Now that Spring has finally come to Maryland it's gotten me thinking about the upcoming school year. I've gotten all the reminders and read the signs at all of the schools that it's time to register for Kindergarten. Instead, I'm getting ready to start the simple task of filling out paperwork to declare Marisa as a home-schooler.
I've also picked up the new obsession of curriculum browsing. The nice thing about being a teacher was that it was all there for you. They told us what we had to teach and if it sucked then it wasn't on me. Now it's ALL on me - what if I buy the wrong one and my kids end up big dummies? Well they won't be THAT dumb due to the sheer genius of their mother. But you get my point. Of all the children that I've taught, I've never had such high stakes.
This year for math Marisa has been using an Evan-Moore workbook that I picked up at the teacher supply store and she's halfway through her Kindergarten math book and she loves it. The love of math must be in the part of her genes that skipped a generation (that summer I spent in Summer school relearning Algebra made me hate it even more). In September she might be ready for 1st grade math and I have no idea what to use. Social Studies and Science are pretty much covered through hands on activities, I am not a lover of worksheets. We loved Hooked on Phonics for Pre-K which she finished months ago and we're going to keep using that. She'll start K in the Summer. The biggest decision is handwriting and Spanish. Spanish she loves and I'm sure she'll do great with any program. Handwriting she hates! The other night Bill and I sat down to look at curriculum together ( I love my husband for caring about this stuff) and we made a decision on A Reason for Handwriting. It's got some great reviews and we are hoping that we love it.
I'm so glad that Kyra's still little enough that I don't have to worry about this stuff for two kids :)
I've also picked up the new obsession of curriculum browsing. The nice thing about being a teacher was that it was all there for you. They told us what we had to teach and if it sucked then it wasn't on me. Now it's ALL on me - what if I buy the wrong one and my kids end up big dummies? Well they won't be THAT dumb due to the sheer genius of their mother. But you get my point. Of all the children that I've taught, I've never had such high stakes.
This year for math Marisa has been using an Evan-Moore workbook that I picked up at the teacher supply store and she's halfway through her Kindergarten math book and she loves it. The love of math must be in the part of her genes that skipped a generation (that summer I spent in Summer school relearning Algebra made me hate it even more). In September she might be ready for 1st grade math and I have no idea what to use. Social Studies and Science are pretty much covered through hands on activities, I am not a lover of worksheets. We loved Hooked on Phonics for Pre-K which she finished months ago and we're going to keep using that. She'll start K in the Summer. The biggest decision is handwriting and Spanish. Spanish she loves and I'm sure she'll do great with any program. Handwriting she hates! The other night Bill and I sat down to look at curriculum together ( I love my husband for caring about this stuff) and we made a decision on A Reason for Handwriting. It's got some great reviews and we are hoping that we love it.
I'm so glad that Kyra's still little enough that I don't have to worry about this stuff for two kids :)
