Teaching my 5 year old after school and weekends.

[Yellowcups]

I can't decide if I want to be a pushy parent or not. My DS is in reception and probably average for most things. He is extremely imaginative with intricate drawings and has very good (but not the best) handwriting. His reading is blue level.

I'll be honest with you is general knowledge and interest in the world is what I've focused on so I haven't done the whole maths and English thing until recently.

Anyway, I don't think this is good enough. I think I need to do more reading writing and spelling. Maybe help him be more exact with his drawings, even possibly start teaching more about fractions, bonds and times tables. But my question is will it matter?

I really believe that I could help him to achieve more but of course I'm worried that I'll knock his confidence or become obsessed. I sound a tad loony but this post is genuine.

Anyone else home school their school children?

He's FIVE

read to him, with him, have him read to you

Do maths as it comes up in life (laying table how many of things, shopping, sharing sweets etc)

Practice fine motor skills like button fastening and shoe tying

Let. Him. Be. Five.

Take him to museums and art galleries and theatres and parks and lakes.
Play with him.
Read to him and listen to him read (every day ad he's below average f0r reading, 5 minutes is fine)
Help him to explore the world and have adventures
Forget the rest

DD1 is bright and clever and engages well at school. Of course we build on what she's learnt but not in a formal way - asking her to give her sister half of the Smarties and counting in twos to work out the next house on the street's door number is plenty of maths imo. Reading a map and planning a day out using leaflets practices literacy. However, she is knackered at the weekend and needs to chill out.

Of course visiting museums, reading together and teaching bike riding and swimming are important, but I personally think anything more formal than that would turn her off completely.

^ this

Be wary about teaching maths at home (like fractions etc) as schools have quite specific ways of teaching it, and if you teach a different method it could just confuse him and cause more harm than good.
At parents evening, ask what you can do to help your child at home, and they will direct you towards the correct resources for their teaching methods. But I honestly think you are worrying too much. At 5 why does he need to 'achieve' more?

2014newme blue is above average for the end of receptipn and there's still a term to go! Definitely not below average, so don't worry OP.

Sorry my ^this was in response to harder's post!

Not at our school, must be different.

Bloody hell let him be a child!

carry on showing him his world and learning about it. Carry on with reading to and with him.

I'm not against more formal teaching but at 5 there's no need really. Maybe from 7.

Language skills are the best thing you can teach

Talk about halves and quarters look at the clock - give him 6 minuets or halve a minute

Add lanague by reading to them every day - talk while you play

Take him to different places farms parks museums and just enjoy him being little

Language is a big hurdle in spelling maths and literacy - use that

All the research will tell you this could potentially turn him off education and learning.

Totally agree with harder. Best things you can do as a parent to support his learning is read lots, talk lots, incidental maths as it arises (cooking is good for this). Don't try to force more formal learning at such a young age - it is more likely to switch him off.

Thanks for your replies. I think I've got that envy thing going on. When someone says their girl can read such and such or their boy can add up in 4's. I get envious and worried that my boy is being left behind.

We made a conscious decision not to teach him school stuff so he's spent most of his 5 years doing museums, forest school, trekking through woods, we do our own nature table, build our own crafts etc.

The blue book I now is yr 1 stuff but he was on red and I could see the only child who's first language is not English on a higher level I just went reading crazy. I asked the teacher what I needed to do. In one term he's gone up 2 levels. but it was hard work and probably not necessary.

Just read, it's all you need to do. You can cook, play eye spy, visit museums and encourage his curiosity in the world.

Thethoughtfox, that's what's worrying me more I think. I don't want to turn him off learning.

Can't believe I'm here really. I'm so anti homework you wouldn't believe. I need to stop talking to playground parents.

Writing : Diary?

Art: these books are great:
www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_24?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+usborne+book+of+art+ideas&sprefix=the+usborne+book+of+art+%2Caps%2C248&crid=2DCDIVQE6HRXM&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Athe+usborne+book+of+art+ideas&tag=mumsnetforum-21

Maths: Using Lego, you can do lots of number works.
You can teach fraction using pie/cake/pizza.

Thanks imip. I'm very proud of his thirst for knowledge. Yesterday the plumber talked him through what he was doing and I was so proud of his questions..

You mentioned pushy parents in your opening post and seem to have a good handle on yourself, so why do you want to become 'that' parent?

Some children will overtake your child. Your child will overtake some children.

Also -- parents don't always tell the truth about their DC's progress, you mustn't listen to other mum's who talk about Tabitha's reading levels. It's boasting and often untrue, they're trying to make themself feel better about something else in their life, imo.

Just keep doing what you're doing. Read, nature, go out and explore the world. There's more to life than reading levels, for all of you.

X-post - YES! Stop listening to other parents

Yellow, try not to compare. Seriously there's no point at 5. Kids get things at different stages, so that child who can read really well could easily plateau aged 7 or 8 and your son and others catch up and pass them. My son was below expected levels for all his KS1 sats, but is now in top sets at secondary and considered a high achiever. Just read to him, talk to him and have fun.

His five. Please leave him be.

I think people who want to give their 5 year old an hour of structured extra learning a night , (after 6 hours at school) and a couple of hours on a Saturday (after a working week) should be contacting their employers and offering to do similar amounts of unpaid overtime.

The Plowden report was a million years ago and no one remembers it these days(more the pity) but they came out with a brilliant slogan which should be written across the doorway of every KS1 classroom.

"A child's play is their work."

I don't think structured extra learning is necessary, but you can always mix in some fun learning in daily life.
Also if the child is interested, I think there's nothing wrong with providing some resources and help them explore, even at 5.

Thanks Irvine. I didn't realise you could get children's versions.

Viques. I was thinking more of 3/4 hours after school and maybe 8 hours on sat and sun.

Too much.😂

I get your point though. I too believe in letting children play and as I'm typing I feel sad that next year he has to sit at a desk all day.