What would your ideal kindergarten program look like?

[Michelle My Bell]

Just for fun... What would you use for kindergarten right now?

 

 

 

• Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead?
  
• Would it be literature rich or textbookish?
  
• Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject?
  
• Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together?
  
• Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade?
  

 

 

List your curricula choices if you have any.

[NanceXToo]

Oak Meadow is my ideal Kindergarten curriculum :)

 

I'll be using it next fall with my son.

 

"Oak Meadow’s kindergarten curriculum reflects the openhearted and imaginative way that young children meet the world.

 

A rich tradition of oral language and classic stories provides the backdrop for your child’s first exploration into the world of literacy. Each week students are immersed in a language-rich environment as they listen to stories, recite poetry, and learn new songs. Familiarity with individual letters is achieved through activities that engage the student artistically, physically, and musically. Emphasis is placed on integrating the sounds and shapes of each letter in preparation for First Grade.

 

In Math, students are gently introduced to the world of numbers through play-based activities, crafts, and storytelling. Math skills are fostered through working with patterns, grouping and sorting, and learning to draw geometric shapes.

 

Science, Arts & Crafts, Music & Movement, and Health round out the Kindergarten experience. Each week students participate in nature walks, watercolor painting, puppetry, storytelling, circle songs and games, cooking, gardening, movement activities, and imitative games.

 

A healthy, nurturing rhythm of learning is established that will serve you and your child for years to come."

 

http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/kindergarten.php

 

 

 

(I love Oak Meadow in the later grades, too, I used it for my daughter for 4th grade last year, and we're using it for 5th this year).

[Dinsfamily]

Mine is almost exactly what we did for ds last year. I plan on repeating it for my middle ds next year. It was literature rich using SL and focusing on the 3Rs. I added things that my ds was most interested in. For him that was a lot of math, geography, and more science reading. My middle guy loves to read so we'll probably do more of that than my first ds did.

 

Here's our line-up:

 

SL P4/5 w/ readers 1 or 2

SWR

Horizons K w/Miquon Orange. (ds1 also made it through Horizons 1 and Singapore PM 1 but I'll play It by ear)

AP preschool art book

 

Maybe:

Evan-Moor Beginning Geography

SSL

FLL 1

[Mallory]

Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade?

 

 

 

Especially by the 4th or 5th kid, there isn't anyway my littles can avoid looking through microscopes, playing gladiators with thier brothers, sitting at the table and coloring or crafting or writing, listening to books, playing with math manipulatives, and on and on.

 

Sure my phonics programs and simple manipulatives and other K or preK things are out and sometimes my 4 does ask to do school so we sit and look at something or I write his name for him to copy or whatever, but I have no plans to do anything formal with him next year.

 

Of my first two one read at 4yo and the other not until 8yo. If the next are going to read early, then they really don't need my help and if they aren't then there isn't any reason to start until 6yo.

Edited January 14, 2011 by Mallory

[Sevilla]

[*]Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead?

It would challenge the child but not be highly academic - more focused on thinking patterns. (this assumes the child is already reading)

 

[*]Would it be literature rich or textbookish?

Literature-rich with no textbooks

 

[*]Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject?

Several subjects, but integrated together as much as possible (cores of literature/history, math, science along with physical activity and some art/music appreciation). I'd also have handwriting 1-2x per week but not more often and at a relaxed pace.

 

[*]Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together?

Piece it together for sure. I don't see any full curriculums that meet what I'd want or fit my child well in all areas, but I see curriculums in certain subjects that really do and I'd like to get. I'm most interested in math curriculums, less so in reading/literature/history at that age.

 

[*]Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade?

Would depend on the child - are they interested and ready to read? Do they need more time to mature?

Edited January 14, 2011 by Sevilla

[Susie in MS]

The ideal K for us is what we are using. :) It is listed in my siggy.

