If you could go back to do 1st grade...

[Guest]

I've seen a lot of these posts for K and I'd love to see what the seasoned moms here would do if they could go back and do 1st grade over.

[Mert]

:bigear:

[Pam Wilhelm]

I would RELAX......... and let the kids be kids. I would worry less about them "doing" school and spend more time reading to the kids and going on nature walks.

 

I would be more Charlotte Mason and less TWTM/LCC/Hewitt/anal.

 

I wouldn't worry about "keeping up with the __________ Homeschooling Family".

 

I would hug and love my kids more and stress less.

[Mallorie]

newbie here, so no rec's on what to get....but I can say that I would have NOT purchased so much. I erred on the side of overkill, and regret it. ;)

[Snowfall]

newbie here, so no rec's on what to get....but I can say that I would have NOT purchased so much. I erred on the side of overkill, and regret it. ;)

 

:iagree:Over-purchasing makes me feel like I need to use it all, which makes me feel crazy because I can't use it all.

[momtofive]

I'd use Heart of Dakota!!!! :001_smile:

[Hedgehogs4]

I would do Phonics Road and Math Mammoth and read a lot of books and do a lot of art.

 

Hey...wait, I do get to do 1st grade over (with my second) and that's what we're doing and I love it.

 

I agree with the PP--I am so much more RELAXED this time around. Enough that I stress about being TOO relaxed! :lol:

[LoveBaby]

I would do Phonics Road and Math Mammoth and read a lot of books and do a lot of art.

 

Hey...wait, I do get to do 1st grade over (with my second) and that's what we're doing and I love it.

 

I agree with the PP--I am so much more RELAXED this time around. Enough that I stress about being TOO relaxed! :lol:

 

 

:iagree:

 

That is my plan for my 1st grader this fall...except I think we'll use McRuffy for math!

[ELaurie]

I would RELAX......... and let the kids be kids. I would worry less about them "doing" school and spend more time reading to the kids and going on nature walks.

 

I would be more Charlotte Mason . . .

I would hug and love my kids more and stress less.

 

What I didn't realize then, but can see now in retrospect, is that they really do learn to read . . . and write . . . and spell, each in his /her own way and we have plenty of time to do all of the things that really need to be done if we just keep working on it year by year.

 

:iagree:

[Mom-ninja.]

What I didn't realize then, but can see now in retrospect, is that they really do learn to read . . . and write . . . and spell, each in his /her own way and we have plenty of time to do all of the things that really need to be done if we just keep working on it year by year.

 

 

 

I'm the opposite. :tongue_smilie: I was very relaxed with my first, and he struggled a lot with reading. Everyone told me to just wait and he'd eventually get it, that it would just click one day. Well, I waited and waited. I waited three years and at age 8 almost 9 he was struggling at a CVC word level. He was ashamed around other kids because he was the only one who couldn't read. He couldn't take classes at co-op he wanted to because he couldn't read or write. So, I finally buckled down, did research, found WTM, and concentrated on teaching him to read.

 

He still struggles with reading but at least he struggles at his "grade level." His spelling is about two years or so behind, and I hope it improves.

 

So I actually regret not doing enough and being too relaxed. I'm following WTM with my now first grader. Even following WTM he does a total of an hour of lessons a day. We skip many days in order to go out and play if we need/want to. However, I'm making sure not to be too laid back in regards to the basics as I was with my oldest.

 

:auto:

[abbeyej]

Very solid on the 3Rs. And lots and lots and lots of read-alouds, audio books, field trips, outside play, free time with access to art supplies and puzzles and simple, creative toys...

 

I wouldn't worry too much about *what* we covered in history -- whether it was ancient history or American or geography or community helpers... I would instead focus on reading lots, especially folktales, myths, legends, poetry, biographies, simple non-fiction, and whatever caught my or my child's interest.

 

First grade is a great time to start to explore chess or music, to do some early (fun) foreign language study...

 

But academically, my structured focus would be on reading, writing (the basic skills and mechanics of getting a technically correct sentence on the page), and arithmetic.

 

Read, sing, explore, and play for the rest of the time.

 

And the great part about home schooling in the early grades is that kids can have some much "rest of the time".

