Moving from Kinder to First?

[Guest]

When do you add in first grade stuff? How do you know they are ready to move up?

We are using MP Kinder at a very accelerated pace but the boys are getting very bored and difficult. I have actually cut everything but the phonics plans. And I have also radically modified those.

I have OPGTR on request at my library but won't get a copy for weeks. I am also not sure where we would start. They have short vowels down cold. I thought maybe we could speed up the phonics using OPGTR as First Start reading is a little slow for mine. {This is not a slam to MP. I am sure it is a fine pace for younger Kinders but mine are older (ages 7 and 6) and ready to move it.} I just do not know when or what to add to their program since reading is still being worked on.

 

I had planned on using the following for First Grade:

CLE 100 (just started it today. They loved it.)

FLL1 (not sure they need grammar until 3rd, though. Will it be too abstract?)

WWE1

SWO A or MP Spelling (It is part of their 1st grade plans)

RSO: Life

HOL1: Ancients

something for cursive or do we still need more print practice?, (either creating my own Italics, HWT, or BJU based books. I haven't settled on this yet.)

MP First grade Lit program (But they have to be able to read Little Bear and 6yr old is not quite there yet.)

something for art (I really want to do this. Atelier, maybe? Anything just as good but NOT DVD/computer based?)

Edited November 4, 2011 by Guest

[MadsandLilysMom]

Well kinder lasted a month and my oldest blew through her math and phonics. She loved Singapore Essentials B and flew through it. She was already reading fluently before we started Veritas Press kinder so it was all review for her. I moved her up to Singapore 1A and the Veritas Press 1st grade phonics a few weeks ago and she is doing very well. She loves math so I have added in the Singapore Challenging Word Problems and Intensive and Extra Practice workbooks to slow her down a bit. We are still using Five in a Row and our other electives as planned.

Edited November 3, 2011 by MadsandLilysMom

[boscopup]

You can move them ahead in the subjects in which they're ready, and keep going at current pace in the subjects where they're not ready. There doesn't have to be a big line that separates "K" from "1st". My oldest is in different levels of different subjects, and we just do the next level when we finish the old one. There is no place where he suddenly moves from one level to the next in all subjects. In fact, some subjects change over in the middle of the year or 6 weeks after we start the year, etc.

 

For phonics, I'd suggest looking at Webster's Speller (free). It works with syllables, so you get to long vowels a bit quicker via the open syllables. In fact, the very first line is open syllables and thus long vowels. :D You could just work on what they need and move around easily. If they get all the short vowel stuff, you don't have to spend 6 weeks on them, kwim? When we started "K" (K4?) a few weeks ago, I had my son just read through each lesson until we hit one where he couldn't immediately read it easily. Then we started there going slower. We're in the CVC word section now (he still has to sound them out), but we'll be getting to silent 'e' words soon. He's also done several interesting blends that are hard to say, especially for a child in speech therapy. :lol: He did great with them though, and I think it helps to add some cool blends like "spra spre spri spro spru". :)

 

As far as the rest of the subjects go... I'd probably hold off on WWE1 until they're reading a bit better due to the copywork involved. You could work on early narrations with picture books though. Just use the same WWE style to get them started on shorter, easier things. Some of those WWE1 passages are very difficult.

 

FLL1 can be started now. FLL is very age appropriate and not too abstract. It also works on several skills, including narration, poetry memorization, etc. It's not uncommon for K'ers to do well with FLL1, as it's very gentle.

 

Handwriting... If they know how to form their print letters, feel free to switch to cursive now. Many people start with cursive, so there is no "right age" for starting. It really is whenever you want.

 

Spelling... I'd probably hold off until they've gotten through more phonics. I guess it doesn't hurt anything to start earlier, but it's not a subject you really *need* to do while they're still working on phonics, if that makes sense.

 

Science... RSO Life looks like something that could be started now if they're interested.

 

History... I haven't used HO, but if they're interested in history, go for it. If they're not ready for it, hold off until they are. If it requires any output, I'd keep it all oral at this point, since they're young. You could work up to any copywork that is involved.

 

Your math plans are great, and you should just keep going there. :)

[cholderby]

The same thing happened to us. We started CLE math 100 first. We're also using FLL, which I swear has 32 lessons on nouns. I like it but it is def. not "fast".

 

DS is halfway through 1st grade and handwriting is his least favorite (and least advanced) subject. We won't be starting cursive until much later.

 

He loves science and we've been doing different unit studies for gr. 4 and up. Mostly I read the book portions out loud, but he does the experiments.

[missmoe]

Just wanted to pipe up about Atelier Art. I've found that the DVDs are not necessary. All the information you need to teach the art lesson is found in the teacher's binder. If you use the DVD, it covers what is outlined in the binder and shows some examples of the art project completed. So, it is possible to use it without the DVDs.

[Crimson Wife]

In my HS, what separates K from 1 is not the materials used but the amount of writing required and the length of formal seatwork. Both my two oldest started K at not-quite-5 (fall birthdays) but only the girl was ready to move on to 1st at not-quite-6. DS couldn't even write his name until February of last year and he's still working on writing all the lower case letters properly. His attention span is also lagging where I'd want it to be to start 1st grade. So this year he's doing "transition" rather than 1st. For the purposes of our umbrella, he's officially repeating K but he's just continuing on where he left off in the various programs we're using.

[go_go_gadget]

I agree that it's fine, nay, *ideal* to move them ahead in the subjects that indicate it and not worry about all the grade levels lining up. Basically, you move on when a subject is too easy and you don't when it's not.

Edited November 5, 2011 by go_go_gadget