School with Edmund Part 2:

After about two months we moved on from letter recognition to phonics. Jaired’s family used Sing, Spell, Read, and Write for their children, and Jaired still remembered the phonics song that is used in that curriculum. We taught Edmund how to sing it, and, using images from the Internet, I made a visual for him to look at as he sang it. At that point I was able to use the same letter flash cards I had already made to drill him in his phonics. For each card he would tell me the name of the letter and the sound it made. I also started him writing the alphabet, usually a letter a day, first in uppercase and now he is doing lowercase.

Around the same time that we started phonics, I started him on other memorization besides just songs. We are working on both Scripture verses and various poems.

Throughout all of this I keep up with regular reading to him, from picture books as well as picking up chapter books and educational/informational books on topics that interest him (like castles).

As Edmund becomes more familiar with everything he learns he starts, of his own accord, to use it in his every day play:

Ø He writes his name on his own, practices writing random letters and numbers, or he draws a picture, then asks me how to write what the picture is.

Ø Once he learned the concept of counting past twenty he taught himself to count higher, just asking for help with the tens.

Ø He likes to sing to himself or recite nursery rhymes as he plays, so all the songs and poems he learns go into his repertoire.

We started using Saxon Math K in January. Both Jaired and I grew up on Saxon Math. Back then their lowest grade was 4^th, but now they have down to kindergarten. For the most part the books are non-consumables, so Jaired’s parents were able to save all of Saxon books once their children were done using them, with grandchildren in mind. For Saxon Math K we are able to borrow their teacher’s guide and only had to buy the booklet and manipulatives package that goes with the program. (And the manipulatives are used all the way to 3^rd grade, so they are well worth the 60 something dollars they cost, not to mention we can use them with the other children as well.)

Edmund and I both really enjoy the Saxon Math. Though it is a kindergarten book they start out with very easy concepts, much of which Edmund already knew. The book is designed to be used three times a week, with reviewing past lessons on the off days. I didn’t notice this until after we were a few weeks into the book, but, because Edmund was easily understanding each lesson, we have continued going through the book at a lesson a day.

The math book is designed to take up a full school year, but since we are doing a lesson a day we will be done with it in less time. I haven’t checked how many lessons there are, but I don’t plan to take off any official summer break, so we will just go until we are done and then probably move on to the next grade, keeping pace with what Edmund is able to understand.

Back to reading and writing, Edmund now knows all the initial sounds each letter makes and recognizes both upper and lowercase letters, though I have not yet taught him when to use which case.

Last month we started reading three letter words. I just use a notebook and devote each page to one type of words. So far we have done words ending with –an and –ot. I don’t know yet when I will teach him letter combination sounds, but once I do I can always go back to each page and write down the longer words that have those same endings.

I love the challenge and flexibility of home schooling. I can go as fast or as slow with a concept as Edmund is able to understand and not worry that he is going to “fall behind” or “get ahead.” If he is not in a very teachable mood we can skip our sit down school and just play. I don’t have to get stressed out trying to make him learn, and he learns that school is fun.

I learn and understand more about what I am teaching as I have to look at the topic/concept from different angles trying to find the way Edmund will understand it. And it is not just the way I explain things to him, but the way a lesson is presented to him.

For example: as I gave him new words to read he began to be overwhelmed by all that was going on. He would look at the list of words, which probably appeared long to him, and his mind would shut done, so much so that he would not even be able to tell me the sounds of the letters. You may think I am making excuses for him being stubborn and not wanting to read, but I think that it really was just too much at once for him to handle. My approach now is: each day I tell him if we are going to just do a review of the previous day’s words or if we will be learning new words. Then, I make sure that he feels confident with reading each word, and at least understands the basic meaning of the word before going on to another one. Finally, even if I want him to read three or four new words I write them down one at a time, that way he can concentrate on each new word one at a time, instead of seeing all of them at once and wondering how in the world he is going to be able to read them. This approach has worked really well. We are both much more relaxed about reading, and he is excited and confident about reading. He even gets the notebook out at other times during the day to read the words to himself.

I look forward to sharing more of our home schooling journey with you. I would love to hear your comments.