Once again, I’m floored.  Arimi and I sat down to do math yesterday.  One of the requirements for Kindergarten is that the child learn how to count from 1-20.  I knew she had quite an aptitude for math because we’ve been practicing numbers the past two weeks and she understands that once you get past 12 you are just re-counting numbers 3-9 with the word, “teen” behind it.  Some sound strange like the fif in fifteen but she gets it.  So I gave her a bowl and 25 pennies.  I had her count the pennies by placing them in the bowl one by one.  She counted to 20 and told me there were more pennies.  I told her to count them too.  She proceeded with 21, 22, on up to 25.  No trouble there.  She wanted to count backwards so she started taking the pennies out, starting at 25 and counting them down. 

She got down to 14 and forgot what came next.  Before I got a chance to help her she covered her mouth and quietly started counting to herself from 1 up.  When she got to 14 she remembered that 13 was the next number down and so she just picked up from there and finished counting down to the last pennie. 

Do I have a brilliant daughter or what? 

I told her that with her understanding of numbers there will be nothing that she cannot be when she grows up.  To which she announced that she wanted to be an elephant when she grows up. 

Ok, so some things click and some things don’t.   

Introducing GraceReign Homeschool!  Why the name?  Why not?  When I first began homeschooling Simon I had some online friends who had named their homeschools for purposes such as teacher discounts at office supply stores or just so their kids could respond when asked what school they went to.  So, after much prayer and hearing a song on the radio, Grace Rain came to mind.  But I want Christ to reign over our school so I changed it to GraceReign.  And there you go.

Anyway, we have just completed our first full week of school and I must say, it’s intimidating.  Here she is, beginning kindergarten with more knowledge than most kindergartners.  This week she has been learning the proper way to write letters.  More and Fewer, as well as counting to 20.  The five senses.  Respect for self and others.  And dental hygiene.  Amazingly, she understands all of these almost perfectly!  Not only that but she proudly announced that the hangy-downy-thingy in the back of the throat is the uvula!  I’m out of my league already.

I’ve requested a packet from the umbrella school we used when I homeschooled Simon.  It will be a $40 registration fee per year but it will ensure that we are not under the law of the state.  This particular school considers registered members to be teachers and students of their school.  They only require that we send grades in twice a year.  Something I didn’t know is that Tennessee law says that homeschooling grades 9-12 requires the parent be a college graduate.  When I homeschooled Simon I seem to remember those grades as 7-12.  However, under the umbrella school I can teach K-12, no problem.  The only restriction is that 9-12 must be registered with the state and must test.  I’m not sure if they have to test using the same tests that the PS’s do here or not though.  I’ve got a lot of time to worry about that so I’ll save that for later.

I won’t use a standard curriculum yet.  Right now I’m using the guidlines of what Kindergartners should know and using free internet sites, a local kids discovery museum, and workbooks from WalMart.  Basically, the cheap way.  But it works and she is really enjoying it.  She’s also learning about taking care of herself as in cleaning up, bathing, and brushing her own hair.  Not that we need much coaching in these areas.