roanna Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have been purposefully teaching my son in a fun way his whole life but this year he is 5.5 now and we did lots of fun K stuff and then exhausted that in a way because he surpassed all of it but handwriting and is accelerated in reading and we tried MM 1 for a bit but..... I tend to just ready myself for just the next step in front of him and go there but that's not really a curriculum nor will we cover what's right I am sure (at least I don't hold to unschooling and don't want to do that) Even though he can do first grade work and higher do I start it now? I am usually a confident person but we did do SL for a while, which we loved but I got off track and for some weird reason feel bad making him follow through with school and do what is asked of for the day..especially tiny bits of handwriting he complains so I start feeling that he's too young and should wait until 6 but he gets bored if I don't give him random things to do like cut up magazines , seek and find books etc. I hope someone can see through my ramble and give me some advice. I don't have anyone near me to ask who homeschools so I ask you guys questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I have a grid-style chart for the days we are to record attendance (180 days per year- so it's actually several pages long). Along the side column, I have a list of the various topics I'd ideally like to cover, plus blank spaces to write in new subjects or topics. If I have more than one resource that I use regularly for a subject I put that in a separate row. So under the row for Social Studies I have U.S History, Geography, World History and a few blank rows for write-ins. Each day, I check off our attendance on an "official" attendance record that I can turn in to the state if required. On my subject matter chart, I mark what we actually covered that day. My planning consists of a box with the books we are using for each child and the chart to remind me of the subjects we do from other resources and online. If I take a look at the chart and see that I've skipped something for several days I re-evaulate if it's "OK" to skip it or if I need to get back to covering that material. Sometimes I realize that I just don't really want to cover a topic right now or don't like the resource we are using and need to replace it. But as a day to day matter, I kind of just go on the fly. I want some minimal coverage of the 3 R's plus social studies and some arts and we just go from there. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roanna Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Do you have a template for that to see if it would work for me, or do you think just a teacher planner at the local education store would work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roanna Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 If anyone else has helps I'd appreciate it:bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) The header column is: days of school right now I have a chart covering days 105-127; So there is a column for each across the top: 105/106/107... The lead row is: Student Name Subject Matter Areas Sub Categories Example: 105 106 107 108 Life__________________________________ Bible______X__X___X___X______________ Character_____________________________ Field Study____X________X______________ ... So for day 105 we may have done Bible, Grammar and Math and there would be a check in the corresponding box formed by the row and column. (Clear as mud, right?) I can't do a lot of handwriting so I have to key in as much material as possible. That's why I don't use a pre-printed teacher's planner. I use an Excel spreadsheet so I can print out the chart with gridlines. Edited February 17, 2012 by MomatHWTK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I use HST+ and load up "lesson plans" for each curriculum in there. Then it's easy to see what we're doing and what we still have left to do. That doesn't mean I'm stuck with those plans - I change all the time. :tongue_smilie: But the plans are there, and it's easy to keep on task. And yes, by all means, if he's ready for first grade work, let him do it! Just keep his age in mind... A lot of kids in this position need a higher level input but age appropriate output. My oldest is accelerated in most subjects, but still has output ability of a typical 2nd grader. He can't physically write much yet, but he's progressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) I have been purposefully teaching my son in a fun way his whole life but this year he is 5.5 now and we did lots of fun K stuff and then exhausted that in a way because he surpassed all of it but handwriting and is accelerated in reading and we tried MM 1 for a bit but..... ...I am usually a confident person but we did do SL for a while, which we loved but I got off track and for some weird reason feel bad making him follow through with school and do what is asked of for the day.. I am going to brazenly suggest that the main point of early elementary education is getting them used to doing things they don't want to do. ;) It sounds like you are out of your initial run of ideas, the child needs to be kept busy, and you also don't like making him do "school" (a reasonable feeling, since he's just 5.5). You've gotten some excellent ideas above. If you want to keep him busy and engaged, you could just start the WTM first grade program and see how he does. Keep writing short at first. Do Five In A Row. Here is another plan for you to adapt/ignore :D: Start the day with circle time. Sit around, sing something, read a picture book the little one will like too, review some Math Facts of the Week (whatever you're learning: counting, adding, whatever. like, do "+2" facts one week). Stretch or wiggle. Reading Aloud: Start with Ambleside Online's Year 0 booklist. Add K, 1 or 2 reading lists from Sonlight and Veritas Press depending on his level. Then come back to the board for more advice :). Phonics/Independent Reading: Phonics Pathways/Reading Pathways, starting where he is now (check one of these out from your library); work through the Free and Treadwell Readers, starting with the First or Second Reader: these are vintage and available free online, or hardcopy at Amazon. For the readers, read first to your son, then have him read it back to you immediately or another day. No need to do phonics and readers each day if he's reading well but you could. Writing: Start Getty-Dubay Italics Book A and work through at your own pace. For math consider Singapore Math, MEP (a free online curriculum, though you have to print things out: it is excellent) or Miquon. These are robust programs. Until you pick one work through MEP's YearR (for "reception") or Year1, which you can start immediately (if you get bogged down in "number bonds" just move on!!!). In between problems have him run around the house and, if it is permitted, jump off the couch as high as he can. This does amazing things for their math stamina. To your math program add a topic. Start with time. Here's a list of resources. Give the little one a Judy clock or a Melissa and Doug clock puzzle. Follow with some races 'round the house or yard. Button LOVED being faster than me when I was 9 mos pregnant. Art: get a book by MaryAnn Kohl from your library and start. Start with a book the younger one can do too: Toddler Art goes nicely through preschool and the older one will like it, too. Music: get hold of The Jazz Fly and read it, listen to the CD. Listen to a song each day from A Child's Celebration of Rock'n'Roll, we liked to focus on 1 song each week. Follow with Beethoven's Wig, Beethoven's Wig II, and the A Child's Celebration of Soul and Showtunes: each day, dance to the Song of the Week. Poetry: one poem each week (read the poem daily at snack, lunch, whenever) from a prettily illustrated version of A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson. -- it's an idea! :001_smile: Edited February 17, 2012 by serendipitous journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roanna Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 I am going to brazenly suggest that the main point of early elementary education is getting them used to doing things they don't want to do. ;)------------------------- I think this hit home most. He'd have to sit for many more hours if he were in PS. I have a couple of good excuses why I cannot stay on schedule but it just comes down to the fact that I need to LEARN how to do that, which takes a lot of practice. Thank you for your helps! I really do appreciate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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