Homeschool World Forum

[Nancette]

With homeschooling does a child have to go through every grade level?
My child is currently enrolled in a Christian school. She is in Kindergarten but is reading and doing math well above a kindergarten level.
I ask the school if they would put her up into the next grade and they would not work with me.. her teacher even said "well she would be bored in the first grade too " So I am thinking she is reading at a second grade level and she tested in level three math for Saxon math.... my question is do I have to put her through the first grade as a homeschooler or can I just start her a the level she seems to be on? We have gotten the grade 1 LIFEPAC curriculum (all five subjects) and I was going to have her cruise through them just to say she did first grade but now I am wondering if this would be a waste of time...

any advise would be appreciated,
Thanks Nancy
Illinois

[ccmmum]

One of the best things about homeschooling is that you can move as fast or slow as you need to do. My daughter did K and 1st in one year because she was a stong reader, too. She is still about one grade level ahead of her peers, but we are slowing down now that we are reaching the jr high years.
If your daughter likes to "do school" why not have her do the Lifepacs over the summer? It would be good review and nothing in it will be hard for her. Then in the fall you could start with second grade and go on from there.

[Theodore]

It's not unusual for homeschoolers to score many grades ahead in reading. And why is this? The big secret to reading success is... drumroll please... a proper basing in phonics and lots of reading! On average, homeschoolers spend less time watching TV and more time reading books.

To answer your specific question, feel free to skip anything that your daughter knows well already. Just supplement with more advanced, subject-specific materials in the areas that she's good at. You'll probably want to go with Saxon 3 and whatever reading material your daughter can handle, in addition to the regular curriculum for history, science, etc. - and if grade level 1 seems too babyish for her, just skip it entirely and move on to grade level 2. Why waste time when you don't have to?
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[Nancette]

Thanks a lot!

I am still so unsure about all this and I get a bit nervous about the different choices we I have to make.

My husband liked the idea of her doing it in Summer just to say she did it... I guess that is what I will do. I know she will blow through it like it was play time anyway.

Thanks again,



Nancy

[hbmom36]

We are enrolled in a charter school for homeschoolers. My daughter is 7, so we say she is in 1st grade, just for the folks who can't handle the concept of homeschooling and feel they need to put her in the appropriate box in order to understand it. Her actual reading level is 7th-8th grade, and in math she is 2nd-3rd grade.

[easyhomeschooling]

You do not have to even consider grade levels when you homeschool. The beauty is that you know you child, and can work at whatever level they are.
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[EllenP]

I hope this helps...
We've just graduated our first college student (from NYU with Honors!); I have another one in junior year of college, and a high school sophomore.

The oldest two did high school in 3 years. We decided what they needed to do to apply to their preferred colleges, and we worked with that goal in mind -- starting in high school.

Before high school (K-, you can go as fast or as slow as you want! It's completely your decision based on your child's abilities. Why keep them toiling at stuff that's a cinch, and boring, when they are ready to move on? Especially in Reading, home school kids are usually well ahead of peers. However, don't neglect fundamentals and skills when they are in elementary school years. Math is based on foundations; each year builds on the previous year, BUT generally, the new material is learned in the odd-numbered years (1, 3, 5, 7, etc.) -- so be sure to get your books that cover those years.

History repeats itself every few years (American, World, Ancient, etc.), so make it a level your child feels slightly challenged in reading. Foreign Languages are good at any year; Sciences are mostly exploration and learning the vocabulary.

When you get to high school is when you have to do some conforming to make sure your child has what he or she needs to get to college (if that's where they're headed). My current h.s. soph is going to take 4 years to get through his material, just because he is not as avid a student as the first two were...but they have all covered the necessities, plus some -- the joy and benefits of home schooling allow for this!

[sparkie12]

Thanks EllenP!! That is soooooooo exciting and encouraging. Thank you Nancette for posting the question. I too have been wondering this exact same thing.

I am not even sure that I am gonna worry about the grade "labelling." The way I see it, my children will be learning for life!! My goal is to make sure that the learning journey is fun and enjoyable and most of all brings glory to GOD!! We have been doing Kindergarten level stuff for 6-9 months now and my 5 year is way beyond his peers academically. He is even learning stuff that 8-10 year olds don't know. Mostly we learn through exploration and conversation and books. This is sooooo much fun.

Thanks again to everyone in this thread!!

Blessing, Robin
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[renecoston]

IF, just say that IF, one was to jump "ahead a grade" while homeschooling, and the child is going to go back into public school, would they be put back where they are supposed to be chronologically, or could you fight that? I live where they do not want to put your child ahead, too, and had that same conversation with my child's school. They wouldn't put her ahead nor would they give her more challenging work. Part of the reason we are now homeschooling!
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