we're homeschooling, yay!

[happy1nluv]

So I finally got hubby on board with hs'ing for K... (he's adamant that ds go to 2nd, pretty strong that he'll go to 1st, but his hard and fast was 2nd). He'll need to go at some point because financially I can't stay home forever, but... thats not going to happen anytime in the next 5 years anyway...

I really feel the unschooling thing, but with the threat of school looming every year... I should probably keep up with what they do at school. Trouble is - I'm not sure what that is, and I'm not sure how to do it... any suggestions??

[Momma Aimee]

Welcome

My Dh is "set" on the boys being home though 3rd and going to school in 4th. We have somewhat agreed that by 4th they should be strong enough to less followers and also to be more able to repeat to us what they are hearing and what their teacher is saying.

So, that being that, i will be staying fairly structured with them -- actually i would anyway -- in the main subjects at least (math, spelling, writting and so on).

If you serach Kindy in this forum you will find a TON of threads, IMO it is best to settle on an approach (Classical, CM, Waldoft ..etc) first. But know that really when the pencil hits the paper you will most likly combin things -- almsot everyone i know does.

[Tjej]

One approach that might work for you would be the "unit study" approach. If your child likes Butterflies you learn as much as you all can about butterflies and your child can even make projects and/or present that information to others. You can cover all areas with it (measuring the butterfly bodies and wings - math, creating butterflies - art, writing butterfly stories - language arts, etc. etc.).

There is a book - Homeschooling year by year (by Rupp, I think) that can give ideas of what needs to be covered if you are going to match with a school system. Or there is often cirriculun online you can see for your area.

I feel like the unit study concept is a bit like unschooling... But this is from someone whose children are still preschool aged, so I don't truly know.

Tjej

[caefi]

If you want to keep up with your district's schedule, it should be posted online. The scope and sequence for your schools. If not, worldbook.com has a s&s that is usually on track with the schools'. http://www.worldbook.com/typical_course_of_study.html

Most of the things found within the s&s are typical things you learn through everyday living anyway, imo. So, if you wanted to try to balance both you could do a modified 'unschooling' where you guide the topics that you feel are slacking to stay up with the s&s.

I highly recommend getting your DH to help with the planning and application of your homeschooling. I think that will help him see how it works and open his mind to further years, if you want to go further.

[Just1More]

Apparently, in our state, our children will have to take a test every year, although there isn't any requirement for reporting.

So, I downloaded the state standards, and I'll make sure I casually hit the benchmarks, but that allows me to remain relaxed about the whole thing. You know, a book on the coffee table all about rain cycles or whatever.

I will say I was shocked how low the standards were. I could check all of them off for K, almost all of them for first grade, and quite a few of the ones for grade 2. My dd just turned 5. I just have to teach her how to take a test, apparently.

(FTR-the K standards included things like by the end of the year the children were to be able to count to 10 forwards and backwards, recognize cicles, squares, rectangles, and triangles, read 10 high-frequency words, etc. The first grade wasn't much more ambitious.)

You very well will find the same thing, and then you won't have to be so concerned with keeping up with the school. Your problem will likely lean toward whether or not he'll be bored with the material when you put him in.

[phathui5]

You've joined the wacky homeschoolers! Congratulations!

As far as being "caught up" for public school: At least for the kindergarten year, it's not something I would worry about at all. If you read him books, visit the library, count things together, draw pictures... he's not going to be behind. I really think you don't need a curriculum or anything formal for kindergarten.