[twoxcell]

I had a great 1st grade year with ds, but if I could do it again I would have used Heart of Dakota instead of pulling it together myself.

[Chris in VA]

More field trips and more memorization (making it fun).

Other than that, I think 1st was one of our best years.

[FO4UR]

I get to do 1st grade again next year, and again the year after that...

 

 

Streamline lessons - Keep it short and intensive...and consistent.

 

Multi-sensory - See it. Hear it. Feel it. Say it. Do it.

 

Do what works (see above) - take the curriculum author's words with a large grain of salt.;)

 

Don't continue doing things that a 1st grader has a strong resistance towards...1st graders are generally parent pleasers and as long as lessons are short and sweet(you're not asking a 6yo to sit for an hour at his copywork;)), a strong resistance indicates a teaching problem or a learning problem (not a mere discipline problem).

 

Only let the 3R's gain the prestige of the title of "School work" in 1st grade. Let history and science be fun things you do when you are done with "school."

 

Get a year pass to the Zoo, the Children's Museum, and become friends with the Children's Librarian.

 

Severely limit screen time...Starfall and typing programs are a HUGE treat.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I'm really happy with what I'm doing for my twin boy's. It's relaxed but they're definitely learning.:) We go on field trips and nature walks. We keep our school day's short because I know that it won't last long. My boy's started reading at age 4, so that pressure was off.

[Pata]

The great thing is that I do get to do it again :)! I'm going to be much better about continuing phonics instruction after he learns to read. I'll also be better about not curriculum hopping. I'm going to stick with what I've chose for the entire year before I switch :D.

[trying my best]

I would do the exact same thing i am doing now actually. I would not change anything :)

[LindaOz]

I would use Sonlight

 

 

If I could take my older kids back to 1st grade then I would do SL. One of them did SL in 1st and it was great. But then we did other things and I look back now and wish we had stuck with it.

 

I have a first grader again now. And we're using SL:D

[Karen in CO]

Very solid on the 3Rs. And lots and lots and lots of read-alouds, audio books, field trips, outside play, free time with access to art supplies and puzzles and simple, creative toys...

 

I wouldn't worry too much about *what* we covered in history -- whether it was ancient history or American or geography or community helpers... I would instead focus on reading lots, especially folktales, myths, legends, poetry, biographies, simple non-fiction, and whatever caught my or my child's interest.

 

First grade is a great time to start to explore chess or music, to do some early (fun) foreign language study...

 

But academically, my structured focus would be on reading, writing (the basic skills and mechanics of getting a technically correct sentence on the page), and arithmetic.

 

Read, sing, explore, and play for the rest of the time.

 

And the great part about home schooling in the early grades is that kids can have some much "rest of the time".

:iagree:

I focused on reading and math with my older dd in first grade and used the rest of our time for her to learn to love history and art and spend lots of time outside. I should have done more writing.

 

For my youngest, I'm planning to focus on reading and writing with a more relaxed pace in math. I still plan to use the rest of our time for science, history and art in a very dynamic reading and doing style. The other two have a love of books, stories and ideas that I want to make sure I nurture in the youngest also.

 

For her in K, I'm using PR and will continue. I'm using Kitchen Table Math for a progression of mathematical ideas and BJU math for a workbook because I live in the real world and need to be able to sometimes give her something to just do.

 

I had already learned from watching the oldest grow up and leave that these sweet years go by way too fast.

[SilverMoon]

I have been able to do it all over again, and I'll do it once again this fall. :001_smile: WTM first grade recommendations are perfect. They're so gentle, yet very efficient. My first graders never pulled more than an hour of seatwork a day, yet their skill grew by leaps and bounds.

 

Put the focus on the three R's, and let them play around with history and science. Start working on building a strong work ethic, finishing what you start, and doing your best, in bite-size pieces that grow as they do. Don't give them more work than you know they can do well. Letting them do so much they stop doing their best and get sloppy creates deeply embedded bad habits.

[JudoMom]

Well, I'm on my 4th go round of 1st grade. I have changed quite a bit as a teacher--I'm more relaxed (though I'm still quite goal oriented and structured, I don't tend to fret too much) and I'm enjoying it more.

