I just got my phonics and handwriting from Catholic Heritage Curricula and I have to say...I am so excited about it. I showed it to DS4 and he was really excited too. I decided to order the handwriting because he is really starting to want to write and needs some help making the letters correctly so I thought I would just start off on the letters and numbers practice now so he is ready to start with phonics when we really start up in July. It is so exciting to get some of the stuff since now it feels real! I am really going to homeschool! YAY! I had one quick question. DS4 is VERY creative and artistic. Whenever he writes, he loves to use crayons or colored pencils to make "rainbow letters." Now that this is going to be "real" school, should I make him use a pencil or does it really matter? I obviously want him to enjoy the process. Thanks for your input!!!
I can feel your excitement!! It does make it real once you get everything in your hands. I have a very creative one who loves to write, draw, color, etc.....anything to be creative with his hands. I let him use just about anything at first. Now I prefer he uses a pencil when he is working on handwriting only because if he does have to correct something it makes it easier to do. Good luck! And have FUN with it! Tasha
Yay!! You are going to have a blast!! I let my 6 year old use whatever writing utensils she wants. I don't correct her writing much right now, mostly because words scare her so whatever she manages to read or write is great. Consequently, she uses a pen a lot of the time, crayons or colored pencils sometimes. She always has a pencil available though, and like rymatt, she seems to prefer that for some things (her math, for example). I will give you a head's up that wow has it all changed! Not sure if you are as old as I am :shock: but writing the letters isn't even taught the same way. That actually has been a bit of a problem occasionally, since dd draws everything backwards from the way I learned, and I DON'T like the way some of her numbers and letters look when she's written them. I MUCH prefer the ole' ball-and-stick method of writing. Not that you will LOL, but didn't want you to be as shocked as I was
Let that boy make rainbow letters! When he starts writing essays for college entrance exams, he can do it "right". I love the idea of rainbow letters. at his age, keep it fun for him. I think I'll go play with my crayons now
Thanks, guys. I thought rainbow letters would be OK for now too!!! I am definitely going to insist on a pencil for math though!
I have a very artsy daughter, and we let her use colored pencils, crayons, and now that she is older, those gel pens, for much of her work. Plus she likes to add things, draw extras on the page, etc. This was a reason we are glad we homeschooled, because many times those early elementary sheets have the kids color in the correct item, but ALL items on her sheet would be colored - she would color the correct answers in one color, then just "colorize" the rest of the sheet. She would have "failed" so many of those assignments in regular school! Have fun with the colors!
