For teachers or homeschoolers ... question

[EeyoreEma]

I was hoping someone with more experience than I have would have an answer for me. We plan on homeschooling our children, and dd is 4 right now. We are doing a lot of workbooks together this summer, and I was wondering which is the better method of correction - should I show her what she's done wrong and allow her to fix it, or is it better to just mark it as wrong on the paper? My common sense tells me to help her erase a wrong answer and then have her fix it but the other side of me wonders if that is "too much help" - anyone have any thoughts? Thanks if you do!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I'm a former teacher, now school administrator, and that age is my specialty. The first thing I'd say, is that I don't believe that workbooks are an effective or appropriate way to teach 4 year olds. That isn't to say that you shouldn't do them with your child if you both find them fun and enjoyable, but that they aren't something I'd ever consider using in one of my classrooms.

If you are doing them, then I'd do them together, talking through them as you work. If she makes a mistake then fix it together right away, rather than allowing her to practice the same mistake over and over again. The only time I'd give a child that age a worksheet and walk away and then come back and grade it would be if I thought she was really solid on something, and wanted to test that hypothesis to be really sure. In that case, if I was wrong and the child didn't do it right, I'd either go back and reteach the concept, or do the worksheet again together.

 

[horseshowmom]

At this age, what you're doing is creating a desire to learn. I don't see any reason to make a point of marking things wrong, but it is certainly a good idea to show her the correct way to do it if she gets it wrong.

I am both a certified teacher (with administrator licensure as well), and I homeschooled my own daughter through high school (and she's about to finish college with a Pharm.D.).

Good luck! We loved homeschooling!

 

[EeyoreEma]

I certainly don't leave her alone with a stack of workbooks and expect her to do them I always sit with her, and usually correct on the spot by having her erase and do it the right way. That being said, there are times I wonder if she might learn more if I put an x on something that was incorrect - for example, circling the wrong word or picture. We definitely don't do "just workbooks" but both of us do enjoy them, and I think it's helped her learn a lot. Considering that she's only 4 months past 4 and can read, I think she's pretty bright. Thanks for your reply.

 

[EeyoreEma]

Horseshowmom - that definitely helped! I just don't want to end up feeling like I help too much, but again, she is young.

That's great that your dd is about to finish up college, and that you enjoyed homeschooling. I never thought we'd consider homeschooling, but the options where we live are pretty pitiful. The more I've learned about it, the more I appreciate it. We are planning on using a set curriculum, as I feel better with the guidelines it will provide, at least until she's old enough to start the virtual academy through the state.

 

[horseshowmom]

Horseshowmom - that definitely helped! I just don't want to end up feeling like I help too much, but again, she is young.

That's great that your dd is about to finish up college, and that you enjoyed homeschooling. I never thought we'd consider homeschooling, but the options where we live are pretty pitiful. The more I've learned about it, the more I appreciate it. We are planning on using a set curriculum, as I feel better with the guidelines it will provide, at least until she's old enough to start the virtual academy through the state.

We used A Beka, and I found it to be very comprehensive. I have 25 years working in our public school district with a varied background (teacher, librarian, administrator) and really liked the structure of A Beka. I honestly feel like public school teachers are forced to "teach to the test" and that students don't get an education that is as well rounded as I would like (I've heard many teachers echo the same sentiment).

I think there is a homeschooling thread on one of the other Dis boards, but I'm not sure which one. Maybe somebody else can direct you to it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

At that age, workbooks are unnecessary. However, some kids just love them. My second dd is that way. That being said---up until my oldest was 3rd/4th grade (depending on the subject), I "graded" while she sat next to me and had her fix answers at that time.

Now--she gets it back and has to fix it herself and depending on the error, or the number of errors, I hand it back ungraded and require her to fix it.

For a 4yo...I don't know much about the different theories of childhood development, but at age 4, that seems a bit young to hand back a paper and have her fix it on her own. It doesn't seem that she would have the cognitive development to fix the error as long as she put down the answer she thought correct. I would definitely correct it with her. She has plenty of time to develop the skill to do her work independently and make the corrections on her own.