 

As far as academics go, I wish I would've done more WTM style writing with my older boys, and I'm so thankful for WWE.

[Hedgehogs4]

The great thing is that I do get to do it again :)! I'm going to be much better about continuing phonics instruction after he learns to read. I'll also be better about not curriculum hopping. I'm going to stick with what I've chose for the entire year before I switch :D.

 

the best laid plans...let's hope so!

[NanceXToo]

My daughter was in public school in first grade. If I could go back- I'd have homeschooled her right from the very beginning until waiting til toward the end of third grade to pull her out and begin homeschooling! :)

 

At least my son is going to enjoy the benefit of that conclusion- he is 5 and he IS being homeschooled right from the beginning (very informally right now for pre-K). I don't intend to rush him or his childhood or make his earliest school years (K and 1) overly academic.

[kalphs]

Let's see...

I would have used Jessie Wise's "First Language Lessons" instead of Sonlight Language Arts as the follow up to Ruth Beechick's "Language and Thinking for Children."

[iquilt]

I get to do 1st grade again next year and I'm so excited! He will be a different student than either of his sisters because they are all different but I know we will focus on the 3 R's and make sure to read loud often. Plenty of field trips and allow progress at his pace.

[ChemMommy]

I would RELAX......... and let the kids be kids. I would worry less about them "doing" school and spend more time reading to the kids and going on nature walks.

 

I would be more Charlotte Mason and less TWTM/LCC/Hewitt/anal.

 

I wouldn't worry about "keeping up with the __________ Homeschooling Family".

 

I would hug and love my kids more and stress less.

 

Honestly, a little reading, a little math, and a lot more "experience" would have made our 1st grade nicer. Totally agree here!!!

[Mom0012]

I really like what I did with my daughter for first grade.

 

She did SL 2 along with her older brother for everything except LA

A Reason for Handwriting

Rightstart B

FLL (2 days a week)

WWE 1 (2 days aweek - we combined lessons since they were so short)

SWR (2 days a week)

 

I felt it was gentle, yet high quality. She had lots of time for playing, reading and doing arts and crafts. She loved to use the Judy Press arts and crafts books. She was old enough that she could tab the pages she wanted to do, I could gather the supplies and she could spend hours creating. I really enjoyed this year with her.

 

Lisa

[boscopup]

We're really enjoying our first grade year. I'm basically following WTM recs, and they really are pretty gentle. You can see what we're using in my sig. I feel like we're making good academic progress, laying good foundations, and still having plenty of play time.

 

One thing I'm really glad I did was to listen to SWB'S audio lecture on teaching elementary writing. It helped me relax about the amount of writing my son was doing. No, he's not writing paragraphs like his first grade classmates are doing this semester, but he's improving each week, and I feel confident that by time he's in high school, he'll be just as good at writing, if not better! That lecture gave me the confidence to do grammar orally, and that's going great.

[King Alfred Academy]

I would RELAX......... and let the kids be kids. I would worry less about them "doing" school and spend more time reading to the kids and going on nature walks.

 

I would be more Charlotte Mason and less TWTM/LCC/Hewitt/anal.

 

I wouldn't worry about "keeping up with the __________ Homeschooling Family".

 

I would hug and love my kids more and stress less.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Plus...art projects.

 

I'd still work through a phonics program and SOTW. I'd also work on narration but the way CM does it. Copywork is good too.

[Manamana]

I'd use Heart of Dakota!!!! :001_smile:

 

Thanks for this! I've recently decided to use Beyond with my first grader next year (she's my second child) and your message was encouraging. I think it will be a good fit for her.

[TheAutumnOak]

I'm the opposite. :tongue_smilie: I was very relaxed with my first, and he struggled a lot with reading. Everyone told me to just wait and he'd eventually get it, that it would just click one day. Well, I waited and waited. I waited three years and at age 8 almost 9 he was struggling at a CVC word level. He was ashamed around other kids because he was the only one who couldn't read. He couldn't take classes at co-op he wanted to because he couldn't read or write. So, I finally buckled down, did research, found WTM, and concentrated on teaching him to read.

