Abeka K5

Well, mostly my blog has been focusing on MFW's programs. This year, I am doing Abeka's K5 program with Pooh and Tigger. I used it with Rabbit, and still have all the games, flashcards, and other things I made to go with it, so I thought I might as well use it. Some people have said that you shouldn't teach your twins together. So far, though, it is going okay. Their desks are right next to each other, with a lamp in between.

We start out with phonics. Usually it is some game, or song, or review activity. Doing this together works pretty well. Sometimes it is a blend ladder (or ladders), and those I do one-on-one.

Next we do handwriting. If we are learning a new letter, I get out our Handwriting Without Tears hands-on activities and we do those together. But, when they practice writing the letter on their slate, I watch them each one at a time, to make sure they are doing correct formation. If it is a review of a letter, then I have a Rubbermaid container of sand that they each practice in. Usually, I sit with Pooh when they actually do their worksheets. (Tigger has much better fine motor skills.) I talk him through the letter formation. Now, we're using Abeka's manuscript pages for handwriting worksheets, but we do single-stroke formation instead of ball-stick. Most of the time, I've crossed out the arrows and numbers and put in the way I want them to do it. They think it is fun that we're breaking the rules. Tigger actually goes slower than Pooh when doing his handwriting worksheet. So, after I'm done with Pooh, I go assist Tigger. Usually, it is to keep him from getting upset over little mistakes.

After that, we do our Phonics Review time. Again, this is usually some kind of game, or song, or other fun activity. I do try to do these together, but make sure that both of them get a chance at all the flashcards. If it is blend ladders, though, we do those separately.

Then the boys do a math page from Math-U-See's Primer. (Though, the next two weeks, we're going to stop and focus on learning to write our numbers.) This usually takes 5 minutes, tops. It is funny to see how different they are. When Tigger is counting items on a page, he numbers each one so he doesn't lose track of where he is. Pooh just puts a mark through each one and counts as he goes.

Some days we add in the Cuisinare Rods Alphabet book. They enjoy doing these activities. I don't normally sit with them while they do these. I could, and have them do all the questions/suggestions on the pages, but they just prefer to build. It is still problem solving skills, so I'm okay with it. Most days that takes about 1 hour. Sometimes 1 1/2 hours.

The boys can get on each other's nerves playing with each other all day. I'm thinking about scheduling time for one of them to go play, while the other does an activity from our old preschool toys, and then switch off again. I'll probably really need to do this when we start reading the little Abeka books for K5 - I'll need some activity to keep one occupied while I work with the other. I realize that's what the "seatwork" is for, but I can see my boys finishing that stuff pretty quick.

We'll be on day 27 tomorrow, so I feel like were making good progress.