Curriculum to inspire

This years I decided to start early on planning my mini sensei's curriculum for the 2010-2011 school year. Easier said than done. I found myself inundated with information overload. Honestly, there is so many different programs, curriculum's and sets that if you do not properly prepare you will quickly find yourself drowning. Recommendations are a great start, but they often muddle the process because they are based on how well it worked on someone elses child and not yours. Trust me, I learned the hard way that if you don't take your child into consideration before purchasing, you will waste your hard earned money. I don't like to waste money and I'm sure you don't either. I'm determined not to make the same mistakes this year, so I'm doing several things to avoid pitfalls. First, I needed to figure out my daughters learning style. I think once I'm able to figure out how she learns best, her successes will further her love of learning. Next, figure out which curriculum suits her best. Finally, putting it all together. Easy, right? Umm, no, not really. With that said, I'm going to take the time to break it down for you, so my past grief won't become yours.

Learning Styles Preferences: Refers to the way children prefer to approach leaning and how their brains most successfully process information. Learning-style preferences are reflective of how they relate and which way of presenting information is most likely to stick.

1. Auditory-sequential or analytical learners- Ten to process information in a parts to whole manner. These children respond to logic, order and sequence. Auditory-sequence( AS) is preference is evidenced in children who respond best to spoken information.


2. Visual-spatial learners- usually are high in visual-spatial (VSK) intelligence and process information best when a topic is introduced as an overview before the details are taught, in a whole- before-details or global introduction. They think primary in images and prefer visual explanations, video, diagrams, computers simulations/graphic, and demonstrations. They enjoy success when learning is less structured and ore creative and interactive.


3. Kinesthetic preference learners- generally have the proficiencies found in children with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence and many of the proficiencies found in children with visual-spatial intelligence. They like to touch what they are learning and respond well to learning activities with movement , role playing, and hands-on exploration with math manipulative's and science experiments and may need to move during breaks rather than just change to a different sedentary activity.**above information from How Your Child Learns Best by Judy Willis MD.,MEd **

Your child can also have two learning-strength, a bit of everything or none of the above( see why it's taken me so long to figure it out.) . There's even multiple intelligence which just opens a whole new bag of worms. I honestly, found myself in a state of information overload. Once I settled myself down and figured out my mini sensei learning preference. I began to seek out curriculum that would suit her. Since I think my daughters learning preference is more VSK than anything else, I looked for curriculum that would engage her both visual and kinesthetic. I was a little worried because I consider us eclectic homeschoolers, so I did not want anything that was too regimental in nature. I was very pleased that it wasn't the case and I found a nice selection of curriculum that caters to multi-intelligence, learning preferences/styles and child led studies. I'm super excited to share with you my final, at least for now, curriculum for my dd first grade. Can I get a 'Woot-Woot!!!'

Our Curriculum for First grade( 2010-2011 ):drum roll puh-leez.....

Language Arts

• AVKO Sequential Spelling
• Journaling/picture drawing
• Read aloud books

Math

• Math U See
• Miquon Math

History

• Intellego World History 1 k-2
• Autobiographys of the following: Matthew Henson, Bessie Coleman and Augusta Savage.

Biology

• Every Child is Spatial Biology
• Butterfly kit
• The Healthy Body cookbook
• Planting veggie garden

Geography

• The Everything Kids Geography book
• Intellego Globetrotting with Folktales
• Intellego Globetrotting with Cinderella

World Art

• Every Child is Spatial
  

As for implementing this monster that I created, I'm still working on that part. We definitely won't be doing EVERYTHING daily. The core subjects we'll do daily and the other subjects will probably make a guest appearance once a week or when it suits us. Hopefully, it will inspire my mini sensei to want to learn more and to bask in her new discoveries.