CLHCO
01-28-2008, 03:39 PM
One of the best things is when you get that ah-ha moment on how to provide unique, individual learning opportunities to match your child's interest. That occurred a couple years ago and I enjoy where it's taken me. The child that was once my most difficult is now my easiest to homeschool. I admit he's only in the 2th grade, and I don't have this much liberty in the subjects to be covered with his near-high school older sisters, but I now wish I had provided them with a bit more flexible learning options when they were young to really get them excited about it all. They did get a couple years in after I came to my senses at least. ;)
My son is obsessed with the solar system and has been for the last 3 of his seven years of age. When he was in kindergarten and even extending into first grade he couldn't color - at all. He made scribble marks. He could form some block letters but he couldn't even draw a simple picture with a tree and a house. Couldn't cut anything out. What he would do is draw planets, over and over again. Through that he eventually added features, such as continents, rings, storms, etc. Later he colored them in. Eventually he'd cut them out and stick them in order with approximate scale all over the living room with tape. Now he colors everything very well and cuts very precisely. Now that's boring too so he learned how to make them on Windows Paint, using the different tools.
For handwriting he is making a planet book. It is one of those drawing journals with the lines and dots for handwriting practice. He draws a planet, tells me a fact and I copy it with good handwriting and punctuation, pointing things out. He copies it.
His reading improves by reading space encyclopedias. All of this transfers to everything else. I don't worry if he doesn't like to color the pictures in SOTW. He likes the geography so we tell the stories and focus on the globe and locations.
I did similar things with his older sisters and their horse obsession. It's almost exciting to wonder what direction this will take for his younger sister.
Just felt like sharing after a good morning of schooling. :D
My son is obsessed with the solar system and has been for the last 3 of his seven years of age. When he was in kindergarten and even extending into first grade he couldn't color - at all. He made scribble marks. He could form some block letters but he couldn't even draw a simple picture with a tree and a house. Couldn't cut anything out. What he would do is draw planets, over and over again. Through that he eventually added features, such as continents, rings, storms, etc. Later he colored them in. Eventually he'd cut them out and stick them in order with approximate scale all over the living room with tape. Now he colors everything very well and cuts very precisely. Now that's boring too so he learned how to make them on Windows Paint, using the different tools.
For handwriting he is making a planet book. It is one of those drawing journals with the lines and dots for handwriting practice. He draws a planet, tells me a fact and I copy it with good handwriting and punctuation, pointing things out. He copies it.
His reading improves by reading space encyclopedias. All of this transfers to everything else. I don't worry if he doesn't like to color the pictures in SOTW. He likes the geography so we tell the stories and focus on the globe and locations.
I did similar things with his older sisters and their horse obsession. It's almost exciting to wonder what direction this will take for his younger sister.
Just felt like sharing after a good morning of schooling. :D