got the curriculum

Well, another school year is almost upon us. I'm phasing in school gradually so that we don't have a sudden change in schedule. I'm using the leftover math lessons (i.e. the ones we didn't get to finish because of various reasons... there aren't that many so it's a good review) and the science reader. I'm also going to start reading aloud at least once a day since the kids seem to really like that (visiting the library is about to become an every other week possibly even weekly event).

Rachel's focus this fall semester in her IEP is going to be on social and domestic skills for several reasons, a few of which I'll describe here. On domestics, first, no matter what else she does in life or how far she progresses, she will always have a body and a room to take care of. If she gets into a routine now, her life will be much easier. Second, this gives me opportunities to do informal speech therapy as well as work on social skills, though that will be focused on more intensely during the weekly playroom sessions we're going to have during the weekend. And third, the more she knows about cooking, cleaning and basic home care, the more likely she'll lead an independent life. And the more independence I can give her, the happier I'll be as well as the community at large.

As for social skills, that's pretty obvious. Right now, she's going through a phase where she talks back and puts her foot down, but I can't really get angry or worried about it. The only thing that worries me is that she'll completely refuse to work with me on any of this. But if nothing else there's always food as a motivator (she absolutely loves snacks) so if worse comes to worse we'll end up using ABA techniques to teach her what she needs to know.

I don't want to do that. I mean I really don't. I want her to be motivated to do this for the sake of doing it. But maybe that's too much to ask.

Anyway, as for Sarah, her IEP is pretty much the same except with a greater focus on academics. She's in Saxon Math 2 this year, and I'm introducing a real language arts course since she's doing so well reading and has started writing her own stories and letters. Add in a civics course I purchased (I Love America, pt. 1) and we've completely covered, with lovely materials, the entire required course load the state of Texas demands (math, reading, spelling, and good citizenship).

And just in case any of you are wondering, Rachel's covers all that as well, but at a preschool/kingergarten level. Social skills encompass character and character is the basis of good citizenship. Not only that, but I'll be involving her in the I Love America course where appropriate. We will go over the alphabet (spelling) as well as phonics (reading) and I'll be using the Saxon Math K curriculum for math. According to the book put out by NATTHAN, Christian Homes and Special Kids, she's not at a point where she's ready to learn to read, so our formal reading curriculum is going to have to wait.

Add in a really nice science curriculum (we're using Christian Liberty Nature Reader, books 1 and 2 as well as Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell), a fall garden for the more hands on stuff, a health curriculum especially designed for kids with autism (Taking Care of Myself by Mary Wrobel which covers basic care all the way up through puberty), singing and piano for music and assorted art supplies for arts and crafts and the therapy stuff already mentioned in previous posts and I think we'll have a very busy school year on our hands.

I'm so glad I've been getting back into FLYing. :)