Advice with 3 1/2 year old.

[Guest punkiedog99]

We are planning on doing homeschool for preschool and probably kindergarten at this point (we are waiting to see how that goes as no one we know homeschools, so we have the newbie reservations about it).

 

My ODS is almost 4 and has always asked for "work like daddy" or "school like the cousins". So we have done things off and on since he was two. Technically, around here he should be in PreK and then next year prekindergarten before starting kindergarten in a traditional school setting. Deciding to hold him out this year has resulted in comments from other mom's in our area that we see at classes/lessons, but those I am really close to understand our decision.

 

ODS can read basic books like simple readers or the Mercy Watson series. He loves to read and has somehow figured out how to sound out words (we worked on sounds for each letter...but he figured out how to put it together on his own). He can recognize 0-100, count by ten's, do simple addition and subtraction, and is learning to count by two's. He is HUGE into the Magic School Bus books by Cole and Degan, and because of that we have done a lot of projects (coloring or cutting/pasting) around those books. And he just got a globe, so we have been playing around with that. He loves puzzles and we work at least one every day. I also make him cook with me and he loves learning about measurements, and the whole process.

 

So I feel like he is a doing a ton already, and am sort of lost on what to do with him over the next two years. I have spent the last two weeks going through preschool websites around here to see what they focus on, but it appears as those they just work on colors, shapes, and letter identification for the two years kids are in preschool (I look at the 3 and 4 year old class descriptions).

 

I will say that he has no interest in writing. He is just getting into coloring (mainly because my youngest likes to color so we do a lot of it). He can write his name, but I haven't pushed writing any more because he just doesn't seem to want to do it. I am trying to just stick with what he wants to do, but I don't know if that is right either.

 

Since I am new, I was wondering what you think we should be doing. My goal would be to have 1-2 hours two or three times a week where we work on something during my younger son's nap time. When they are both awake we read, play puzzles, build with blocks, and work with my younger son with colors and counting (my oldest loves to teach his brother and told us the other day that he wants to be a teacher like his grandma). We also go weekly to either the zoo, children's museum, or library. And we have swim lessons and playtime at the gym several times a week.

 

Any thoughts???

[Julie in Austin]

Since he has the skills (colors, numbers, shapes) down, I would work on content. Keep reading those Magic School Bus books, and add in all of the other wonderful nonfiction writers: Gail Gibbons, Seymour Simon, Demi, Aliki, etc. And projects: Kohl for art, Mudpies to Magnets for science, etc.

 

And, mostly, just have fun.

[NanceXToo]

I think you should just keep doing what you're doing. Lots of hands on stuff, creative stuff, helping around the house stuff, nature walks, reading lots of books, some crafts, gardening, whatever you're into... live life! If he expresses an interest in something, respond as you have been, but don't decide to push him into harder work (like writing) before he's ready just because you figure he already knows everything else... no sense in rushing through childhood! There's a lot to be said for a lot of freetime and just good old fashioned play, at that age.

 

A couple of books you might want to check out just for the heck of it... "Better Late Than Early," by The Moores, and "The Power Of Play" by David Elkind.

 

You might not totally agree with them, but they might give some good perspective and help you find a balance as you decide what to do over the next couple of years.

[Guest punkiedog99]

Since he has the skills (colors, numbers, shapes) down, I would work on content. Keep reading those Magic School Bus books, and add in all of the other wonderful nonfiction writers: Gail Gibbons, Seymour Simon, Demi, Aliki, etc. And projects: Kohl for art, Mudpies to Magnets for science, etc.

 

And, mostly, just have fun.

 

I think you should just keep doing what you're doing. Lots of hands on stuff, creative stuff, helping around the house stuff, nature walks, reading lots of books, some crafts, gardening, whatever you're into... live life! If he expresses an interest in something, respond as you have been, but don't decide to push him into harder work (like writing) before he's ready just because you figure he already knows everything else... no sense in rushing through childhood! There's a lot to be said for a lot of freetime and just good old fashioned play, at that age.

 

A couple of books you might want to check out just for the heck of it... "Better Late Than Early," by The Moores, and "The Power Of Play" by David Elkind.

 

You might not totally agree with them, but they might give some good perspective and help you find a balance as you decide what to do over the next couple of years.

 

 

Thank you both for the great book ideas. I am definitely going to check them out. Anyone else have any ideas?

 

I just had the hardest conversation today with a mom at swim class about why DS "needs" to go to preschool since the schools are much more competitive here, and why her older daughters suffered from not going. I was at least proud of myself for being polite about it all since DH and I do love the idea of homeschooling for our family, but of course I started feeling more insecure as the day wore on. So I was grateful to find this board and appreciate the support so much!

[Parrothead]

Thank you both for the great book ideas. I am definitely going to check them out. Anyone else have any ideas?

 

I just had the hardest conversation today with a mom at swim class about why DS "needs" to go to preschool since the schools are much more competitive here, and why her older daughters suffered from not going. I was at least proud of myself for being polite about it all since DH and I do love the idea of homeschooling for our family, but of course I started feeling more insecure as the day wore on. So I was grateful to find this board and appreciate the support so much!

Pfft.. Since your ds has already accomplished what he has accomplished and you are willing to move him up the ladder a bit, forget preschool.

 

If you are really, really concerned get on the 'net and find out what the standards are for your state and if possible your particular school district.

