I have read a lot of sites where they say you don't need a curriculum to homeschool K but i cant seem to figure out what a child is supposed to learn in K what should they be capable of at the end of K??? Also right now my daughter can sound out and read many words (started doing that at 4yrs old), she sounds out and spells words on her own also, she recognizes numbers 1-10, counts to 89 and does simple (1-10) addition and subtraction, she knows all her colors and shapes, and she also has an amazing vocab I'm wondering what we should be working on this year for K?? I'm also wondering how to get her from reading words to reading books?? she really needs to learn the syllables that don't sound like they are spelled is there a way you would recommend teaching that??? DD just turned 5 in Feb. Thanks in advance for any help you can give!!!!!
It sounds like your daughter is off to a good start! The best way to find out what a kindergartener needs to know is to check your state homeschool regulations because this is what will matter in the end.
We live in Illinois and they don't really regulate what we teach they treat us as a private school and have very few if any requirements of us we don't even legally have to homeschool her till she turns 7yrs old and i haven't found any recommendations for younger then that....
I forgot to add that your homeschool regulations might not list specific subjects that need to be covered. My state does. From K-12, we need to cover the subjects covered in public school.
Then you have a lot of playing ground. So have fun. Play educational games, read, paint, draw. Your child can learn so much through play.
lol thats pretty well what we have been doing all along most of what she knows she learned on her own or through play.... so basicly i dont need to do anything different this year ????? lol
I think the question shouldn't be what does a kindergartener NEED to know, but rather, what would you WANT her to know? Look at what she does NOW. I can sit and tell you that K NEEDS to be able to know her letters and numbers, needs to be able to tie her shoes, needs to be able to know her address and phone number, how to dial 911 in an emergency, recognize the initial/ending sounds of words, do simple addition/subtraction, understand that writing goes left-to-right/top-to-bottom, recognize and repeat simple patterns, etc. But you're going to look at that list and say, "But she already does this and this and this and this....." So start with what she DOES know, and decide where that skill should be taken next. When you homeschool, you're not looking at a classroom of 15 kids, and they all need to be at the exact same place at the same time. You're looking at ONE child, and can let her set the pace.
I say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! LOL Your child is learning and loving learning already! IF you feel you must do something, get more "easy reader" type books and read with her often. There is a book called "What your Kindergartner Needs to Know" I think it's by Ed Hirsch . I read that and used it as a framework while I did a whole bunch of crazy stuff with my oldest! LOL My middle, I just kinda let him catch crumbs from the table and participate in our curricula when he wanted, and now I do the same with my youngest. Both my middle and oldest taught themselves how to read using www.starfall.com . I just used the books, and easy readers to reinforce that learning. As ALL of my kids asked, I let them pick out any book they wanted - even if it was way above them - and they always would try. It took my son (who at the time was 5 going on 6) about 7 months to read the Children's classic version of Swiss Family Robinson. But he did it. All on his own. Every now and then he'd ask me a bunch of words that he didn't know what they meant, and I'd tell him. When he was all done (on his own, when he told me) we rented the movie. He was able to tell me what was different between the book and the movie. Anyway...it sounds like you're totally on the right track and she's learning. Bravo Mom!
so basically just keep teaching what she doesn't already know and at her pace? I am really feeling intimidated by homeschooling DD5 is my oldest but we also have a 3 1/2yr old and a 16mo. old and our due with our 4th in Aug. I myself was homeschooled for 6yrs of my school yrs and my husband is very pro homeschooling (despite the fact that he knew nothing about it till he met me) i just feel a bit overwhelmed i also feel like i have to start teaching her in K and like i need to be prepared I'm just really not sure where to start....
YES! You're doing that now! Just keep on, keeping on! I know for US...we didn't do anything "formal" until my oldest was in 2nd grade. At the end of 2nd grade I had her tested because I wanted to make sure I was doing okay. She didn't score below 6th grade level in ANYTHING. (which means, she did as well on the test as a 6th grader taking the same test would have done). SO...deep breath...relax...you're doing a great job Mom.
Faith, just keep doing what you're already doing! You've been homeschooling her all along...do you realize that? And you've done very well so far!
Sounds like she is doing awesome and you have been doing a great job of teaching her. Here are a few resources that I have found useful so thought I would share. http://www.worldbook.com/typical_course_of_study_kindergarten_curriculum_guide.html A list of what the "typical" kindergartner learns. http://www.homeschoolshare.com/levels.php Awesome literature based unit studies written by homeschool moms. http://www.starfall.com/ Fun online play as well as available printable books and worksheets. http://www.learningpage.com/ thematic and seasonal printables. You have to sign up fr the sight, but it is free. http://www.christianbook.com/explod...de=WW&netp_id=203440&event=ESRCN&view=details I have used Explode the Code with my older son and my younger is currently doing the primer books (http://www.christianbook.com/get-fo...de=WW&netp_id=212566&event=ESRCN&view=details) for kindergarten, but it sounds like your daughter is probably ready for ETC1. Hope something here is helpful
LOL well that's just my oldest my 3 1/2 yr old isn't quite as ambitious hes very bright has a great imagination and is very funny but he could care less about letters, numbers or even shapes but he knows all his colors at least lol he is learning it at his pace and I'm sure when he wants to know it he will he is only 3 1/2 after all Lol I'm pretty sure my youngest will be even earlier then the oldest though she freaks me out........... She is just over a year and knows many colors, counts out things to three, and whenever she hears letters and letter sounds she runs around repeating them and sometimes even pairs them with words (she will make the b sound then shout out "baby-bird") she also walked at 7mo. said her first sentence at 6mo. and now talks in sentences lol she amazes and scares my pants off everyday and has since she was 3-4mo. old. My oldest was early on most things but this ones been crazy early and honestly yet again i really did nothing to make her be this way she just is who she is.
Thank you i found the typical Course of Study Kindergarten Curriculum Guide very helpfull thats the most complete list iv seen put together. We already use starfall and will have to check out christianbook
one thing you can do is check with the local school in your district and talk to the principal to get a scope and sequence. Or check out a local private school and ask for the same thing. It gives you an idea of what they cover over the year and you can go from there. I have one as my son will be 5 in May. As I read through it, I realized he knows at least 85% of the material. Some he hasn't mastered yet, and some is still new, but at least I can figure out where to go from here. It's really helped me because like you, I had NO IDEA what a K should know. But like a pp said, this is your child, one child, not a class of 20-25 kids, which is what it would be in my area! And just keep doing what you are doing!
okay here is something most may not realise when I used to test K-ers to get them gradduated they have on thier list of to dos "Can Tie own shoes" it is required!
Also, I had a K student who would take steps one at a time. She'd put her first foot on the first step, then the second foot on the first step. First foot on the second step, second foot on the second step. Rather than putting first foot on the first step, second on the second step, first foot on the third step, second foot on the fourth. That's another developmental step that can possibly show delay. Another is hand dominance, and for boys, peeing standing up.
