Monday, May 9

kindergarten begins

Today is the first official day of kindergarten for Aaron. I finished my lesson plan for this week and we started right in. We're using Singapore Math - Earlybird Kindergarten Mathematics (supplemented as needed) and continuing on with the Hooked on Phonics program I already have (supplemented as needed also). There will be science lessons from this website (gotta love premade lesson plans) as well as normal supplementation from life, and the answers to questions that Aaron asks constantly. Love this boy! Art, music, and Bible will also be a part of our days. At this point I'm shooting for 3 days/week of regular academic stuff and two days for the hands on and field trip type learning.

Why start now? Well, Aaron has been begging for school since Christmas time, and we've been doing HOP since then, off and on, but nothing formal enough for me to feel like we could call it "school." For starters, we desperately need more structure in our days or the housework and playing and errands and reading books and watching PBS and free play and sibling battles and unexpected cleanups and art projects and...well, the day, overtakes us and it's past noon before I know it. Writing down school plans and checking that off along with being consistent to make my regular checklist *should* help.

Also, we have a little someone coming in September, when other kids are typically starting school. There is no way I want to think about carting Aaron to school - ACK! And I don't think a new baby and a new schedule at the same time would be a great idea. So, now is the time. We might break from September through December, or I might just keep going so, you know, Aaron can graduate when he's 14 and be done with grad school at 20. JUST KIDDING.

Anyone else schooling through the summer months?

4 comments:

Shelldell said...

A good idea to teach them when their ready when ever that is.

Mary Ann said...

Have fun with it! I'm sure it's always a good thing to teach them while they are interested in learning. Great pic :-)

Unknown said...

Right on! Definitely wise to get a head start now when you are still only managing two. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the flexibility of homeschooling for that very reason. You can tailor it easily to meet your kids' needs.

We are continuing some subjects through the summer. We'll keep doing read-alouds, reading practice and science studies that relate to seasonal outside interests and related field trips (i.e. gardening/plants, bugs, simple astronomy).

Tracy said...

We'll be doing some schooling this summer, either math or English. This way I can free up time this fall when their grandmother comes over from Uganda.

And congratulations on your new baby! We actually did better maintaining our school schedule after Gabe was born than we were.