 

Remember homeschool does not necessarily mean school at home.

[Guest punkiedog99]

Pfft.. Since your ds has already accomplished what he has accomplished and you are willing to move him up the ladder a bit, forget preschool.

 

If you are really, really concerned get on the 'net and find out what the standards are for your state and if possible your particular school district.

 

Remember homeschool does not necessarily mean school at home.

 

What does that last sentence mean? Are you saying that learning can happen at any time and any where, and isn't necessarily working through worksheets or drills. Or are you saying something else.

 

I have looked at our state standards, and he has met about 90% of what he needs to know before starting kindergarten. That is what first made us realize that preschool probably wasn't a necessity even though other parents were telling us it is very important these days.

 

I know that this post has to seem funny since most of the forum is about older kids and education, but I appreciate the advice so much. Since he is our oldest and given that we know no one who homeschools or supports leaving him out of prek (except my mother who recently visited this summer and is now supporting the idea of homeschooling after spending three weeks with him...she is a third grade teacher so this was huge too for us), I really appreciate your thoughts.

 

Our divide with my mom right now comes with what to do with him. She thinks after her visit that we should be doing first grade things with him, and has been sending us materials to that affect. Especially, since he asks for "school" in the mornings and wants to look at a workbook and complete the pages so he can put them in his briefcase (he so wants to be like his daddy).

 

But DH thinks that we shouldn't be necessarily advancing him in the traditional areas you think of with school as he is still so young. Rather we should be doing different activities. Like on Monday he asked about if polar bears have black noses to see each other since they are white and live in snow. So we spent an entire day learning about polar bears (we have a book about them), looking online for things about them, and finding where they live on the globe.

 

And I think that my DH is right....it is just so hard not to listen to my mom since she has taught for so many years. You know? So I really value any opinions and/or advice on resources to help us. :)

 

Sorry for the novel, but it is not often I can sit on the computer this long as my kids always sense when I sit down usually. ;)

[Pamela H in Texas]

I'd just keep on keeping on. The world is very broad and everything can be taken very deep also. Let him follow interests, read a lot, etc. Go off on tangents and enjoy.

 

I don't think you're going to KEEP him from advancing more linearly, but you definitely encourage going broad and deep. And then there are neat things to consider. Languages, subsections of a subject, neat tricks with words or numbers, etc.

 

But it is okay that he'll continue linearly also. You really can't stop that. And there is no reason to. One of the great things about homeschooling (whether short or long term) is that you can treat your child as an INDIVIDUAL. It is not going to hurt him to do 3rd grade math at 4. It won't hurt him to do college level anatomy at six. Of course, it won't hurt if he has a time of slow down or goes in spurts either. At home, you can meet his needs.

 

I wouldn't try to hold him back, but encourage him in multiple ways, widening his world.

[achristean]

My 2nd son learned quickly too. But he always had an older sister doing homeschool, so he's been involved with homeschool since he was very little. We started phonics with "The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading" The RightStart manipulatives (especially the abacus) were fun to play with. He practiced making tally marks, using Popsicle sticks while dd was doing her work. One of his favorite things to do was to fill a whole page with "0's" He would use a college lined or wide width lined notebook page and completely fill the page. He'd sit there for at least an hour.

 

I mainly let him choose what he wanted to do but I tried to do something math related and something reading related. And, of course, I read to him too.

 

This is a super fun age. It's so exciting to see them learn!

[Dobela]

If your child already knows 90% of the skills desired by the state before kindergarten, why does he need preschool? Not for social activities since I see that you already have him in other activities. It sounds like you are already doing an excellent job of meeting his individual needs. As he grows, you will too and you will be able to continue meeting his needs.

 

When my ds was that age, there was great competition and pride in 'being ready for school' and 'the best preschool' amongst the other moms in the swim/gym classes. It was like a status symbol.

 

School at home means that you make your home and the learning in your home look and operate just like public schools, or as closely as you can. For public school teachers (and I am a former one) that just makes sense because that is what we were taught was correct and that is what we have been mostly exposed to.

 

However, I have come to a new conclusion in my life, and that is in part due to homeschooling, and it is also due to my earning my MEd in early childhood education. Life before 6, IMO, should be about building experiences that the child can build on. Lots of field trips, lots of books being read to him, lots of exploration, lots of exposure to lots of things so his brain can make many connections about his world. Your child is 4, and while ahead of many peers cognitively, your child is most likely physically and emotionally a 4 year old and you have to remember that. He may not be really reading until he is 6 and his brain has reached that particular level of development and it 'clicks'. Even if he reads fully tomorrow, he is just 4 and the other areas of development just shouldn't be rushed. If he is like many other children, at some point his learning will seem to stall or slow before it takes off again.

 

NAEYC is a great resource for educating young children. They give many ideas for study and age appropriate ways of doing it. It is written for 'professional' educators so keep that in consideration.

 

You may want to consider doing unit studies at his age. Just pick a topic or theme and doing everything around that topic for a week or month. There are many theme books for preschool available at some libraries and at most teacher supply stores. Pick on up and see how others put them together. Lap books are great.

 

What you will do over the next 2 years is much like what you are doing now. You will have fun, and as he is able or interested you will teach him the next skill beyond what he is doing now. If he is doing everything in the preK books, pick up a K book and begin working in it as he is interested and able.Before you know it, you will be ready for the next level. :001_smile: