Annotation: Below is a summation of the law regarding Kindergarten.  To read near the total homeschooling constabulary in Georgia, download this free PDF I created nearly the laws in Georgia: Georgia's Kindergarten and Homeschooling Laws

I explained in this post why I would delay sending my 4-year-old to Kindergarten this fall, if I were going to send him to public schoolhouse.  Nonetheless, in our "home school" I've decided to officially consider him a Kindergartener, starting in June 2011.  (UPDATE June 2012: I've decided to consider him a Kindergartener this yr as well since that is what he'd exist if he were in school.  I explain why more than in this post.)  This is considering I feel he'southward ready for a college level of learning.

First, some legal data pertaining to the law in my home state of Georgia, United statesA.:

Co-ordinate to the police in Georgia, I don't have to officially declare that we're homeschooling until my child is 6 years old.  Sending in a Annunciation of Intent for Kindergarten is not necessary UNLESS my child has already been enrolled in school for twenty or more than days.

Hither is an excerpt of the law: "20-ii-690.1 Compulsory Omnipresence: a) Every parent, guardian, or other person residing within this state having command or charge of any child or children between their 6th and sixteenth birthdays shall enroll and send such child or children to a public school, a private school, or a habitation study program that meets the requirements for a public school, a individual schoolhouse, or a dwelling house study plan …"

The kindergarten (5 yr old) "exception": Georgia Code twenty-2-150:"Eligibility for enrollment" states … "(c) All children enrolled for xx school days or more in the public schools of this state prior to their seventh birthday shall get subject to all of the provisions of this article, the provisions of Code Sections 20-2-690 through twenty-2-701, and the rules and regulations of the Country Board of Education relating to compulsory school attendance even though they have not attained vii years of historic period."

Co-ordinate to the Georgia Section of Educational activity, many homeschooling parents send in a Declaration of Intent to their local school district because they think that kindergarten is compulsory.  Therefore, practice not transport in a declaration of intent for kindergarten unless your child has already been attending a public school.

To read this full constabulary, click here.

And then I'one thousand very excited to have a Kindergartener in my house!

Yes, I know it'south the beginning of summer, but what I dear about homeschooling is that I can teach my kid something specific when I experience he's ready to learn it.  More than importantly, withal, I believe learning happens all the fourth dimension, and even when he'due south playing and exploring his world, he's learning.  When he'due south interested in something, we can learn more about it.  So even though it'southward June, we're doing homeschool.

There'due south no correct way to homeschool a child in Kindergarten. I don't believe it's necessary to purchase curriculums.  More often than not what children need at this time is to play and interact with the world around them.  For example, I wrote a column most how important information technology is for children to play make-believe.  You tin read that hither.

I don't think Kindergarten has to expect too much different from preschool.  I take written several posts nearly our preschool, which you can access hither.  All of that still applies to Kindergarten.  (And the best update for yous to read regarding homeschooling at this young historic period is "Setting Our Homeschool Priorities for Two Boys, ages v and 2.")

For our "Kindergarten" I am adding a few things:

  • Nosotros've started Teach Your Kid to Read in 100 Like shooting fish in a barrel Lessons, which takes simply 20 minutes a day.  (UPDATE: You tin read about our experience and my review of the book by clicking here.) I wish I could say that I did all-encompassing research on reading programs and decided that this would be the best program according to my child'southward learning style, only the reason I picked it is much more mundane than that.  Another homeschooler who I admire very much said it worked well for one of her children, and and then I found the book used on Amazon for virtually $10.  For that price, I idea I would effort information technology, and if information technology didn't piece of work, I would either wait awhile or look into other programs.  I'm happy to say that we've completed 1/4 of the lessons, and my son is doing very well, and he'due south enjoying it!  I'll write more near why I like it and our schedule for it in a time to come post. I'll also be able to tell y'all if we continue to like information technology.  (Click here for my follow-upward post, "How I've Taught Kindergarten Reading.")
  • I have looked over the form curriculum for our local school's Kindergarten class (which isn't easy to read, and then I won't share it here), and I have also consulted my favorite reference when it comes to a typical form of study: Earth Book Typical Course of Study.  (UPDATE: Globe Book has removed this folio from their site, but someone constitute it hither also.  I'one thousand grateful that someone copied the pages before Worldbook took them down even though y'all accept to click a hundred links to encounter it all! )  I mentioned this reference in my preschool posts as well.This is a not a listing that I'g going to stress over or feel similar I have to bank check everything off on. I'chiliad just using it as a guide.  For example, I see that Kindergarteners might begin to learn about the earth, moon, stars and planets.  I know that my son was interested in learning about infinite in the past and enjoyed looking at some library books about it.  And so I'm going to keep a await out for other books and activities related to this subject.  There's a lot on the list that my son has already learned about, but some of it gives me ideas and opens my eyes to what he might be interested in and what he might exist gear up for, so that'south how I'll use information technology.  (See my Table of Contents for a list of my kindergarten posts.)
  • The World Book listing gave me one of my ideas that I'm going to implement starting in July.  It says that Kindergarteners larn the meanings of holidays, traditions and community.  We accept read books about most of the holidays over the by couple of years, but I haven't gone in depth about the origins or meanings of most holidays.  He'south ready for this, and I think he'll savour it, so I'thou going to make a point to build a lesson around each vacation.  I have already found some books well-nigh Independence Day.  This volition double every bit a history lesson and his introduction into the history of his country, the U.s.a. of America. (See my Table of Contents for posts about holidays, traditions and rituals.)
  • I'm going to be on the wait out for elementary ways to introduce more math to him.  (Click here for my follow-up mail service, "Homeschooling Kindergarten Math.)  Lately he's been interested in counting to 100, and he'southward starting to "go it," just I thought it would assistance him to meet the numbers on a lath.  And so I went by a teacher'due south store in Athens and constitute a affiche with the numbers from 1-100. He loves it and has already counted the numbers twice.  He noticed the pattern in the numbers too, which is what I was counting on (pun intended). (I idea near making my ain affiche, just the i I institute ($ii.50) didn't cost much more than a poster lath and pen, and it saves me fourth dimension.)
  • Nosotros also picked upwards an inexpensive map of the U.South. and a poster about plants (my son is really into planting right now).  (Encounter my follow-up post, "A Kindergarten Child-led Project: Seeds, Planting, Gardening.") I'll talk well-nigh these in future posts, and I'll be certain to write almost our other Kindergarten activities over this next year.  (And then I hope you'll subscribe to my web log!)
  • In improver to this, we'll continue to continue field trips, explore the globe and make up projects according to my son's interests!  Nosotros also apply project-based homeschooling, and you can find a list of our projects on my Table of Contents.

I also wrote a paper column on this topic for The Barrow Journal, and yous can read that by clicking here.

Please share your plans for Kindergarten!

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