Comments on: All Ready for Another Year of Home Educating!

By: Cardamom

Cardamom — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:18:27 +0000

We LOVE Big Truths for Little Kids! They are very well written. When your children get older, check out Teaching Hearts - Training Minds - an excellent devotional based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I really enjoy your site!

By: kristina

kristina — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:45:51 +0000

thanks so much for this! this will be our first homeschool year with our 4 (soon to be 5) y.o. and of course our almost 2 year old will get to reap the benefits of "playing along"! i'm still researching curriculum and am getting stumped on reading/LA and math. so many choices! love the blog! can't wait to read more!

By: Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:01:25 +0000

Jodi, I taught my daughter to read primarily using the ideas in Ruth Beechick's "A Home Start in Reading". It encouraged me to use a lot of very natural and simple methods for teaching phonics sounds and the concept of putting those sounds together. I also used some very simple little books called "Bob books", which we would sound out together, and now we take turns reading the pages. Each book focuses on a different phonics sound or set of sounds, and they start out very easy and gradually get more complex. To see more of what I used for the preschool years, here's a post I wrote a while back with some of my favorite resources: http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2008/06/current-home-educating.html

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:41:45 +0000

Hello! Great site!

I also use Rod and Staff in our homeschool. Just a bit of advice about the grade 1 language program: Unless your five year old is pretty advanced, it may be a little difficult for her after the first phonics workbook. They REALLY pick up the pace in the second unit. I've started my daughter at six years old, and it still can be a bit challenging at times. However, I've used and reviewed tons of phonics programs and I doubt that any could be more thorough. If you wanted to complete the course in two years, rather than one, it would still put you far ahead of many phonics programs.

It's a great program! Just the right mix of phonics drill and sight reading to keep them interested. And if you ever get harried and want to simplify a bit, there's probably more than enough printing in their reading workbooks for any five year old.

Hope this helps you out!
Kim

By: Jena (Organizing Mommy)

Jena (Organizing Mommy) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:10:12 +0000

Thanks for the reminder about getting things up for school. My youngest is the same age as your oldest? who is almost 5. I think I need to figure out what we are doing and order the books for the older kids. (The older kids have their class schedules, but I don't have the books!) Ugh. The kindergardener will probably do "Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" and some form of math.

By: Jodi

Jodi — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:55:03 +0000

Thanks for sharing. I have a daughter who just turned 4, a 2 year old, and I am 36 weeks with our third. I am interested in checking out the Draw to Learn Series. My goal is to teach my daughter to read this winter. You said your daughter can read. Do you have suggestions of what worked for her or materials you used? Thanks.

By: Keri

Keri — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:38:41 +0000

Just a thought...I started homeschooling my 1st kindergartener right before baby #3 was born. I had a lovely schedule that went right out the window and never came back once I had the baby. I had no idea #3 was going to throw me for a loop as much as he did. Hopefully things will go smoothly for you, but don't worry if homeschool takes a back seat for awhile.

By: Kika

Kika — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:15:47 +0000

Each spring, as I finish up one year, I plan for the next. I feel that each year as I reflect, read, pray, plan, that God provides new direction and focus for the upcoming year. This can include an academic area to spend more time on, or a character/life skill area to improve in. It is always exciting to see the year come together...and to realize that God has an amazing plan in store for us - not just for my kids but for my personal growth as well. Homeschooling is a wonderful journey.

By: Faith

Faith — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:19:32 +0000

Reading your homeschooling plans really has me yearning to do this with Abigail this year (and next). Being a teacher myself, I've realized that teaching my daughter (formally) would bring me such joy! She has really enjoyed the learning times we've done lately and has been especially interested in learning to read and in learning French. I am going to have to give this topic much prayer because I'm not sure that it will fly with my husband as well as I may need to go back to work in a year.

Thank you Stephanie for sharing your life with us! It is such an encouragement and always thought provoking!

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:54:04 +0000

The topic of homeschooling our children has been flying around our home a lot lately!! I am all for it and my husband has some reservations. It is certainly a matter of prayer but we have time as our oldest is only 4.

I too would love to see your schedule and want to thank you for sharing your curriculum choices!! Can't wait to go and check them out!!