Wrong to just do math and reading?

[momtoamiracle]

I had wanted to do a full curriculum for my son's first grade. I've already decided to hold off on SOTW, but now I think I might cut out science, except for reading books. A formal science program is just not working. I have tried a couple of different ones but my sons's eyes glaze over. He does learn from it but he is really not interested in it.

 

 

 

 

Would I be wrong to do only math, phonics, and handwriting for our formal schoolwork and the rest just reading books and following his interest. My son is just six years old and 10 days. It seems to me that for him right now, a bit of unschooling will work better.

 

 

 

Just looking for input/support. I don't want to cut my child's education short.

[Tress]

I think it's fine and it is what I'm doing with my dd6. I did more for first grade with my dd8, but that was because she wanted it and was able to. My dd6 is only now starting to be able to listen to a read aloud, while my dd8 and dd4 have been able to do that from birth, or so it seems ;). Every child is different, you meet them where they are.

 

ETA: whoops, I have no idea where the tumbs down thingie came from. Sorry about that.

[fractalgal]

I had wanted to do a full curriculum for my son's first grade. I've already decided to hold off on SOTW, but now I think I might cut out science, except for reading books. A formal science program is just not working. I have tried a couple of different ones but my sons's eyes glaze over. He does learn from it but he is really not interested in it.

 

 

 

 

Would I be wrong to do only math, phonics, and handwriting for our formal schoolwork and the rest just reading books and following his interest. My son is just six years old and 10 days. It seems to me that for him right now, a bit of unschooling will work better.

 

 

 

Just looking for input/support. I don't want to cut my child's education short.

 

I do not think it would be wrong to focus only on those in first grade. I see those as the priority at that age. This would give him more time to explore and learn on his own. I would have lots of Legos or Knex on hand for him to build with. :)

[alisoncooks]

I think it's fine....but I'm far from rigorous. :p

 

My first grader does handwriting, math and phonics/reading 4x a week.

 

We do light history/art 2x a week, via a Little House on the Prairie study, which is mostly interest-led. We mostly do read-alouds, but occasionally add to a US map (when the Ingalls move) or do some science-y thing (like shake cream into butter) or some craft/art (like making covered wagons from shoeboxes). :D

 

We also do light science 2x a week. We use ACSI student text as a loose spine. If nothing else, we read 1 unit every 2 weeks (spread it out). If we're feeling ambitious, I check out dvds from the library, other books to supplement, crafts, experiments, etc. :) But it's been a very pain-free way to get a healthy dose of science in our week. And -- for me -- I don't feel guilty if all we do is sit down and read through the student pages together; DD enjoys it and I think it's sufficient for her age (young 6).

[walkermamaof4]

You might enjoy reading some living science books to him. We love the One Small Square books. We also love the CLP Nature Readers. In 2nd grade my ds read them to me and we both learned so much!

[walkermamaof4]

Also, would he think the magic school bus kits were fun?

[momtoamiracle]

Thank you so much!

 

 

It is really hard for me because my son is smart, but hates school. Yesterday as he was writing two small sentences, he kept saying " I hate school. Why can't you just forget about the law? I know my ABC's and 123's, I can count and I can read. What more do I need?". I love to learn and love to teach, but all he wants to do is play. If it is too easy he is bored, if it is too hard he is bored. That is why I was thinking focus on the basics, let him get really proficient in those things, and then when he is older he can dive into science and history with greater appreciation, and hopefully more willingness...

[ZooRho]

I would do a more exploratory science/history than worry about the text book stuff.

 

I'd suggest going to the library and look for experiment books for his age/level and just have fun with stuff.

 

Usborne has some fun books for science for that age.

 

Let him just try things out.

 

like if you have magnets, put them out in a tray with things that are attracted and things that aren't and let him play with it.

[walkermamaof4]

What if you required that SOTW audio be playing in his room when he is in there. And similarly a science audio book... My boys have learned to love audio books. Sometimes I decide which ones they listen to though.

[momtoamiracle]

I have many living science and history books. We also watch things on YouTube. He loves to look up different creatures and see what they do, eat, live, etc.

