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!