Prepping For HS

[becca_howell]

My DD(3) knows her ABCs, colors, can recognize some numbers and counts to 20, can do some simple math problems, and loves to be read to. I'm kind of torn between starting her in a formal curriculum for preschool or just continuing to read to her and watching PBS Kids occasionally together. We've got some 3 year books from Rod & Staff and the dollar store, and we're leaning toward classical homeschooling (The Well Trained Mind) for kindergarten onward. Suggestions?

[zjande]

In my opinion, do exactly what your DD wants to do! If she enjoys more "formal schooling" at this time, go for it. If she gets bored/frustrated/finds it too hard, then slow down or take a break until the next time she seems interested.

My now 4.5 yr old has always been so funny. He loves school work. Loves workbooks, flashcards, math problems. He cries when we don't have time to do his math flashcards with him, or sit & let him do half a phonics workbook with him. He's been this way since he was 3. For my personal sanity, I always follow the regular school yr & take a summer break. I've had to explain this to him over & over. He hates it & cries that he wants to do his schoolwork a few times a week! lol My poor kid. (My dh has actually taken over & has been doing math & reading with him in the evenings)

We use the Pathway reader sets & math books from Rod & Staff, plus some Critical Thinking Co stuff, & tons of misc craft books. And Bob books & flashcards & lots of workbooks from the thrift store. He's a goofy kid. But I follow his lead, so, this is what we do.

[Jennifer3141]

I am homeschooling with a friend using much of the classical method. I told her about your post during our lunch call and her advice was to find a good tea you'll like for the morning and a better wine for the late afternoon.

Since your DD is only 3, I'd throw some math manipulatives at her and make math really, really fun and load her up on classical stories. Tackle a book everyone else thinks is too hard and go through it slowly and with a whole lot of fun.

[kristin0713]

At 3yo, I used letteroftheweek.com and based art, writing, and reading activities around the letter as well as seasons and holidays. My DD has always loved doing any kind of craft, project, art, writing, etc. so I would just keep it low-key, focus loosely on a letter or theme, and go with her interest. Lots of hands-on things for building fine motor control and developing that brain/motor connection. Play-doh, sand, water, cutting, different art media, sorting activities, lacing, beads, helping with housework, cooking, etc. All of that is so important for pre-writing and pre-reading skills. There are great booklist ideas on letteroftheweek.com that coordinate with each letter. I also use the lists from Sonlight, Before Five in a Row, and Peak with Books. I keep the lists with me when we go to the library or place a hold request ahead of time. We love reading here Have fun!

[Lillian J]

I think it could be helpful to look through this recent thread having to do with the preschool years: Overwhelmed about how to get started.

There were a whole lot of generations, mine included, who didn't even get to letters or numbers till 1st grade at age 6 - no formal studies of any kind before then - and yet, people were going on to a rich education quite easily from there. Preschool has traditionally meant the time before school, preschool, but schools have started trying to get a jump on school skills so as to get children ready to tackle more by 1st grade - and that's only due to the challenges the schools are facing today on many levels in getting in even a basic core education during the school years. In a home setting, anything you want to cover in the years ahead will take little time, so there's really no reason to have to start school subjects before school age. If your child is especially interested in school-like things, there's certainly no reason to hold her back, but waiting till she's 5 or 6 or 7 can't get her behind in anything.

So I'd explore all the fun and rewarding casual activities and imaginative play you can that will gently and positively orient her to life in her new world - that, in my mind, is what preschool is all about. Then eventually there will be a reason for numbers and letters and all that come with them - but right now, there are so much more important and rewarding things to explore. A curriculum like Little Acorns could provide a structure for you for finding and planning things like that. There are a whole lot of people who get well into their adult years without ever having developed the imagination or an appreciation for the wonders of nature all around us, and those are things that don't come from books or formal schooling, but they're every bit as important.

Lillian