 

He still struggles with reading but at least he struggles at his "grade level." His spelling is about two years or so behind, and I hope it improves.

 

So I actually regret not doing enough and being too relaxed. I'm following WTM with my now first grader. Even following WTM he does a total of an hour of lessons a day. We skip many days in order to go out and play if we need/want to. However, I'm making sure not to be too laid back in regards to the basics as I was with my oldest.

 

:auto:

 

:iagree:Totally...I could have written this post...

[Marie in Oh]

trying to follow that advice with my current 6 yo.

 

I think I am getting a handle on they are all different, on their own time table,and will, eventually, read, write, and remember their math facts. ;)

[Aurelia]

More read-alouds. Less structured "stuff" (aside from math and reading - I need that), more interest-led learning. Lots of experiences.

 

I'm trying to follow that now, so I picked curricula and bought books that follow DD's interests more closely. I also have videos to go along with her schoolwork, which she loves, and I'm trying to make art and music a priority as well. It seems they get pushed off until more academic stuff is done, and I think they are important (at least at our house) and enjoyable skills. I've come to the realization that formal history and science curricula can wait; it's more important to have a good experiential background to draw from.

[kalphs]

I have been able to do it all over again, and I'll do it once again this fall. :001_smile: WTM first grade recommendations are perfect. They're so gentle, yet very efficient. My first graders never pulled more than an hour of seatwork a day, yet their skill grew by leaps and bounds.

 

Put the focus on the three R's, and let them play around with history and science. Start working on building a strong work ethic, finishing what you start, and doing your best, in bite-size pieces that grow as they do. Don't give them more work than you know they can do well. Letting them do so much they stop doing their best and get sloppy creates deeply embedded bad habits.

Well said SilverMoon! :)

[Paintedlady]

I've seen a lot of these posts for K and I'd love to see what the seasoned moms here would do if they could go back and do 1st grade over.

 

I would have started my kids with SOTW on audio CD's and gone through the first 4 years with it instead of hopping around trying different curriculum that never did work :glare:

 

I would have gotten my dd a reading/spelling/math intervention plan put into place to help her cope with her dyslexia.

[siloam]

I loved the way I did it the first time, and haven't changed it for the rest.

 

I delay grammar, writing and spelling. I focus on math, reading and handwriting, plus reading a lot of great books for history and science.

 

Heather

[AngelBee]

I'm the opposite. :tongue_smilie: I was very relaxed with my first, and he struggled a lot with reading. Everyone told me to just wait and he'd eventually get it, that it would just click one day. Well, I waited and waited. I waited three years and at age 8 almost 9 he was struggling at a CVC word level. He was ashamed around other kids because he was the only one who couldn't read. He couldn't take classes at co-op he wanted to because he couldn't read or write. So, I finally buckled down, did research, found WTM, and concentrated on teaching him to read.

 

He still struggles with reading but at least he struggles at his "grade level." His spelling is about two years or so behind, and I hope it improves.

 

So I actually regret not doing enough and being too relaxed. I'm following WTM with my now first grader. Even following WTM he does a total of an hour of lessons a day. We skip many days in order to go out and play if we need/want to. However, I'm making sure not to be too laid back in regards to the basics as I was with my oldest.

 

:auto:

:grouphug: This is how I feel too.

[In2why]

I am only a year past 1st grade....and it was my first year homeschooling so I am not sure how much advice I can give, or what it is worth, but I would do less. I wanted to do everything perfectly whatever that means.

 

I would concentrate on phonics, reading and math, and not worry so much about getting to every other thing that I bought, thought or read about.

 

I really believe that reading is the most important thing to get a firm grasp on because everything else depends on it.

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

:bigear: I've had enough of spending money on stuff we don't really need already and I'm really hoping to be over the trial and error before first grade. :tongue_smilie::D

[Closeacademy]

For first grade all over again:

 

Oak Meadow 1

Rod and Staff Math 1

Spell to Write and Read phonograms linked to Fairy Tales (1 phonogram per week)

easy readers of my child's choice

 

Also, lots of time spent:

 

playing

painting

playing with clay

drawing

exploring the outdoors

singing

dancing

etc.

