Reducing Speed

Since the start of the new year, I have taken a very deep breath and really looked at my son to truly gauge how we are doing with our schooling. As I thought about how the mornings go, we are in sync. In a routine. That's good. But then I notice that he is not enjoying math. Learning the sounds and spelling of words is mundane. For both of us. And his handwriting doesn't seem to be improving. He's hit a plateau. That is not good. Time for a change. Put on the brakes and build in more fun. After all, the world is our classroom.

I stumbled upon Xtramath by checking a homeschooler email newsletter. That is awesome. It has allowed us to take a break from the worksheets but still work on math skills. And, by the way, it's free and open to anyone. It's not just for homeschoolers. Levels of math start at kindergarten and go to higher levels of math so kids can get extra practice and hone their skills. James loves the computer and he likes that he is doing it on his own. It's also timed. He will do math for about 10 minutes and then he is done for the day. He doesn't get as frustrated and he likes it.

James is reading really well. I am happy with this and he is naturally reading everything and he is now spelling entire sentences outloud. Here's how yesterday sounded:

James: H-I M-O-M-M-Y. I L-O-V-E Y-O-U more than you love me exclamation mark.

Me: H-E-L-L-O J-A-M-E-S. I L-O-V-E Y-O-U T-O-O.

James: C-A-N Y-O-U L-O-G M-E O-N M-I-N-E-C-R-A-F-T P-L-Z?

Me: N-O.

James: W-H-Y M-O-M-M-Y?

And so it goes. So I felt like we needed to change what we had been using. I found Explode the Code Online through the recommendations from other homeschooling moms. Explode the Code is great because, again, it has a computer-based option so James can work on  his own. Also, this program is used in the public schools and not just for homeschoolers so if your child needs some extra fun practice, this is great.

I love our handwriting curriculum but I felt we needed to "back up" a little. I started making handwriting sheets that James can trace. I used them before I ever bought curriculum. I can give him vocabulary words to trace or a bible verse or his name and address. And this is also free and can be used by anyone.

We have been going on almost every field trip that is planned through our homeschool group. If the field trip is geared for his age group, we are there! We have field trips planned as far out as May!

• Bi-weekly park play days
• Videri Chocolate Factory
• Valentine's Day Party
• Charlotte's Web play
• 8-week Legacy Co-op (Fridays)
• Schoolhouse of Wonder
• Museum of Life and Science
• JC Raulston Arboretum
• Animal Farm Days
• Easter Egg Hunt
• Visiting a state park
• Going to the movies
• Road trip or visiting the USS North Carolina

Since we are taking it a little slow on some of the fundamentals, I decided that taking more time to sit and read books together would be a great addition to our daily routine. Bedtime stories happens every night but reading together during the day is better. I ended up buying a history curriculum that has short stories in it as well as small projects to do together. It's available on Amazon too. The first thing James had to do was learn about his OWN history and called some family members to interview them. It will become a book for him to keep complete with pictures and all. His very own family tree.

I have made a conscious decision to take it slow. To let James guide me. I look to him to let me know when we need to speed up and when we need to slow down. And this will vary from subject to subject. We cruise along at reading and vocabulary. We go a little slower for math and handwriting. For him, "school" should be fun and playful. I want him to love learning; to forever be curious and ask questions. 

I leave you with a quote from Heidi St. John. She's a homeschool guru. If you like it, follow her blog.

If you are being held hostage by a burdensome curriculum or a program that promises to get your kid into college—and if you’re wondering if this was really the life that God had designed for you, I challenge you to look at those first homeschool moms. They set the bar—and they did it without expensive “all inclusive” programs. They did it by faith. They did it because they knew God would provide for their every need if they would only trust Him to guide and direct them.

These precious moms found out that God is faithful. He can be trusted. His mercies are new every day.

His yoke is easy. His burden is light.

- Heidi St. John's blog

Math, Handwriting, Science...Check!

Well, my research has paid off! After figuring out what exactly a kindergartner needs to know, I found my focus. We definitely need to spend money on curriculum for Reading, Writing, Math, and Science. I am quite confused about reading curricula however. Everything is phonics, phonic, phonics. I honestly don't remember learning how to read using phonics and I am not sure about it. (If anyone out there has some information that will enlighten me I would greatly appreciate it.) So! I am sharing my picks below and I want to point out that what I have chosen thus far fits nicely into the Charlotte Mason approach to education AND the Classical Education approach. Score!

READING: I really have no idea right now. I am hoping to stumble across a booth at the NCHE book fair next weekend. I hope it has a bunch of neon lights all around it with a banner that says, "Connie! Over here! It's this one you want!". That would make it so easy. I tried the "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons" about a year ago but James was NOT ready for it. I may try that again this summer to see if he is ready or if he just doesn't like it.