 

 

 

• Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead? Relaxed
  
• Would it be literature rich or textbookish? lit rich
  
• Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject? lots but lighly
  
• Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together? piece
  
• Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade? having too much fun to wait :D
  

 

[Crimson Wife]

 

• Hands-on with writing minimized
  
• cognitively challenging but in a developmentally appropriate way
  
• short lessons
  
• rich in "living books" with minimal or no use of textbooks & workbooks
  
• a full curriculum would need to be very flexible such that a child who is advanced in a particular subject could swap out that particular part for a higher level
  

 

Things I have used in K5:

Hooked on Phonics

All About Spelling

FLL 1/2

Right Start Math (B with my oldest, A with my 2nd)

MEP Reception & Yr. 1

Singapore Start-Up Science

SOTW Activity Guide

[Mommy22alyns]

Sylvia is having a lovely K year with Sonlight P 4/5. :001_smile:

[FO4UR]

Relaxed, but focused lessons in phonics/spelling/handwriting using Recipe for Reading as my main resource. Lots of magnet letters, fingerpaints, sidewalk chalk, play doh, and other messy things to "supplement."

 

Relaxed, but focused math lessons via Miquon, MEP, and games. The goal is that they love math by the end of Kindy and have confidence with number bonds through 10. Beyond that is fed, but not forced.

 

Read aloud as much as humanly possible, and employ audio-books after that. Fall in love with Winnie-the-Pooh, Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle Duck, Laura and Mary, and RL Stevenson's Moon and Swing...and many more.

 

Plenty of unstructured play, outside as much as possible.

 

Piano and singing.

 

That's fairly close to what I'm actually doing right now with dd5...we don't do enough "messy" stuff these days, but she's coming along very well. Our LA lesson this morning was an impromptu "Mommy how do you spell....?" We worked it out word by word with letter magnets and she copied what she wanted to write on handwriting paper and colored a pretty picture to go with. What she asked for was *much* more than I had planned for her...we'll pick up with my regularly scheduled lessons when she doesn't have such good ideas of her own...

 

 

In short, focus is on the 3R's...fairly "rigorous" but relaxed. Everything else is the best I can give (no twaddle, even for the youngest), but not scheduled or forced...unless we are talking about HER coercing ME into "one more chapter.":001_smile:

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

 

 

 

• Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead?

• Would it be literature rich or textbookish?

• Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject?

• Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together?

• Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade?

 

 

List your curricula choices if you have any.

 

Relaxed

Lots of reading

A lot of subjects

I would piece it together if I had to, but I don't.

Mostly they are playing and reading but they insist on learning to read and write so we do some of that too.

 

My choice is Living Books Curriculum Foundation Year :D with some OPG or PP and MEP thrown in as needed to satisfy their cravings.

[3MonkeysMama]

My ideal K would be the exact opposite of what I did with my son! I was so uptight about being a new homeschooler that I went overboard and pushed to hard to fast. I found my footing but not without he and I both shedding a lot of tears. So for his lil' sis that is going to start K next year, we will be a lot more relaxed.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

DS will be in Kindergarten next year. Here's what I have planned:

 

A Little Garden Flower K

MEP 1/Miquon

HWT K

All About Reading

maybe start All About Spelling

 

That's it, other than tagging along with big sis.

[kristinannie]

I am going to do a Charlotte Mason (with a little Classical) approach to kindergarten. It is going to be child-led (we can spend more time on the things he enjoys the most) and a lot of it is going to be a lot of fun. My son is very academically oriented and has a long attention span. I will rethink things when my daughter starts kindergarten because she is a lot different. We might move a lot of this to first grade for her.

 

Catholic Heritage Curricula: Religion, Phonics (Little Stories for Little Folks), Handwriting

 

Math: MM

 

Science: Apologia Astronomy (this is a must because DS is really into this right now)---Would the notebook even be worth buying for kindergarten or will it all be over his head?

