Starting over - what would you do differently?

[tonya in sc]

Child #5, ds 6yo, starts first grade next year. I am excited that we are starting, from the beginning, with all the methods and materials I wish I had when dds 1 & 2 were little.

My olders do ToG, and that is staying in place. I don't have a lot of desire to do that curriculum with a 6yo boy, though. I will be using SOTW 1 and activities, FLL, and WWE. ETC and MUS will stay, and we love doing some FIAR stuff, just for fun.

If you had/got to start over, ideal world, what would you do differently? Anything? Pay more/less attention to what? What have you seen, curriculum-wise, that you wish had been there when your kids were in 1st grade?

 

Thanks,

tonya

[2_girls_mommy]

I wish I had bought my own copy of The Well Trained Mind right away :) I read it before 1st grade from the library and did my best to continue with what was already working for us, and to implement the ideas in it. But I had to keep rechecking it all year, and I would get things just a little off..

For instance, I had already ordered Rod & Staff reading & phonics and decided to stick with it, since dd had begun it in K.

 

So this year for 1st grade, I stayed with it to finish it as we liked it, and it is working. Now as I ordered stuff for next year (2nd) I would have liked to have gone w/ WTM's rec of Spelling Workout. But I decided to stay with R&S phonics since we have used it for a year, and it is working.

 

I am starting K next year w/my next child. But I will still stick to R&S since I have it. So it will be 3rd grade around here before we are using the references exactly as laid out. (and we are going to use the rec of R&S english instead of FLL.)

 

Of course if it wasn't working I would switch, so I guess it doesn't matter :) And I recently got my own copy of WTM new edition, so this next year is going to be so much easier for me when I have a question!!!

[AudreyTN]

I would stick with one program and not jump curriculum so much... especially in math.

[angela in ohio]

I would have spent more time on handwriting and copywork early.

 

I would have done more math fact drill.

 

I would have simplified and used a lot less curriculum, instead focusing on memory work and basic skills.

[Marie in Oh]

yep. . . really. I am starting fresh with a K'er and a 1st grader this year and I am really looking forward to making school fun with them. I will do crafts, I will do projects. I will, I will, I will. I think I squelched the love of learning in my older two, so we will work on them this year too. I just wish we wouldn't have be so regimented with the older ones when they were little.

[Staci in MO]

I would have had my dc do more memorizing.

 

I would have done more copywork, dictation, and narration.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

I intend to:

1) be more picky about handwriting. Do more copywork and progress to dictation. We will be using WWE to make this happen.

2) not be eager to move forward in math until math facts are more solid as appropriate for grade level.

3) go on more field trips.

4) have fewer regularly scheduled activities to allow more time for friends and fellowship.

5) read aloud first rather than last in the schedule so it always happens.

6) eliminate videos as a possible schooltime distraction for my little ones.

7) do more hands-on activities.

 

Blessings,

Leanna

Mom of 7

[tonya in sc]

Thank you all so much! I think I am on the right track, but you have given me a lot of ideas and thoughts to ponder. Good stuff!

 

Thanks again,

tonya

[Renee in NC]

Definately more memory work, less curriculum, more basic skills.

 

I would (will) set higher expectations for behavior and attitudes. I let my now 11yo carry on way too much and taught him that the way to act when things got hard was to cry because then mama would back off and not make him do stuff.:glare:

 

I would (will) be more consistent and have good routines.