Need advice for K cirriculum

[KD's Momma]

I am trying out my hand with K this year to see if it is something DS#1 and I c an do together. we are always learning stuff but I wanted to see if we could actually make it enough to be considered "school" I am not sure what I should really be teaching him for kindi and was hoping some experienced HSers could help me out. We have been working on letters (writing them and recognizing them and their sounds) and numbers (counting to 30 or so, writing and recognizing them also) we know our colors and how to cut and paste in the lines, we have a daily character building activity book we work out of about being a good ,caring, and responsible person. We read LOTS of books and do play doh and clay. Am I covering all that I should be covering? Is there more I should be doing? I have seen several packaged cirriculums for different grade levels and wondered if I should get one of those to have everything together. I am not very good (nor have the time) to sit down and write out a lesson plan for each day, and if we decide that HS is for us I will definately need a planned out cirriculum for us but I feel that K is a little looser, am I wrong?? Anyway, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated because I would really love to HS but need this year to be a great year to prove to myself and DH that it can be done!

[Lillian J]

Kindergarten should be a lot looser, in my opinion. You're doing more than enough in the way of traditional school subjects - subjects that didn't even used to be introduced till 1st grade... This article I wrote about the question of preschool and kindergarten curriculum explains another approach, and offers suggestions for fun learning activities. You can actually do a lot of impressive things that your husband could take note of without trying to do it through a school model. Lillian

[veggiemomma]

Looks like my son is the same age as your dc. We are doing "preschool" right now, mostly coloring, reading (I probably read at least 10 books to them everyday because they ask me to do so), a few worksheets because they like them, we play Simon Says all the time to learn about over, under, right, left, up and down, etc. We do some kind of art project everyday because they love it. When we looked at the letter B, we made shirts and stenciled "B" and bees, butterflies and blocks on them with fabric paint, we made birds out of toilet paper rolls, painted little bird magnets, made butterflies out of the letter B in construstion and tissue papers, etc. I also am teaching them piano with a program that is designed for kids who can't read yet. We only do this 5 or 10 minutes three or so times per week. Storytime yoga whenever they ask to do it. Outside games everyday, board games everyday, and we also go to storytime at the library once per week and are getting ready to join a local homeschool group that will include a rollerskating date every other Tuesday. Believe me, we stay busy. And they learn a lot, even if you can't see it on paper.

[Ruthla]

I disagree with you about "having to be stricter in the older grades". DD1 is, by nature, a very organized person and wants to use the math and science textbooks in a traditional manner (doing each chapter in order rather than my preferred method of treating textbooks as reference books.) We don't even map out curriculum by the day. We have weekly and monthly goals. I do keep a daily log of activities, for my own records, but that's written after the fact. We decide what to do based on how we're all feeling that day.

I suggest that you keep on doing what you're doing, and then at the end of the year (or maybe halfway through the year) take a peek at some sort of guidelines of what kindergarteners are "supposed to have learned." My guess is that your child will pick up most of those skills without formally being "taught" any of them.

[Lillian J]

I looked and looked to find a reference to being "stricter" in one of the posts, but couldn't - unless it's referring to my own comment that kindergarten should be a lot looser. But regardless, I'll just toss in that I don't think there's a reason to be "stricter" at any age. Oh, wait - maybe it's referring to her comment that she'll need a planned curriculum later... I don't necessarily think that's the same as being strict, although I think planned curricula tend to get people thinking in terms of what I feel is a misconception that there's a universally accepted set system for ingesting certain blocks of knowledge at certain ages. I never even had a goal of what to do in any given year, much less a day or week - but it all worked out fine, and my son is now happily tucked into and very much enjoying a challenging college experience, planning to move on to law school as soon as possible. You really don't need to start getting ready for young adult studies and pursuits when you're five, except for having lots of opportunity for imaginative play which is the important work of a child. Lillian

[Momma Aimee]

remember there is a lot of diffence in approaches to HS -- frm un-schooling to a structured "school at home" approach. : and lots of room in the middle to fit each family.

My personal suggestion -- get a bunch of catoges of curr -- alpha and omega, oak meadows and so on ... i can post a list for you if you want, or you can go looking for them around here.... and look at them. Maybe cehck out e-bay or your local craig's lsit for used or new text (kid or parent). that is a way to "get a look" and see if it is what you, your family want ... it also gives you a way to look at "what is out there" and see where you fit in the mix.

if the leve of sturcture you are useing now WORKS for you and your son, then keep it. While I fear the mistake to push too much too soon is by far the most common risk, i fear that trying to hold off too much whent he child is ready / willing / wanting is a more rare mistake but just as dangerous.

you can also check out
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?curriculum to see where "what yu are doing" falls in to the expected school subjects.

[KD's Momma]

thank you for all the info. i appreciate everyone's insight and experience. I understand about not pushing or expecting too much too soon. I think I have alot of stuff for us to do because some days he just wants different things to do. DS gets bored very quickly and we move between things often and don't do alot of things everyday. We do ALOT of physical activities to burn off all that boy energy! I have begun to look at different cirriculum but would love to see what others have used. sometimes I get a little overwhelmed with the amount that is out there.

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by KD's Momma

thank you for all the info. i appreciate everyone's insight and experience. I understand about not pushing or expecting too much too soon. I think I have alot of stuff for us to do because some days he just wants different things to do. DS gets bored very quickly and we move between things often and don't do alot of things everyday. We do ALOT of physical activities to burn off all that boy energy! I have begun to look at different cirriculum but would love to see what others have used. sometimes I get a little overwhelmed with the amount that is out there.

I agree -- however once i sat down and LOOKED at it -- got the catologes, really read the websites -- i have cut the list waaaay back pretty fast. there is a ton of stuff out there, yes, but when you start looking in your own "box" you will find less ...

[3kiddos]

My kids are about the same age as yours and we are doing preschool this year also. We are using Five in a Row but taking a few weeks to complete each book. Playing lots of games/crafts and co-ops, playdates, library, kids museum, just our normal routine but incorporating FIAR into it. Its fun and relaxed but gives me the guidance that I want.

[theretohere]

If you are looking for workbook at all, I really like Rod & Staff's preschool/ kindgergarten. There's a link to it in my sig.

[Lillian J]

If you should want a planned curriculum later, an alternative to buying a whole package is to just make a list of subjects you'd like to cover, and pick from the wonderful resources that various authors or companies provide. Here's a catalog that has a wide assortment of great stuff for all subjects - FUN-Books. But be aware in advance that most people tend to over-buy. Here's an article about my own experience with materials and resources - Reflecting on the Value of Materials and Classes. I wrote it from several posts I'd made to an email list as I was cleaning out our "homeschooling" supplies when my son was starting college classes, and a friend with similar experience wrote and asked me to put them into an article so she could have a copy to post around. You don't need much. Lillian

[Momma Aimee]

thanks for the new links

AImee