Where's my denim jumper?

Homeschool, here we come. Saja's officially registered with HomeLife Academy now as a kindergartener, even though the public schools wouldn't accept her until next year because of those stinking 30 days past the deadline that she doesn't turn 5. My hope is that if we decide to send her to school next year, we can show them the transcript from HomeLife Academy for kindergarten and at least have her tested for placement. A friend of mine who teaches kindergarten in the public school said it sounds like she'd be bored this year... let alone waiting a year! However, kindergarten is not mandatory in Tennessee, so the school system might just shrug their shoulders and place her in an age-appropriate (instead of skill-appropriate) class. I'm not fretting yet. I'm just plugging away at the homeschooling.

It's a bit intimidating to be held accountable for my child's education. I have been teaching them unofficially for quite some time now, simply because in our house, we have to have a schedule, so why not make it educational? So, I thought I'd post our routine for any other mommies of multiple young kiddos wondering how to make it work. It works well for us!

I started doing preschool-type education with my girls because they seemed interested. David is a different story--he hates sitting still to read or color or do worksheets. He does like flashcards and computer games. I guess you just have to figure out what's best for each child, but I'll show you what I've done for my kids. That will give you a starting point, at least.

I started teaching Saja to read when she was almost three. She already knew the sounds letters made because she picks up on things fast, so I used a book called Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I LOVE this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Child-Read-Lessons/dp/0671631985/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219252131&sr=8-1

I started out thinking we could do a lesson each day, but her brain tired easily, and we decided to just go for 15 minutes--whether or not we finished the lesson. This book will teach your child the sounds of letters and letter blends, as well as the proper way to sound them out. We made it through lesson 70 by the time she turned 4. The last 30 lessons are headed toward a second grade level and are too advanced for her level of interest. I've started using this book for Kora now. She's 3 and a half.

Now I use the Sonlight Curriculum for grade 1 in reading lessons. They have story books, and ideally, you read one story each day with your child. I read the story first, then Saja reads it. We've done 40 lessons, and they've all been short vowel words (and a few sight words). She likes the stories, and they're significantly easier than the later lessons in the other book, so she doesn't get so discouraged. Some people wrote negative reviews for these books, but they've been exactly what Saja needs.

http://sonlight.com/1R161.html
http://sonlight.com/1R162.html
http://sonlight.com/1R163.html
http://sonlight.com/1R164.html

We also use Explode the Code workbooks for reading. They have preschool workbooks, which introduce the letters and the sounds they make, which Kora does, and Kindergarten workbooks, which introduce the short vowel words, which Saja does. I bought them on Ebay, but the links below will show you the Sonlight pages.

http://www.sonlight.com/KL031.html (First book--get ready for the code)
http://www.sonlight.com/KL032.html (Second book-get set for the code)
http://www.sonlight.com/KL033.html (third book-- Go for the code)
http://www.sonlight.com/1L02.html (Explode the Code--short vowels)

For Math, we just use the Comprehensive Curriculum workbooks you can find at Sam's Club or Walmart. We started out with Preschool, then K, and now we're in grade 1 with Saja. I don't know how accurate those labels are, but we're just moving on to the next one when we finish one.

http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Curriculum-Skills-Preschool-Curriculum%C3%A0/dp/1561893749/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219253197&sr=8-1

Finally, I started using a program called Five in a Row for the science/social studies/miscellaneous lessons. It's super-easy (and cheap) and works well in our family, because it's based on story books that you can find in the library. I go online to memphislibrary.org, order the books for the next three weeks on hold at the Cordova library, and then pick them up the next day. Saves me time and effort. You read the same story to your child five days in a row, and you apply a different area of education to the story each day. For example, today, we're reading a true story about the first man to fly over the English Channel. We're going to talk about onomatopoeia. You'd be amazed at how much young kids can pick up! Yesterday, we talked about France and England, and we colored their flags (thus, the obsession with the flags). They also give you leeway to emphasize art, which my kids adore. They also have a preschool program called Before Five in a Row. The book is less than $40, and all the storybooks are available through the library. And it's really easy and fun. My kids love storybooks.

www.fiveinarow.com

Finally, I read a Bible story to them and work on memorizing a verse and a hymn everyday. The Bible I use is Ergermeir's Bible Story Book. I bought it at Overstock.com, but here's Sonlight's description.

http://www.sonlight.com/KB01.html

We memorize with songs from Scripture Memory Fellowship. Sometimes I make up my own songs and motions.

http://scripturememoryfellowship.org/preschool.htm

I just choose hymns from a hymnal.

All in all, the schooling time takes about an hour (although it sure seems more overwhelming when you read this novel I wrote!). My ideal day goes like this: Bible time, Reading lesson (while David watches his Letter Factory movie), snack, worksheets: math and reading, storybook project (art, science, applied math, geography, social studies, etc.) RECESS!

I'm really an advocate of finding what works best for you and doing it. Don't pressure yourself or compare your kid to others. Just give him what he needs to be challenged, and keep it light and fun. Kids pick up so much from just having fun! Good luck, by the way.