this up. DS is so sharp, but he thinks he is light years ahead of his mom/teacher (ds is 7). I'm also having trouble with my expectations of him. Are they too high? Too low? Somewhere in between? I really need a helping hand. Do I order and administer tests? He is now reading beautifully. His handwriting is atrocious. His spelling is, of course having been taught to read phonetically, atrocious. Just how good should his writing be? How much should I stress that? What about writing? Do I have him write something only to have to correct the entire thing for spelling and neatness? His grammar, thankfully, is excellent and I don't have to worry about that much. We made the mistake of taking a week's fall break last week and I'm now swimming in a sea of complaints and whining. So much so that now I feel like whining. A lot. Repeatedly. And with many tears. Help?!? :cry: :cry: :cry:
First - DEEP BREATH!!! It is hard when they are really bright not to expect too much! My daughter is 7 and is also very bright and started reading at 5, etc. She reads at a 3rd or 4th grade level. BUT...other areas are tough. For handwriting and spelling, have you tried edhelper.com (I'm not allowed to post links yet so you'll have to paste into your browser). It is a $20 a year fee - I make a daily worksheet for my daughter. I include her name, date, address, phone and a few sentences for the day...maybe the weather, etc. That she needs to trace. Also, you could make up spelling lists, tests, quizzes, worsheets and stuff from your lists. I haven't started spelling lists with her yet. I'm about to start though. She gets a lot of vocab/spelling words in her Bible curriculum, so I'm going to make them her spelling words each week. Hoping things start looking up!
I am sorry you are having a tuff time right now. I test my daughter on a regular basis. This way I can clearly see were she is struggling in and what areas we need to focus on. I was wondering what you use for spelling and handwriting. As for his writing, with Ems I always have her correct what ever she spells wrong unless it is on a test or in her journal because her journal is for her enjoyment and creativity. Is his writing legible in the slightest way? If it is then maybe you don't have to worry to much as long as he is trying his best. In the past children were not taught handwriting until 4th grade so he still has time, in my opinion. How do you work on his spelling? Do you have him write it out so many times or spell it to you from the book or give oral quizes? I am asking so we can help out to the best we are able to. I think you have tackled one of the most important things and that is reading. Once a child reads the doors tend to start opening from there. God bless and hopefully someone can give a bit more advice then I did. Patty
I don't know how much help I can be....but I think with him just being 7, he just needs to practice, practice, practice. When my kids were in ps and learning to write, they did writing papers every day for homework. In the beginning they started out with single letters of the alphabet (ie...one day they'd bring home a paper with the letter Aa...then the letter Bb, etc.) Then as he progresses he can do easy sentences such as...I like to swim...or something like that. Like Patty said, reading is the most important, and the rest you can just practice. He has plenty of time to learn it...and also...some kids just naturally have messy handwriting (maybe he'll be a doctor!) LOL My kids are 11 and 9, but I still have to have them do a paper over from time to time for their handwriting. I tell them now that that wouldn't be acceptable in ps and it is not acceptable at home. It only takes once or twice of that and they make sure to use their best writing the first time!! But, in saying that, I think your ds is probably too young for that just yet. Don't worry and try and relax. I think you are doing fine and are on the right track.
How do you work on his spelling? Do you have him write it out so many times or spell it to you from the book or give oral quizes? Yes, yes and yes! lol I give him an oral quiz when first introducing new words. I keep track of the words I give him on an index card. Immediately after the quiz, he writes the words he missed 5x each. The next day there is another oral quiz. He writes the words missed 5x again. The next day - a written quiz. I then do follow up as needed. I've only just started this and have seen a slight improvement. Perhaps I just expect too much. I think I will implement a journal, though. I'm just having one of those days/weeks when I'm second guessing everything I do.
we use words in a sentance, you can have him look up the definitions, use them in ways more than just writing them over and over (I do that too) but using them in different ways may get him to learn them better.