 

Literature: Assorted, based on Charlotte Mason

 

History: Early American with Beautiful Feet (over 2 years)

 

Art: Fine Art Primer Collection from Veritas Press and various books (like Draw Write Now and Literature Pockets)

 

Music: Singing hymns and Patriotic songs

 

Spanish: Either Sube or Sonrisas

 

Nature Study (Usually during our nightly evening walks during warmer weather or on more extended hikes on the weekends)

 

I know that sounds like a lot, but we are only going to do math, phonics, religion and handwriting every day (which should take about an hour). The other subjects will be once or twice a week or even less.

[MelissaMinNC]

Science: Apologia Astronomy (this is a must because DS is really into this right now)---Would the notebook even be worth buying for kindergarten or will it all be over his head?

 

I don't think I would bother with buying the notebook for that age. I would download the free pages from Jeanne Fulbright's website and print off the ones for younger students that don't require a lot of writing. You could pick and choose which ones you (he) wanted to do, and he could do more coloring/drawing than writing.

 

:)

Melissa

[kristinannie]

I don't think I would bother with buying the notebook for that age. I would download the free pages from Jeanne Fulbright's website and print off the ones for younger students that don't require a lot of writing. You could pick and choose which ones you (he) wanted to do, and he could do more coloring/drawing than writing.

 

:)

Melissa

 

 

Thanks! I was kind of thinking it would be above grade level for him. Do you have the web address?

[Medieval Mom]

Michelle My Bell;2337882]Just for fun... What would you use for kindergarten right now?

 

 

 

Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead?

 

In between. We'd structure Reading' date=' Writing and Arithmetic, all else is relaxed.

 

Would it be literature rich or textbookish?

 

Literature rich: folktales, fairy tales, picture books, etc.

 

Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject?

 

The 3 R's. Everything else would be handled by the powers of observation and experience: nature walks' date=' field trips, playing, playing, playing, exploring, reading, asking "why" a thousand times and giving full answers :)

 

Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together?

 

Piece together: 1)A good phonics program (Webster's Speller and/or Phonics Pathways and/or Alpha-Phonics and/or OPGR), McGuffey's Primer and McGuffey's 1st Eclectic Reader, leveled readers from the library. 2) Homemade worksheets for teaching cursive handwriting. 3)Either a gentle K math program, or "wing it" with Family Math, abacus work, math living books. Learn to write numbers correctly. That's it!

 

Would you just wait' date=' play games and read and start in 1st grade? [/quote']

 

Nope, I like to teach AT LEAST reading and writing in K, so we're ready to go in 1st. But K would be gentle and short enough to have PLENTY of time for playing games, exploring, being outside, and reading picture books.

 

 

List your curricula choices if you have any.

 

See above. :)

 

Also, good field guides, plenty of art paper, crayons, playdough, watercolors, some few favorite picture book collections, handwriting paper, math manipulatives, esp. snap blocks and an abacus and a clock. Jars for collecting nature specimens. :)

 

But ask me again in 4-5 years! :D

Edited January 14, 2011 by Medieval Mom

[Robin's Song]

I am going to do a Charlotte Mason (with a little Classical) approach to kindergarten. It is going to be child-led (we can spend more time on the things he enjoys the most) and a lot of it is going to be a lot of fun. My son is very academically oriented and has a long attention span. I will rethink things when my daughter starts kindergarten because she is a lot different. We might move a lot of this to first grade for her.

 

Catholic Heritage Curricula: Religion, Phonics (Little Stories for Little Folks), Handwriting

 

Math: MM

 

Science: Apologia Astronomy (this is a must because DS is really into this right now)---Would the notebook even be worth buying for kindergarten or will it all be over his head?

 

Literature: Assorted, based on Charlotte Mason

 

History: Early American with Beautiful Feet (over 2 years)

 

Art: Fine Art Primer Collection from Veritas Press and various books (like Draw Write Now and Literature Pockets)

 

Music: Singing hymns and Patriotic songs

 

Spanish: Either Sube or Sonrisas

 

Nature Study (Usually during our nightly evening walks during warmer weather or on more extended hikes on the weekends)

 

I know that sounds like a lot, but we are only going to do math, phonics, religion and handwriting every day (which should take about an hour). The other subjects will be once or twice a week or even less.