 

Oh, he has tons of blocks, Legos, and train tracks. He is constantly building something. He doesn't care for crafty things. He likes to watch me do it but he doesn't want to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think I'll just keep doing that, and not call it school.

I worry to about having records of his work, just in case. How do you record a discussion about insects, to show that we did that?

[momtoamiracle]

Oh my son loves audiobooks. Maybe I will look into the SOTW, he would probably like that. I'll have to look into science ones.

 

 

 

 

I do have one science experiment book for him. I hadn't used it yet because when I did the book work, he and I were just too tired nd aggravated to do anything else.

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much, this is the advice that I needed!

[ZooRho]

I have many living science and history books. We also watch things on YouTube. He loves to look up different creatures and see what they do, eat, live, etc.

 

Oh, he has tons of blocks, Legos, and train tracks. He is constantly building something. He doesn't care for crafty things. He likes to watch me do it but he doesn't want to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think I'll just keep doing that, and not call it school.

I worry to about having records of his work, just in case. How do you record a discussion about insects, to show that we did that?

Sounds like fun.

 

and do you HAVE to keep that kind of records?

[momtoamiracle]

I am actually not sure, but all my homeschooling friends keep meticulous records. However that is for upper grades, so maybe first grade doesn't matter so much.

[ZooRho]

I am actually not sure, but all my homeschooling friends keep meticulous records. However that is for upper grades, so maybe first grade doesn't matter so much.

 

what state are you in? And what is required.

 

I only kept records for high school

[momtoamiracle]

Louisiana. I've read the law but can't remember. I was mostly concerned about the days and the letter of intent.

[Farrar]

To me, the content subjects are a big part of what makes school fun. So I think there's a danger in backing away from them to focus exclusively on the three r's when a kid thinks school isn't fun. Yes, the basics need to be the focus, but if school isn't fun or enriching for the child, then I think you risk a kid learning to just dislike all formal learning. But you don't have to do a formal curricula - just reading living books and watching videos like people here are suggesting is enough.

[momtoamiracle]

To me, the content subjects are a big part of what makes school fun. So I think there's a danger in backing away from them to focus exclusively on the three r's when a kid thinks school isn't fun. Yes, the basics need to be the focus, but if school isn't fun or enriching for the child, then I think you risk a kid learning to just dislike all formal learning. But you don't have to do a formal curricula - just reading living books and watching videos like people here are suggesting is enough.

 

 

 

Yes, that is what I will do, forget the textbooks on those things and do informal books and videos,. He loves to watch animated hero classics fromNest and shows like Beakmans world, magic school us, etc.

[blondeviolin]

To me, the content subjects are a big part of what makes school fun. So I think there's a danger in backing away from them to focus exclusively on the three r's when a kid thinks school isn't fun. Yes, the basics need to be the focus, but if school isn't fun or enriching for the child, then I think you risk a kid learning to just dislike all formal learning. But you don't have to do a formal curricula - just reading living books and watching videos like people here are suggesting is enough.

 

:iagree: You might check out just experiment books and do sconce around a theme. The Usborne Science Activies (vol 1, 2, 3) can be found used in older versions for really cheap. Get a membership to a science museum. Once it's "fun" it won't be work as much. We don't require much writing...just observation and maybe me writing for them. :)

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

My son went to K in Catholic school, but he was the youngest in his class. If he'd been in a different state he wouldn't have been able to go to K. I'm going to have him to 1st for two years, and this year he is really only doing RS math and AAS for reading development. He follows a lot of what his older brother has done and will, but it isn't required and I don't push it. He just turned 6 as well.

[8filltheheart]

I had wanted to do a full curriculum for my son's first grade. I've already decided to hold off on SOTW, but now I think I might cut out science, except for reading books. A formal science program is just not working. I have tried a couple of different ones but my sons's eyes glaze over. He does learn from it but he is really not interested in it.

 

 

 

 

Would I be wrong to do only math, phonics, and handwriting for our formal schoolwork and the rest just reading books and following his interest. My son is just six years old and 10 days. It seems to me that for him right now, a bit of unschooling will work better.

 

 

 

Just looking for input/support. I don't want to cut my child's education short.

