This homeschooling thing is definitely a crazy new adventure. But it is pretty awesome I have to say. I didn’t know whether I would hate it and dread every day, but I actually ENJOY it. And so does Emma. That doesn’t mean each day has been lollipops and gumdrops, because they haven’t.
Here is Emma on her 1st day of school.
Isn’t she a cutie? She wanted to stay in her nightgown so that was fine by me. :)
But like I said, overall, the first week went great. The first day was awkward though with her saying “this is really different than pre-k” over and over. But by the 2nd day, there was no mention of pre-k which was a success in my book. She just wants to make a craft. Every.single.day. Because that’s what they do in pre-k.
Our second day of school was MUCH better.
A few thoughts about the Sonlight kindergarten curriculum we are using….:
- Some parts I love, and others I don’t even understand
- Some things are too old for her (specifically the Bible story book), so we ended up swapping that out for The Beginner’s Bible this week which Emma was SO happy about.
- I find myself questioning things a lot, and think “is this really necessary for a 5 year old?” But I still go with it.
- The language arts part is proving to be a challenge.
Also, comprehension is not her strong suite. Which in turn gets me frustrated.
As a new homeschooling mom, I struggle with letting things go (like the lesson plans), and asking myself if she’d be learning all of this stuff in public school. Like, sometimes, I wonder if she is even learning anything because a lot of times she can’t tell me anything about what we just read. And in my mind I’m going “grrrrrrr.”
But then, she can memorize the weekly scripture verse after hearing it basically once, and then I know she is learning something.
It’s a process.
I suppose it’s hard to put aside expectations about what you *think* they should be learning, rather than going at the kid’s pace. That’s the beauty of homeschooling that I have to remind myself daily of.
I have no idea really (other than asking other friends) what they teach in kindergarten these days, so being the “follow the book” person that I am, I often wonder and worry if she will be “behind” for her age group vs. what she would learn in public kinder. I know that’s silly thinking, and just shows what all of these standardized tests have done to our thinking.
How do you know if this is a successful journey or a disservice to your kids? Well, when you have sweet moments and days like these…
Now with all that being said, I really wouldn’t have it any other way. I love her being home with me all day, and I love the fact we aren’t on anyone’s schedule, and don’t have to deal with the hustle and bustle each day taking kids to school and picking them up during awkward hours. I love that we can wake up whenever we want (we are all late risers thank you Jesus!), make breakfast, and start school whenever.
I know that ultimately, time at home with us is more valuable, and us laying the foundation for their future is beyond my wildest dreams.
I can honestly say I never thought I would be homeschooling. And as I said above, not every day has been wonderful. But it hasn’t been unbearable, and for the most part, it’s been enjoyable. I did have to stop yesterday after 40 minutes of school in the morning then resume it around 5pm because we just weren’t jiving.
And yes, you can translate that to me hitting my hand on my forehead a few times because she wasn’t understanding something. Just being honest here.
We’ve typically been starting school around 10:30ish and finish around 12 or 12:30 and that has been working well. We do a 4-day week and are off on Fridays!
And we haven’t gotten dressed for 6 (homeschool) days now.
For me personally, and as my sister Cara so strongly warned me about, was to not stress out if we don’t get each thing in the manual checked off each day.
Clearly I didn’t listen to her because I am kind of anal about getting it all done. I know I know. I need to lighten up. Right?
So that’s the update so far. I know it’s only been a little over a week but it feels like 2 months already. Ha!
If any of you have any recommendations for us on the comprehension part of learning, or if I just need to take a chill pill when she can’t write a lower case f properly or the #2, then let me know. Seriously, I love to hear from other people who have gone through this and how you handle everything! The last thing I want to do is make this an unhappy experience for either of us.
Because when mama ain’t happy….
xxoo,
Decorchick!®
Thanks for posting the details of how its going! I am contemplating keeping my four year old home (right now he does 2 days a week of preschool) and I’m curious how much time one spends and how it works. Doing lots of soul-searching and research at this point and just dabbling in preschool activities at home. Fortunately for us, our guy also has a July birthday so we have an ‘extra’ year to decide what we’re going to do for kindergarten. Do you ever have problems with her just not wanting to learn from you as her mom?
Hey Gina, I would think for pre-k that should fly by super quick. I actually have not had that problem at all from her about wanting to learn or giving me a hard time because I’m the one teaching her. She is actually very excited to start every day! :) Hang in there. You’ll figure out what’s best for him and you. :)
Thank you for the update on your homeschooling…I was wondering how that was going and I am glad everything is going well. My child goes to daycare all day long and I know they spend a lot time on educational activities all day long and he is in preschool group right now…I am just wondering if the 1 – 1:30 hrs 4 days/week is enough schooling for a kindergarten level? I guess I wonder if this is what the curriculum suggests? I am considering quitting/cutting back on my work hours and staying more home with my child, but then I worry about him losing the exposure to daycare and socializing with other kids.
