I always find it odd when someone sends me an email to ask me a question because I am so far from being any sort of expert, it isn't even funny. I hope they send me questions because they realize that people learn by making mistakes and they assume I have made a WHOLE lot. 'Cause I have. Regardless, the recent question was about which books/items should be kept on hand if one is trying to keep their school year as simple as possible.
Sometimes people like to keep it simple because they are in transition, maybe they are moving or have recently had a baby. Other times people keep it simple because they are trying not to take on more than they should. Kim has some nice ideas about that.
In my opinion, these are the essential items for a simple school year:
- a math book or program for each student
- lined writing paper or a handwriting workbook
- a plethora of good books on a variety of topics from which to choose, both fiction and non fiction, which can be from the library or your own family collection.
- quality art and craft supplies (though they needn't be scheduled, just available)
- if you are Catholic, a good series of catechism books is invaluable.
Math: Some daily math is a very good idea for all grade levels. Even a short lesson of fifteen minutes for the younger grades will help their math skills grow. Whether you choose Saxon, Teaching Textbooks, Math U See or another program, sticking with the same program if possible from year to year is helpful as the books build on one another. If you can't afford a math program or book, The Math Worksheet Site is an inexpensive way to print out worksheets on a daily basis. My boys' math programs take about an hour a day, sometimes less. They do their work independently though I am available if they need further help. The computer program grades and keeps track of their progress. My daughter, who is 6, would take a fraction of an hour to complete and her lessons are done with me sitting at her side, helping her understand the concepts since she will not use the self taught Teaching Textbooks program until she is older. Writing: Daily writing practice is also valuable. In the early years, it is important to learn how to form manuscript letters and then spend time practicing them, doing copywork or following a handwriting book. We have used the handwriting series by Marie Picard with much success. Children then can learn cursive letters and master them as well.
After writing mechanics are mastered, Robinson Curriculum recommends having the child write a daily one page handwritten essay. This is to begin around age 10. I liked that suggestion from RC and am happy we incorporated it into our home school. The finished essay is then corrected for spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors by the parent. The child can make the necessary corrections. I do not require mine to rewrite the entire essay, just to make corrections on the page itself.
My thirteen year old son writes the daily essay about whatever topic he chooses. I have printed out essay topics for him to peruse from but he normally makes up his own. The essay writing has been the single most helpful exercise in improving his vocabulary and spelling than any language or spelling program I have ever used.
Reading: It is handy to have a reading book list from which your children can follow. Some good, time tested reading lists can be found at Sonlight, Robinson Curriculum or the supplemental grade level lists recommended by Laura Berquist. It is nice to have a wide variety of both fiction and non fiction from which your children can choose. Most homeschooling families tend to err on the side of owning too many books, not too few, so lack of variety is not usually an issue. Science, history, geography and many other subjects can be covered during the "reading hours".
My oldest child (13) reads for two hours per day. I do "require" it though that sounds much more harsh than it really is. He does it very willingly and often talks with me about the book after his reading time is through. Last year my nine year old read for an hour a day, sometimes aloud to mom, sometimes aloud to his little sisters, sometimes on his bed to himself. He was a struggling reader when we began to require this and within two weeks we saw great improvements in his reading skills.
I initially feared that by requiring a certain amount of daily reading, they would not choose to read for pleasure, thus stifling their love of reading. I think it has had the opposite effect, honestly. They seem to read more now than they used to because it has become a pleasant habit. My six year old daughter also spends time with me daily, reading and learning phonics from an early reader.
Arts and Crafts: It is nice to have a wide array of quality materials to choose from. Whether it be yarn and needles, clay, markers, colored pencils, modeling beeswax or paints, the children can spend their free time using any available materials. Now and then we will do something more formal but for the most part, they can choose based on their interests, which medium to use. Recently, the kids have been painting with watercolors in the afternoons.
One note about art supplies, I do think good paints, pencils and paper are important. It is too hard to paint on copier paper without making a big mess. Better to invest a little in decent supplies than to have frustrated artists. Just my opinion. Just buy the best quality that is within your budget. We like to spend a lot of time outdoors and the kids like to draw or paint the things they have been learning about in nature as well. Some if mine keep a nature notebook for that purpose.
Funny, I thought that when we switched to a more simple, independent learning style, they would balk. But I have found there are few complaints about schoolwork and they always know what they should be doing next. They are not waiting for me to finish my plans or adjust them according to life's circumstances. The children choose to get their work done early in the day and are usually finished soon after lunch. If they play around in the early hours, they will have to work later in the day to complete the three subjects. The work is easily transported if we have somewhere to go. A folder, a pencil and a book can go most places.
So, that is what we do and what we keep on hand. That is how we keep it simple. It may not work for everyone but it has been a Godsend for our family.