MATH: I have definitely decided to go with the Math U See curriculum. I LOVE their math! I was absolutely SOLD on it when I went to the website and saw a video demonstration of a sample lesson on place values.  Go to Math U See Primer and click to watch the second video on the page. James caught me wathcing it and crawled up on my lap to watch it with me. He seemed to like the idea of eleven being called "1-ty 1" instead. ;)

WRITING: Handwriting Without Tears This page from their website shows the teacher's guide and it has some really great videos that show their writing sequences. I think it's ingenious in it's simplicity!

SCIENCE: The Backyard Scientist: Series One  by Jane Hoffman. I should have picked up the first one this year but we will do some fun stuff in the Fall! I found this on one of the Charlotte Mason websites.

What I will spend:

• Math U See Primer Set: $85.00

• The Backyard Scientist: $6.00

• Handwriting Without Tears: $21.00

Grand Total (right now without reading curriculum): $112.00

In a recent post, I set my budget at $400 for curricula. So far, I am doing pretty good. This, however, is strictly for curricula and does not include fun books to read, pencils, pens, arts & craft supplies. I WISH I spent more on arts and crafts but James is just not interested in coloring or drawing or big art projects. He is a "Wiggly Willy". He wants to MOVE! And he wants to TALK! Anyway...This also does not include field trips or sports teams that he may want to try next year either. But! I am excited! I am developing a plan and a path for us and all the while remembering that "kindergarten" means "a child's garden".

Preparing for the NC Home Educators Conference

I have been doing some reading and some homework to prepare for the NCHE conference coming up at the end of May. I have about a month to prepare as I am hoping to be able to purchase some curriculum at the ginormous book fair this year. I have managed to attend the past 2 years without purchasing a single thing. That. Is. Amazing. The temptation is so strong to go ahead and invest in this or that so one feels prepared. I am trying hard to NOT purchase the wrong thing only to have to buy something else later. The book 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum has been great so far. There is a workbook style approach in the beginning of the book so one is really pressed to consider WHY homeschooling is their choice and then sort of forces you to set the priorities for your teaching. Things like budget, how many kids you have, time restrictions, confidence level, philosophy and your teaching style/your learning style and those of your kids. When all was said and done, I scored high marks for Charlotte Mason-style education and the Classical style of education. This was not a surprise but more of a confirmation of the direction I wish to go. Currently, we are using the Calvert School curriculum and while it has served us well, I find that I do not like the rigid structure that does not make it a very individualized course of study. But on the other hand, I am a beginner and I wanted the "hand-holding" that comes with Calvert. The teaching manual is very thorough and I find that each morning I am not scrambling to find the things we need to focus on. However, Calvert is expensive and I would like to spend less. (tuition for the complete Calvert Kindergarten curriculum is $693.00). Now that I have done the "homework" in the "100 Picks" book, I can begin to narrow down the curriculum choices for each subject James will be tackling as a kindergartener next Fall.

In addition to reviewing curriculum in "100 Picks", I ordered The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. They are a mother-daugher team writing this book together, tackling different chapters from their own point of view, and I find they make a great argument FOR the classical education approach. It is a thick book so from now until the conference, I shall be very busy reading. I also have The Early Years: A Charlotte Mason Preschool Handbook and Planning Your Charlotte Mason Education. The Charlotte Mason resources I have help a new homeschooler prepare their lessons/day/week/quarter/year. While there are some books associated with a Charlotte Mason education, I would be free to choose what I wish in order to teach reading, writing, spelling, grammar, math, history, science, geography, Bible, foreign language, etc each day. This would make it possible for me to include concepts of a Classical education.

I will be reporting about any purchases I make at the conference in early June. :) Wish me luck!

Gearing up for....Kindergarten!

Well, it feels like Spring outside so I am already looking forward to the NC Home Educators (NCHE) conference in May. I am really excited about attending this year because I feel like I have a direction for what we will be doing next year. In preparation, I just ordered two things from the Simply Charlotte Mason  website.

 


 We will start a Picture Study lesson when this arrives in a couple of weeks.



And I also ordered "Planning Your Charlotte Mason Education" printed book and DVD. In the DVD, Sonya Shafer is presenting. I have seen her and her husband at the NCHE conference. They do the curcuit of home school conferences. It's nice to meet these people and hear what they have to say. Sonya is very encouraging and her voice and presentation style have a calming effect on me. The terror subsides and I feel like I can do this and it will be fun and wonderful. If nothing else, the conference is worth that.



We are going to have a great year! I can't believe that I am making preparations for teaching kindergarten. Where did the time go? James looks forward to his lessons most of the time. He tells people he is already IN school and that Mommy is his teacher like there wouldn't be an alternative. :)