# Looking for some suggestions



## Kee Wan (Sep 20, 2005)

A little background. 

My youngest is four. We're going to homeshcool for a variety of reasons, I don't like the culture at the public shcools, I think that the curriculum has become way watered down, and I don't think that the schools are interested in supporting me as a parent and the primary teacher in my child's life. I look at how the children, even the first graders dress, and cannot believe that someone's mother let them out of the house dressed like that...

So - having only "homeschooled" my teenager to the extent that I had to make up for the deficiencies in her PS education, (she has some educational issues that the school chooses to ignore, rather than deal with) I'm at a little loss as to what curriculums to look at. 

I have already chosen my mathematics curriculum, and know to some extent how I plan on addressing the social studies, and arts. What I'm looking for is some help with reading, spelling and English. 

We are not a Christian family - We are Lakota, traditional. (which means that I can help anyone out there who needs it with sources and such for Native American stuff that is less stereotypical and more reflective of reality than much of what is in most history books. ) I'd like to avoid the curricula that are faith based, because we have that part of our education already well in hand. 

My educational style is a mix of allowing some self-direction, and some need to pursue some of the classic educational styles. For example, I find that diagraming sentences, and things like that are incredibly important. (I know, she's only four...<grin> but I have plans...) As is knowing parts of speech, and penmanship. I"m big on penmanship. 


To this point, the young one knows her numbers, is learning letters, and working on coloring and tracing to get that pencil control that is needed for writing. I have not really "done" anything - but put the tools in front of her....SHE comes up daily and asks for her lessons. SO far, we have only really used the "workbooks" that one gets in the supermarket, or at Shopko. 

SO - does anyone out there have a favorite "kindergarden" pre-reading/spelling/English curriculum?

THanks for your help. 

Kee Wan


----------



## saramark (Nov 2, 2004)

we use alphaphonics for our 4 yo and it is the best program we have seen for reading.
sara


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

My oldest is in kindergarten, and the two youngest are almost 4 yrs. old (but one is almost a kindergarten level, and the other is slightly delayed). Someone gave me two suggestions that have turned out to be wonderful, and very inexpensive. 
1) "The Three R's" by Ruth Beechick - It's an inexpensive (about $10 on Amazon). Well worth the money. The reading section is especially nice with lots of effective, easy suggestions. It will get your child through at least 2nd grade. If you want a prepackaged curriculum, this isn't for you. It's just practical things a parent can to do teach their child the basics. Even if you choose another program, this little book will be an invaluable resource. Dr. Beechick discusses how children learn different skills. 

2) "Total Basic Skills" for Kindergarten and the other for Pre-K by American Education Publishing. These books are sold at Wal Mart and Sam's Club for less than $10. They're not all you need for kindergarten, but they really are good for reading readiness. They also have math rediness. I'm using this one for my son in kindergarten, and their Pre-K book for one of my 4 year old sons. If I could have afforded a more stimulating program, maybe I'd have done that. But, I'm willing to put in the time to fill in for the shortcomings of less expensive programs. They get the job done and teach the skills quite well, and in a very methodical manner. It just takes a little more on my part to provide the practice and "extras", and to keep it fun for my boys. They love the books so much that they practice what they've been learning even when we're not having school.

Best wishes,

Jenny
Frontier Freedom Online Magazine


----------



## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

This is Cindyc. I post here a lot, but I have had technical difficulties and had to change log-ins. 
Well, I did not buy the full language arts program with any of mine. 

Here are my suggestions after homeschooling 4 children through this age. (...doing # 5 now.) They are all non-religious resources.
1) Penmanship- If you have a printer, buy "Fonts 4 teachers." You can then generate your own penmanship worksheets as they relate to whatever other curriculum you are using. It will teach ball-and stick, D'nealean, and/or cursive. It costs $40.00 and will be the only penmanship tool you will every need. It will save you a TON of money over the years that you teach penmanship.
2) Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading - I use it in conjunction with Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons, because there are interesting pictures in 100 easy lessons. BUT 100 easy lessons is not a complete phonics program and in my opinion is not adequate for some children. After 100 easy lessons, start Ordinary parents at about lesson 40. I did this with my now second grader, who is sitting reading the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series as I type. Both books together should total about $60.00 and will be all of the phonics instruction you will ever need.
3) Spelling... honestly, I have never found a spelling program that I like, so I have created my own. But I have used the spectrum workbooks, and they are not terrible. They are about $10.00 for each "year".
4) Grammar- I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE "First Language Lessons" for young kids. The first book is $25.00 I think, and it is for two years of language arts. The second book, is $30.00 for third grade. There is an optional workbook that you can buy, but it is not really needed. With this program, your child will be diagramming simple sentences by 3rd grade. 
5) Classic literature- use your local library. There is a list of 1000 good books suggested for children to read or have read to them that is really good and free on the web. It is listed on a "christian" site, but is its self not really a christian list. There may be a few book suggestions you would opt out of in your case, but not really very many. I have pasted the first few books suggested in grades 1-3 so that you can see what I mean. The link to the list is here... http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html
A Apple Pie and Nursery Rhymes and others by Kate Greenaway RA
Aesop for Children illustrated by Milo Winter (126 fables) RA
Alan Garnerâs Fairy Tales of Gold by Alan Garner
Best-Loved Fairy Tales by Walter Crane
Childâs Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith RA
Childrenâs Treasury of Virtues by William Bennett, illustrated by Michael Hague, and others in the series
Childâs Treasury of Poems by Mark Daniel 

I hope you find this helpful. You can do the first four years K-3) of language arts for less than $200.00 as above and have a child who is WELL above "grade level" for the money. There are no bells and whistles in the above. It is not flashy. But it works. 
Good luck to you!
Cindyc. (Cindy-e now)


----------



## harplade (Jul 14, 2005)

I taught my daughter to read with Teach Your child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons when she was 4 1/2-I was pregnant and needed to get it done b/f baby came. Let her read lots and lots,

Also, Handwriting W/O Tears has a system for younger children-it takes into account their motor skill level and uses those skills to work on writing. I have a friend who is a handwriting specialist and an occupational therapist. The therapist love this system b/c it doesn't force the truly fine hand/eye coordination that traditional handwriting requires and that typically a 4 year old is not ready for. Anyway, you might want to check it out.

There is a sentence diagramming book that I found online-published by a Catholic classical homeschooler. You might poke around to find it-it is very traditional and basic but I really like it. It's very easy to teach and builds on itself. Sorry can't remember the name but you could probably find it through a google search.

I'm a little on the unschooler side but at that age, I would say read, read, and read and live life. Take your child around older people, handicapped people, animals, and talk and read. The 1000 books list is great. I also looked in Sonlight Curriculum and Veritas Press catalog and found many of their great books in our public library. Also look on the web for Newberry award winners for several years back and you will find some great books.

Good luck

Harplade


----------

