Mini-update

Sorry I have not posted an update in two weeks, but we have been enjoying the weather and only doing small morning lessons.

Reading – Monster is now on lesson 22 of AAR 1 (almost halfway!) and Step 9 of AAS. He still finds spelling easier than reading, but is gaining confidence is his reading skills. I am still very much in love with AAR. Monster has such a wonderful grasp on the phonograms and can sound out a ton of words already! The Tank has taken a break from AAR Pre-1. Rhyming turned out to be very difficult for her (this is a developmental problem and even Monster struggles with rhyming). We are working on learning all of the letter sounds and will start Confessions of a Homeschooler’s Letter of the Week curriculum in January. I would start it now, but I need time to print, cut, and laminate all the pieces and prep everything for an open-and-go use of the program.

Math – Monster still enjoys Horizons K and I am adding in some Miquon and number bond work on our whiteboard. Monster loves writing on the whiteboard.

  Yes, we usually do school in our pajamas

We enjoyed a lot of Halloween activities

        

  

Other – I picked up a BrainQuest workbook for Tank this past week for pre-kindergarteners and she loves it! We already finished the chapter on numbers. She is my school lover and I can’t wait to see what the years will bring her homeschool journey! She also spends plenty of time playing with water (the only thing that seems to keep her interest for more than a few minutes without mommy) and Monster usually joins in.

 

We haven’t rowed a book lately as I needed a break to plan out several books. Although some people use FIAR as an open-and-go program, it was not working that way for us. I need to have activities already prepped and ready or the kids lose interest before we even start. It also means I get to spend more nights relaxing instead of planning and printing (like I spend them now lol).

We also dropped everything besides math and reading. Even handwriting has taken a backseat unless he decides to write during reading and spelling. I felt like Monster was unhappy with the amount of work I required. I want him to love learning and enjoy being 5 and spend his days playing rather than sitting at a desk. Homeschool gives us the flexibility to work at his pace and at an amount that he can handle and we have plenty of  time to fill in the extras.

Another week gone 10/1–10/5

Halloween is Monster’s favorite holiday so we have already started the celebration. Instead of “rowing” books this month, we will read all the library books we can find on Halloween or Halloween related stories.

This week:

         

We made witch hat cookies and decorated our foam pumpkins.

       

  

We also visited the zoo for homeschool day and Monster touched a snake (again!).

       

Math: Monster keeps plugging through Horizons K and doesn’t complain about math time at all. We also finished another chapter in Life of Fred: Apples. The Tank is now working through MEP Reception and a pre-miquon book. She loves this and has already zoomed through the first 4 lessons in two days.

Reading: Monster continues to dislike reading so we have switched our gears to spelling. All About Spelling will focus on phonics just as All About Reading does, but it will progress at a faster pace and work on encoding rather than decoding. He has zoomed through the first six steps this week and didn’t even mind writing his spelling words!! Step 6 is the first step with dictation and he wrote every spelling work perfectly!! He was so proud of himself . The Tank is still working through All About Reading Pre-level 1 and loves her school time.

Other: The Tank has almost finished her cutting and coloring Kumon books. I am constantly looking for new things to occupy her. Next up is the cutting and pasting book. She hasn’t used glue much so I’m sure it will be a little more challenging for her. Monster is still working through Developing the Early Learner and a Kumon Mazes book.