It's Back to School week!

One of the great things about homeschooling is that I get to decide when the first day of school will be. :) I never started school AFTER Labor Day. At least for this year, it's perfect. James is starting to get an itch to do science! But let me back up a bit and start at the beginning.

I set a budget for myself of $400 for curriculum this year. And I was very confident about the math, handwriting and science programs I wanted to used. But deciding on a reading program was proving quite difficult. I mentioned in a previous post that I was going to go down to the Homeschool Gathering Place, look for a person working there, get them to hold my hand and help me find what I needed. And it happened just like that!!!!! I met Victoria and she was wonderful! She saw me wandering around store, I guess, and as she passed me helping another mom she says to me, "You're new. I'll be with you in a minute.". Just like that! She came to my aid armed with information that all beginners need to know like when to register your homeschool and helpful websites. I told her what I was looking for. Here's what I bought:

1. Math U See Primer Teachers Manual- $15 on consignment (normally sold for $30)
2. Backyard Scientist the Original-  .90 on consignment
3. Backyard Scientist Series 1- $1.80 on consignment
4. All About Reading- $79.95 brand new

                                        Grand Total: $ 104.24 including tax

I had to order the Math U See student manual and manipulative block set which was $72.26 and that includes shipping ($12.69).  I had purchased the handwriting program during the NC homeschool conference back in May which was $20.

So, overall I have invested $196.50 on curriculum. I have also spent $50 to join a local homeschool group and enroll James in the co-op where he will be taking classes. And with just spending about 1/2 of my budget on curriculum, I still have money left over for field trips, supplies to keep at home, etc.

Now, back to the reading curriculum. The lovely and talented Victoria at the Homeschool Gathering Place was very helpful in showing me several choices. It's so great knowing my student so intimately because I was able to tell her that James is not quite ready to read. He still gets the lower case "L" confused with the upper case "I". He is ready for pre-reading work and this, to me, was the best fit. It's called All About Reading. I considered buying the "Five in a Row" since James will be using that in the co-op but the structure of that program requires that you read one story a week. James (nor I) would have the patience for that. We like new stories every day. But the story books for that program are wonderful. Charlotte Mason would be proud. She would not call them "twaddle". :)

All About Reading

So we start this week. And James has asked me everyday for the past several days if we can do a science 'sperment. LOL. He's even tried to get sneaky and ask his Dad!!! I love his eagerness. So here we go! Another year of adventure!!!!

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".