it (I have never seen a child so young color in lines and with the detail as she does!) but, she has mastered that and is now bored with it. She doesn't like copy work. Any suggestions for curriculum for her and if so where to start? My friend will be homeschooling as well. She is going to be doing Sonlight preschool this year but with just books she feels she will be bored with just books very quickly. TIA!

oops I am sorry I am new and trying to figure things out. Please delete my post (I can't figure out how) I will re post on the other board, Thanks!

Hopefully this is the right place to post this question! My daughter will be Kindergarten this year. I finally decided on Abeka for everything except reading (We will be doing AAR 1) She has been reading sight words, cvc words, and can sound out some larger words and after looking at Abeka k5 I thought she'd be bored with it. She can write almost all the upper and lower case letters correctly. I was going to still use the Abeka handwriting but now I am not sure if that's the way to go. She was in PS for preschool last year and they used HWOT and she did well with it. I have also looked at A Reason For Spelling and really like the looks of that. Where would I start her? I am assuming Level k? Do you have any other suggestions for us? Also, a question for a friend. She has a 3 1/2 yr old little girl who is very very busy and LOVES all things art related. She has been tracing things for a long time and is very very good at it (I have never seen a child so young color in lines and with the detail as she does!) but, she has mastered that and is now bored with it. She doesn't like copy work. Any suggestions for curriculum for her and if so where to start? My friend will be homeschooling as well. She is going to be doing Sonlight preschool this year but with just books she feels she will be bored with just books very quickly. TIA!

When I was 10 my family moved to mexico. Before then I knew no spanish at all. We were put in school for 2 yrs so of course I learned to talk, read, and write. I am fluent in Spanish and we spoke it at home. I now have to children (5 and 1) and I have no clue how to teach them spanish! I know I should just speak it to them. I didn't speak only in spanish to them because I wanted them to learn English well for when the went to school . Now we've decided to home school and they need to learn! I have ordered the whistle Fritz program which I am excited about . I feel it will give me something to go off of. Any other recommendations? We watch Salsa on occasion. We also, play games like Zingo, loteria, and candy land (we count in spanish and say colors in spanish) It is just awkward for me. My daughter is very eager to learn so I want to do it while we can.

When we first started thinking about homeschooling I looked at so many programs. I really liked how AAS and AAR look. Then I thought about Sonlight. Now we joined the HSAP program and they really push Abeka. Which also looks ok. However I don't like that they use no math manipulatives. The I came across PAL program with IEW. Now I think that looks like a good program but alot of work. My daughter will be kindergarten. She knows all her letter, sounds, and can write them as well. She knows many sight words and can sound out many words. We've done BOB books as well as reading Dr. Seuss books (other ones similar) and she can read some of it. I don't know what to do here. She loves loves loves learning. Worksheets aren't that big a deal for her (I want her to have fun learning). She was in public school for preschool and did very well. The used Handwritting Without Tears. We will be doing CC this year as well. I would also like some help with math. Again we had planned to stick with Abeka but I am unsure of the lack of manipulitives. I looked at Math U See and I don't like that program at all. As I feel it may over use the manipulatives. I was debating between Saxon, Abeka, and Singapore. Thank You