Is there another way you could make spelling more "fun" for him? Or at least the practice of it? I like what you ARE doing...but could you make a game of it for him each day? Like...create a board with each spelling word on it (or it's definition, really). Roll the dice...move to the spot...spell the word, if it's spelled right - move again. OR...create letters out of index cards and give him a word and have him spell it without writing it using the letter cards? OR....spell it wrong and see if he can spell it right - give him a sticker for each one. Just thinking....hmmmmmm....
All good ideas and support! Someone mentioned "Spelling Power" somewhere, lol, has anyone here used that? Is he too young for it? DS comes by poor spelling naturally. I used to threaten to correct and return DH's love letters, lol.
((((BIG HUGS!!))))) I'm sure you are doing a great job! My dd struggles with all areas of written language (reading, writing and spelling). When I was introducing the concept of spelling tests to her, I would write all the words on our white board, call them out and have her pick out the right word to write down. It allowed her to see it, read it and write, it. Once she was familiar with testing I moved on to regular tests. I do not use a spelling curriculum. I use words from the week's lessons. That gives her words that she is seeing often. For handwriting, practice is the only thing that will make it better. We have some type of practice every day. I tested my kids for the 1st time this year. I was pleased with the results, and it gave me a boost of confidence that I was doing OK. I did it for me, not for my kids. It did show me where their strengths were. I'm not required to test my kids, but will probably test every few years, just to make sure we are close to where we should be.
See if your library has a copy of Spelling Power. My middle one is a terrible speller, and it's helping her. It's expensive (about $50 new), but will be the only spelling program you will need. If your library has it, you can try it out and see if it meets your needs before you buy! I would ask them what they want to learn about. Let them go looking for the information themselves. Figure out how to keep them challenged.
My kids are using Spectrum Spelling and really like it. And you can get it for all different grade levels. I got mine at www.cbd.com I have them write the core words 3 times each and then there are 2 or 3 pages of activities to do using those words. Then we have a spelling test on Friday. There is just enough pages to do one a day Monday - Thurs. then take the test on Friday. (that's how we do it, anyway)
Ok just my 2c worth, but my advice would be to relax. Your ds is only 7, and he can read, write (even if messily) and I'm guessing as you said he is sharp that he can add and subtract as well. Sounds pretty good to me! Some kids at 7 are still struggling to learn to read. In Finland they don't even start school till 7 yet have higher literacy rates. In the writing stakes he's just a beginner. That's what all the years ahead are for, practice. He will get better.
Kimberly, you are obviously a diligent & caring Mom! These other moms have some excellent suggestions, & things will surely fall into place for you. Keep in mind that there's only one commandment in the Bible specifically for children, and that is, "Children, obey your parents." As homeschoolers, we have all day to work on that, & yet, it's harder to teach than writing & spelling! Let us know how things progress. "Prairie Home"
Kimberly, I agree with Jo and others. Seven years old is still really young. Boys tend to have even worse writing than girls and spelling...most boxed curriculums don't focus on "spelling test" until 3rd grade so.... Is he a new 7 or closer to 8? 2nd grade if in ps? You know the saying "you can eat an elephant a bite at a time"? Ok...this applies here. I will tell you what we do but PLEASE do not compare. I was homeschooling before I knew it and my ds was reading at about 1st/2nd grade level when he was 4. He taught himself to read!!! Ok...here is what we do We use Rod & Staff English for our grammar & cursive writing practice. We use Spelling workout - words must be written in cursive. I sort of do my own thing with this but...on Monday he spells the words orally to me (sight unseen). I help him with any that might trouble him giving hints about silent letters, blends, diagraphs etc... I then write them on the white board in cursive. Tues he writes the words in cursive once. Wed he does the worksheet pages, Th writes the words once in cursive, Fri spelling test. Sometimes I write the words on the paper and he copies me and other times he has to copy them off the whiteboard. His Vocabulary Connections, Critical Thinking, Phonics, reading workbooks, etc.... (that I rotate around - he would never do all of them on one day in other words) can all be printed (which isn't very neat) but...I do this so that he can focus on the worksheet not the cursive. When he writes in his journal there is NO corrections. Those are his thoughts, ideas and...mistakes or not...they are his. We have just started dictation of a sentence or two and that has to be cursive. This is the start of getting his mind to think of what he needs to write without him seeing it to copy from. BUT...it takes out the element of thinking what to write. His history, science & geography are all printed and not corrected for letter correctness. Those motor skills are still developing and need a bit of extra time for boys. Deep breath and know he is more normal than not.
