Homeschooling is a Go!!! Need Help, Please

[PenKase]

On Monday, the day before ps is set to begin, dh agreed to homeschooling our dd6, albeit with the one condition to reevaluate the decision every six months or so. I'm overjoyed and terrified at the same time!!! Although dh is hesitant to release his views on traditional schooling, he does realize there must be another way to meet dd's educational needs. That he has worked in education for the last 15 years and that he wholeheartedly believes in the merits of compulsory schooling has fueled many a heated debate over homeschooling. The subject has been a hot button issue in our home for a very long time. However, I think he has come to a place where he can objectively acknowledge an educational system that is severely compromised and broken. In my heart of hearts, I feel we have been called to live a non-traditional path. My staying at home with our dds and the desire to create and continuing to foster a caring, strong, and healthy learning environment at home seems like the natural order of things. I realize that whatever this "pull" is, it is intended to serve a greater purpose, kwim?

 

With that being said, I need to solidify my plans for the upcoming school year. Dd was accelerated from K to 1st in ps last school year. I plan to do second grade with her at home, taking into account her age (will turn 7 in December) and physical limitations whenever needed.

 

Here's what we've done in our after/summerschooling:

 

Math: MM 1B (with 2 more chapters to go before beginning 2A)...thinking of adding Activities for the AL Abacus 1-2x p/week

 

Writing: WWE 1

 

Spelling/Phonics: ETC (finishing up 3 1/2 this week and beginning 4 the next)....doing it more for spelling than phonics

 

Reading: Independent reading (she is an accelerated reader and is slowly easing into reading for pleasure); Mom read aloud-dd read aloud (current book Charlie & the Chocolate Factory...been doing a Roald Dahl succesion of books)

 

History: STOW 1 & AG & lots of additional books

 

Spanish: slow immersion (I am fluent but children are not)

 

I don't have anything yet for science (would love some secular recommendations) and and am planning to ease into art/music. Am I missing.

 

Hive, I have gleaned so much from all of you. Your wise words have given me immeasurable strength and conviction. I now reach out to you for advice/comments as I embark on this journey.

 

Thank you in advance.

[Hedgehog]

From what you've put, it looks good. I'm not seeing Grammar, or Handwriting - but I'm not familiar with all of your curricula, so maybe that's incorporated in something else?

 

Good luck! Your dh will see how great HSing can be! :001_smile:

[Mosaicmind]

Did she cover ALL of phonics? I know some people believe that once a child is reading than they drop it, so I am just asking. ETC is good for practice, but doesn't teach phonics. I would add handwriting unless you are doing that as you do other subjects.

[In2why]

You can incorporate 1st grade grammar into WWE if you would like instead of buying more curriculum and adding another lesson. It will also give her handwriting practice as long as she already knows how to form her letters. If not then you might consider a handwriting program.

 

I am a huge fan of memory work but you don't need a program for that if you decide to do it there are many free memeorization systems online.

 

As for Science I love R.E.A.L. Science and I am secular. We are using Earth, Rock, and Space for 2nd grade but I hear raves about their life program for 1st grade. We started HSing 1st and for science I didn't use a program but instead we watched Planet Earth, grew a garden, and did nature walks and used Google to look up anything we found interesting. But my son drags home spiders, turtles, and right now we are watching an imperial silkwork pupate. We also had ant farms and whatnot.

 

I also agree with direct phonics instruction. I see that you are using ETC, and that might work for you but I found that we needed something more. My one and only true rave is All about Spelling. I bought it as a spelling program but it is a phonics program as well and might be a good fit for your daughter since you would have a hard time getting her to back up into reading for phonics instruction. Even though we are in 2nd grade I started with AAS1 so there wouldn't be any gaps and I am VERY impressed. We will begin book 2 next month and I figure we will slow down a bit.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

My one and only true rave is All about Spelling.

 

:iagree:

[Sasharowan]

.

 

As for Science I love R.E.A.L. Science and I am secular. We are using Earth, Rock, and Space for 2nd grade but I hear raves about their life program for 1st grade.

 

I second this program. We have used the Life and Chemistry. If your child is not writing well, then you can have them answer verbally and write the answers for them. www.pandiapress.com is the website.

