Snapshots of what the "fun" stuff has looked like. There has also been plenty of not fun, workbooks, & at-school learning as well. I have a first grader & a pre-k-er who was determined to "do school" regardless of my beliefs on academics at age 4. In her classroom she greatly exceeded all pre-k objectives on a brief assessment & none of it has been formally taught. She's a determined little thing. My first grader is moving right along with a growing interested in reading & writing; growing interest being my primary concern academically.He's sounding out short words, showing some interest in reading books on his own, loving read alouds, growing his vocabulary like crazy, and very interested in writing for any real purpose- yay for pen pals on the horizon. We discuss the importance of being able to read, write, speak, & listen well. His number sense is solid and he's gradually getting more confident in tackling new math tasks. My ultimate goal with him is playing & working together, connecting with his heart, & reminding myself constantly that concepts of good/bad, right/wrong, true/false are pretty much formed for life by about age 6 - I can't believe he's 6! And as comparisons come rolling along I must go back to my research & convictions about his heart first & secondly the success of delayed academics. Not that we are really delayed academics, but much targeted instruction takes a backseat & I am confident that by 11 or 12 he'll be no worse off academically for plenty of time spent gardening, playing, building, and imagining at age six.
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