As we are heading into the last part of the school year, I am still constantly reading homeschooling books because I still feel like we haven't done anything and I am really messing him up. I know this is probably not really true but I am having a hard time shaking the insecurities!! Recently I have been thinking more about the academic goals for second grade ( I didn't set any goals really when I started this journey except for him to gain reading skills). I was wondering if you all could share yours with me and maybe even how you set your goals for the next year?? Do you do it formally on paper or just in your mind?
I base goals on (1) state standards at a very minimum (2) what most homeschool curricula say a 2nd grader should know (usually more than state standards) and (3) learning what he really WANTS to learn and/or what he needs to learn in order to get to what he really wants to learn. I don't write goals on paper, but I keep a spreadsheet of what we'll do throughout the year, and I keep a spreadsheet of expected curricula for the coming years. If I find something I really like, I'll log it on my spreadsheet even though he won't need it for several years. I don't want to wait until then to suddenly start thinking about what to buy. I'd rather have an idea in mind. Another way to look at it ... I know my son is a very motivated type of learner. He soaks up everything he can find, and he can't wait to go to college. He talks about college constantly. Since I already know that's his goal (and since everyone in our family has at least a bachelors if not higher), I know I need to plan on him taking college prep courses in high school. I can plan backwards from the ultimate goal to get the current goal. If he needs "this" at "this time", he'll need "that" at "that time". I know he'll need to be ready for pre-algebra in 6th, so that means he needs to know multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals by 4th. To do that, he'll have to learn multi-digit addition/subtraction with column crossing in 2nd. Sorry... probably more info than you wanted.
Thanks so much for your answers! No, it is never TMI!!! LOL What is column crossing? carrying or borrowing?
My son is finishing up 2nd grade. I didn't have formal written goals. He was already reading well before the year started...so this year he completed his Explode the Code series (books 6-8), worked through and recently completed Wordly Wise 3000 Book 2 and started Book 3, is at about lesson 140 in Horizons Math 2, is almost done with Rod & Staff English 2 and reads 20-30 mins each day for "school" and then reads other books like Captain Underpants on his own. He's working on science and history with his older sister (who is 4th grade) using Sonlight Core 1+2 (spread over 2 years rather than one) for world history/geography and Apologia (& some Abeka) for science....we did the Abeka 4th grade while waiting for our new Anatomy book which should be here MONDAY!!! (woohoo!) I don't tend to write out formal goals if I've already decided where I want to be by "x" date in whatever curriculum I am using for that child and that subject. If I were putting my own subjects together, I'd tend to be more Type A about writing out objectives and goals. (I have them but more mentally by looking at the subject matter in the curric I've chosen).
I have don't have any formal plans written out yet and we have not hit 2nd yet. Now I do know that by the end of 2nd these are the basic things I want my son to know. If he get really close then I will be happy if he goes over then hey even better. As long as there is progress. A lot of what I go by is what I know he is capable of, what we already know, what I want him to learn, and our scope and sequence of our programs we are or will be using. Now there is more than what I have listed, but these are the basics off the top of my head. Math Doing multiplication able to do addition and subtraction with ease knows major units of measurement able to tell time to the minute able to read and understand word problems and put them in a number sentence basic geometry- area, perimeter, etc basic fraction LA reading on his own small to medium sized chapter books able to read and understand directions on worksheets and in books able to write/spell by memory and phonically able to go back and correct himself in reading, writing, etc knows most punctuation knows parts of speech (nouns, verbs, etc) how to use parts of speech able to write a story, poem, etc history and Geography knows about the basics of American history from the first colonies to present (we are staring American history this year) has a basic understanding for our Government knows most if not all states and where they are located on a map how to use and read a map, globe, etc knows all continents and oceans knows basic geography vocabulary I would like to ask you, did you and your son make your goal with reading? If so that is progress and a wonderful one at that!
Again thanks for your responses! They are greatly appreciated! Jo Anna, Yes, I believe we have hit the goal for reading! I have only had him home since November and his reading has improved by leaps and bounds. This of course has lead it improved writing and spelling as well! I know his reading has improved so yes there is an improvement but how do you all gauge their reading and where it should be? Do you use the state's reading list for checking?
No I don't use a state reading list or anything. I just figure that if my child is reading his work that needs to be done without help or little help then I am happy. It is more about how you feel. Do you feel he is where you want him to be or he needs to be? If so that is enough. Can he read the work you give him? Then that is another sign he is where he needs to be. I noticed you have an older child, was that child reading about the same level as this one in the 2nd grade? Or bringing home stuff that your 8yr old would be doing now? I know you cannot compare one to the other, but sometimes it is kind of easy to gauge if you know what the other was doing at that age. I know that my oldest was no where near the level my youngest is at this age/grade level. So, I would consider the work he is doing at or above grade level. I hope this helped. Oh, have you seen this site? They have a typical course study for grades preschool through 12th. Maybe that will help you make some goals. Then there is also this book and this one. The core knowledge ones, (what your _grader needs to know) I have seen a lot of people use as an outline on what to cover.
Yep. I just meant anything that has to use more than one column to answer the question ... whether it's addition or subtraction.
You can probably find those at the library, but you may have to reserve the one you want. My library has only one copy of each, so they're never actually on the shelf. They're very popular. I find them at used bookstores occasionally, too.
It sounds like you son has made great progress since you brought him home. This past year was the first year I actually wrote out some goals. I just write out the goals based on where my kids are at and what I think they should learn. For example, I would like my son to improve one grade level in reading and math. I wrote my goals out quite specific and we do alot, but if you want to look you can see them here. Looking at state standards can give you an idea of what kind of goals to set.
My son is second grade age and we don't do curriculum. I think if they're learning and they love learning that's enough. I figure if they get behind (if there even really is a "behind") they would be able to get caught up quickly. We read a lot. And cook. And do crafts. And hang out in nature. It's plenty really and all little kids need IMO.
Thanks for so many great links to follow up on. I am so excited once again. As soon as my dc get home from grandmas ( tomorrow) I am going to test them both lol! I think I am falling in love with the critical thinking store?? Is that possible? lol
Here is a link to my homeschool blog where I give some info on what we did in different grades. This is the Book Lists link: http://familyd.50megs.com/custom4.html And here is the link of downloadable lesson plans and checklists I used - There is one folder full of prek - 2 lesson plans and ideas. http://familyd.50megs.com/box_widget.html In second grade, I still tried to be laid back, but that is typically the year the kids start keeping notebooks for social studies and science, and we start in a bit more on writing. My standard for reading is typically shorter chapter books, then my second grader kept a small reading notebook, and for each chapter had to write any two sentences about what he/she read. It is not graded at all for writing, grammar, content, etc. I then have them read it to me and ask them questions about what they wrote. In third grade it's three sentences, fourth grade is four, you get the idea. As they get older, it is something they can easily do on their own, and it gets them used to the idea of taking notes on reading, and on how to book other's written work into their own words. Oh, and math! Horizons is really good for early math, I used that with one child, then just stuck to Singapore math for my 3rd, since all three were using it by then! Good luck!