Wow! I could have written this, today. My 6 year old twins are exactly like that. We also have taken this whole week off, from school. The thinking was that we all needed a break. But I have the feeling I am just too freaked out, by my own second guessings... The boys have a spelling book we use. (Same as the school districts, by coiencidence) They do great. But their handwriting is "ok". See, I was just saying this to my husband, last week, almost in tears about how I have no clue if I am being too lenient or too strict, in regards to their handwriting. It was he who suggested we take a "Fall Break". My twins will write a sentence and everything will be nearly perfect, but then they will write the last letter of the sentence in a capital letter. I freak out and hit the roof. (This is of course unreasonable) But it is like I get mad at them for messing up when they supposedly "Know better". Anyway, what I wanted to share with you, is that I have had to rethink ME, not them. I do not knowif this helps, but I was being WAY too harsh on them. I mean, geesh! They can read beginer chapter books and write sentences at 6! ANd if they are actually making mistakes on purpose to get a rise out of me, then that proves that they know what they are doing, which means "They Get it". It also mean that I need to chill out. That is one thing I have learned this week off.... Many hugs to you. May you find what works for you. Jen
(Hey there Leslie!) I decided to share some photos of their work from this past week. Work that I actually complained about. Complaints that I now feel were stupid and hurtfull and that I will not be making again.... (To the kids about their writing).. This is their "Spelling Journal" it is a primary composition book and they are supposed to write their spelling words three times. In the drawing space, they usually draw their own version of whatever I drew on the board. (They are visual learners, so I draw pictures to explain things to them, and they like to draw their own version.) ANyway, we were concentrating on the letters g y and q and how they go past the base line and usualy have "Hooks" on the ends. I drew a picture on the board of a fishing peir. The letters were fishing. They "Sat" on the base of the peir (Base Line). Their heads were about as high as the handrailing (The mid dotted line). They had fun, until mom came down on them for perfection. Sheeesh! (I am officially grounded! ) Here are the photos... Sorry for the condition of one photo, my cameras batteries were dying.... but you can see they write relatively well for 6 year olds, eh? Anyway, my point was to say that I seem to be going through the exact same thing that you described. I falsly thought that I was the only one. And I now realise that I think I was "Over-Thinking" the handwriting thing. Hope this helps! jen
ANd if they are actually making mistakes on purpose to get a rise out of me, then that proves that they know what they are doing, which means "They Get it". It also mean that I need to chill out. Oh Jen, thank you so much for sharing that little bit of yourself with me! My DS does that -- makes mistakes or does things on purpose just to push my buttons.
oh you guys are scaring me! heh. I set up a three week break. we are moving this month plus Sami's Birthday so I decided I was too stressed for school. I sure hope the end of our break dosn't make for whining and complaining. Whenever I get too pushy Sami will "Play Dumb" too. So you guys aren't the only ones. Last week she 'forgot' what 1+1 is (the kid who could add and subtract before I taught her how!) Today she asked me "What's a Box?" I even fell for it "well you know a box is..." She responds "I don't get it." I lept trying to explain. "A box is a BOX!", I finally yelled. She keeps a straight face, I dunno how. And she knew perfectly well what a box is all along. They sure know how to push our buttons huh?