 

If you want affirmation........No, you won't be cutting his education short. No, it won't make him dislike school more. No, you don't need to find a way to make those other subjects more interesting so that he will like them as a 1st grader.

 

I have always only taught phonics, handwriting, math, basic reading and simple copy work for 1st grade. (on my 7th 1st grader this yr.) My oldest ds detested sitting still when he was little. If you asked him to color a picture, one single swipe of a line across the page was what he would give.

 

No, it was not a behavioral issue. He just knew there were better things that he wanted to do with his time. :lol: Playing was the better choice and he knew it. He is now a successful chemical engineer.....all those hrs playing, building, constructing were hrs spent on mental development that was far more valuable than sitting down and doing school.

 

FWIW, my kids do very little academic work in K-2. We focus only on the 3Rs. It hasn't "held back" the kids that are naturally advanced nor has it hindered my kids that are completely avg.

 

FWIW, imaginative play is important for higher levels of cognitive development. It should not be simply dismissed as "play" as if there is something "less" b/c it isn't school work. For 1st grade, if it came down to watching something academic on TV or using their imaginations, my choice would be the latter.

[boscopup]

Louisiana. I've read the law but can't remember. I was mostly concerned about the days and the letter of intent.

 

http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Louisiana.pdf

 

I'm not in LA, but it *looks* like you don't need to keep records of everything done. You just have to keep attendance and do either testing or a portfolio.

 

Also, it says you don't have to enroll your child until age 7.

 

AND... Since your son just turned 6 right before the cutoff, you could redshirt him and call this year K if you wanted to. ;) I know that's super common around here (AL) for kids born in summer (we have a Sept. 1 cutoff).

 

Anyway, as far as science/history goes... I think reading living books is plenty for "formal" study in those subjects at this age. I haven't found a science curriculum I like either. Usually we're bored with them. Frankly, they have all made science seem boring, whereas my son LOVES to read science topics on his own all the time. So I now have it on the list to "read science for 15 minutes or do nature study" (and it's 15 minutes because he's a FAST reader, so he can cover a lot of material in that short time - plenty for a 3rd grader). We also do Science Wiz kits - they're inexpensive, have a bunch of experiments included, and have pretty much everything you need in the kit (ie, the household items truly are household items).

[momtoamiracle]

Thanks so much! Great ideas. I do have the science activity book one. A lot of them we did in kindy, I may need to get book 2.

 

 

 

 

As for red shirting, he did kindy last year with k12. He did a semester of first grade math and had gotten pretty far but has seemed to have forgotten a lot of it... In a way I wish I would have just left him alone, but he did enjoy some parts of it.

 

 

8filltheheart-your oldest sounds just like my boy! Thank you loads for your input. Helps me a lot to hear from moms with similar boys!

[nukeswife]

Perfectly fine in my view. My son is 7 and due to some issues with fine motor skills dh and I stretched out K here at home. So he's just doing 1st grade work and all I require of him is Math, Phonics and Penmanship (this last one is a real bear for him to tackle) and then he just sits in on what interests him of the older kids science, history and art. If I didn't have older kids I'd just do books and maybe some fun, get your hands dirty kind of experiments from time to time.

[SorrelZG]

DS is 6.5 but spends very little time on formal school .. some math (he is advanced in math), cursive copywork, Latin memory work. Well, we have other memory work. He reads out loud and to himself daily and actively reads up on history and science (picks out documentaries, too) and we do some reading aloud of history, science and good literature.

 

I'm having trouble focusing this afternoon so I couldn't read through the whole thread but you sound encouraged so I hope that means that what we're doing is okay, too. I feel great about it and DS is beyond his years all around but when I type it out I get that, "Oh no, someone's going to think I'm a total slacker promoting slackerdom among others," feeling (or am I the only one that knows that feeling?).

[Pen]

I had wanted to do a full curriculum for my son's first grade. I've already decided to hold off on SOTW, but now I think I might cut out science, except for reading books. A formal science program is just not working. I have tried a couple of different ones but my sons's eyes glaze over. He does learn from it but he is really not interested in it.

 

 

 

 

Would I be wrong to do only math, phonics, and handwriting for our formal schoolwork and the rest just reading books and following his interest. My son is just six years old and 10 days. It seems to me that for him right now, a bit of unschooling will work better.