[bbrandonsmom]

Hi, we're in about the same boat (minus my dh working for the system). My dh decided some time in the spring to agree to "trial" home school. I keep waiting for him to change his mind.

I second what a pp said about phonics-I'd go over the rules and make sure she knows them.

[TN Mama]

Congratulations!

 

Take a look at Elemental Science. It is secular and a great program. You can search the boards to learn more about it.

[PenKase]

Thanks to all who posted so far!

 

You've all brought up some good points. Please tell me what you think about what we've done/will plan to do:

 

Phonics: DD has completed HeadSprout and Phonics Pathways. I am using ETC as reinforcement. Should we still be doing more phonics?

 

Grammar: I thought to hold off on formal grammar until beginning MCT LA (which I already have and love, love, love) in 3rd or 4th grade. Do you recommend starting grammar sooner? On hand I have Grammar-Land, an assortment of Ruth Heller and Brian Cleary titles, and FlashKids Language Arts books for grades 1-3 (can be orally or on the white board....my dd loves the white board!).

 

Spelling: Dd is a natural speller, but I've been taking the words from the ETC lessons and giving her a weekly oral quiz. I also toyed with the idea of using spellingcity.com along with ETC. I've read on these boards that if dc are natual spelers, hold off on spelling and focus on vocabulary. If we forge ahead with spelling, my plan was to finish ETC and move onto Megawords.

 

Handwriting: Dd has completed HWT K & 1st grade programs. As a result, she has beautiful penmanship. She writes her own narrations as copywork in both STOW and WWE. In addition we have a weekly letter writing day.

 

I will look into R.E.A.L Science. I also keep hearing great things about Elemental Science as well. Off to research!!

 

Again...any suggestions/comments are most welcome!

 

TIA

[2_girls_mommy]

I had a natural speller, and did what you are doing for 2nd grade too. I started her in a 4th grade phonics based speller for 3rd grade, and she is doing fine.

 

I don't know about your phonics questions. I haven't used those programs, so I don't know how far they go into phonics.

 

For science, I was going to ask if you have read the WTM suggestions. We love doing science WTM way, and completed 2nd grade using the Usborne First Illustrated Encyclopedias of Our World and of Space and lots of library books for added reading and activities. We notebooked alongside, and had a great year.

[PenKase]

You know, I have read the WTM science recommendations and I never even gave them a second thought. With all the offerings available, my thinking was maybe I'd be missing something by doing science the WTM way. I will certainly look into it and it may be the least overwhelming option for us as we get started. Another one added to the research pile!

[TKDmom]

I just bought Elemental Science, and I am in love with it. You should ask me how I feel in 6 months. ;) I am finally excited about science. In the past, I've used REAL Science and Sonlight Science. Neither worked well for us. I can't put my finger on why, other than the fact that I never got excited about them.

 

I think WWE has enough grammar to give your dd some exposure to grammar terms before you get to MCT.

[Ravin]

I'd go with Elemental Science or R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey if I had it in the budget. Since I don't, we're doing astronomy this year with this website: http://www.kidsastronomy.com/academy/index.htm (it needed a little editing in a couple of places) and Van Cleave's Astronomy for Every Kid, which we picked up at a secondhand bookstore, plus the Starfinder DH bought for his college astronomy class last summer and some library books.

[PenKase]

Thanks y'all!! I think for science I'm heavily leaning towards Elemental Science. I've just been perusing over there and it seems like a nicely laid out program and just the thing to help this very non-sciency mama get the job done for her mathy/sciency dd.

 

Does anyone else have advice for the rest of the skill/content areas?

[....]

I'm always the one CLE-weirdo here...Have you considered CLE for LA? www.clp.org I wouldn't wait for 3rd grade for grammar, but MCT is a great program at that stage...:thumbup1: CLE also has a great LA, Reading and Math program. It's spiral, so there is constant review. It's also no-teacher-prep. The workbooks look really strange from the outside, but it's a good, solid program.

 

What math are you using? I'm a big fan of Singapore, CLE and Horizons. :tongue_smilie:

 

Good luck with your homeschool!

