What's your longterm plan for schooling? Most public schools these days treat kindergarten as the "new 1st." So if you move to a new school district in 1st she'll have a lot to catch up on.

FWIW I had to enroll my DS in a K I really did not like. He's doing fine, actually learning a lot. Kids are resiliant. Given tat you don't really feel prepared to homeschool, there's really little risk in letting her try the public school. You can always pull her out later.

Anonymous wrote:I just let mine play and taught them things they were interested in. I didn't want my 5 yr olds sitting at a table all day doing dittos. I wanted them running around, climbing trees, solving problems for whatever wacky ideas they had. I didn't follow a curriculum.

Soooo what did you submit when it was time to turn in your documentation? What if schools had that same freedom? Have you even visited a K classroom? Most are not just sitting around doing "dittos."

Starfall.com is good and fun, inexpensive, highly regarded and adequate. Has a plush characters toys that
"learn with a kid" which make it even more fun. Lots of online resources, games etc.
plus CD and printed material. Their material is relevant to the curriculums of individual states but you can just use it as a baseline and do way beyond and above that. Many teachers supplement with Starfall, so if your kid will ever go back
to the public they will be current with the material. The most challenging thing about the homeschooling is socializing as the school provides it daily and plenty so you will have to be creative. My friends sent their kids to K for couple weeks or so just to immerse them and expose to the environment of the actual school and when they went back in two years or so they knew what to expect. Was plenty helpful.

Starfall is not very high tech but that is also it's charm. The simplicity and not overpowering, like many other overly stimulating programs. You can try some parts of it for free
http://www.starfall.com/

I did it for both kids. Don't let it overwhelm you. It's much easier than it appears!

To answer your questions,

Check out your county's public school website. There will be a list of competencies they are being taught by age. Get that list and then you can easily find how-to-read books, handwriting/fine motor activities online or at your local teacher's store. At this age it's basic math, reading and writing- no major textbook is needed.

Our experience was great. There are so many opportunities around here for homeschool tae kwon do, gymnastics, library hour, the zoo etc., that it was easy to fill the day with other kids the same age.

I feel terrible that I chose a private school for my children without factoring anything regarding subitizing or cardinality.

I have a friend who home schooled k-12 and her kids are great, social and go to good colleges. It’s not for me, but I’d totally consider it in OP’s shoes. Subitizing or not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to homeschool my daughter in a year when she reaches kindergarten. I feel very overwhelmed in terms of preparing for this endeavor. What did/does homeschooling your kindergartener look like? Where do I go for educational materials? How was your experience?

Why are you homeschooling? You'll get better answers with more context.

OP here. I'm considering it because the public schools where I live are bad and I don't want to move. Good private schools are expensive so I'd like to take a stab at homeschooling. I like the idea of self directed learning, but can't afford private schools that encourage this.

What does "bad" mean? Have you crossed the threshold of the school? Visited classrooms? If not, you're making a pretty significant decision that will impact your kid with minimal information.

A HUGE part of kindergarten is learning through play with peers. Learning is a highly social endeavor. Based on what you've written, it sounds like your kid will just be doing worksheets with you.

If you think kindergarten is easy because the content is easy, you have no idea. There's real pedagogy involved. Are you prepared to facilitate your child's learning around number sense? Can you speak with confidence around the development of her understanding of subitizing and cardinality? Do you even know what those terms mean? Are you ready for all of this?
https://vimeo.com/210115211

NP. This has to be the most pretentious and ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I'm literally trying not to laugh. And that video reeks of someone trying to feel important by making a video to teach people about something that's totally ridiculous just for the sake of teaching it. It looks like a school project.

My just-turned-4-year-old has excellent number sense. He can add, subtract, talk about different shapes and what makes them different from other shapes in terms of numbers, work with a number line, understands which number is greater than the other, etc etc etc. I somehow taught him all of that without ever having been exposed to the word 'subitizing'. I hate to break it to you, but teaching kindergarten-level mathematics (or even well beyond that) isn't rocket science.

I homeschool now, but I didn't homeschool kindergarten. I sent both my kids to a half day program and did some phonics and math, and a ton or reading aloud in the afternoon.

Many people like Five in a Row for kindergarten. http://fiveinarow.com/

I don't worry too much about teaching my kids the vocabulary words subitizing and cardinality. I make sure they understand the process, but I certainly don't write objectives on my living room wall the way the previous poster seems to be recommending.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to homeschool my daughter in a year when she reaches kindergarten. I feel very overwhelmed in terms of preparing for this endeavor. What did/does homeschooling your kindergartener look like? Where do I go for educational materials? How was your experience?

Why are you homeschooling? You'll get better answers with more context.

OP here. I'm considering it because the public schools where I live are bad and I don't want to move. Good private schools are expensive so I'd like to take a stab at homeschooling. I like the idea of self directed learning, but can't afford private schools that encourage this.

What does "bad" mean? Have you crossed the threshold of the school? Visited classrooms? If not, you're making a pretty significant decision that will impact your kid with minimal information.

A HUGE part of kindergarten is learning through play with peers. Learning is a highly social endeavor. Based on what you've written, it sounds like your kid will just be doing worksheets with you.

