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Kindergarten: Starting a Classical Education

November, 2001 - May 2002

In October of 2001, I started doing some more serious research into the Bahai philosophy of education and training, as well as all the different homeschooling and curriculum resources available. I finally decided that Justice's formal homeschooling would follow the Classical Education method, using the book: The Well-Trained Mind By Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer. To read about how I came to make this decision, please read the section "What Method of Homeschooling and Why?" on my Homeschooling page. At the beginning of November, Justice started phonics lessons everyday using the book: Phonics Pathways. Justice read his first book ("Fat Cat") all by himself on November 19, 2001 and read four more books within the next month.

Justice reads one page in Phonics Pathways per school day in the morning when Haifa is napping. He has read the following books all by himself:
1. The Fat Cat (A book I made for Justice)
2. Fat Cat
3. Hot Dog
4. Pig Jigs
5. Rub-a-Dub-Cub

Books #2-4 come from a set called Now I'm Reading!: Animal Antics - Level 1 with Sticker which I highly recommend as early readers - especially if you are teaching your children to read using the phonics method. (click on the image to purchase the books at amazon.ca)

He is also learning to count. I wrote out the numbers 0 - 100 on business card sized index card. We count together while I flip each card. We started with 0 - 10 adding one new number a day until we got to 20. After that we could add 10 cards at a time because they are easier to name. Justice practices his counting every school day when Haifa takes her afternoon nap. We often don't remember to do our counting lesson.

December 20, 2001: Justice can now count from 0 - 30 and can match numerals with quantity for 0 - 10.
January 2002: I taught Justice how to calculate addition equations using little rocks. I write out a list of 8 equations, he finds the answers counting with his rocks and writes the answer in a blank square box.
February 2002: Justice is now practicing addition and subtraction using a Grade 1 math workbook.

Justice is also practicing his writing skills. He copies lines that I write. He does one page per school day while I am making supper. The copying is related to his phonics and math lessons. It consists of two lines of sentences which he is capable of reading by himself and one row of copying a number which he is learning to count.

In April of 2002, we moved to Daly City, California. Between January and April, not much school was done. Now that we have settled in, we are continuing a rigorous program. Justice is now using Grade 1 level workbooks, but I still consider it Kindergarten because we are not yet ready to start the "Well-Trained Mind" Grade 1 curriculum. Here is what Justice is currently working on:

Math: (15-30 min., 5 days a week) Justice completes approximately one Grade 1 workbook page a day. He is learning to count and write 0-100. He is also learning addition and subtraction using manipulatives (pennies or stones).

Reading: (10-30 min., 5 days a week) Justice continues to read a page from Phonics Pathways every day. Justice also has a quiet reading time every day for about 1 hour, in which he reads to himself from books he has already learned to read.

Writing: (10-30 min., 5 days a week) Justice copies 1-3 short sentences a day after reading them himself. He is working on writing the letters in the proper sequence of strokes and neatness (staying within the lines of his manuscript paper).

Grade 1 Workbook: (10-30 min., 5 days a week) Justice completes 1-3 workbook pages a day. They are usually writing/spelling/reading exercises.

Memory: (10 min., 7 days a week) Justice has already memorized many prayers which he chants during morning and evening prayers. He is now also learning to memorize the Kitab-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book). We recite together every evening approximately 4 lines and move on when we feel comfortable.

Justice frequently gets rewards for good work; these include: watching a movie, a favorite food, playing a game, or going to the playground.

Library Day: (every Wednesday) We don't have school on Wednesdays. We go to the library for storytime and to get more books (we sometimes go to the library 2 or 3 times a week). We also clean the house together on Wednesdays. I would like to start taking him to museums and zoos on these days as well.

Baha'i Children's Class Day: (every Sunday) Justice goes to Baha'i Children's Classes every Sunday. He also attends a Family School at the Baha'i Centre that has fun activities with children of all ages.

Justice is writing the numbers 1-100 on a chart
while putting pennies on a corresponding chart.
The pennies help him to understand the quanity
each numeral represents. April 19, 2002.

An example of Justice's writing. April 20, 2002.

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