On Week 30 of K in Phonics and Math, now what?

[howiecram]

I'm trying to figure out what we should do next! I have all of the 1st grade core ready to go. (I even have the new FSR E, but still need new plans?) I'm really in no rush, so I'm just wondering how we should proceed. I feel she could use some more practice with the blends and long vowel sounds. She can read the red readers fairly fluently, but struggles a little when long vowels and short vowels are mixed. She can do it, she just really has to stop and think about it. We worked on schedule for 10 weeks and then once we figure it out, it accelerated the math and phonics cruising through books B and C. We have been on schedule again, starting with the book D (the math was on par as well). If we continue going, I don't feel we need the 8 week math review built into the first grade, but we might need a little more review on phonics. Should we go ahead and spend the next 8 weeks or so doing the summer reading program, adding in writing sentences every now and then and then move on, or can we proceed right to 1st grade?

Lastly, we are only on week 20 for copywork and recitation. If we just "quit" K here and move to 1st grade, will be ok? :-) She's excited to start cursive! I kind of like the idea of everything just starting fresh, except I feel confident that we could/should start on week 9 of math so we aren't going to be all on the "same page" anyway...

We found out at Christmas we are having a baby in late August, so i do feel starting now will give us some time to take a break when the baby comes?? Any thoughts?

[pickandgrin]

Re: On Week 30 of K in Phonics and Math, now what?

Should we go ahead and spend the next 8 weeks or so doing the summer reading program, adding in writing sentences every now and then and then move on, or can we proceed right to 1st grade?

Well! Congratulations on the new little one on the way! Your idea to go through the entire summer reading is a good one. There is a lot of distance traveled in those little readers and the continual phonics review makes sure things are sticking in place before starting 1st. I'll let Michelle and others chime in on the other specifics, but I wanted to encourage you not to pass over the summer readers!

Warmly,

[KF2000]

Re: On Week 30 of K in Phonics and Math, now what?

I am going to echo Jessica, both in the "Congratulations!" on the happy baby news (yay!!!), but also on the suggestion to keep going through things in order. As you have found, you can move through quickly if your child is handling it well and retaining things easily, but if you skip, you may miss a problem creeping in. I would just do things in order, and move at a pace that is comfortable.

I would also add that giving your child a chance for writing to catch up is a great idea. It would give a chance for reading to become fluent, and for printing to be automatic before learning a new method. Working on reading practice, and finishing copybook would be a great way to do that.

AMDG,
Sarah

[Mom2mthj]

Re: On Week 30 of K in Phonics and Math, now what?

I want to say congratulations as well on a new baby!

I have never had a child do the full K core, but have had 2 children struggle with the jump between what is contained in FSR D (not sure D was even out for my now 10 yo) and the start of 1st grade. Constant tears. I ended up dropping the plans to find some other resources to teach reading. I was so annoyed by the lack of instruction (expecting you to read words in storytime treasures that had phonograms never been covered in the phonics section) that I dropped memoria press completely for him until 4th grade. My now second grader had the same problem and I still fight with the tendency to guess based on the pattern of reading the tricky words in the lit guide before the child is able to sound them out. The change to the summer program and review at the beginning of 1st came after I purchased the core. I would say do not skip those summer readers. I would suggest do the summer reading while catching up on writing, but continue on in math without the fall review period. Once the baby comes you will have a few weeks for math review/slow down without getting behind.

Good luck!

Dorinda

[Michelle T]

Re: On Week 30 of K in Phonics and Math, now what?

Howiecram,

Sounds like you have a good plan for math if your student isn't taking a three month break between the grades (as our students do over summer) you really wouldn't need that 8 weeks of review. However if you need them, you have them!

As to phonics, in my opinion you should go ahead and finish FSR Book D as it will give practice with the long vowels and teach blends and diagraphs. Then move into Book E which will give focused attention to vowel teams and incorporate a few summer readers. If after Book E you still need practice, use the other readers and the summer plan before continuing. After Book E continue with the first grade plans, cursive and all! We should have the new first grade guide ready by the time you would need it.

Blessings,
Michelle T

[Michelle T]

Re: On Week 30 of K in Phonics and Math, now what?

I almost forgot to say congratulations on the baby news !

Michelle T

[howiecram]

Re: On Week 30 of K in Phonics and Math, now what?

Just in case anyone else is reading this thread, in a similar situation, after speaking with Michelle, I think our plan is this:

Finish FSR D (always part of the plan). We have 3 weeks left in K for math and phonics. My husband is off next week, so we have a planned week off, which will have us wrapping up K (phonics and math) at the end of February.

FSR E, combined with the blue readers and phonics flashcards for March and April. (the FSR E plans are 7 weeks, we may stretch to 8). and will cruise along in book 2 of the Math.

May, June and July will be our "break" and we'll plan to do light days. We'll alternate reading and math 6 days a week (15-20 min sessions each) and do some copywork (maybe start the 1st grade plans here), read aloud and call it a day. We are actually planning to watch our neighbors this summer and their Mom wants them reading for an hour a day and doing some little worksheets, so that should work out nicely. It gets hot in August, I'll hopefully be ridiculously pregnant, and the kids go back to school in early August, so we'll pick up a fuller load of school then (a full load for us is still really only 2 hours ish) - still plenty of time for outdoor adventures!. When baby arrives, we'll slow down a bit, but while Daddy is home (3-4 weeks) I'm hoping we can keep going (me "teaching" from the couch resting/nursing)! I'm sure once he goes back and we have to find a new normal, things will change again....but hopefully, we will have gotten off to a good start on 1st grade and can continue. I sort of had idolized "dreams" that we might finish the 1st core by Dec and start 2nd in January. I have an older child, who basically repeated K....but I decided, finally, that I am at peace with working the MP pace and just going with it as it works for us! We'll take the whole school year to do first grade and not kill ourselves!

Shew - glad I'll have this for a reference if/when I start to go crazy! :-) I can tell, after 2 years that Nov is my weakness....I'll need some encouragement then! I know it! (strangely not the Feb doldrums!!)