What is the best age at which to start a formal homeschool program?

Question

I use the term formal to separate the preschool years from those in which you use a curriculum package

Answer 1

Just like when kids start to go to school 5 to 6 years old is a good age.

Answer 2

I don't know I'd use a package.  That's submitting to the system everyone agrees is not right.

My math skills are not great so I would use a system for Algebra, Geometry and Trig but I'd augement it with computer programming and drafting which impliments those skills.

I'd use a fair amount of structured Cable TV, Discovery, History, Science, PBS, Turner Classic Movies.

I'd order up a lot of reports and base English on those.

If I could find a structured program on sentence structure and diagraming I would use that.

I would get a few books and a telescope and teach astronomy that way.  I would also get a microscope, beakers and test tubes and teach rudimentary botony, biology and chemistry that way.

I would definately do a field trip to Chicago for the Field Museum, which I practically lived in as a kid, even though it's half a days ride from us now.  Be a nice weekend or week experience.  They have a good Art Museum and Planetarium and two good Zoos.

I'd work on writing with a goal of getting published, like I did when I was 16 doing unschooling.

I'd probably use a package for foreign language.

I'd use a package and supplimentary tools from Edmunds and a hobby shop for Chemistry and Physics.

As a joint program we'd work the Internet geography sites with the blank maps, with a goal of learning where all the countries in the world are.

I personally only did 20% on Europe.  I couldn't show you Lithuania if my life depended on it.  I usually do 75% on the US map.

Answer 3

This really depends on you and your child/children.  Some homeschoolers never use a formal homechool program and just learn from life in general.  Other's start with a set curriculum even for preschool,  Still other's start in Kindergarten and even others start later in the elementary school years.  So this really depends on what kind of teacher you are and what kind of student your child/children are.

Answer 4

I have 4 siblings so I learned a lot from them, so my mother just sort of let me go, and I wanted to learn because my siblings were. She started using a formal program when I was in 4th grade, but as I said I was learning on my own. It varies to each child, and I'm a pretty quick learner so that's probably why my mom started me late. You can see how much they're learning on their own beofre deciding when a good time to start is.

Answer 5

Most girls will be ready by 5 or 6. Many boys are better off waiting until they are about 7, but this depends on the child. Typically gr. 1 is when people start something formal, if they start something formal.

Answer 6

Read "Better Late than Early"

quote

For younger children, the emphasis is usually on building a solid foundation in reading, writing, and basic math. Where schools believe in starting formal learning as early as possible, most homeschoolers believe in delaying formal studies until the child is seven or older. This allows the child to mature physically and emotionally before she is asked to sit down and study.

unquote

Answer 7

I really think this depends entirely on the child.  

Some children may be ready for a formal curriculum at age 4.  My 3 yo daughter looks forward to doing her little workbooks everyday.  Others may not be ready for a formal curriculum until age 7 or 8, yet if you wait to begin until they are ready, they will quickly catch up with those who started earlier.

I think most parents start their children around age 5, but many start their children too soon.  The danger is that the child will become frustrated or discouraged, or will begin to see learning as a chore.  You don't want that to happen at an early age.

I think a great thing to do would be to buy a simple math and phonics program when your child shows readiness for it and see how it goes.  If the child is taking to it, keep going.  If the child isn't, set the program aside for later.

I think formal lessons in history and science can wait until the later elementary stage.  Before that, I would focus on reading good books and setting up an environment for learning through activities and field trips.

Better Late than Early is a great resource.  So is How Children Fail, by John Holt.

Here is some info on different homeschooling methods:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...