[PeterPan]

Welcome! I haven't read the other responses, but my first thought was not to make yourself feel so driven that you forget to have fun! :) And PLEASE don't feel compelled to *do* 2nd grade with her. Look at some of the other threads around here. Obviously cut-offs vary by state, but basically I would call her by age grade and teach her where she is. She's in 4th grade math, 3rd grade science, and K5 handwriting, all at age 6, all cool. You don't have to keep all the things at the same level, lol. What you do is look in WTM (or whatever guides you're using) and work forward in each category. You look at the writing skills for instance and you say hmmm, she can do this, so the next step is this. The grade level doesn't matter. All that matters is working forward in the progression. Make sense?

 

Stop and have a lot of fun. Read aloud a TON to her. Teach her at her level, but keep the amount of time you expect for formal stuff (grade plus 1) at her AGE grade. So she works the amount of time a 1st grader works, but she does any amount or level of work she wants to in that time.

 

My dd has always been very into art, so I gave her an art table with lots of supplies, inspirational books, and lots of time. I always put on lots of good books on tape. I made her a reading nest (think large dog bed) to read on. She took up a sport at that age. We read aloud a LOT, especially things like the Lang Fairy tales.

 

Just have fun with it. Their attentions increase in 2nd (developmentally, yes even with the gifted you'll notice this), and things really pick up. Let her enjoy her 1st grade age with lots of free time to do her thing. History was with piles and piles of books for us. Don't worry, he's going to be impressed. :)

 

Oh, the other thing you'll have to ponder is your philosophy on writing. WTM/SWB is definitely not of the "quantity is better" approach the ps's take. You'll have to find some balance there. I suggest to you that your little bits add up. A half page of dictation plus a half page of handwriting plus a half page of sentences for spelling plus a half page of history narration *is* two pages, just not all at once. ;)

[christine in al]

And I'd take a look at Elemental Science.

The reason I say i WOULD , is that I gave up and foudn a science tutor as Science was never happening here.

 

AAS is a phonics program. ANd it covers syllabication ( I hope I spelled that correctly)

( you may throw in Song School Latin for fun ... ( and as a selling point at your 6 month eval. your young'un ain't gonna be getting no LATIN in school) Song School works great in the car. ( don't bother withthe TM) ( Geography Songs are a hit here too, for the car... oh and the Story of the World CDs for the car.)

 

 

okay,, and... try not to do too much. ( yeah right)

~christine in al

[PenKase]

Thanks Hive!! I think I {{{heart}}}you!!! All the advice is just wonderful.

 

 

Have you considered CLE for LA?

Actually, no, but I'll look into it though.

 

 

What math are you using?

We've been using Math Mammoth. She loves it and I love it!! Been thinking about adding some Activities for the AL Abacus or SM CWP.

 

ETA: Just looked in CLE but immediately realized it would not work because I'm looking for secular materials. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

Stop and have a lot of fun. Read aloud a TON to her. Teach her at her level, but keep the amount of time you expect for formal stuff (grade plus 1) at her AGE grade. So she works the amount of time a 1st grader works, but she does any amount or level of work she wants to in that time.

 

Let her enjoy her 1st grade age with lots of free time to do her thing. History was with piles and piles of books for us.

What a relief to know that homeschooling at this age does not need to be stretched out! With all that needs to get planned, and all that needs to get organized, and that needs to just plain get done.....I must remember to HAVE FUN!! Absolutely. Thank you for the advice.

 

 

Don't worry, he's going to be impressed. :)

I think so too. He sees the dedication and the hours I've devoted to reading and researching homeschooling, which is part of the reason he finally agreed.

 

 

AAS is a phonics program. ANd it covers syllabication ( I hope I spelled that correctly)

( you may throw in Song School Latin for fun ... ( and as a selling point at your 6 month eval. your young'un ain't gonna be getting no LATIN in school) Song School works great in the car.

 

Good advice....good idea!!

 

 

I'll be taking notes, making plans, but above all, I must remember to HAVE FUN. Trust me, with all what has landed on my lap lately, I do forget that part. Really, dd is only 6 and schooling need not take all that long.

 

Thanks again for your input.

Edited September 10, 2010 by PenKase