Here comes kindergarten...

My little girl started kindergarten this week. It has been such a good week. With the exception of phonics, we love the curriculum. And she is doing so well. She's so cooperative. It's nice teaching a child that wants to do school. My older dd is not so excited, but then again her curriculum is not as much "fun"! I mean, who wouldn't want to do school when you are "playing" with teddy bear counters and popsicle sticks, coloring and making prayer posters, and listening to mom read all kinds of books, and sitting out in the backyard watching all the birds fly and sing amongs the trees. I don't know if mom or daughter is having more fun , but I guess it doesn't really matter, does it. I hope everybody else is having as good a time as we are.

For those of you interested in what we are doing for kindergarten:

• Rightstart Math, level A - Thumbs up for this program!
• Sonlight PreK - DD loves the Lion Storyteller book (we are using Janet's schedule from the prek yahoo group)
• Phonics - right now we are using the Phonogram Fun Packet. This is based on the SWR phonogram cards used in 2 different board games played with mini teddy bears. We were going to use SWR as our main phonics program, but that's changed. I am now looking at a program called Astronauts to Zippers. I believe that it will be a better fit for us. Once we receive and use it, I will post my review.
• Handwriting - ??????????

And that's it for now. Sonlight has science built into the program, and I also have Christian Liberty Press' K book, but I will wait until later in the year (once she is writing) to start that. I believe that it's enough.

Homeschool Open House

Tiany of http://homeschoolblogger.com/Tiany/366106/ is holding a Homeschool Open House. A great way to see what others are doing while on their homeschool journey.

We have been homeschooling for 3 years. I pulled my dd out of public school just before she started 5th grade, and she is about to enter 8th grade. This year I am adding my 5 year old dd to the mix. I'm very excited to teach kindergarten. I also have a 3 year old little boy, that likes to sit in with sissy reviewing the phonics cards. I think he knows as many sounds of the alphabet as she does. Thank you "Letter Factory" DVDs. We actually start tomorrow, and I can't wait.

8th Grader -


We are using a unit study called "Teaching with God's Heart for the World" this year. It's primarily for my oldest, but the Bible part will be done with everyone sitting in. This will cover History as well, using various spine books.

• Math - Lial's BCM with the digital video tutors & the Right Start Math Card Games


• Logic - The Fallacy Detective


• Science - BJUP Life Science (done at our homeschool tutorial)


• Speech - Abeka (done at our homeschool tutorial)


• Foreign Language - Latin in the Christian Trivium and Learnables French


• Literature - Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings


• Geography - Beautiful Feet's Geography through Literature


• Grammar - Rod & Staff English 6


• Writing - IEW




• Art - Meet the Masters @ Home


• Music - Classical Music: A New Way of Listening
  

Kindergarten -

I am starting Sonlight's Pre-K program with my 5 year old, and am anticipating moving into their K program after Christmas.

• Phonics - ????????????
  
• Math - Right Start Math Level A


• Science - CLP's Kindergarten Science, along with various readings from Sonlight and the CLP Nature Readers


• Handwriting - ?????????????
  
  I prefer to schedule the entire year, and also do a daily schedule. It has helped my dd to see her day laid out.
  
  This is also our first year with a homeschool room. We moved last year, and this house has a sun room which we converted to our school room. I absolutely love having a room for all of our books.
  
  My most favorite "homeschooling" books are:
  
  
  


• Educating the Whole Hearted Child


• The Well Trained Mind


• Cathy Duffy's Christian Home Educator's Curriculum Manuals

Homeschooling is not easy, but I love it. And finally, my 8th grader is admitting to others that she loves it too. God is great!