Hey Dana, 1:30-2 hours a day for kindergarten is definitely enough. That I am sure about! :) I wouldn’t worry too much about the social thing…really. I did too and unnecessarily. Ask any homeschool friend out there and they will tell you the same I am sure. :)
Yay for homeschooling! You’re doing a great job. Just keep going and remember its those moments with your kids that make it worthwhile…not whether or not you check the list (which was a hard thing for me to learn as i am such a lists person!) Comprehension was never my kiddos strong suit either starting out. We just stopped after every 2 or 3 sentences and i asked,”what is happening in this story?” Give it a few years and it will get much easier. And Cara gave you great advice. Fun fact, i actually attended the same church as Cara and recently found out she was your sister. Happy homeschooling!
Hey Janice such a small world! And great advice thank you so much!!
As a teacher-one who went to college, got a degree, all that jazz-I have no problem with people homeschooling.
BUT-and this is a big one-I am a SpEd teacher of Language Arts/Writing. I’ve worked with middle schoolers for fifteen years now, but I did five years with Kindy kids first.
You must separate your cute daughter’s ability to memorize ( short term retention of rote /concrete materials) with her inability to comprehend. (In college I did a 30 pg paper on comprehension. It’s EVERYTHING. ) Comprehension is crucial to reading/writing, where rote memorization is NOT. It’s really only good for times tables ( 3rd grade stuff).
Here’s a link to read about comprehension milestones.
http://www2.lawrence.edu/fast/beckr/pdfs/improving_5yr_olds.pdf
I’d make sure you do LOTS of stories, lots of fairy tales, simple easy readers, etc.
If you do NOT notice a difference in her comprehension by her next birthday, I’d be wary of homeschooling for her at this time. You can video her re-telling a story or answering q’s about a story weekly so you can any pattern of stumbling blocks/etc. You have to have some kind of portfolio to see how the quality of her work is progressing, so you can intervene if an issue arises.
Another suggestion-if she’s allowed to sit in Pj’s, etc it kind of sends a message that school is just a fun thing at home that she “plays” with Mommy. IMHO I think she should be picking out clothes to “go to school” in, b/c it send the message that this is a different time than usual home time.
While it’s true that you know your child best you also are her Mom-and it’s hard to know when to push them past their comfort zones so they experience real growth academically/emotionally/etc.
Bottom line: she’s 5. Don’t sweat her comprehension issues right this second, but please be aware that kids that are not good readers by grade 3 are at a HUGE disadvantage in any type of school setting.
I agree with Susan. I am also a teacher with fifteen years experience. Comprehension is very important for later learning. Also agree with the suggestion of getting dressed and ready for school. Even if you are at home.
Good luck and good for you for doing what works best for your family : )
Thank you Shell. I should have probably mentioned that she is a very young 5 year old (with a July birthday), so I know she will get the comprehension part sometime. And since this is so new to the both of us, we just need to find our groove. I mean, it’s only been 7 days of schooling so far. Haha.
You will absolutely find your groove and it will be a fantastic experience for you and your daughter : )
I have a few friends who homeschool and, despite normal ups and downs, none of them have any regrets and their kids are doing extremely well. Keep up the good work : )
She is a very young 5 year old (July birthday), so I probably should have mentioned that too. We had a good day today and the comprehension was much better after a few different approaches. Since it’s only been 7 days of school so far, and this is so new to both of us, I’m sure I’m just jumping the gun.
And I do appreciate your opinion about getting dressed each day, but I do have to disagree with that. It wouldn’t make her learn any better if she was wearing a cute outfit. And she doesn’t misbehave while we are learning at all. She’s very excited and eager to learn and is in an environment that is familiar and happy to her. So if that means us starting school after breakfast while still in our jammies, then I’m totally ok with that. :)
I’ve been homeschooling for 11 years. The comprehension is not something to stress over yet. A lot of learning comes to kids when they are ready (just like potty training). Not everyone follows the prescribed learning schedule at the same moment. BtW, I put my daughter in kindergarten for a few months last year and it was pretty much a waste of time compared to what we learned at home in less than 2 hours every day. Pj’s are also a standard home school uniform when my kids are younger. My twins, now 16, and getting straight A’s in high school, are proof that pj’s were not detrimental to their education. =) Why can’t learning feel like play time with mommy? I guarantee they learn more when they are enjoying themselves.
I agree Allison. To me, the less formal “school” feel is better. I don’t think putting on real clothes and sitting at a desk all day would make them learn better or focus more. :)
As a former physician and veteran homeschool mom (10th year now), I prescribe the chill pill ;)
Relax. You’re doing great. As far as comprehension goes, if she can’t relate details back after a story start asking after a few pages for her to tell you something from the story. It could be her favorite part or it may be the last sentence you read. That’s ok. If a few pages are too many, make it even shorter. A single page. It may be she doesn’t know how to verbalize or doesn’t understand what you’re asking. Set an example by saying, “You know what I liked about this part was…….What did you like?” She may just parrot you at first. Eventually, you can ask her first.
