Newbie needs K help

[ByGrace3]

Hi everyone! this is my first post, as I just found this forum and already love it! I have 3 kids, 5, 3, and 6 months. We have been part time homeschooling the last few years, (dd went to VPK last year). I just wanted to run by what we are doing to get some input from some mamas that know what they are doing! :001_smile: We started Monday and have completed a week!

Kindergarten Daily plan:

Bible (Bible Reading, Scripture memory, Books memorization)

ABeka phonics

Saxon 1 math

Handwriting without Tears

Supplemental Reading (currently using Bob Books)

Literature (currently Little House on the Prairie)

Mondays:

History (Heroes for young Readers)

Wednesday:

Science (using Usborne books, science with water, science in the kitchen, etc)

Friday:

art

 

So many people have told me not to do too much, to keep it "simple." So, I tried. But honestly after a week, I wonder if it is too simple? We are done in about 1.5-2 hours. Except for our chapter book which we do before rest time. Also, I am planning on adding Spanish, but since I am bilingual (the kids are not anymore :() it will probably be more of a block of time scheduled for Spanish directed play)

 

I just feel like I am missing something. DD knows all of her letters/sounds and can read short vowel sound words (bob books) and so far the phonics and math are super easy, I assume it will get harder? I hesitate to oversupplement just yet, as I assume it will get more difficult as we go.

 

help is appreciated! Thanks!

[Dinsfamily]

2 hours for a K'er sounds about right. You can always add in more fun electives or supplement as needed/wanted. We ended up adding geography, extra science, and math supplements to our schedule because my ds requested them. Even with the extras, school never lasted more than 2.5 hours including breaks.

[momtoccm]

I think your plan looks great. 1.5-2 hours seems just right for kindergarten to me. Hope you have a fun year!

[ByGrace3]

2 hours for a K'er sounds about right. You can always add in more fun electives or supplement as needed/wanted. We ended up adding geography, extra science, and math supplements to our schedule because my ds requested them. Even with the extras, school never lasted more than 2.5 hours including breaks.

 

I guess we do have some other "extras" that could be important to mention. We have the 1 sport/1 fine arts at a time rule. This semester dd is starting piano. She is currently in gymnastics and swimming but will be trying ballet this month (all in attempt to help her pick her 1)

On Tuesday morning I go to a Bible study and she is in a homeschool class. On fridays we have "fun friday" field trips with our homeschool group. We also try to do library and children museum trips often.

We are busy, I just want to be sure we are covering the important stuff.

Thanks!

[Dinsfamily]

I guess we do have some other "extras" that could be important to mention. We have the 1 sport/1 fine arts at a time rule. This semester dd is starting piano. She is currently in gymnastics and swimming but will be trying ballet this month (all in attempt to help her pick her 1)

On Tuesday morning I go to a Bible study and she is in a homeschool class. On fridays we have "fun friday" field trips with our homeschool group. We also try to do library and children museum trips often.

We are busy, I just want to be sure we are covering the important stuff.

Thanks!

 

Those will probably be areas where you'll appreciate the condensed homeschool schedule for your K'er. We have similar sports, field trip, and Bible Study schedules. We're the same way with one sport at a time. Because school only takes a couple of hours, I don't ever feel like we're really rushed to get things done or overbusy.

 

I wasn't suggesting you needed to add anything else...you've got the basics covered.

[ByGrace3]

Those will probably be areas where you'll appreciate the condensed homeschool schedule for your K'er. We have similar sports, field trip, and Bible Study schedules. We're the same way with one sport at a time. Because school only takes a couple of hours, I don't ever feel like we're really rushed to get things done or overbusy.

 

I wasn't suggesting you needed to add anything else...you've got the basics covered.

 

I think I will be forever asking myself "is this enough?" :001_unsure: lol. do you ever get over that? :)

[Chris in VA]

I think I will be forever asking myself "is this enough?" :001_unsure: lol. do you ever get over that? :)

 

Yes, you do! Especially when you see time slipping away, and other people's exhausted children who are pushed all.the.time.

Be grateful--sounds like a perfect amt to me.

 

Also, remember there are other fun, non-curriculum based things you can do, like listening to fun/educational tapes (Lyrical Life Science, Song School Latin) in the car, doing a postcard exchange and putting them on a map, cooking from different countries, writing pen pals, etc.

[myfatherslily]

I agree with the others - it sounds great for Kindergarten!

