Twilight Woods Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I know silly question right? I have been up all night working so alot of this is jumbled. For those of you [including me] who didn't goto school to be a teacher... how did you figure out. Part of my hesitation on going full blown 100%- pull my first grader out-because clearly the social/emotional aspect of it is stressing her out-who cares what my husband thinks-and DO IT- is I dont have my feet under me, or I don't feel as if I have solid ground. I have this little girl who means the world to me, she has some disadvantages BUT is so bright it scares me. I dont need fancy curriculm for her.... I am pretty amazed at what basic CHEAP stuff is working already. BUT how do I know I will do it correctly-present the information to her correctly when sometimes I can't remember how to do it myself? Learn along with her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 You need to learn ahead of her. At the first grade level, this isn't too difficult. And you will probably make mistakes (I know I did; lots of them!). But when you're homeschooling these are easier to undo than if the child is in school. Investing in quality curriculum materials will help you avoid mistakes as they will help structure your teaching for you. I would not homeschool a child if her father was totally against it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 You need to learn ahead of her. At the first grade level, this isn't too difficult. And you will probably make mistakes (I know I did; lots of them!). But when you're homeschooling these are easier to undo than if the child is in school. Investing in quality curriculum materials will help you avoid mistakes as they will help structure your teaching for you. I would not homeschool a child if her father was totally against it though. I dont plan on it until he is ok with it... as much as I want to just do it I know I can't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Remember, teachers are people too! They make mistakes too! When my kids give me a hard time about not explaining something correctly/well (I've got 7th, 6th, 4th, and 1st this year) I get to tell them about the times my 'real' teachers made mistakes. My favorite was being reprimanded for pronouncing cacophony correctly. The teacher insisted it was cac -O- phOny - long Os short a. Also, in FLL, Ordinary Parents Guide, etc. there are instructor guides that literally tell you what to say. With my first two I read directly from those guides and it was hilarious to see how much the kids would throw me off when they didn't respond appropriately. But they survived, I survived and I have quite a bit more confidence 7 years and 4 kids later. Take the time to enjoy it - be silly and have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeterbug Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Don't forget that teachers are often teaching the same subject, same age over and over again. They get to practice! There is a lot of curriculum that is scripted and easy to use, you will find whether you like this or not as you use it. In time you may stick with the scripts, you may find you want to go a different direction. It gives you somewhere to start and may also give your dh more confidence in the idea of homeschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 i use material i understand and know will get done. i stay away from things that require a ton of prep & are too involved. those are fun to look at and drool over, but realistically, i'm never going to be that mom, lol. school isn't "fun" here, but it is relaxed. my son reads in his underwear. we snack while we do school. we incorporate computer games, videos, lots of reading, traditional workbooks, etc. definitely an eclectic mix of things to offer variation. just find a groove that works for you ...and that will come through trial and error. then stick with it! you will be tempted to curriculum hop. don't. anyway, that's how i "teach".:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I know silly question right? I have been up all night working so alot of this is jumbled. NO! NO! NO! This is NOT a silly question, AT ALL. This is a great question that we don't talk nearly enough about around here. Methods of teaching are just as important, maybe even more so than the curriculum. All too often we are looking for a magic curriculum bullet that will solve all problems. The difficult thing is that different kids (and people) learn in different ways. The great thing about homeschooling is that we can tailor our teaching to our specific kids, whom we should know better than anyone. If you are starting out, I would experiment with lots of different methods and techniques. Even things like time of day you start can make a big difference. Some kids learn best from reading from a book, some from a "lecture", some from talking things out and asking lots of questions. Some need to write or draw pictures about what they are hearing in order for it to stick or make connections. Some like absolute silence, some need background music. Some need frequent breaks, others need long intense study times. Try different approaches, and "test" them frequently to see what is working best for you and them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.