Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Homeschooling kindergarten - did you do it?

Oh my gosh. I want to print out this thread of responses and post it on my wall for reassurance, ideas, and confirmation.

My mother is visiting right now, which has given me an enormous break from the 100% one-on-one that my dd needs.

Minnie, I have to think hard about why I feel so petrified about hs'ing, and I think it's because I don't feel prepared. When I was in school I learned way differently than subjects were taught, so I spent the majority of my energy learning to conform to the ways of thinking that were presented to me on the syllabus. I learned to not raise my hand to ask questions in class because my questions were so far out there the teacher would have to go on a big tangent while the other kids kicked their feet, doodled and stared out the window. KWIM? So I think of you as a professor with a clue and energy to develop a varied and dynamic curriculum. I think of myself as a uniquely-brained misfit who is smart but not equipped to teach in a way that meets someone's learning style.

I'm sure I need to get over it, though, and forge ahead.

Yesterday I bought the Leapfrog book thing with beginning reading and writing curriculum (for $39 at Tuesday Morning). DD opened the example book and said, "Oh. There's an octopus, right there. And there's a sea horse, right there." I wondered if I had taught her those words.

She dabbled in the page turning but mostly wanted to use the pen as a magic wand that could produce book noises where ever she touched it. As long as she doesn't shred the pages, I feel we can just let her go with this and use her magic wand as she sees fit.

I LOVE the idea of a subject of the week or month. Of course I love it because it is exactly how my mind works. I am a total-immersion, self-directed learner. Give me the topic "rockets" and I will learn everything about it, including historical context. Maybe I'll try this with DD this week...

Shari, I feel exactly as you did - I'm too pooped to invent things and need some tried and true structure to fall back on. I'll definitely check out the site posted!

Again, many thanks to everyone - please do tell me more things if you think of them. Mostly I need to get over my fears of being too "out there" or otherwise inadequate with my teaching style.

Currently we employ the Free Range Play method. LOL