 

 

 

Just looking for input/support. I don't want to cut my child's education short.

 

 

According to the copy of The Homeschooling book of Lists I have here (which may or may not be reliable or up to date), Louisiana does not require school till age 7. If so, all you need to worry about is what works for him.

 

What you are describing is close to what I found works well even for my 10 year old. Math is required. Writing is required. (reading was, but now that he is a voracious reader, it just happens) Some history/science is required, but what is done is up to him by and large. This year he chose model building and kits to be science, for example. The US History is my choice because he will be tested in it during state testing, and because he is at the right stage to appreciate the excellent sources that now exist for that age.

 

That said, while it does fit to some degree with US History, he is off on his own rabbit trail on the vikings, so that is what we are actually doing at the moment.

 

We have the whole SOTW on audio, and he just enjoys listening to them. They play when other things are happening, and he has learned a lot. We also have gotten history and science type magazines such as Calliope (there are ones appropriate from Carus for 6 year olds also, but I cannot recall titles.) In general, his retention for the things he has pursued based on his own interests are so much higher than for things he is made to do, that I think the pursuit of own interests makes sense whenever possible.

[JessieC]

Totally fine, but you might want to try Five in a Row. Perfect for first grade.

[IsabelC]

With a kid like your son, I'd probably do what you suggested and then strew like mad so you get plenty of stealth education in. You might find he loves history and science as long as you don't let him know it's school work ;)

[1GirlTwinBoys]

That's what we did for 1st grade. I think it's perfect to just read books about animals or whatever ever might be interesting to them that week.:) Enjoy and relax together.:)

[SnMomof7]

That's basically what we do. And read alouds. And we're good :). They play outside a lot and we talk with them so they get knowledge based subjects covered that way when small :).

[momtoamiracle]

Thanks so much to all. I feel a lot less stressed.

 

 

 

I'm going to delve into my library of living books and just read. We do it every night anyway. Maybe next year, when he is more proficient in writing and sitting still for a longer period, we will do more formal. Well see. I'll just take it year by year.

[campmom]

If you are doing reading and math you are not unschooling! Those are the really important things to be doing at that age, they are the foundation for everything else. I have picked up a ton of books from the thrift store mostly history and science there are so many out there. Alot of them are early reader types and the others I read to them. They have learned a ton of history and science just from books no need for a formal curriculum.

[campmom]

We are in Louisiana you do not have to keep any records, also registering as a private school you will not even have to turn in test scores to the state. PM me if you need to know anything else. You are not required to do anything until 7 years.

[momtoamiracle]

If you are doing reading and math you are not unschooling! Those are the really important things to be doing at that age, they are the foundation for everything else. I have picked up a ton of books from the thrift store mostly history and science there are so many out there. Alot of them are early reader types and the others I read to them. They have learned a ton of history and science just from books no need for a formal curriculum.

 

 

 

I've gotten many at goodwill myself.

 

 

Today we did a weekly reader book on why birds sing. I figured tomorrow we could look up the birds mentioned and listen to their song.

 

I was thinking the science and history part were more unschooling. Reading and math are definetly structured and formal, tho short.

 

 

I was told by another homeschooler that since we did k12 charter school for kindy that I had to make sure I did my letter of intent this year since he was on the public school roll last year. Otherwise I could have gotten away with it till he was seven.

[boscopup]

I was told by another homeschooler that since we did k12 charter school for kindy that I had to make sure I did my letter of intent this year since he was on the public school roll last year. Otherwise I could have gotten away with it till he was seven.

 

Not sure if that's the case or not, but I too registered my kids as homeschoolers before they legally had to here in AL. First one was pulled mid-first grade, and the second one is in speech therapy at the public school. Both were registered a year early. But we have no requirements for record keeping except attendance, so that's what I keep track of. :)

 

It sounds like you can go a route to not have to keep records in your state. But even if you did have to keep them, 1st grade level science and "social studies" is sooooooo little, that just doing an oral narration (that you write down) and maybe drawing a picture to go with it would probably be plenty once a week or every other week.

[momtoamiracle]

Thank you!