Unschooling a kindergartener?

Question

My son is not doing well in kindergarten. He didn't show very many of the "signs of readiness" for school anyway. He was in a special ed preschool (a wonderful program!) for 2 years for developmental delays, and they tested him for autism but he was "borderline" on their scale. He is now in a mainstream class.

I'm seriously considering removing him from school after Christmas break and homeschooling for the rest of the year.

He is a very hands-on learner and I would much rather teach him through games and crafts than worksheets from a curriculum. Has anyone NOT used a curriculum with a kindergartener? How did it work? How do you know they are learning what they need to be?

Answer 1

Go for it. I pulled my child and he has since done very well. All through school he required breaks from school. I think he went an average of 4 days a week.  To much pressure for him. To much noise and confusion. Children learn well at home. He will be fine.

Answer 2

I've never used a curriculum with my kindergarteners. We simply talk about all kinds of stuff based on where they are at: colours, numbers (count things, point out numbers, etc.), alphabet games, etc. "How do you know they are learning what they need to be?" Who decides what they "need" to be learning? That's a school construct. Our children are where they are. Homeschooling allows us to take the next step with them whenever they are ready for it.

Answer 3

I think it would work great.  I am using a curriculum with my Kindergartner now, but I didn't when my oldest was in Kindergarten, both are doing just fine.

Also, try some self checking kinds of puzzles and things that you just leave around for the child to find.  Like those puzzles where if you match the upper and lower case letter together, the other side of the puzzle shows a picture, things like that.

Also, if your son likes computer games check out http://www.starfall.com

Answer 4

I believe every child is different and for some, home schooling is the best solution. it really depends on the programs available for children with special needs. some areas have amazing programs that are good to take advantage of and some areas are very lacking in any decent opportunities. a little research will give you a better idea of what decision to make. you really want to know all your options before you make a decision. my cousin is autistic and the schools had no program at all for him. it became a major fight and he was miserable in school. homeschooling was great for him. it is not for everyone. sounds like your child might benefit from either a special program, if any are good in your area, or homeschooling. try to keep him involved in some social groups too as well. Good Luck.

Answer 5

First who makes the rules and laws on what exactly they have to learn by a certain age? I say pull him out if he isn't thriving in this environment. You are the parent here and you need to do what works for your child. You shouldn't allow society, the school system, or anyone for that matter corner or bully you into thinking that Traditional or special ed classes are best for your son. Do they really know him like you do? I hope you can say NO WAY! Pull him out.

I have a 5 1/2 year old daughter and we do what they call Unschooling. She basically learns everything they learn in a traditional school, but without all the workbooks, testing, crowds, stress, etc.

How do I know she is learning- well that is easy. You can look at my child and really listen to what she talks about and know that she is learning. She is brighter than most of the other 5 year olds that go to schools around here, I hear it all the time from other people that she is bright and knows so much. etc. Plus I just know my daughter well enough and in tune to what she hasn't learned and has. I have become a very good observer. These things come in time. It might have helped that I am a former K-3rd grade Teacher and Preschool Teacher and Director.

I take the time each day to read to her, let her play video games at night with Daddy which she is learning all kinds of math and reasoning skills, cooking and journaling our experiences, taking photos, spending time outdoors and talking and seeing nature, exploring, spending a lot of time on art activities- open ended. Art is all about expressing yourself and not following the rules on this one area. Allow your child to do what they want to do in the area of arts.

I am big on the basics Reading, Writing, and Math, but all the other areas I am more relaxed in. Knowing the basics is very important and they can and will learn it if given the proper tools and guidance.

You don't have to spend a ton of money. Some people homeschool on nothing and other spend a lot. It really depends on what your child likes. For us she loves Art so we spend lots of money on things she enjoys.

Spending quiet uninterrupted time is so very important. This is something that is sorely lacking in the schools these days. I remember the days where I would go to the school library and be able to sit there quietly for atleast 45-1 hour and do nothing, but look at the books. Kids are lucky if they get to visit the school library once a week or every other week and only pick out a few books to take home. Very sad.

People do not know better. They have been brainwashed into believing that Public schools are acceptable. They are not. They are far from acceptable. There are very few good schools out there left. Those you usually find in very small rural towns where they actually treat their neighbors with respect and know how important it is to Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Good luck with your little guy. Do your research. Allow him some time to Deschool. Don't start him onto anything until this next school year. Let him have this time to explore his world and feel free to be a child and to have time to catch up. Don't be in such a rush to "Keep up with the Jones". Life is too short to be worrying about what everyone else is doing and what their kids are doing. Who in the heck cares. You want your child to grow up to be a productive and happy adult. Who in the heck cares if he is in the top 3rd percentile of his graduating class. In the whole scheme of things it doesn't mean a thing. Only shallow people care about those things. Let him a choose a vocation that he will love and enjoy doing when he is older and not push him to do things he has no interest in.

I could go on and on, but I won't.

Let him be a child. They grow up so quickly and you will never get this time back ever again. You have one shot so make it good.

Answer 6

My son is at kindergarten and he is bursting to learn. He is constantly asking me spelling questions, and "what does that word say" questions, and asking me for the "maths games" in which we do simply maths questions - nothing more than additions up to 20 so he count on his fingers. He can count to 100, can read quite a few words already. Today he saw the word UNHAPPY in the story I was reading. He covered up the UN with his fingers and said "That says Happy"

This is supplemented by the phonics he learns at school so he can actually attempt to sound out a new word by himself. He's does very well too. So I just say I am unofficially home schooling him when he's not in kindergarten.