 

She is coming out with Junior Journals for younger kids! Here is a sample of the anatomy junior journal. Astronomy is expected to be out by next school year. HTH!

[ScoutTN]

Our K year so far has been lovely! Wouldn't change a thing.

 

relaxed

lit rich

core

piece

 

We have an excellent library, a great city for field trips and hands-on learning in the arts, history and science, a nice group with whom to go on those field trips, a backyard and nearby parks. We have a co-op class on Missions at church once a week with 15 other kids K-4th.

 

We are using:

Right Start A and Family Math

Phonics Pathways and lots of real books

HWT K and 1

 

Extras - things we'd do even if we weren't homeschooling

Bible and First Catechism

Ballet

Choir

Magazines - God's World News and Click

[MissKNG]

We are in K now:

 

• Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead?
  

I try to make it as relaxed as possible but I have a "full steam ahead" sort of kid.

• Would it be literature rich or textbookish?
  

Both - we do A LOT of reading aloud but also use textbooks like Singapore and Horizons Math. We also have a lot of projects and crafts going on.

• Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject?
  

We have a lot of subjects. I think the Bible and the 3R's are the most important and my big girl also has a passion for science so we do that as well. I recently added some American History.

• Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together?
  

I piece together because my big girl's skills are all over the place.

• Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade?
  

No since we are already plugging along.

 

 

ETA: I forgot to list curriculum choices-

 

-Singapore and/or Horizons Math

-Sonlight Science K

Edited January 14, 2011 by MissKNG

[Just Robyn]

Just for fun... What would you use for kindergarten right now?

 

 

• Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead?
  
• Would it be literature rich or textbookish?
  
• Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject?
  
• Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together?
  
• Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade?
  

List your curricula choices if you have any.

 

relaxed

literature rich with workbooks for phonics and math

reading and math are musts, everything else is extra

piece it together

again - reading and math are musts - read alouds in other areas

 

Things I like

 

Oak Meadow

Sonlight P4/5 books

Saxon K

McRuffy Color Math K

[SilverMoonlight]

Oak Meadow is my ideal Kindergarten curriculum :)

 

 

:iagree:

[Mom0012]

My ideal kindergarten lineup would be:

 

MFW K (just the science/bible portion of this program)

SL K (everything but the LA)

A Reason for Handwriting

RS Math A

Funnix for reading

lots of crafts (Judy Press craft books are wonderful and my daughter was able to pretty much do them independently once I had gathered the supplies)

field trips

 

 

This is pretty much what I did with my daughter (with the exception of finishing all of MFW K just because I've never been that great about doing hands-on projects and using SL 1 instead of SL K because she has an older brother) and it was a wonderful year. Her seatwork took her maybe an hour to do and the rest was just read-alouds, crafts and fun. How I wish I could go back and do it with her again!

 

Lisa

[jvenice]

I will just give you the list of what I have done with my 4th child and he loves it all.

 

Definitely a Charlotte Mason approach with the understanding and use of the Trivium.

 

Math: Math U See grade 1: Alpha (Primer if your child needs it)

Phonics and Handwriting: Abeka (it is systematic and he loves it) definitely get the large flash cards and charts

Nature Study: Hours in the Outdoors is good from Simply Charlotte Mason

Lots of Living Books

Composer Study: Beethoven Lives Upstairs by classical kids

Picture Study: Michelangelo

History: History Portfolio Jr. (Ancient History) lots of hands on activites to go with the lessons, loosely correlates with SOTW, so you can read it along with the activities in the order of SOTW with fewer chapters.

