A good teacher makes even the worst subject fun
Tomorrow is the first day of week #2 in home school. The main lesson I've learned is that Kara does not enjoy cursive. If I thought it was way too hard for her and she just wasn't ready for it, I'd definitely drop it. As her mom, aka the person on this planet who knows her best, I think she can do it and just doesn't enjoy it. I think it doesn't come super easy to her like most everything else in school. I think sticking with cursive is going to be a good lesson:
* Lesson #1: Sticking with something you start is important. Also, how proud are you of yourself for how far you've come? Also, hard work is good for you.
* Lesson #2: Not everybody is always good at everything immediately. Kara's little ego is a little puffed up at times and I will always have this example - so-and-so doesn't like math as much as you do and doesn't get as good grades as you, but they're better than you at cursive. Remember how much work you put into cursive and how far you've come? With hard work, so-and-so can be just as good as you are at math.
(FYI, I'm not a slave driver. I plan to re-evaluate the cursive idea in a few weeks - as the mommy, I reserve the right to change my mind - it is extracurricular, after all.) :-)
So, this week is operation CURSIVE IS FUN week. Here are some ideas:
* FIRSTLY, we're going to the actual first grade curriculum - the second grade pace is too fast
* trace my letters/words in marker (her favorite writing utensil) or puff paint or whatever
* do all cursive on the chalkboard....with colored chalk
* do all cursive on the driveway with sidewalk chalk
* draw cursive in the mud with a stick
* shaving cream in the bathtub (got this idea from a friend)
Then I'll take a picture and glue it to the worksheet where she was supposed to write them.
Don't get me wrong, months from now we won't be so loosey goosey, but she's practically in tears over cursive now and this should be fun. So, fun it will be!!! My friend who's a 2nd grade teacher said my main goal should be to make learning fun. She said the rest will come if learning is always fun. And the minute someone hates to learn, they're in trouble - because we keep learning all our lives. She's absolutely right!
Any other ideas on how to make cursive fun?
Second grade curriculum: all three pages at once, PLUS other subjects
First grade curriculum: This page only - more our speed. :-)
* Lesson #1: Sticking with something you start is important. Also, how proud are you of yourself for how far you've come? Also, hard work is good for you.
* Lesson #2: Not everybody is always good at everything immediately. Kara's little ego is a little puffed up at times and I will always have this example - so-and-so doesn't like math as much as you do and doesn't get as good grades as you, but they're better than you at cursive. Remember how much work you put into cursive and how far you've come? With hard work, so-and-so can be just as good as you are at math.
(FYI, I'm not a slave driver. I plan to re-evaluate the cursive idea in a few weeks - as the mommy, I reserve the right to change my mind - it is extracurricular, after all.) :-)
So, this week is operation CURSIVE IS FUN week. Here are some ideas:
* FIRSTLY, we're going to the actual first grade curriculum - the second grade pace is too fast
* trace my letters/words in marker (her favorite writing utensil) or puff paint or whatever
* do all cursive on the chalkboard....with colored chalk
* do all cursive on the driveway with sidewalk chalk
* draw cursive in the mud with a stick
* shaving cream in the bathtub (got this idea from a friend)
Then I'll take a picture and glue it to the worksheet where she was supposed to write them.
Don't get me wrong, months from now we won't be so loosey goosey, but she's practically in tears over cursive now and this should be fun. So, fun it will be!!! My friend who's a 2nd grade teacher said my main goal should be to make learning fun. She said the rest will come if learning is always fun. And the minute someone hates to learn, they're in trouble - because we keep learning all our lives. She's absolutely right!
Any other ideas on how to make cursive fun?
Second grade curriculum: all three pages at once, PLUS other subjects
First grade curriculum: This page only - more our speed. :-)
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