Here is the situation... I asked J yesterday if she likes homeschooling and she always enthusiastically responds yes and then I ask her if she is learning a lot at home. This one I think in honesty she is not sure.
First she says no, then she changes her answer to yes. Then I tell her well if you don' think you are learning enough, I can always add on or tell me something you would like to learn more about. And inevitably, she emphatically tells me she is learning enough and don't need any new stuff. Hmmm.... that is not very convincing. Is she saying no to new stuff because she is afraid she'll have less time to play. I lean toward that. After all, I think I might have wrote that somewhere but J has always said her #1 favorite thing to do is to play (free play/pretend play, go outside, etc) or in other words, non-academic. Sometimes her favorite thing is to read. Okay, I feel at least she loves to read. (Pat myself on my back . :)) Or does she honestly think/believe she is learning a whole lot? I'm a little unsure.
So here is sort of her daily work, (Monday- Friday) only
For Language Arts:
-1. Listen to an Enki story (or some other story)/2. Summarize and Artistic Digestion/ 3. Copy work or output of some kind (3 day cycle)
- She also do journal or copy work (from Bible or Enki or something of her choosing) daily
- 5 minutes of grammar from First Language lessons. (They also have poetry so check on that)
- reading- minimum 20 minutes of reading by herself; but she normally reads about 40- 1 hour each day
- we also do some read aloud where J read a page and I read a page
(we have not done any formal spelling work, though I do correct her journal or anything she writes)
- There are also books I read to her just because she enjoys listening to me to read to her
For Math:
- ThinkMath (2 pages of worksheets (front/back on each) as she was doing in her formal school) except she pretty much pick it up herself. At the rate she is going, she will be done with 1st grade thinkmath by end of April.
- After that, I plan on challenging her with some of Chinese math Olympiad books I brought ( can you believe the have ones for 1st graders?) or something else if I come across something else appropriate
- Occasionally we also read Enki math stories and work on Enki math verses/movements or play Enki math games.
For History:
- We read from "The Story of the World" by Susan Wise Bauer (10-15 minutes)
For Science:
- About once a week or two, we read nature stories from Enki (the goal here is simply to appreciate nature or natural phenomenon)
For music:
- we learn Enki songs on a weekly basis
- J also takes choir once a week
(I'm contemplating teaching her recorder but decided to wait)
For art:
- J do mostly free drawing/ free painting
- We also do some painting as Enki recommends (to sink into the color)
- Occasionally, we also do some lead drawing, basically I start, and she follows the basic picture, but then she can add on her own stuff if she chooses (most of the time, J will add her own stuff)
For physical education:
- we do circle some days (Enki movements)
- J jumps on balls, do pull up and darts in our basement;
- We go outside to play weather permitting
- J also takes tap/jazz once a week
- we go swimming once a week
(our homeschool gym class wasn't a go, maybe next session)
Bible study
- I read 1 chapter from Proverbs/ day to J and Prime and have a little discussion (sort of like character building)
- they also attend AWANA which is bible verse memorization combined with gym
- they also go to Sunday school
- sometimes daddy also reads them bible stories, etc.
Foreign Language
- I try to speak Chinese to the kids ( but I must admit I forget a lot of times)
- 2-3x a week, J reads a conversational Chinese textbook for overseas Chinese children
- she also watch little Chinese TV here and there with Prime
Of course, we try to bake, do some arts/crafts and play some games on a weekly basis. I think that's pretty much it. I will add on if I think of anything else.
Overall, I feel that is enough for 1st grade. I do want her to have plenty of time to play and just be a kid. :-)
But I will pray about this specific issue. And if you pray, please pray for me regarding this matter and pray that I will have complete peace if it is enough or if it not, that God will guide me and give me wisdom about it. If you do not pray, then just keep me in your thoughts. Thank you for reading. :)
3 comments:
Dong Dong,
In my opinion you are doing enough with J at 6.5 years old. If you think about it short lessons will hold a child's attention better than longer lessons will.
Charlotte Mason had a lot to say on this:
http://www.amblesideonline.org/WhatIsCM.shtml
In summary she says & I quote from the Ambleside Online website:
A CM schedule would feature short lessons (10 to 20 minutes per subject for the younger children, but longer for older ones) with an emphasis on excellent execution and focused attention, whether that is in thinking through a challenging math problem, looking carefully at a painting and then describing it, copying just a few words neatly, or listening to a short Bible episode and telling it back. Habit training is emphasized from a young age; children are taught the meaning of the CM school motto "I Am, I Can, I Ought, I Will." There are no gold stars or prizes, and competition with others is discouraged; each child is simply encouraged to do his best in everything.
You are doing fine. :D
Dear Ladybugs and Dandelions,
Thank you so much for the link. I have wondered about CM and haven't got a chance to it. But thank you for your encouragement and for sharing your wisdom and experience with me.
YW & no problem. When R was 6.5 I followed a routine like you do with your J. When R turned 7 she wanted to do more big girl learning. She told me a few months back that she loves her homeschool & that she could do her work everyday all day! LOL
All we can do is trust our instincts. By you listening to J & asking her what she needs & how feels is great. That is very attentive & nurturing on your part! Awesome for you & your children!
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