 

Basically, it would be everything we were doing in preschool with a little seat work added in to do a gentle transition into schooling. The focus would be learning to read, write and do basic math.:001_smile:

[boscopup]

I really believe that reading is the most important thing to get a firm grasp on because everything else depends on it.

 

I completely agree with this! I guess different families/kids will have different "what first grade looks like" partly because of this. For example, my son is in first grade, and he already knows how to read. He was reading at a first grade level at age 4. So I am working on expanding his reading skills (reading beyond 4th grade level, reading more than 1 chapter of a chapter book at a time), but it's not as intense or important as teaching a child that is still at CVC word level. In fact, I'm focusing less on reading and more on writing and spelling for him (and he's getting phonics via spelling, which helps him get past those 4th grade words), as those are the areas where he is weaker.

 

Because he reads well, we're able to do more "other stuff" without it being too much for a first grader. If I had a struggling reader, we might not get to the "other stuff" though. For example, I wouldn't even bother with grammar at all if my child couldn't read. We're doing grammar orally, and he needs to be able to read to do it. I also would hold off on WWE if my child couldn't read, or if writing wasn't to a level where copying a sentence was doable. First grade is just one of those times when kids have such a huge range of skills... some aren't reading yet, some are reading at a 6th grade level. So it's hard to say "I'll do xyz for first grade", when it really depends on where the kid is at in reading.

 

I'm pretty sure my 2nd kid will be reading well by first grade (he's newly 4 and can read CVC words now), and I won't be surprised if my 3rd child is as well (he walks around saying "A says /a/. B says /b/." :lol: ), so that colors my idea of what my kids' first grade will look like. For some kids, what we do would be too much. For some kids, it might not be enough! For us, it seems to be just right, and I'll adjust as needed for my next 2 first graders. ;)

[patchfire]

Everyone told me to just wait and he'd eventually get it, that it would just click one day. Well, I waited and waited.

 

So I actually regret not doing enough and being too relaxed. I'm following WTM with my now first grader. Even following WTM he does a total of an hour of lessons a day. We skip many days in order to go out and play if we need/want to. However, I'm making sure not to be too laid back in regards to the basics as I was with my oldest.

 

I have to agree with you here, except in my case, dd could read fine, it was just spelling. "Oh, letter reversal is normal, she'll outgrow it." "Oh, misspellings are common at that age, just wait." We waited. And waited. We kept on trucking with everything else, but handwriting and spelling were just... ugh. I hate to think about the YEARS I wasted because "everyone" said she was too young for me to worry about the discrepancy between her handwriting/spelling/fine motor skills and everything ELSE that she *could* do.

 

All that to say, we're doing first grade for the second time next year, and it's going to look very much like WTM recommends. It doesn't take that long, and ds will still have plenty of time to play, time to do extracurricular activities, time to run around outside, and so forth.

[Sue G in PA]

Funny, but I am right now re-evaluating how we do K-2nd around here. I've always been drawn to the "boxed" curriculums like HOD and MFW. I suppose it has always been my own lack of confidence that I could really teach them and cover "everything". LOL. I've used MFW and HOD now and I do so love parts of both. I've used FIAR and I adore it...most of it. ;) I'm coming to realize that there is no perfect curriculum...for me. So, I will make my own. :D I'm going to read A LOT more to my little ones (we do read a lot already). I'm going to do ala FIAR and use the book as a sort of "springboard" to get into other topics. I will continue doing math and phonics and handwriting with my little ones. I am loving the freedom that this is giving me. I don't have to worry about following a curriculum and getting "behind". I don't have to worry about what they are missing or not missing or whatever. We will read a variety of books, take weekly library trips to get books that they are interested in. I have so many great science experiment books lying around and we will do those on Fridays. Whatever floats their boat. I agree with a PP that I will be more CMish instead of TWTMish. For the younger grades. (Not knocking TWTM at all!). They have plenty of time for more structured academics. Plenty. Enjoy your kids. They grow up too fast.

[MrsMe]

I think relaxing is key. Forget what everyone else is doing.

 

I'd probably do something like FIAR and just create my own unit studies and have fun with it. I was far too anal.

