Afterschooling 1st and 2nd graders

[NavyWifeandMommy]

Long story short - my children are back in school. I know they will be behind in certain areas due to using non traditional schooling materials. I really would like to continue with some of my works from home but then wondered it was best to wait and see what the teacher says after a week or so with my children and use their scope and sequences or workbooks for extra work.

What do you focus on with afterschooling your 1st and 2nd graders?

[momsquared]

My 1st grader reads to me a lot. She is above grade level so this is how I keep her progressing. I downloaded the 1A book of Math Mammoth and she works through several pages a day as practice. I have a copy of The Story of the World which we read on and off. She also uses Readingeggs.com.

[caedmyn]

I'd say I'm doing a mix of K & 1st stuff with my 5 YO. We're doing Miquon math, Five in a Row, Spanish, and some reading & read-alouds. I'm going to stop FIAR after Christmas and start Elemental History.

[Roadrunner]

We do SM and reading every day. He reads SOTW twice a week instead of his regular reading. MCT 3 times a week. + logic, French, science and other extras.... on weekends.

[bbkaren]

We're afterschooling in preparation for homeschooling next year...so I want it to be rigorous. I want homeschooling to be a huge relief when we drop public school from the mix.

 

In the meantime, we're working for about a half hour in the morning and another half hour at night, then reading (includes briefly reading some material from OPGTR & Phonics Pathways) for a half hour at bedtime.

 

 

In the mornings, we do:

• Math; we're working mostly from Singapore 1A, but also using Math Mammoth.
  
• Some writing in the Zaner Bloser 1st grade book, usually only one page.
  
• Maybe 1/2 of a lesson in Spelling Workout.
  

At the bus stop, we briefly work out of FLL, reviewing definitions or a poem, etc.

 

 

In the evenings, he does:

• Any homework from Public School
  
• One item from WWE activity book (either copy or narration)
  
• If there's time, a little more math if possible.
  

On weekends we try to do some History (SOTW and Elemental History) and Science (Elemental Science) but frankly, there's a 50/50 chance of it happening.

 

Of course, all of these activities depend on the "dawdle factor" (i.e. taking a half hour to get dressed in the morning, etc.) so some days are more productive than others.

[3Blessings]

bbkaren- we are doing the same thing. This is the last year at the private school they attend (great school, but moving back to the U.S.). I feel similar: I want homeschooling to be an easy transition. Blessings to you on the rest of this year!

 

Dd 6 and Ds8 are in first and second grade respectively. At home, we supplement with Math Mammoth and fact drilling. We are having the most fun with WWE and FLL. We are loving the music that goes along with FLL.

 

I did Saxon math with those two last year after school and it wore us all out. In my opinion, supplemental math is best when it covers the basics and adds onto what they are learning at school.

 

I am also doing some science on the weekends and some picture study/art as well. That is fun because it gives us a chance to learn something new in a relaxed manner.

 

Afterschooling can be a challenge for me because I have so many ideas and want to try them but am limited by time. That is a limitation I've come to accept, but still don't like! :glare:

[ElizabethB]

I would find out if the 1st grader is getting sight words or whole word practices at school and take steps to counter those practices.

 

For example, I would teach the sight word list phonetically.

 

I would try to make sure there were choices for phonetic readers instead of leveled readers full of sight words as a free reading option.

 

I would add in some nonsense word afterschooling depending on the extent of whole word practices used in the school.

[allyall]

My kids are in school right now too. My 1st grade son is continuing violin, math, phonics & reading every day after school. When we have time, we do handwriting, grammar, writing. But he never has any homework. So its really more of what we have time for based on our schedule at home.