K5 1st time...Anyone else?

[Ashley]

Just wondering if anyone else here is just starting out with K5. I'm using a curriculum but I really consider myself to be unschooling because we don't follow a schedule by no means. I don't do schedules!!!
:wave:

[mary helen]

I am not a new homeschooler but I do have a K5 student this year. I am using a variety and had planned on taking it slow as my student is a boy, but he seems to catch material on the first round and wants to school all day. My delima is the four year old wants to school and I have no material for her!:confused2

[Dianna]

My youngest will be a K5 next year, but I anticipate that I'll do the same thing with her as I did my others... just keep doing what I had already been doing. I'll read to her, take her on field trips with her big brothers, let her watch enriching videos/TV, and just let her act her age. :biggrin2: When mine hit first grade is when we start getting a tad bit more structured with math (using Miquon) and learning handwriting skills, and learning basic phonics as she's ready for them (if she hasn't already learned how to read by being read to by me and her big brothers so much).

I've known others who like to use the Five in A Row program for this age. I'm seen it and it looks like a nice, gentle intro for young kids.

What kind of curriculum are you using, Ashley?

Dianna

[Ashley]

I'm using the Bob Jones Curriculum. I like it but I hurried and purchased something and didn't do a lot of research on it. Next year will be different as this one was A LOT of $$$$$.

Another question...

I know I shouldn't compare my child with others but I'm just wondering if she may be behind compared to other 5 year olds.

She can almost write her name, Hannah. Still mixes it up a bit.
She only really knows a few letters. Like H, I, T. Maybe one or two more but that's it.
She can count to about 15 and after that it's jumbled up.
She only recognizes a couple of numbers.
Colors are great!!

I wish she wanted to school all day!!

I just have no idea what 5 year old are doing these days as it was 25 years ago that I was there. :lol:

[Dianna]

I'm using the Bob Jones Curriculum. I like it but I hurried and purchased something and didn't do a lot of research on it. Next year will be different as this one was A LOT of $$$$$.

Just remember to use the parts of it that work for your family, and skip the parts than don't, and it'll be fine.


Another question...

I know I shouldn't compare my child with others but I'm just wondering if she may be behind compared to other 5 year olds.

She can almost write her name, Hannah. Still mixes it up a bit.
She only really knows a few letters. Like H, I, T. Maybe one or two more but that's it.
She can count to about 15 and after that it's jumbled up.
She only recognizes a couple of numbers.
Colors are great!!


Well, I'm not a good person to answer this. I'm a natural, child-led, unschool-ish type... especially in the younger years. My answer would be not to worry so much about academics at this point. When she walks down the aisle in her graduation cap and gown, she'll know how to spell her name, know all her letters, count to infinity, and beyond! :biggrin2: My focus would be on building her love of reading, and building her love of learning. She'll go far in life with those two things.

Warmly,
Dianna

[restlinmom]

We just started Kindergarten this year and I know I was worried about him learning his ABC's. Someone on here suggested The Letter Factory by Leap Frog this is a DVD you can get it at Walmart around $10 I got it and it has helped my son tremendously. He start by knowing 17 of 26 letters now he only confuses M and W. Between the school work we have been doing and this DVD he has made giant steps in knowing his alphabet.
My son has no problem with numbers but since he was 4 his brothers played cards, or should I say poker with him. He loves to play go fish and we played that a lot. I know they only up to 10 really but he learned them by sight really quickly so we took it from there and he does great with numbers.
We also go to the library and get about 20 books a week and read from them. He had no interest in being read to but now that he has his own card he loves to be read to.
Good luck
Jeanette

[restlinmom]

I'm using the Bob Jones Curriculum. I like it but I hurried and purchased something and didn't do a lot of research on it. Next year will be different as this one was A LOT of $$$$$.

Another question...

I know I shouldn't compare my child with others but I'm just wondering if she may be behind compared to other 5 year olds.

She can almost write her name, Hannah. Still mixes it up a bit.
She only really knows a few letters. Like H, I, T. Maybe one or two more but that's it.
She can count to about 15 and after that it's jumbled up.
She only recognizes a couple of numbers.
Colors are great!!

I wish she wanted to school all day!!

I just have no idea what 5 year old are doing these days as it was 25 years ago that I was there. :lol:

Someone suggested to use The Letter Factory by Leap Frog. I picked it up at walmart it was around $10 you might check your local library. It has helped my son a lot he knew 17 of 26 letters and now he knows 24 gets M and W mixed up. It is a great video it goes through the whole alphabet and the sound each letter makes.

[duboisa]

Ashley, my son is 7, I pulled him out of public school midway through his second year of kindergarten and he still wasnt getting it. He has been home for 8 months now. and we have seen progress, but he still isnt where he "should be" for kids his age, accordign to the "schools, etc etc.

I have decided to stop worrying about where he "should be" and worry about where he is instead.. it is kind of like potty training, they will eventaully get it no matter what.

just relax and enjoy her and the fact that you have her at home. She will learn much better there.. Justin sure does.

[Ashley]

Thanks so much for the encouragement guys! I get a lot of raised eyebrows from people like my mom or sister-in-law (who runs a daycare) when I tell them how far a long she is/isn't. MAKES ME MAD!!!

I'll definatley check into that DVD.

Thanks again!!

[TsonikiCB]

Ashley,

We are first time homeschoolers too - and my daughter is in kindergarten (K5 I suppose it is called?). I have told my family that we are homeschooling - only to be met by "why are you doing that." No matter what I tell them, I don't think they will "get" it. But then again my family is very much in the public education world, many of them are teachers or administrators. I figure I'm happy, my husband is and so are the kids. And they are learning - isn't that what is the most important?

:)

[TsonikiCB]

Oh yeah and we are basically unschooling as well. I haven't looked into any curriculum though. :)