Enjoy. Don’t be a slave to your checklist. Use it to assist you but when it confines or gets in the way don’t be afraid to skip something (gasp!).
Pray. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought something was a great idea or great curriculum but the Lord said , “No” and directed me to something different. He knows my kids best and knows the best things for me to use.
Welcome to the adventure!
Great advice Amy thank you!!
Dear Emily, I didn’t start homeschooling my son until the beginning of 6th grade. I wish I had started with kindergarten. What I enjoyed most was getting to know my son; getting to talk to him & finding out his thoughts & feelings. We used ABEKA & we were very happy with it. We started each day off with a prayer & devotion. That got us off to a good start. I am very much OCD & have to read every word. However, I found that there are many ways of teaching the same lesson. The two of you will work it out, I’m sure. TJ & I did. Also talk to your husband & maybe he can think of a better or different way to present a lesson to Emma so that she can understand. It’s better to involve her Daddy. Life experience is the best teacher. Go places & have fun. Emma will have fun & learn at the same time. Make sure she goes to Sunday school. That’s a great way to learn. TJ got involved in a youth group. He & his dad went on 2 mission trips together with his youth group. Great bonding time! TJ is in grad school, Seminary, now. This is his 4th semester! He’ll go for his PhD after he gets his Master’s. He wants to teach at the college level. He has a 3.9 grade average. We are so proud of him. But mostly we are thankful to God for allowing us the blessings of Homeschooling. You and Emma will be great together! I have no doubt. God bless you and your family. Debby Broughton
Comprehension is all about questions, questions, questions. How you phrase them is so important, though, because a five year old needs to know what to ask before they can gather enough detail to comprehend. So, “can you tell me what’s happening here?” becomes “you know Emma, I’m not sure what’s happening in this bit, can you help me out?”
You will get sensible sometimes, when you don’t, follow up with a smile and a giggle and then speak the thinking you have “He might be sad because he is pulling a face, but that might mean he’s naughty too, I need to look for more clues.” Really sorry if I’m teaching what you already know, but remember that our grownup brains compute detail really quickly; you have to slow it right down and break up the thinking. You’re teaching how to comprehend at age 5, so the answers she gives aren’t so important right now, but they way she gets to them is.
I agree with everyone who has said to relax and don’t worry! I am homeschooling 3 of my 5 (the other two are too little). Don’t be afraid to not do parts of the curriculum if it just seems like “busy stuff”. Busy stuff for the sake of filling up time is ridiculous. And that is one of the best parts of homeschooling- adjusting materials to fit your children and your life!
I also have a kindergartener, and a young one at that. We do math, handwriting and reading. And that’s it. At this age, they don’t need anything else formally.
Maybe it is the “comprehension questions” and not your daughter’s comprehension. Try stopping in the middle of a story like “Harold and the Purple Crayon” and ask what will he draw next, why would he draw that, etc. Talk about characters are they nice, mean, and the characters action (I.e. when fox offeris a ride to gingerbread boy on his nose is that nice). Imagine yourself as the character. It is a friendly conversation about the story where both readers can talk about their favorites parts of the story, characters, and plot. Find stories that you both love and celebrate them with crazy character voices, foods like stone soup, or wild hats.
As a wonderful and skilled crafter, you know there are multiple ways to achieve great results….relax and listen to your instincts and know that there are multiple ways to achieve a great education for your daughter.
I am a recently retired teacher from Australia and home schooling is not done very much here at all. I guess our school system and lifestyle in general is for the time being at least safer than in the United States. My children are long grown and now in their thirties so home schooling was definitely not considered ‘in my day’. Of course there were always the hippies in the communes who kept their children at home however this was rarely for the benefit of the child’s education. So, I am curious as to why you have made the decision. Is it a matter of safety, lack of confidence in the system, lack of Christian content or that Emma will be a happier child for it? Don’t take this a criticism in fact I applaud you for having a go. I am just interested why?
I have already homeschooled two kids through to high school graduation. They are both in college and earning A’s and B’s. I continue to homeschool several other children at home and have been doing so for 18 years now. I can tell that you will have success in doing this with your family because you already see and treasure the greatest benefit of this lifestyle- time with your kids and being able to truly touch their minds and hearts and set them on the way they should go. You have a wonderful attitude in letting her be in her pjs! The less you imitate the system the better and smoother your educational and family life will be. Charlotte Mason methods of encouraging comprehension (Tell me back your favorite part of the story!) are not only effective, but teach a child to take an active role in their own education. But if you are using Sonlight, you probably know about all that already. I think you are doing great!
We home schooled k-12, and we are glad we did! Our son (who just turned 21) is finishing college in a couple months and has been on the deans list each semester. You may have a number of struggles, frustrating moments and even find yourself threatening to send the kids off to school. However, each day is a new day and a new opportunity for you and them. Don’t let others negatively influence your decision to home school. We are accountable to God for our children and home schooling allows us to help shape and mold them for His purposes. We are truly blessed, and believe that you will be as well.