[Guest aquiverfull]

I'm able to do this. This coming fall, I'll have a first and K'er. At first, I had planned on starting American history with them. I've decided against it and plan to make my own Animal/Geography study. I'll have Math and PR 1 for Language Arts. I intend to read a lot, do some nature study, play with art, etc.

[LindaOz]

Funny, but I am right now re-evaluating how we do K-2nd around here. I've always been drawn to the "boxed" curriculums like HOD and MFW. I suppose it has always been my own lack of confidence that I could really teach them and cover "everything". LOL. I've used MFW and HOD now and I do so love parts of both. I've used FIAR and I adore it...most of it. ;) I'm coming to realize that there is no perfect curriculum...for me. So, I will make my own. :D I'm going to read A LOT more to my little ones (we do read a lot already). I'm going to do ala FIAR and use the book as a sort of "springboard" to get into other topics. I will continue doing math and phonics and handwriting with my little ones. I am loving the freedom that this is giving me. I don't have to worry about following a curriculum and getting "behind". I don't have to worry about what they are missing or not missing or whatever. We will read a variety of books, take weekly library trips to get books that they are interested in. I have so many great science experiment books lying around and we will do those on Fridays. Whatever floats their boat. I agree with a PP that I will be more CMish instead of TWTMish. For the younger grades. (Not knocking TWTM at all!). They have plenty of time for more structured academics. Plenty. Enjoy your kids. They grow up too fast.

 

Great post, Sue. I previously posted that I would use Sonlight and it is partly to do with the fact that, for me, SL provides a lot of what you just mentioned even though it is a 'curriculum'.

 

I love the way you expressed it :001_smile: .

[iona]

i have my first first grader starting this summer so i'm all :bigear:

 

we are finishing up opg and started aas, we are working slowly through mm1 and he copies one word most days.

 

i need to be more deliberate about reading to him and having him read to me. for me relaxed becomes we don't do anything. so i'll need some sort of plan...even if it is just a stack of books that we work through a little bit each day.

 

i plan on starting fll and wwe1 in the next few months or when summer starts (when he starts first)

[Paula Miles]

:iagree:

I get to do 1st grade again next year, and again the year after that...

 

 

Streamline lessons - Keep it short and intensive...and consistent.

 

Multi-sensory - See it. Hear it. Feel it. Say it. Do it.

 

Do what works (see above) - take the curriculum author's words with a large grain of salt.;)

 

Don't continue doing things that a 1st grader has a strong resistance towards...1st graders are generally parent pleasers and as long as lessons are short and sweet(you're not asking a 6yo to sit for an hour at his copywork;)), a strong resistance indicates a teaching problem or a learning problem (not a mere discipline problem).

 

Only let the 3R's gain the prestige of the title of "School work" in 1st grade. Let history and science be fun things you do when you are done with "school."

 

Get a year pass to the Zoo, the Children's Museum, and become friends with the Children's Librarian.

 

Severely limit screen time...Starfall and typing programs are a HUGE treat.

[Paula Miles]

:iagree:

I get to do 1st grade again next year, and again the year after that...

 

 

Streamline lessons - Keep it short and intensive...and consistent.

 

Multi-sensory - See it. Hear it. Feel it. Say it. Do it.

 

Do what works (see above) - take the curriculum author's words with a large grain of salt.;)

 

Don't continue doing things that a 1st grader has a strong resistance towards...1st graders are generally parent pleasers and as long as lessons are short and sweet(you're not asking a 6yo to sit for an hour at his copywork;)), a strong resistance indicates a teaching problem or a learning problem (not a mere discipline problem).

 

Only let the 3R's gain the prestige of the title of "School work" in 1st grade. Let history and science be fun things you do when you are done with "school."

 

Get a year pass to the Zoo, the Children's Museum, and become friends with the Children's Librarian.

 

Severely limit screen time...Starfall and typing programs are a HUGE treat.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/images/smilies/iagree.gif I whole heartedly agree with this!

[FlutterbyMommy]

I loved the way I did it the first time, and haven't changed it for the rest.

 

I delay grammar, writing and spelling. I focus on math, reading and handwriting, plus reading a lot of great books for history and science.

 

Heather

 

 

I love the idea of this. How long do you delay?