Some kids may not learn to read until they are 8 or 9, but while that SHOULD be ok by the world's standard, its not. Its forced on the kids that if they cant read by the time they are 7- there is something wrong with them. Thats usually when the bullying starts. If the kids are reading at age 4 like I was, the bullying starts early as well.

If I was homeschooling, I would not worry what the child  needs to know except when he's doing standardized tests. They dont happen every year. As long as he knows what he needs to know for those tests, then I say he's doing fine. And if he knows more that those tests, then thats good too.

In Canada those standardized tests happen in grades 3, 6 and 10.

Answer 7

Your last question is exactly why you should leave the formal, academic edcation of your child to someone who (it can be assumed) has studied this kind of thing, and knows how to evaluate on a regular basis, answer the question, and adjust the work for him to achieve success.

Don't know where you live, what your school district is like, what kind of special programs they have, but with your son's special needs, you will be advocating for him throughout his school days for the attention he specifically requires. This is as good a time for you to start practicing that successfully as anything, and you won't make the contacts you need to make, etc., in his school district by pulling him out of it now.

Have you talked to the teacher(s)? The principal? The superintendent? Your school board members? Your PTA? Are there not special teacher's aids for your child at the school? Our districts all have to provide teacher's aids for special needs kids in mainstream classrooms.

I am not a teacher; I don't have any teachers in my family. That said, I am obviously not a big fan of the home schooling movement. In your case, I understand your reasoning is a little different from the usual religious reasons, and I think you sound sincere in your reasoning, but I would think with autism that the structure school provides (esp early in his educational life) would be extremely important to setting him up for success later. That, and the routine, plus the importance of his being around other children; aren't his social needs & development with his peers as important as whether he works with games and crafts or worksheets?

I know some parents homeschool successfully, and their kids go on to great achievements. I would guess those are not the majority, though. I would say leave your kid in there a little longer and establish a pattern of getting him the resources in the public schools that your taxes provide for his education, and showing him how to do that, so he has hope some day of doing it himself, for himself as an adult. Basic patterns are established very early in life. I would be hesitant to establish a pattern of isolating him like this after what is probably just a few months in this classroom.

Hope that gives you some food for thought that you haven't considered yet! Best wishes to you and your son.

Answer 8

Try to find a Waldorf school in your area. They are very focussed on the holistic education of the child and are big on stuff like games and crafts and singing and playing.

Answer 9

Unschooling is great for kids this age. I am not sure it is TOTAL unschooling, since that would be completely child lead and leaving a 5 or 6 year old to take a hold of his learning ....well I am not a fan of that.  However you can most certainly give him choices for things to do so you would be guiding his education until he was old enough.

To try and keep him on track  you can look at your states grade level expectaions. This will help you assertain what you will need to cover by years end. It will also keep you on par with your local school, helping you guide him in the same order the school will go in case you ever need to place him back in public school. He will be more likely to have learned the same info as the other students in his grade.

My daughter is almost 4. She is on the opposite end of not fitting into a typical school setting. She has already mastered anything she will learn in K and most of what they will teach her in 1st. She is reading and can count to 100 and several other things. She just will not fit into the mold the school expects of her. We tried using worksheets and a curriculum, but that is not for her. She likes them just fine and we work on them because she needs to work on her writing. She absolutely loves books and always has. She also remembers anything she reads. So we read alot and that is how she learns.

I have another daughter,2. When she shows us how she learns we will go in that direction with her. So far, she likes to figure out how and why all on her own. Much in contrast to her older sister who is content with learning how it is done by reading about it.

Good luck.

Try looking at www.hslda.org. You will find your state laws there and maybe a link or two for local homeschool groups. You can also try yahoo groups or just do a search for your state or town and homeschool group. HS groups are wonderful sources of info.

Answer 10

Autism 'borderline' on their scale. !  hummm.

I would follow-up on what this testing indicated.  Get more clarification of what were his strengths and weaknesses.  What has his current school assements shown?  What interventions does the current school district have to offer?Why not work within the system in place and 'ADD' to their efforts with additional support(s).  Is he socializing well or distressed and/or disruptive?   Is he learning the basics, Colors - Shapes - Alphebet recognition,  beginning and ending sounds of words.   (( read up on Kindergarten standards in other regions and get a clearer understanding of how your district and son are matching up. ))

Can you volunteer and spend an hour or two in class each week to help oversee activities and get a better understanding of what some of the difficulties may before pulling him out.  This may help you when you decide to work with him in a homeschooled environment.

Is Kindergarten in your district a full day or half day?  If it is a half day there is still pently of time in the day to work with him in addition to whatever they are teaching him.

Not an easy decision to make... but be sure to exhaust all possiblities first.   Keep on top of the school and be sure he is getting all the asstance he needs.  You are his advocate for now, and follow your gut feeling and Motherly instincts.  

Alternative options are Private schools, they sometimes may be better able to assist with some of the difficulties your expressing and help you make a well informed decision.

Answer 11

Your last question is why you SHOULD homeschool-what they "should" be learning is just a list complied based on the majority-your child SHOULD be learning whatever they are capable of learning, not what the government says.

Good luck

The the girl that "guesses" that homeschoolers who go on to greatness are not the minority-research before you guess next time-statistics worldwide show the exact opposite to be true-despite closed-minded stereotypes, the MAJORITY of homeschoolers go on to college and to have successful lives and careers-the same CANNOT be said about their publicly educated peers, whose failure, dropout, depression and suicide rates are through the roof.\

Furthermore, HOMESCHOOL DOES NOT EQUAL ISOLATION! In fact, it is the exact oposite.