[ByGrace3]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the confirmation! :) We really are enjoying homeschooling. I can definitely see changing up some things in the future, but for now, I think we made some good choices to help ease us into the routine.

[MissKNG]

We ended up adding geography, extra science, and math supplements to our schedule because my ds requested them. .

 

 

Haha! We added these same topics as well due to demand!:tongue_smilie:

[MissKNG]

I think I will be forever asking myself "is this enough?" :001_unsure: lol. do you ever get over that? :)

 

For K, the 3R's are really "enough". I think your plan sounds perfect and with home schooling, it's sooo easy to adjust, add or remove stuff!

[Mallory]

I agree with everyone too, you are doing enough!

 

While I am not really fluent, I just try to schedule a time of our already planned day to speak in spanish. This month it is getting up and breakfast. Next month might be chores or free time or going to bed.

 

I also try to add a phrase or two every month that I only say in spanish. Usually those things I find my self repeating over and over anyway. Cepillarse tus dientes, Pones tus platos en el lavaplatos, Cierre las puertas.

[ByGrace3]

I agree with everyone too, you are doing enough!

 

While I am not really fluent, I just try to schedule a time of our already planned day to speak in spanish. This month it is getting up and breakfast. Next month might be chores or free time or going to bed.

 

I also try to add a phrase or two every month that I only say in spanish. Usually those things I find my self repeating over and over anyway. Cepillarse tus dientes, Pones tus platos en el lavaplatos, Cierre las puertas.

 

the phrase thing is a great idea, I will definitely implement that! and yes, a specific time of day is exactly what I was thinking . . .

thanks!

[Tracy]

That looks just about right. About the same as we did for K last year. I wanted to get dd out of the house a lot. We went to the library 2x per week for classes. We went to gym class at the park district. We had play dates with friends. We were going somewhere almost every day. And you can't do that if you have more formal work to do. (And I guarantee that public schools are not doing more, even though they are going to all day K!)

[Tracy]

Oh, by the way, if you do want to add something really easy, add memorization. We read a poem or scripture (or occasionally sang a song) just one time per day. Dd memorized at least a dozen items that way over the course of her K year. She still knows a lot of them.

[NanceXToo]

I am starting K with my son in a couple of weeks (we use Oak Meadow which is really more of a hands-on "preschool" curriculum- I like that about it, I want Kindergarten to be artsy and gentle, and not overly academic!), and I expect it to take no more than 1 to 1 1/2 hours per day. I definitely don't think you have to worry that you aren't doing enough!

[bbrandonsmom]

I'm doing a mix between k & 1, though think we'll be more 1g by mid year. My boys are 5 and 3. We're just starting, but I'd guess we are around 2hrs day for study work. So far I'm breaking it up though. We've been doing reading in the afternoon, when the little guy naps. It's easier that way. I have cd's they listen to, like the "We might be Giant's" cd's-123's, Abc's, and Science, and they love those. So they are getting memorization from those and they do prompt questions from my 5yr old, so I know he's actually thinking about what he's listening too. I just started to try out books on tape too. The boys love them, especially in the car.

With them being so young, I'm making sure we get the basics, but making sure I keep in mind, that they are young. They need to play and have fun.

 

I was reading that to effectively learn a language, you need to immerse yourself in it. So for the op, I think taking 1-2 days a week and speaking only in Spanish should accomplish more than lessons? This would make the kids think in Spanish as well as speak it. Make sense? If they used to be bi-lingual, perhaps it will come back quickly to them?

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I am starting K with my son in a couple of weeks (we use Oak Meadow which is really more of a hands-on "preschool" curriculum- I like that about it, I want Kindergarten to be artsy and gentle, and not overly academic!), and I expect it to take no more than 1 to 1 1/2 hours per day. I definitely don't think you have to worry that you aren't doing enough!

 

:iagree::D

[ByGrace3]

Yes, you do! Especially when you see time slipping away, and other people's exhausted children who are pushed all.the.time.

Be grateful--sounds like a perfect amt to me.

 

Also, remember there are other fun, non-curriculum based things you can do, like listening to fun/educational tapes (Lyrical Life Science, Song School Latin) in the car, doing a postcard exchange and putting them on a map, cooking from different countries, writing pen pals, etc.

 

I had been thinking about adding Lyrical Life Science as dd loves music and I think would enjoy that. However, I read that it was geared for older kids. Would it be way over a 5 yo's head?