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part-time homeschoolers? - 6/15/2008 5:23:24 PM
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Palavra
Posts: 3
Joined: 8/28/2005
From: Georgia
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Hi, I'm a middle school teacher in a private Christian based school. My 5 year old DD will be in kindergarten at the school this coming year. She completed K4 in May. We are happy with the school program, and I am thrilled to be so close to my daughter. However, she is advanced in academics and loves learning, so we are homeschooling for lack of a better term this summer. We will continue to "homeschool" for an hour or so after school as well because DD truly enjoys it. Anyone else in this situation, and if so, do you use a formal curriculum?
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RE: part-time homeschoolers? - 6/15/2008 5:48:41 PM
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shadowspring
Posts: 1592
Joined: 5/27/2006
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Have you checked into any books written about parenting gifted children? I wish I could recommend some, but it has been so long since I started down this road. But here are some of the recommendations I remember:
Subscribe to lots of magazines: Kids Discover, National Geographic, Ranger Rick, whatever your child finds interesting. Subscribe at and above her reading level. Make time to do the projects offered in the magazines as your child is interested.
Do fun projects that take planning, gathering supplies, execution and maintenance: Plant a garden. Start a summertime business, like selling organic dog biscuits. Raise some butterfly-friendly plants, then watch the caterpillars come, eat, go into chrysalis and hatch. Train your dog to obey a few commands.
Keep lots of art supplies on hand: Bright white notebooks and a new box of crayons were my daughters favorite at that age. Some kids prefer coloring books, other markers or colored pencils.
Watch educational TV together: like Myth-Busters or Dirty Jobs. You can set up field trips or experiments yourself if something from the show seems worth exploring deeper.
Read aloud to your child every day: Even is she is reading well for herself, you can read more fluently and the story will flow better. Let her read a paragraph or two. Get in character, changing your voice to match the character's dialog. Our family loved the Redwall series by Brain Jacques, great heroes and heroines for little ones to dream of being.
Personally, I would completely avoid curriculum and workbooks. Be way more creative than that! Let her tell you a story that you transcribe for her, then let her illustrate it. Search the web for how-tos on publishing your own book- binding it yourself and everything.
And have fun! That is of course the best way to spend your summers for every one! 
_____________________________
 "All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost..." -J. R. R. Tolkien
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RE: part-time homeschoolers? - 6/15/2008 6:45:40 PM
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daughter_of_faith
Posts: 1104
Joined: 1/10/2008
From: Great Plains, Kansas
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Thanks for the ideas, shadowspring. My DS is also 5 and I'm homeschooling him this summer. So far we've been doing lots of writing practice (he needs to learn to write his name!), counting, and letters. We read lots of books. I did pick up a workbook for him....but only because he really loves the "structured" things and needs a good visual.
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RE: part-time homeschoolers? - 6/16/2008 11:14:57 AM
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daughter_of_faith
Posts: 1104
Joined: 1/10/2008
From: Great Plains, Kansas
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I'm a teacher by trade...so I *hope* I am doing what is best for him. He seems to really enjoy having things to do. I'm going to start getting some crafts going for him too.
In just the past couple of weeks, his grip has really improved! So I think we're well on the way to writing. He has written a few letters of his name completely on his own now. What was I thinking when I gave my child a name with 8 letters? (I'm not doing any better for the next one...if/when we're so blessed....his name will have 9 letters!!!!)
It's exciting to see the way he "eats" up these books. Of course, I happen to be an avid reader. I usually have a book in hand year round. If not in my hand, then it's on the nightstand, end table, or bathroom counter. LOL 
Does anyone have any other ideas/tips I can incorporate? I'm really open to suggestions (even if I do have a license in teaching). Sometimes my brain just doesn't always think of things and I know working cooperatively really helps a LOT!!!
Edited to add: I don't want to hi-jack the thread, but since our kids are the same age & would be working on similar goals/skills...I thought it would be good to share ideas!
< Message edited by daughter_of_faith -- 6/16/2008 11:21:44 AM >
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RE: part-time homeschoolers? - 6/16/2008 8:36:01 PM
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amybreit
Posts: 899
Joined: 2/10/2006
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I was going to suggest that if you wanted some simple fun science experiments, we used books called "The Backyard Scientist" & really enjoyed them! Then I went to the site to check what ages they were for & lo and behold she now has a book for 2 to 7 year olds called "Backyard Scientist, a science wonderland for the very young"! You might want to check it out!
_____________________________
<------ Staci & Stoli, our k9 kids!
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RE: part-time homeschoolers? - 6/19/2008 11:24:02 PM
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ezri
Posts: 2795
Joined: 3/31/2005
From: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Point B, NC
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More fun stuff- all preschoolers have some idea of what they are certain they wanna be... A fireman- an artist or some such. try to get a tour of the fire dept. or art museum/gallery. That is so fun.
~e
_____________________________
<- proof I am not yet qualified for the senior citizens discount. I know it is hard to fully grasp, knowing I have 6 kids, 4 cats, a dog, a silver streak the like of X-Men's Rouge, and a 20yo marriage... Really- I am only 38.
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RE: part-time homeschoolers? - 6/19/2008 11:33:54 PM
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daughter_of_faith
Posts: 1104
Joined: 1/10/2008
From: Great Plains, Kansas
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My son wants to be a teacher when he grows up. He wants to be just like his mommy. LOL
He's pretty adamant about it...so we'll see if he changes his mind. I wouldn't feel badly if he did stick with it. 
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