Sunday, April 10, 2011

WARNING....PART 2

Okay....Here it is.....

Plans for my little people.....or lack thereof!

The TWINKIES start Kindergarten this year!  I am just astonished....it does not seem they are possibly old enough....but they are.

So....here is my dilemma....TWINKIE GIRL is ready for kindergarten....in fact she is more then ready.  My girl has her ducks in a row....and was born ready for school.  HOWEVER TWINKIE BOY....bless his precious heart....is not so ready :(.  He has apraxia (same speech disorder as THE GIRL....only his is MUCH more severe) and also shows almost every sign of dyslexia (at least I own the curriculum already!)
AND
We can't forget our little dumplin' THE BABY she is only 13 months younger and seems pretty much ready to roll.  She definitely can hang with the TWINKS....so....
1. Do I start them all?
2.  Do I wait for them all?
3.  Do I start TWINKIE GIRL and wait and start TWINKIE BOY and THE BABY together next year????

I am VERY interested in any feedback.....

This is what I am thinking....I will start them all together...and just see what happens.  I mean classroom teachers have a class of kids and they are just at different levels....so I can pace the material differently if the need arises???  I would LOVE for the 3 little ones to all do school together all the way through.  They may end up doing different level math and reading....but it would be so nice to be able to teach them all together as much as possible.....but like I said...I would really love any feedback.

ANYWAY....

They too will participate in co-op this year.  I feel certain that will include a science class and an art class.  I know one of our moms is an occupational therapist and has mentioned that she would be willing to work with the younger kids (TWINKIE BOY) that need fine motor therapy!  So I am hoping and praying that would work out!  However I don't know exactly what they will offer for the P/K class at co-op yet....so we shall see.

AT HOME THEY WILL HAVE

Bible-
We will continue to do Awanas and work on memory verses and read a Bible story from their children's Bible.

Reading/Spelling
For TWINKIE BOY we will definitely begin with The Barton Reading and Spelling system his sister is using.
For TWINKIE GIRL and THE BABY I'm not sure....probably Saxon Phonics.

Speech
TWINKIE BOY will continue with his 2x per week speech tutoring and daily homework.

Writing
We will all do Penmanship together and I will probably use Handwriting Without Tears Manuscript Writing for all 3 because I think it is the best option for TWINKIE BOY.

Math
We will use Horizons K for all 3

Storytime
The House at Pooh Corner
The Story of Dr. Doo Little
The Story about Ping
The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose
The Llama Who Had No Pajama
Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book
Johnny Appleseed
My Father's Dragon
Dolphin Adventure
The Light at Tern Rock
The Apple and The Arrow
A Grain of Rice
The Hundred Dresses
Twenty and Ten
The Boxcar Children
In Grandma's Attic
Five True Dog Stories
Family Under the Bridge
James Harriot's Treasury for Children
Mary on Horseback

Geography/History
They will participate in the same geography program as THE BOY and THE GIRL.
see yesterday's post for more info and link.

PE
Just good ole outside fun.
I do want to make an effort to play some group games outside this year too.
The Twinkie Boy will probably play basketball in the winter.
The Twinkie Girl and The Baby have spent the year BEGGING to take dance....we shall see if finances and time allow.  I am really praying and proceeding with caution for all our extra curricular activities this coming school year.  I do not want to over commit as I am getting adjusted to having all the kids in school.

The rest of their boxes will be filled with board games or crafts or activities and most likely a daily movie and things they can do by themselves so that I am able to work with the other kids.

That about covers it....
Love feedback on my schooling dilemma!
Next thing to plan.....THE SCHEDULE....now that I know WHAT everyone is doing...I've got to find out HOW we are going to get it all done!
I love to plan!!!!

Night,
Kim

5 comments:

  1. "bored" games --- you are cute! What lucky kids!

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  2. I am in no position to give you insight on the dilemma with the younger ones, but it does seem logical that a regular classroom has different learning styles and levels doing the same material, so why not you? Would definitely simplify if you could just take extra time when needed with whoever isn't keeping up. Bet with some stuff their development level won't be as important. I guess I'm actually in a similar boat with Gray and Joshua. I just don't know what I'm doing at all so I don't realize all the challenges that you would. I just do science, spanish, geography, reading aloud, games, singing, drawing, activity books together and have them read to me separately and do math separately. Right now that works.

    And the book list: Oh, The Hundred Dresses! Makes me teary just thinking of it. i have and love that. We also started Boxcar Children with Joshua and he loves. They seem kind of blah to me after Narnia, but I loved them as a kid and he doesn't seem to mind!

    Now do you just go to the library to get the books on the list?

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  3. And also, where's the cheapest place to get that kindergarten phonics book?

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  4. Holly-Thanks for your note. You can CERTAINLY give me your insight. You've been "homeschooling" for 5 years the way I look at it :) I very much respect your opinions and insight. Yes.....about the books and the library. A few are published by Sonlight and the library does not have....so I will order those (but I haven't checked yet...and the library has most of them). Cheapest phonics...I honestly don't know. You could check out Rainbow Resources website. They tend to have the best prices. I think I have a copy of Phonics Pathways here that we aren't using that is very good. If you are interested in borrowing it I can look for it. I may end up using it for Lydia and Audrey....but I'm not sure yet.....let me know if you want to use it. It doesn't come with readers....but has a lot of game ideas....but you do have to assemble them yourself....so there is some cutting/copying....type time involved. It didn't work well for Sophie...but I have heard great things about it and would think it would work well for both your boys (it is a solid phonics program)

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  5. Thanks, Kim. Would love to look at whatever you aren't using that you think would be good for the boys.

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