If you're homeschooling a 6 year old

[wewillgetthruthis]

Aibu to wonder what you hope they will learn with you?

Just practice reading and not forget any maths.

Not expecting to teach them anything new, just not forget key skills

We're more trying to keep up current skills than learn lots of new stuff - some reading, writing and maths every morning.

In the afternoons we've done a range of different things he's interested in, mostly computer or TV based eg a space documentary, some stuff about the Romans on BBC Bitesize.

My 6 year old is in year 2. The teacher sends him 3 worksheets a day and he is expected to read to a parent. Usually takes us about 2 hours.

And yep it’s about two hours ‘work’ in the morning then afternoon baking/gardening/craft etc

I have two 7 year olds in year two. They are given maths, English, phonics and reading by school every week day. They also do Kumon every day (including weekends) and a couple pages of their SATs maths book. It takes two hours a day, being an ex teacher is helpful in this situation.

Afternoons are crafts, gardening or baking and a daily walk.

We got Collins year 1 and year 2 work books and are working through those. Daily reading, practising year1 and year 2 key words to spell. Mathletics and reading eggs too. Lots of tv too but try to make it educational sometimes eg planet earth. Some art and lots of garden play for exercise. He is in year 1 and has written loads in last 2 weeks. Some of it he is just copying from books but his actual writing requires practice and he is keen. He was a fluent reader already. I think it about 2 hours actual work a day, sometimes a bit more or less.

I doubt my year 2 6 year old will learn anything new although I'm hoping me helping with his creative writing is opening his mind alittle.

He has about 8-10 work sheets a day
2 maths
2 comprehension
1 -2 spelling
1 handwriting
1 creative writing piece
1-2 topic - at the moment he is learning about cubism

I think it's too much

Single parent of 3 kids 6 and under, and trying to frequently juggle WFH too. I'm lucky if the eldest does 20 minutes a day. One worksheet maybe. And I listen to her read in the evening for another 20 mins maybe. That's it. I accept she probably will fall behind her peers, but no point beating myself up about that atm. It is what it is.

I've made a list:
Know 2x 10x 5x tables well (she mostly knows them so it's daily practice)
Learn the rest of the year 1 spelling list (again she knows most so it's about 10 words to learn)
Learn to tell the time.
Do a couple of the English and maths sheets from school each day.
Read every day.
Do some cooking, gardening etc a few times per week.
Craft activities as and when.
We are also watching Maddie Moate on YouTube every day and doing some of her activities e.g. we dissected a daffodil.

Forgot to say, my DS is in year 1, state school. So far school not sending much so I signed up to the currently free websites and ordered the work books from Waterstones. I think he is learning loads in 2 hours a day.

There is no expectation on you to homeschool your kids. We WFH full time whilst the kids are here (8, 5.5 and 3). We try to keep up with some basics but mainly we just try to cope and they're having fun!

Shall we all stop calling it homeschooling? It's probably a disservice to those who genuinely homeschool and definitely is to teachers. I doubt that many are actually providing the education that schools or home-edders do, day in day out.

I think it's best to call it 'parents trying not to let their kids' brains atrophy'.

Today I argued with a 7yo over a simple subtraction sum (she finally admitted I was right).

My aim is to come out if this with a live 7yo and 8/9yo (dependant on whether this goes as far as older child's summer birthday). Anything else is a bonus.

I want to progress his reading now he's not tied to the dull reading scheme books. Otherwise as PP say, just keeping up with the basics.

My 7 year old is badly behind so I'm taking the opportunity to take him through the basics instead of always having to "keep up" with work that isn't appropriate for him.

I'm hoping to get him reading a little, writing in sentances and memorising his 2x table.

He's awaiting assessment for ASD and ADHD so its also useful for me to observe how he learns and takes in information.

So far I've noticed that his "ability" is hugely variable depending on the quality of his concentration. Sometimes he really appears not to understand something...then tears through it no problem on another occassion. I'm starting to suspect that neither me or his teachers actually know what level he should be working on.

So I guess I'm also hoping to come out of this with a realistic picture of his ability that i can pass on to his teacher and educational psychologist.

thank you opticaldelusion

as a 5+ year of being a home educator(yes home schooling and home educating is different)everyones now saying they are home schooling is riling up the genuine home ed community

we are saying nothing much at the mo as we know people have no choice but when you get people on Facebook saying how they are struggling to home school you got to reply with(i have) what your not getting is this is not home schooling/educating,our world has stopped as well

My 6 year old is in Y1.

We are doing number bonds and tables practice each day (he knows them so it's just a case of consolidating).

Phonics/common exception words practice.

A maths and literacy sheet or activity sent by school.

Reading.

The rest of the time he plays with his toys, goes in the garden, we did some baking the other day and have done some craft.

I am wfh so can't do much more than that with him.

I am a teacher though and I know that despite the work I am setting I will need to go over things/reteach them.

Mine is 7, in year 2. I've given it some thought and have some aims for this period - they are aims for me rather than him iyswim. Mainly I want to avoid reliance on screens, and moaning about screens, that's my main aim. After than I hope to practise a little (ten mins) maths/spellings/creative writing/reading/times tables each day, plus at least 2 x 30 mins exercise plus plenty of screen free independent play. By the end of April I'm hoping he will have improved handwriting, learnt to tell the time and improved his cutlery skills.

That's a great list @SnugglySnerd, Thank you. It seems manageable. I can do those times tables and the list of spelling words between now and September, alongside frequent reading and learning to tell the time if we can. If I can achieve that, then I think that's ok.

We start with fitness of his choice (StickyKids/trampoline/EveryoneActive/JoeWicks/Captain Fantastic/GoNoodle..)
Then worksheets from school.
He then wants to do crafts/free play.
After lunch he does a maths workbook or plays in the garden.
I make him do something reading/writing/app or we bake or make use of all the stuff on YouTube (Captain Fantastic/zoo/museum etc)
Finish with fitness.
He writes a daily diary and reads before bed.
BUT
He had 2 younger siblings and I am wfh so he gets on with most of it on his own, or with littlies trying to join in.
He is also very keen to learn and always has been. He loves workbooks, writing and especially maths. Less keen on fitness.

About 2 hours of "work" - writing, reading, maths then the afternoon doing science/, geography, crafts, pe, outdoor play etc. Much more free flow in the afternoon.

Oh @unlimiteddilutingjuice are you me? I am finding online educational games helpful with motivation.

Which ones do you use BudgieHammock?
We like Sumdog and Teach Your Monster to Read.

My just turned six year old DS has this schedule three days a week four if possible

Breakfast
Two online e books read out loud to me with help and a quiz
Break and play
40 mins or so writing and then a drink /snack / twenty minutes tv or play then 40 mins phonics and spelling

Lunch
Play for an hour
Maths of some sort at the minute it’s times tables and division which he loves.

Our daily exercise with the dog and his little sister and little brother

His happy journal and some prep for one of his Beavers badges before bath and bed which we will do over the weekend and complete at home submitting online evidence. As I am trying to keep the feeling a bit like school atmosphere he is not allowed any technology or tv during the “school week” but he is on Friday and Saturday .

It is getting easier to get him to do this. I am going to give him a week off for Easter though.

I’m actually really proud of how he is adapting and coping though he has the odd little cry about missing his friends and his teacher 😥