What is most important for a Ker to learn

[NavyWifeandMommy]

I did purchase a curriclum for my Ker but I am second guessing my choice. While I do want to use the program I am also moving shortly after we start our new year. I am planning on focusing on just phonics and math. His writing is actually better than my older daughters was at that age. I figure he could just tag along with his oldest. Then again if he is gonna tag along with her, I might at well do all of his with him.

Maybe I am getting nervous because even though he is 5 and I don't have to report him, I still have to formally teach him like his older sister. It's part of the okaying for me to educate them at home with hubby.

[Karen in CO]

For K, reading and mathematical thinking are the important things. Add in some experiential learning, fables, and thats all. In K, I focus on learning to read. Most learning is still through building, playing, doing, art, singing and stories.

[JudoMom]

In K Phonics are the top priority. After that comes Math and then penmanship.

 

Everything else is gravy and they tag along with the older boys.

[JenneinCA]

Phonics (reading if they can), Writing (as many letters as they can), Math (counting and very basic addition/subtraction).

 

And have as many books read to them as possible.

[ElizabethB]

Phonics.

 

Math is also good.

 

For K, we did mainly the Bible, phonics, and math. We did a little bit of science, history, and art, but I made sure we did at least a bit of reading from the Bible and phonics each day.

 

Find a good phonics program like OPG or PP that doesn't teach too many sight words. At that age, it's best to write out the lesson on a white board instead of teaching it from the book, and do short 5 to 10 minute lessons.

 

Here's some tips for teaching a young student: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/newstudents.html

 

Why sight words are bad: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/sightwords.html

 

And a fun phonics game:

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/concentrationgam.html

[FO4UR]

10 min phonics

10 min handwriting

10 min math

 

 

As much reading aloud and playing outside as humanly possible.....

[AudreyTN]

In K Phonics are the top priority. After that comes Math and then penmanship.

 

Everything else is gravy and they tag along with the older boys.

 

:iagree:

[laylamcb]

10 min phonics

10 min handwriting

10 min math

 

 

As much reading aloud and playing outside as humanly possible.....

 

:iagree:

[ElizabethB]

:iagree:

 

I forgot penmanship. We did a bit at the beginning of the year in K, then slacked off. It took a while of fighting (the only thing she really fights me with, she had her own ideas about how she should make her letters and hold her pencil) this year until we worked it out, and she's still not where she should be, although she's getting better. She started writing very young and I didn't correct her penman ship at that point, she was not quite 4.

 

I may hand her over to my Dad for a while this summer when we visit, he taught me to write and is an excellent handwriting instructor.

[ElizabethB]

:iagree:

 

I forgot penmanship. We did a bit at the beginning of the year in K, then slacked off. It took a while of fighting (the only thing she really fights me with, she had her own ideas about how she should make her letters and hold her pencil) this year until we worked it out, and she's still not where she should be, although she's getting better. She started writing very young and I didn't correct her penmanship at that point, she was not quite 4.

 

I may hand her over to my Dad for a while this summer when we visit, he taught me to write and is an excellent handwriting instructor.

[Suzannah]

I think the others have it. Phonics, math and handwriting are the most important academic subjects. But those lessons should be fairly short. The rest of the day should be devoted to play and read-alouds.

 

I really like Five in a Row for pre-K and K. And last year DD tagged along with her older brother for History and Science. As far as I was concerned it wasn't REQUIRED. But she has always wanted to be in on whatever we were doing so I would copy the coloring sheets from SOTW AG and add them to her "history notebook." She'd also draw pictures of flowers and things while we were studying botany. But the main requirements for her each day were something with numbers, something with letters, something with fine motor skills (coloring, writing, etc.) and reading aloud.

 

There are free themed worksheets for math and other subjects at http://www.learningpage.com which we've really enjoyed over the years. DD actually started Saxon 1 though in K because I was looking over the placement test to see what would be covered and saw that she knew most of it already.