After spending last weekend doing a homeschool method book read-a-thon, I got a better idea of what I like and don’t like from all the methods. If you would like a summary of the main methods of homeschooling, check out this link: http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/homeschooling-methods.html. It summarizes them nicely and explains pros and cons of each one.
I’ll be trying out different methods during this year, so you’ll get to see different aspects of each one as we go. You could probably describe us best as relaxed/eclectic, because that way, I don’t have to commit to any particular style and we have flexibility to change when we need to.
To start out, we’re going with school at home. That is usually what homeschooling parents start with, especially parents who remove their kids from school. basically, it’s exactly like school, just….at home. (Hence the clever name.)
We’ve decided on a list of things we would like Tigger to learn by the end of kindergarten (or her educational objectives, if we’re getting technical). She already reads well, so we’re focusing on math, handwriting, and art.
– to count to 100
– to skip count by 2, 5, 10
– to cut paper on a straight line
– to improve handwriting, esp. writing on the lines (ha!)
– to tell time/count money
– to identify lines (straight, curved, wavy)
– to perform basic addition/subtraction
So, to get started, we spent last week working on writing the alphabet and numbers 0-9. In true school at home fashion, I made extensive use of the chalkboard.
I also made use of a Charlotte Mason technique: copywork to teach penmanship AND spelling. So, when we got to writing number words, I asked Tigger how to spell the word and had her sound it out to try to figure it out herself. Most of the times she could spell just by using phonics; other times, words like eight confused her. (Why is eight spelled like that anyway?) But, she grasped the concept well and liked it! I think the chalkboard is a keeper….
