Second time around teaching K

[musicianmom]

Coming from my vast experience (ha) of having taught one K student already, here is my advice for new parents:

 

1. Start with the simplest thing and see if that works before getting more complicated. The $100 phonics program may not be necessary. Or your kid might be naturally mathy and not need video lessons and tons of manipulatives. Try just the HWT workbook first before getting into wooden pieces and Mat Man and all that.

 

(This comes from the mom who bought 3 levels of All About Spelling before admitting that dd had the spelling gene and didn't need any spelling program!)

 

2. Any curriculum provider that claims their way is the only way that works is wrong.

[Tawlas]

Yup. For us, simpler is better. I had this really neat home made prehistory plan all mapped out: usborne book, library books mapped out, other books bought, activities, documentaries etc, all on a neat template mapped out by the week.

 

We read the usborne book, did a narration. If we were lucky there was a doc on Netflix I found in time.

 

History is still my son's favorite thing to do for "school". He asks for it all the time.

 

Simpler is better!

 

What gets done is best!

 

:-)

[Walking-Iris]

I honestly have to say I love the HWT wooden letters Maybe start them in pre-K rather than K. But I love them. All the other HWT stuff is just ...stuff. I agree about the pricey phonics programs. Teaching someone to read is not that expensive.

 

I don't do history in K unless it just comes up naturally in conversation or read alouds. I try to get them aware of the states etc, but that's about it. My Kinder is obsessed with prehistoric man and animals and dinosaurs. I just let him loose on Netflix and give him some books to look through.

 

Science is where i expect I over extend myself in the early early grades...sigh.

[Um_2_4]

This is my 3rd time through and I find that each child is different, so start with the minimum, but most importantly know your child.

Example :My dd6 was easily distractable, you know the "oh look a kitty" type. A math book with bunches of colors and pics would have been a DISASTER, MUS works great. MM (which I wanted to move to for 1st) was a no go also, too much on one page.

 

Many companies have sample lessons, print and try them.

 

I taught the older 2 to read using HOP bought cheap from thrift stores. No need for the cds/audio portion. No real experience needed. Flashcards and the workbooks and you are good to go. For preK I did printable letter of the week stuff online, only cost paper and ink.