Science: NatureStudy...if advanced, through the lens of Apologia (we are doing Zoology 1)

Charlotte Mason's Habits: Laying Down the Rails by Simply Charlotte Mason or the 6 Volume Series by CM...this is indispensible

Other Handwriting Opportunities: Days of Week, Months of Year, Numbers, Letters, Address (I found this great paper by Mead that has raised lines to make it easier for intro to handwriting and also some by Mead that has a picture box over a handwriting selection.

 

Of course, we don't do these things every day. Some of them are only occasional like Picture Study, Composer Study, and Nature Study. The main thing is DO NOT PUSH. Short lessons, hands on activities at your individual child's level and Lots of time outdoors :).

[Poke Salad Annie]

The main thing is DO NOT PUSH. Short lessons, hands on activities at your individual child's level and Lots of time outdoors :).

 

I agree with this and almost all of the previous poster's choices. I would read through as many as possible of the Ambleside Online Year 0 literature choices. For handwriting, I would work with the metal insets (Montessori) and a nice set of colored pencils. Science would be covered simply by outdoor nature study and trips to the zoo or museums. I like the Reception year at MEP, which is free, and work with a set of Cuisenaire rods.

[FairProspects]

I would read through as many as possible of the Ambleside Online Year 0 literature choices.

 

This is my ideal Kindergarten! We had such a great year with the Ambleside 0 choices as read-alouds and I'm excited to get back to them again next year with ds 2.

[Ravin]

Regular read-aloud time, play-play-play, and MAYBE a bit of phonics/reading lessons if the LO seems ready for it.

 

I kind of pushed DD in that area before she was ready, and it led to frustration for both of us.

[mama2cntrykids]

This is a good question. I have no idea right now. We're expecting a baby in May, so that will effect what school looks like in Aug/Sept.

 

I can tell you that right now, we're really relaxed. She used to love to do workbooks but won't touch one with a ten-ft. pole at this time. So, I'm going to need to figure out what else to do with her. She is only 4.5 though...so relaxed is ok. I just need a better game plan over all. I find myself concentrating on her older bros. school time and kind of skipping over hers. That has to change.

 

Sorry I really didn't answer your question. I will be watching this thread to see how other's respond.

[Penelope]

The focus is on learning to read without pushing too hard, and on reading aloud lots of good literature, including picture books and chapter books. OPGTR and Webster's Speller for phonics. Very basic spelling lessons.

 

Math is relaxed and often in the context of living life

 

Handwriting

 

Nature study

 

Ideally there would be a focus on science and fairy tales, and learning the names and location of the continents. I don't think there is a need or benefit to learning much history or grammar (other than through books and conversation) at age 5.

[mcconnellboys]

I always loved the look of the Veritas program. I also love, love Charlotte Mason style programming, as Tanglewood uses.

[Aurelia]

What would you use for kindergarten right now?

Right Start Math A

Building Thinking Skills Primary

Zaner-Bloser Manuscript K

Dancing Bears/Bear Necessities (phonics)

What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know

Lots of library books, pulled from sources like AO and SL (I like their P4/5 choices, especially)

 

 

Would it be relaxed or full steam ahead? Depends on the child, I think I'd be more relaxed, though.

 

Would it be literature rich or textbookish? literature!

 

Would you do a lot of subjects or focus on the core subject? Lots of subjects. While it's not necessary to go into a lot of depth, I think it's a good idea to expose kids to lots of ideas and experiences.

 

Would you buy a full curriculum or piece it together? I would love to find a full curriculum that meets my ideals, but I don't think it exists, so I'd piece it together.

 

Would you just wait, play games and read and start in 1st grade? Again, it depends on the child. Some are ready, some are not. I'd play games and read and move forward as he or she was able and willing.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Aurelia

[birchbark]

Kindergarten here is for learning to read and love books. I like it relaxed and custom-pieced.

 

I'll probably throw in some Miquon math for my next student, as well as continuing casual nature study, and dabbling in music, art, and handcrafts.

 

I think some "life skills" training is a good foundation for the school years: mainly encouraging them to do their best on things and see a job through until it's finished.