If you think kindergarten is easy because the content is easy, you have no idea. There's real pedagogy involved. Are you prepared to facilitate your child's learning around number sense? Can you speak with confidence around the development of her understanding of subitizing and cardinality? Do you even know what those terms mean? Are you ready for all of this?
https://vimeo.com/210115211

I'm very well versed on what to look for in a school, and have spent my career working in education. That said I do not take homeschooling lightly. I have not written off my local school due to ignorance. I have visited, observed, studied their policies, and find that what it has to offers is not what I want for my kid. As such, I'm exploring other options, and looking to hear from others who've homeschooled a kindergartner.

I don't have personal experience with homeschooling my children. I sent them to school as I dont want the great responsibility of being in charge of their education. However my brother homeschooled his children and they are the smartest, sweetest and most sociable kids I know. They followed a Charlotte Mason type of curriculum. I am not sure if it's religious or not but it has some cool ideas. In regards to socialization- I know my nieces and nephews participated in lots of extra curricular activities and have tons of friend. And good for you for researching the public school - there are definitely aspects of public education that do not sit well with me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to homeschool my daughter in a year when she reaches kindergarten. I feel very overwhelmed in terms of preparing for this endeavor. What did/does homeschooling your kindergartener look like? Where do I go for educational materials? How was your experience?

Why are you homeschooling? You'll get better answers with more context.

OP here. I'm considering it because the public schools where I live are bad and I don't want to move. Good private schools are expensive so I'd like to take a stab at homeschooling. I like the idea of self directed learning, but can't afford private schools that encourage this.

What does "bad" mean? Have you crossed the threshold of the school? Visited classrooms? If not, you're making a pretty significant decision that will impact your kid with minimal information.

A HUGE part of kindergarten is learning through play with peers. Learning is a highly social endeavor. Based on what you've written, it sounds like your kid will just be doing worksheets with you.

If you think kindergarten is easy because the content is easy, you have no idea. There's real pedagogy involved. Are you prepared to facilitate your child's learning around number sense? Can you speak with confidence around the development of her understanding of subitizing and cardinality? Do you even know what those terms mean? Are you ready for all of this?
https://vimeo.com/210115211

I'm very well versed on what to look for in a school, and have spent my career working in education. That said I do not take homeschooling lightly. I have not written off my local school due to ignorance. I have visited, observed, studied their policies, and find that what it has to offers is not what I want for my kid. As such, I'm exploring other options, and looking to hear from others who've homeschooled a kindergartner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to homeschool my daughter in a year when she reaches kindergarten. I feel very overwhelmed in terms of preparing for this endeavor. What did/does homeschooling your kindergartener look like? Where do I go for educational materials? How was your experience?

Why are you homeschooling? You'll get better answers with more context.

OP here. I'm considering it because the public schools where I live are bad and I don't want to move. Good private schools are expensive so I'd like to take a stab at homeschooling. I like the idea of self directed learning, but can't afford private schools that encourage this.

What does "bad" mean? Have you crossed the threshold of the school? Visited classrooms? If not, you're making a pretty significant decision that will impact your kid with minimal information.

A HUGE part of kindergarten is learning through play with peers. Learning is a highly social endeavor. Based on what you've written, it sounds like your kid will just be doing worksheets with you.

If you think kindergarten is easy because the content is easy, you have no idea. There's real pedagogy involved. Are you prepared to facilitate your child's learning around number sense? Can you speak with confidence around the development of her understanding of subitizing and cardinality? Do you even know what those terms mean? Are you ready for all of this?
https://vimeo.com/210115211

I didn't homeschool, but I really liked E.D. Hirsch, Jr.'s series What Your (grade) Needs to Know

https://www.amazon.com/What-Kindergartner-Needs-Revised-updated/dp/0345543734

Also, you may not want to start reading instruction yet, but when you do, I strongly recommend a phonics approach.

I don't think it's necessary to put a lot of stress on academics in K.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to homeschool my daughter in a year when she reaches kindergarten. I feel very overwhelmed in terms of preparing for this endeavor. What did/does homeschooling your kindergartener look like? Where do I go for educational materials? How was your experience?

Why are you homeschooling? You'll get better answers with more context.

OP here. I'm considering it because the public schools where I live are bad and I don't want to move. Good private schools are expensive so I'd like to take a stab at homeschooling. I like the idea of self directed learning, but can't afford private schools that encourage this.

I just let mine play and taught them things they were interested in. I didn't want my 5 yr olds sitting at a table all day doing dittos. I wanted them running around, climbing trees, solving problems for whatever wacky ideas they had. I didn't follow a curriculum.

Anonymous wrote:I would like to homeschool my daughter in a year when she reaches kindergarten. I feel very overwhelmed in terms of preparing for this endeavor. What did/does homeschooling your kindergartener look like? Where do I go for educational materials? How was your experience?

Why are you homeschooling? You'll get better answers with more context.

I would like to homeschool my daughter in a year when she reaches kindergarten. I feel very overwhelmed in terms of preparing for this endeavor. What did/does homeschooling your kindergartener look like? Where do I go for educational materials? How was your experience?