06 April 2013

Kindergarten Curriculum!

That's right!  Little Rose will be joining our homeschool next year.  Tucked between all the chess books are her ABeka readers.  She's sounding out words and ABeka really works for her.  You simply can't beat the systematic way in which it teaches children letters, sounds, sound blends and fluent reading.  Rose is now midway through the first grade readers.  She can read far better than she can write.   I've ordered a cute phonics book that goes with the series, so we'll see how she does with that.

I got all kinds of half-used books at the thrift store for about 50 cents each.  I figure throw these in with the Dick and Jane stories and our Handwriting Without Tears books, and we're set for a good while.  PS.  If you're glancing at the Everyday Mathematics books and wondering, no, I will not ever ever ever teach math the Everyday Math way.  There will be no calculator except to check our answers in the upper grades.  She will learn "standard algorithms."  She will be math-fluent and enter high school unfamiliar with the lattice method.  (Look five minutes into the video.)  This is my pledge to humanity.

She'll write her name on this book on her first day!  Earlybird Mathematics is an early version of...

... what she will do when she reaches a first grade level.  Singapore Mathematics!

I saw this at the homeschool convention and just loved it.  I bought it DESPITE the fact that it is "Aligned to State Standards," not BECAUSE of it.  Mostly?  The cute drawings inside and non-cluttered method of presenting simple problems to little children.
I'm looking forward to starting the school year with her.  She is such a big girl now! 

6 comments:

  1. She is looking very grown up.
    I was reading long before writing too, I had no interest in the pencil, just wanted to read the wonderful stories.

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    1. Today you write well enough that your writing is enjoyed by many. :)

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  2. Oooo.... Congratulations!!! How exciting!

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    1. I know!! I'm so glad D is letting her homeschool next year!

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  3. Wow, I watched the whole video that you linked to. Way to confuse children. My kids learn the standard algorithms too. How do the other ways save time? Sure, it's great if you want to rely on a calculator all the time but what if it runs out of batteries or you don't have one with you, OR you want to know how to do it yourself? Math is a pet peeve of mine. I am by no means great at math but I can't count how many times I have had to help the cashier with the correct amount of change I am due back because they hit a wrong key and are incapable of simple subtraction without a calculator. This doesn't just include teenagers at a first job, but people my own age too. Sorry to vent but I am glad I'm not the only one rejecting the "new math"

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    1. Isn't it painful to watch?? You are not alone, but unfortunately people like us need to keep squawking and trying to change things. :/

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Non-troll comments always welcome! :)

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