Newbie -- Just Pulled Kids. Feedback?

[Guest CinderCat]

Hi, I have 4 1/2 y.o. twins. For complicated reasons, I pulled my children from their public preschool program. They definitely won't be in a school program next year, and most likely I will homeschool them all the way through, though I may utilize public school for music classes, etc.

 

I would really appreciate some feedback on what we are doing. First, we read incessantly. We always have picked a word from the title to sound out. We focus now on dipthongs. (They know all the letters and their sounds very well at this point.)

 

Second, we do lots of physical/social activities. They take swim classes. They take a varied PE class for preschoolers, in which different games or sports are played and introduced each week. We go to Jump Zone and other bouncy house places. My daughter takes dance class. We also go to a homeschool gym, currently once a week but will increase to twice a week. They go to hippotherapy (horseback riding) twice a month. My children have delays and medical conditions that make lots of physical activity very beneficial. They also are very active, high-energy kids.

 

Third, we go to the Chicago-area museums. I joined the Science museum at a level that makes parking free, so we can go at will rather than have to weigh in the ghastly $16 parking cost. We go at least weekly. We also go the Nature museum and aquarium with some frequency. The science museum in particular has been a bonanza. They watched a cow's eyeball be dissected. Learned about states of matter and changes in matter by making slime, etc. They have lots of live science experiments.

 

Fourth, the kids do starfall, reading rabbit, and other phonics software/games. I'm not really pushing sounding out words because I did so earlier and they started losing interest in reading. They surprise me frequently by the words that they do know, but I'm not pushing independent reading at this point. I would appreciate thoughts on this. Can I really expect them to learn to read through what we do?

 

Fifth, we do math software and games. My daughter LOVES to do math, adn I'll sit with her and we'll work through workbooks. We also do lots of dot-to-dots and math car games. Okay, what is 0 + 300? We play board games, too.

 

Sixth, as far as writing, my son has zero interest. I primarily try to get him to do mazes, paint, playdough and other ways of developing his fine motor/writing skills. My daughter likes to do workbooks, writing letters, etc.

 

I'm not really planning on buying a curriculum at this point. I'm envisioning doing the same thing over the next year or so that we are doing now. We do read non-fiction books, too.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[thowell]

Just wanted to say Hi!:seeya: And welcome!!!!

[Mrs Mungo]

Welcome! Sounds like you're doing fine. I would worry about a formal curriculum *at least* until Kindergarten.

[Cammie]

Just a hi! :seeya:

[Liz CA]

Sounds like you are right on target. Agree that you won't need anything resembling a curriculum until Kindergarten or even First Grade.

 

And by then you will know where your children are academically and you can adjust the material. You may be able to jump into 2nd grade material anyway if they are reading well.

I would not worry about a timetable right now...and welcome to this board.

 

:001_smile:

[Perry]

Sounds like you are right on target. Agree that you won't need anything resembling a curriculum until Kindergarten or even First Grade.

 

And by then you will know where your children are academically and you can adjust the material. You may be able to jump into 2nd grade material anyway if they are reading well.

I would not worry about a timetable right now...and welcome to this board.

 

:001_smile:

:iagree: with the exception of math. If your kids like math, and you are considering Singapore, I'd start with that now.

[delaney]

I feel your pain and am underway pulling my kids. DS this year and DDs next year. Welcome! Try not to get too overwhelmed!! The women on here are amazingly informed and knowledgeable.

[tex-mex]

Welcome! Sounds like you're doing fine. I would worry about a formal curriculum *at least* until Kindergarten.

 

:iagree: Enjoy them while they are young! Sounds like you are doing just fine!

[Carmen_and_Company]

Welcome! You're doing great, and I would just concentrate on reading, reading, reading, mathematics, art, music, and movement.

 

There are a ton of pre-K programs out there, but I would look for a fun filled one, and concentrate on phonics. Amblesideonline.org has a wonderful read-aloud program for pre-K that all you need is a library card. http://www.amblesideonline.org/00.shtml

 

You can also use their year I program for kindergarten:http://www.amblesideonline.org/00.shtml

 

 

Again, welcome, and pop over to the k-8 curriculum board for answers to program questions.

[Guest CinderCat]

Thank you for being so welcoming and encouraging. I appreciate the suggestions about Singapore and amberside(?) (sorry I don't recall the exact name and cannot really see it.)

 

I do feel anxious. I'm excited at the thought of teaching them, but also nervous about the repercussions for them if I don't do it well.

 

I have read the posts here for awhile. You guys are awesome. I don't think I could have made the leap without reading your all's experience.

 

Thank you again for the nice welcome!

[....]

You're doing more than I am. :001_huh:

 

Are you looking ahead to plan for Kindergarten? A lot of people start planning the fall semester during the spring. If you buy stuff gradually, it will be easier money-wise. :D

 

I would start browsing Kindergarten curricula (I'm doing that right now for Kid #3).

[EmeraldGirl]

Seems like you are doing a lot already. Read, read, read, and play, play, play while they are this young. Formal schooling has its place and comes soon enough. Too much too soon and you might burn out. And during this time you can read these boards, attend a conference, find a support group, read some books on hs'g and enjoy your kids!

 

Blessings