Pre-K and K 'subjects' - for early starters

[abba12]

Excuse my longwindedness, I am trying to figure out what's going on and writing it out helps me process it in my own mind as well.

 

I was originally planning on using the Rod and Staff ABC and GHI curriculums for my daughter during pre-k and k (because we live in Australia I need to plan in advance because of outrageous overseas postage costs, and my preference to many american curriculums). It is a beautiful curriculum and part of me really wants to use it!

 

However, I decided I wanted to supplement with a logic program because this is a very important, core subject for my family and we wanted more than the occasional 'bigger, smaller, first, last' worksheet. In comes Beginning Thinking Skills. While looking at that I then found the critical thinking company's 'Mathematical Reasoning' with books written specifically for toddlers, pre-Kers and Kers. It seems like a perfect fit for our math oriented, logical family who focuses on why much more than how! My husband loves the look of them and can't wait for them to arrive, and it takes a lot to get him truly passionate about a workbook.

 

I then decided that, because both my husband and I struggle with issues that result in neither of us being able to hand write without struggle and, in my case pain, that I wanted to supplement with some organized cutting, tracing and lacing exercises, and a proper handwriting curriculum in K, to help avoid the problems we had.

 

I sat down to look at the rod and staff books for planning last night, and realized that, between logic, math and pre-writing skills, we are basically covering 75% of the curriculum with our supplements, and the R&S curriculum has, basically, become redundant! I think the issue is that we want to go deeper into the subjects than the R&S approach which glosses over each topic lightly, touching on a lot but not really delving into a deep understanding of it. for example R&S touches on the concept of halves for a page or two, but I'm not convinced that is enough for much to stick, and thus I see it as pointless. I think it should either be taught thoroughly enough for the concept to stick, or not taught at all, but not introduced and then dropped. It needn't be taught all at once, I am comfortable with the spiral method, but I only saw one or two pages total on the topic, across all the books.

 

Despite my love of workbooks and formal early learning, I am not a fan of busywork. CTC books seem to be very intentional in each page, delve deeper into concepts, and each page only has a small amount of work. They're quick, easy, efficient, and yet, I hope, effective. Whereas R&S is striking me as a lot of busywork, as evidenced by the amount of colouring called for. It also seems to assume you already know most of the concepts, for example, in their counting book they introduce numbers 1 to 10 very quickly, too quickly, I think, for a child who can't count yet. So I assume the child already knows the numbers before doing it, in which case, why are we doing the worksheet?

 

So I see the value in the R&S curriculum for some children, and I intend to hold onto it in case we get a little one in the future who does not have the attention span or readiness for the books that my eldest daughter does. It would be great for a child who can only manage a page or two a day, or who resists school. It may also be great to use if I enter a season of life where I cannot dedicate the same amount of time to K that I can now. Considering it's intended audience (large Mennonite families) it is perfectly written. 

 

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Now that I am mostly over my guilt at not using a curriculum that I have planned to use for years, I have to figure out what I AM doing. The biggest thing I am stumbling on is language arts. I am very used to using a single, all encompassing curriculum for language arts, but I don't think that will work for our family, especially as I strongly desire the freedom to tailor to a child, speeding up and slowing down individual aspects. But I am really worried I am going to miss something! I should be the last person to worry about this, as a homeschooled kid myself, but I am. Here's what I have together, perhaps you can help point out anything I am missing and help me get a grasp on this. 

 

This is a TWO YEAR plan below, when we finish one thing we will move onto the next. I know K may change between now and then, but I need to try and plan ahead due to location. So please don't think she will be finishing three math books in one year :P She may well only finish the first one.

 

PreK and K

 

Critical Thinking: Building Thinking Skills Beginner and the first halves of BTS Pirmary and Hands on Thinking Skills

Math: Mathematical Reasoning books Beginning 1, Beginning 2 and Book A

Reading: Our daily read aloud times until she shows some readiness to read, which I believe will probably happen during the K year. When she begins to show readiness we will use Alphaphonics, and practice, without anything more formal until 1st grade.

Handwriting: Originally I got a bunch of tracing and cutting worksheets free online, but now I am worried that, after dropping R&S, I should use something more formal. I only printed for a couple of sheets a week, will that be enough? All my printouts are lines and shapes, I intend to buy a proper letter handwriting book for K. Any recomendations for either pre-k or k workbooks for this area, or do I not need more than I have.

Art: A project a week from a couple of books I got

Science and History: Mostly whatever we read, I am not too fussed about the content subjects right now. We are not aiming for a history base.

 

Does that sound like I've got it all? Do we only do reading and handwriting at this age?

[Jackie]

Looks similar to what I have lined up for DD. We're doing the Kumon workbooks for pre-handwriting fine motor skill development. I'm terrible about actually getting things done unless it is easy for me to grab, so in my house the workbooks will get done more than my good intentions to "practice stuff". I prefer hands-on, manipulative-based math in early years rather than workbook, so we went with RightStart. But you've certainly got everything covered - reading, writing, and math are your basics!

[Arcadia]

You forgot Music :lol: but you don't need a curriculum for that.

[MissKNG]

You forgot Music :lol: but you don't need a curriculum for that.

 

I just play different genres of music in the background while the girls work on their art projects...that's music class!

[Walking-Iris]

It looks fine for a pre K. I would recommend Handwritng Without Tears for handwritng. They have a pre k and k book. I feel the wooden letter pieces are a great hands on manipulative. 

 

Also since you want to work on fine motor, you may like Montessori inspired Practical Life activities. They are intended to prepare a child for handwriting, among other things. 

 

http://www.infomontessori.com/index.htm

 

http://www.montessoriathomebook.com/Home.html/

 

I also really like the Kumon scissors cutting books. 

 

I would add lots of hands on math manipulatives and language manipulatives as well.

 

I love to do science, history, art and music at these ages. It's not very difficult, and they are such little sponges at this age for all of it. 

 

 

[vickjul]

We're using many of the same resources. DD (5) loves Mathematical Reasoning and Hands-On Thinking Skills. We've not been as impressed with Building Thinking Skills Primary and will probably end up re-selling it. It involves too much writing and not enough actual "thinking" (lots of labeling, etc.) to be a good fit for DD. If you haven't had a chance to preview Hands-On Thinking Skills, it's worth noting that you will need some manipulatives (pattern blocks, attribute blocks, and interlocking cubes) to use the book as designed. DD also loves, loves, loves the Can You Find Me?, Mind Benders, and Dr. DooRiddles books from The Critical Thinking Company.

 

DD also has some minor motor control issues, so fine motor work in preparation for handwriting is a big part of our day. As a previous poster mentioned, the Kumon books are great. The activities are fun and progress in difficulty through the books. We're using the My First Book of Cutting, My First Book of Drawing, My Book of Coloring at the Zoo, My Book of Pasting Jigsaw Puzzles, My Book of Easy Crafts, and Amazing Mazes this year. We tend to alternate workbook days with other motor development activities -- puzzles, peg/mosaic tile play, Play-Doh/clay play, painting, free drawing/coloring, writing on the MagnaDoodle or Water Wizard (less daunting to DD than paper), playing with toys or games that require her to manipulate small objects, etc.

 

For handwriting, I debated long and hard between Handwriting Without Tears and A Reason for Handwriting. In the end, I went with A Reason for Handwriting because I preferred the traditional Zaner-Bloser letter style. I'm still not sure I made the right choice and am prepared to switch if need be.