My dd performs well on standardized testing, so that has worked well with us anyway.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We used A Beka, and I found it to be very comprehensive. I have 25 years working in our public school district with a varied background (teacher, librarian, administrator) and really liked the structure of A Beka. I honestly feel like public school teachers are forced to "teach to the test" and that students don't get an education that is as well rounded as I would like (I've heard many teachers echo the same sentiment).

I think there is a homeschooling thread on one of the other Dis boards, but I'm not sure which one. Maybe somebody else can direct you to it.

I don't have the link handy, but it is located on the family board.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

At that age, workbooks are unnecessary. However, some kids just love them.

For a 4yo...I don't know much about the different theories of childhood development, but at age 4, that seems a bit young to hand back a paper and have her fix it on her own. It doesn't seem that she would have the cognitive development to fix the error as long as she put down the answer she thought correct. I would definitely correct it with her. She has plenty of time to develop the skill to do her work independently and make the corrections on her own.

As a Kindergarten teacher, I agree with correcting it together if it is a vital part to the skill you are trying to teach. If she made a j backwards then no, I would leave it. There are a lot of things that are developmental and she may not be ready for.
I also suggest doing less workbook pages and more hands on activities. Like manipulatives for counting (from basic counting to teaching concept of addition/subtraction). Do simple science experiments (growing a flower or freezing water), encourage free writing of stories, check out various games for stretching out small words. Workbooks are just not a valuable method of instruction but rather a way to reinforce some of the skills you have taught her. I would limit those pages. Just a suggestion.

 

[bumbershoot]

DS started demanding "proper" work at 3.5. Workbooks have been fabulous for us.

But I don't do corrections unless he asks for it, and he was only really able to understand what a correction like that would be like as he approached 5. Before that, if I did it, he absolutely hated it.

He far preferred me to just sit with him and listen to him as he worked things out, and prompt him in ways to work things out. And it's really helped him quite a bit. He knows how to work things out, talk things through.

The elementary school I went to had a "primary school". From 1-3 we weren't graded. It was brilliant. I actually went to 4th grade at a different school so I don't know how the transition was actually at that school, but for me it was just fine. I knew it was coming.

So to really do corrections on a 4 year old's paper just doesn't seem right. They are really just learning to learn, and anything else they learn at that point is bonus, IMO.

Now if she starts to WANT those corrections, do them, but do them gently and kindly. There's plenty of time for big x's in deep red ink later on. DS knows he's facing more of that as we go into 1st grade work (as soon as I buy it! though this summer we're working on reading), especially since he really wants to work independently!

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I taught elementary school before I was a SAHM. Instant feedback is definitely best. If your child is practicing something wrong, it is not going to help them learn it correctly. You are certainly not testing a four year old. You are doing it correctly by working with her.

 

[graygables]

I was an early reader (never remember learning how, just that I always could and skipped K) and hated workbooks. Just sayin'. I only did them because I felt pressured to do so, but I would have much rather finger painted or curled up with a chapter book.

I homeschool and we never used workbooks. We have gravitated more toward unschooling over the years, although we are now using Teaching Textbooks for math and Oak Meadow's curriculum as a "spine" of sorts (DDs are 14 & 11). I agree that it is most important to instill a thirst for learning using a variety of input. Show her how to Google and have her look up something about her favorite animal.

Lapbooks are also a great alternative to the standard workbook and they bring in a variety of mediums and skills (writing, cutting, pasting, coloring) while learning fun things. I've liked the ones I've gotten from http://www.handsofachild.com/shop/

 

[Sandy51]

To offset the negative (what she did wrong), also point out examples of what she got right and discuss why that answer is the correct one. Then go back and rework the incorrect ones.


Sandy

 

[TLHB70]

Here is the link to the homeschool thread.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1787845
I want to echo what horseshowmom said. We love homeschooling! We, too, use A Beka. My older DD will enter 10th grade next month. We use the A Beka Video Academy for her. My younger DD will enter 7th grade next month. I do not use the videos with her yet. She will start them for 9th grade.

 

[EeyoreEma]

Thanks again - I will definitely look into A Beka. I do have one friend that has used it and liked it, though she has since switched to our state's virtual academy. Thanks again!