Looking for a Good "Home" Educational Program.

Updated on August 20, 2008
N.S. asks from Santa Clara, CA
10 answers

My daughter is 4 years old and has a late December birthday, therefore cannot start kindergarten this year. We have gone to the public school and private schools and they will not budge. It is very disappointing because she is very bright in many subjects. Her sister just completed kindergarten and we had to make copies of her school work because my 4 yr old wanted homework and completed them with no problem. She really wants to be in school and she was sad when we had to tell her that she had to wait one more year. We purchased work books from walgreens or walmart and she goes through them like hot cakes. We looked at many pre-K programs around our area of Santa Clara and San Jose and the curriculum is all the same and is everything she already knows. She was tested at one school and we were told that she is definatley ready, however they needed to follow the states guidelines. We want to keep her moving forward rather than hold her in the same position. Her pre-school teachers agree that she is very ready and socially she has no problems. She gets along with my older daughters class mates very well. When I worked in her class and brought my 4 yr old, the kindergarten teachers would comment how she blends right in as another student. She also does outside activities such as ballet, gymnastics and is going to start soccer soon.

We had a bit of the same issue with my son. Not the b-day situation, but he was very bright and was bored. When I spoke to his teacher who did nothing, I went to the principal who also did nothing about it. At that time, being that he was our first child, we didn't know what else to do and did nothing else. Instead of my son moving ahead academically, he basically waited for everyone else to catch up to him, so to speak. We don't want to make that same mistake by not doing anything.

We are ok with my daughter not starting school this year, we have accepted it and it will gives us another year with her when it's time to go to college. Some of the pre-k programs suggested keeping her home with us and to keep doing what we are doing with her. We did decide to keep her home with us. So, finally here is my question.... does anyone have any recommendations for books or educational programs that we can work with her at home? Has anyone used Hooked on Phonics and is that an ideal program for what I am looking for. (we don't just want to prepare her for school, we want to keep teaching her what she is capable and what the school is not going to teach her. Like more indepth of history or science, etc.) I know I may end up in the same situation later when she is in school and the school is not doing anything for her. However, I think now that I know more, through experience, my approach to the school will be a lot different and this time I will not settle for the school not doing anything.

Thanks for your help!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

We bought more workbooks and are using starfall.com. I am also making copies of her sisters 1st grade homework. Things have been going great and she is learning so much. I myself am taking a Spanish class, so she is getting some of that too. Next, I will be asking all of you how to deal with school with her advancement because they are not doing anything for her. So I will talk to you all soon ;) Thanks to all of you!

N.

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.N.

answers from San Francisco on

My son just finished kindergarten at his montessori and will be entering 1st grade at his elementary school. He also missed the age cutoff. He loves www.starfall.com which is free and has a lot of levels. My 3 year old daughter also uses the site. It starts with basic alphabet, then proceeds to letter combinations, words and simple reading. It is very interactive. My son tried the hooked on phonics, but we didn't get very far. Personally, listening to the CD's, even in the background, drove me nuts.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.L.

answers from San Francisco on

I was also going to suggest that this would be a perfect time to start a second language program. There is a very good "mommy and Me" type Spanish immersion class out of the Campbell Community Center. Even my ADHD child was learning to speak Spanish at 3 yrs. That gives you an opportunity to learn side by side with her. By the time she starts Kindergarten next year, she'll be able to converse with the Hispanic students and will learn even more.

HTH

S.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.P.

answers from San Francisco on

SInce this is the last time that you're going to have this much time with her, I would suggesttaking advantage of it in another way, as well. There are nature programs which she could avail herself of and get a great deal out of. SOme are run by science museums, etc. I even know of a preschool which i srun by a woman who tlkes the kids in a van eahc day to different nature spots. It's a very different curriculum than you see in the typical preschool. It would be a widening of horizons and a deepening of the appreciation of nature/biology/zoology, etc. If you want to know more about the last thing I mention, send me a message and I'll get you the info.

Also, remember to HAVE FUN with her. That's as important as anything else - she's a kid!

Good luck,
M.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Is she already reading? If not, there is a program called "Sing, Spell, Read and Write" that is a lot of fun and has rewards for each lesson finished. I home school and started both of my boys with this. They learn grammar through songs and little games. A little race car keeps track of where they are in the "race for the finish line". The program comes with music CDs to sing along with, and phonics books, cut and paste, everything you need from K-3rd grade. You can check it out online.

If you are interested in a Christian world view, try Alpha Omega Publishers. I think it is AOP.com. You can get her started at whatever grade level you want and can choose to either buy the full curriculum, just one subject, or different subjects at different levels.

Another good one for math is "Making Math Meaningful" which not only teaches how to do math, but really stresses why math works. If they can understand why 2+2=4 they will be able to do better later when having to analyze problems rather than just memorizing facts.

Good luck. And more than anything, have fun!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Our son is very bright also and started kindergarten early (young 5) relative to his peers...many boys from the same preschool were held back. The reason: maturity. Kindergarten has as much to do with social skills and maturity as it does with academics. HIs learning in kindergarten was challenged by his social skills and maturity. I'm still torn as to whether our son should have been held back as his peers were. I've been told that kids start to level out around 2nd grade overcoming the differences in preschool education or lack thereof. Your daughter will most likely be bored her first couple of years of school but things will level out and then she will be with kids her age at the same emotional maturity level. Your can continue to augment your daughter's intellectual and academic curiousity with all the workbooks and other stimulating experiences you provide her outside of the classroom.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Does your local school district have an language emersion program? Palo Alto (and I think Mountain View) have Spanish, and Cupertino has Mandarin. I think the schools like the German-American or French-American schools have pre-school programs. You could probably find a Japanese or Mandarin pre-school.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.W.

answers from San Francisco on

I homeschooled my daughter with Calvert School in Baltimore, Maryland. They have correspondence courses and the whole program is outlined daily for you. I loved it. My daughter is homeschooling her children with the same plan. It is not cheap, but very good with the classics, good English, etc. I am sure you could look it up on the internet. I think lots of the military families use it to school their kids overseas. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.B.

answers from San Francisco on

I am in the same birthday situation with both of my children. What has worked for us with my oldest is putting him in a Spanish immersion preschool. This way he is learning a language with this extra time. You may want to investigate language preschools and see if your child could learn a second language.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.S.

answers from San Francisco on

It sounds like you are in an excellent situation for an education theory called "unschooling". Check out lifewithoutschool.typepad.com to see what other parents in the country are doing by letting their children's interests take them down the road of discovery.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.E.

answers from San Francisco on

Try looking up California Virtual Academy. I started my son in it when he was 4. They are very good. They send you all the curriculum you need, plus there is online help. It is a publically funded home school.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches