Preschool programs

[Hadassah]

* I apologize for all of the threads I have been posting about this topic. This is the last one, I promise! *

 

I have a "profoundly gifted" (eek, I hate labels, but we had to get her tested to rule out Aspies) 2 y/o dd who needs a preschool program. For my other kiddos I have not used a structured preschool program, but for this child I think a structured program would be more beneficial.

Background info: we need a secular program. We are looking to start formal school with her around age 4/5.

Anyway, I need to choose between FIAR, B4FIAR, and Peak with Books. Thoughts? Recommendations?

TIA,

Hadassah

[acurtis75]

I'm not familiar with th programs you listed but would add leap frog letter factory videos and explode the code as inexpensive and effective options for preschool. I also like mathusee primer and handwriting without tears.

[2smartones]

:iagree:

 

I'm not familiar with PwB, but I'd suggest starting with B4FIAR, even if you go through it very quickly. You can always expand on curriculum that's a little too low, but it's hard to keep a child from getting frustrated if you accidentally jump into something that's a little too high. (There's a bit of a jump from B4FIAR and FIAR... try to get your hands on both to really judge for yourself.) Frustration makes a child feel inadequate, even if they're working well above the level of their peers. It can lead to a regression of skills. Using B4FIAR will probably be very fun, and again, you can go through it quickly if necessary, and/or you can elaborate with your own resources.

Edited January 9, 2012 by 2smartones

[morgan]

Have you seen The Itty-Bitty Bookworm? It's similar idea, where the prek activities go along with a picture book. We tried some sample lessons, I thought it was cute, my daughter didn't love it so much. But I am guessing it would depend on the kid.

 

I purchased B4FIAR & Peak w/Books and I was much more impressed with Peak W/Books, however, I find it hard to implement, as much of the activities are really geared for classroom use and require quite a bit of prep time. Maybe it's just me, but B4FIAR seemed way too simple, even with a toddler. We have had more luck just reading picture books and discussing them. Truthfully, my child is rather fast-paced and likes to read a book and move on, not do a week's worth of activities on the same book, but I know other kids love it.

 

I like the Kumon books, but they become expensive if you kid moves through these as a fast pace (which mine did). I also purchased quite a few sale-priced monthly prek kits from Starbrite. They are hands-on activities with some book suggestions etc. I am not much of a planner, so I liked having crafts and activities all ready with the supplies has been helpful. But they are rather simplistic, not really what I would call "academic."

 

I have had a hard time finding something structured and secular for my advanced toddler/preschooler. We just basically spend hours reading, doing puzzles, and doing workbook pages.

[2smartones]

I also like Kumon, but we have several still sitting on the shelf that my kids never used. When they were at the level of content, they weren't at the level of motor skills and/or attention span. Once the motor skills and/or attention span caught up, they were way beyond the content. *shrugs*

[Hadassah]

I think one of my issues here is that I've heard so many great things about FIAR that I'm basically determined to try it, whether or not it seems like it'll work for dd. Have any of you all felt similarly about a curriculum? Can someone please talk me out of FIAR? :glare:

Thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions!

Hadassah

[2smartones]

Not sure if I can talk you out of it or not. It's a great program... for some people. Personally, I took a look at it and knew right away it wasn't something we'd ever consider. It's just not our style.

[Hadassah]

Oh, by the way - I'm not sure if this matters or not, but dd has taught herself to read, so a phonics program isn't necessary.

[Mergath]

Of the three, I prefer FIAR. BFIAR was too young for dd, even when she was in the target age group (oh, wait, I guess she still is, lol) and having skimmed PwB, I think FIAR is easier for a homeschooling family to use. Some of the books I found to be rather blah, but between all four volumes there are enough selections for you to pick and choose.

[Mergath]

I think one of my issues here is that I've heard so many great things about FIAR that I'm basically determined to try it, whether or not it seems like it'll work for dd. Have any of you all felt similarly about a curriculum? Can someone please talk me out of FIAR? :glare:

Thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions!

Hadassah

 

I wish I could, but I've got nothing to offer in its place, really. My dd is beyond where all of the secular preschool programs are- though not quite reading yet ;)- and we're still trying to find suitable curricula. Every preschool program I've seen is made up of things dd knew at two. Even some of the kindy programs I've looked at are still teaching uppercase letters and colors and shapes. :glare: And if she enjoyed them it wouldn't matter that she already knows the stuff, but working that far behind bores her out of her mind. She just about went on strike when I tried to get her to stick with AAR pre-1 even though she already knew the letter sounds.

 

For us, we've decided to focus on science until Fall, when we'll probably start a K curriculum.

[Dmmetler]

What I did with my PG (identified, like yours, due to concerns about an ASD), reading before age 2 kiddo was to focus on what she wanted to learn. So, when she was 2 and fascinated with letters, numbers, symbols and words, we started Spanish, she learned the Hebrew and Greek Alphabets (I didn't know either language, and didn't feel comfortable trying to teach her, so we stopped there) using wooden letters, and she brought home the first 1000 word books from the library in every language she could get her hands on. We labeled everything in the house in English, Spanish, and often 2-3 other languages. She also watched all the Signing Time DVDs again and again, and learned quite a bit of ASL vocabulary.

 

In science, she really loved dinosaurs, and learned a lot of vocabulary and facts about them, with her precious collection of plastic models and her books of facts. I bought several sets of flash cards, mostly from the Target $1 section, punched holes, and put them on rings so she could flip through them.

 

She memorized all the states and their shapes and spent a huge amount of time assembling puzzles of countries.

 

She loved the Handwriting Without Tears letter pieces and went through HWOT preschool and K. She wanted to learn to write, and was frustrated with it.

 

She played with C-rods, number cubes, and legos a lot, and taught herself far more math than I'd ever realized.

 

We collected and laminated leaves, went on walks, and went on a lot of trips.

 

She also did a 2 day a week play-based preschool program because I was still working part time, one where they really weren't trying to teach anything beyond manners and the occasional bible story. She wandered from room to room, participating in whatever she wanted to do, and did most of the Pre-K curriculum at age 2-3. The one mistake I did make was letting them move her to K at age 4, because K, which WAS trying to be academic, was a failure for her, but preschool at ages 2-3 was a success.

 

While I didn't think of myself as homeschooling or teaching her at the time, I don't think I'd change what we did even if I was thinking of myself as homeschooling, if that makes any sense. I don't think a standard preschool curriculum would have suited her at all at age 2, and I think that by trying to piece things together so that I could survive with this very intense, demanding child who reminded me a lot of the little robot in Short Circuit, I ended up finding what worked for her and what she needed.

[Tracy]

I think one of my issues here is that I've heard so many great things about FIAR that I'm basically determined to try it, whether or not it seems like it'll work for dd. Have any of you all felt similarly about a curriculum? Can someone please talk me out of FIAR? :glare:

Thank you all so much for your helpful suggestions!

Hadassah

 

I would not talk you out of FIAR at all. This is my third year homeschooling, but FIAR is by far our favorite. However, as I am sure you can appreciate, you never know what is going to happen with a PG child. I would say get FIAR and take what you can from it. I used it with my dd when she was 4yo, and there were some things that were wonderful for her and others that we skipped. Here are some of my observations and experiences with the different components of FIAR:

• Social Studies: I thought the social studies was absolutely awesome! Dd loved the mapping. There are lots of lessons to choose from here, so we often did more than one. I noticed after the first volume that the geography was a little "Western-centric," so I supplemented with books that I found at the library. I kept a list of books that I used, and I continue to add to it as I encounter appropriate books.
  
• Language Arts: We also really enjoyed this component. It includes lots of vocabulary and literary devices. We included a separate vocabulary study, as suggested in the manual, in which dd looked for words that she did not know the meaning of on the first day. I kept a list, and we looked for the same words on subsequent readings. I kept the words in a notebook, and she loved to page through them from time to time and remember what the mean and what book they were from.
  
• Art: I absolutely loved the art component. It was very simple to teach, and I saw the art techniques from FIAR showing up in dd's drawings. This was particularly important to me as a teacher since I am not particularly artistic or creative. We enjoyed it so much that we looked for something similar in an art program when we were done with FIAR.
  
• Math: You will find little of interest in this component. There is usually just one lesson, and it is usually about counting. Sometimes there is something more, but with a PG child, you will generally want to skip these lessons.
  
• Science: Most of these lessons are nature study and biology-related lessons, which is not something either I or dd really enjoy. So we often skipped over these lessons or just skimmed over them. I supplemented with BFSU, which I think is a great jumping-off point for gifted kids.
  

If you decide to do FIAR, you might want to consider drawing it out to cover in 2 years. With 52 weeks of books between the three volumes and dozens of lesson plans for each book, this is very doable. I started with the standard 1 book per week, and then my dd loved it so much, she wouldn't let me stop even for Christmas. I regret indulging her, because it created a lot of stress (for me at least).

 

Also, if your dd is very sensitive, you will need to screen the books. The curriculum very openly addresses complex and sensitive issues (e.g., death, slavery) that you may want to avoid until she has some more maturity under her belt.

 

Lastly, are you familiar with TAGMAX? It is a listserv for TAG homeschoolers. The most active members are those with PG kids, so I would highly recommend it for you.

[cmarango]

If your child is quite verbal then BFIAR will probably be too young. I also have FIAR and I am not super impressed with it, but you should go ahead and get it and see if it is something that you can use now (or maybe age 3).

 

I really liked Brightly Beaming Resources for a list of books about a bunch of different topics that I could expand on. For example, for the week on cows we talked about how dairy cows are milked, how cheese and yogurt are made, I pointed out a bunch of baby calves, different breeds of cattle, etc.

 

I have no idea how accelerated my dd is or is not so YMMV.

[Hadassah]

Thank you all very much for your suggestions and assistance. At this point, I think I'm going to stick with "relaxed" preschool for now, which is what we've been doing - with dmmetler's ideas and such - and then start FIAR in April/May, which is when our next school year starts. Dd will be 3 very shortly so I * hope * FIAR will be appropriate for her at that point. Tracy, I will definitely keep your recommendations in mind. At this point we are planning FIAR for when she is 3 and 4, kindergarten at age 5 (possibly still with FIAR... we'll see how it goes) and first grade at ages 5/6 (the ages don't quite match up because our school year is shorter than the calender year).

Of course, life rarely goes according to plan. Parenting a PG is very hit and miss :confused:...

I will certainly check out TAGMAX! Sounds like a great resource.

Warmly,

Hadassah

[pitterpatter]

It may help to post her skills. How well does she speak, write or even read? Can she circle, X and color? Would she on command? Can she speak in clear, fairly complete sentences? If so, she may be able to use some kindergarten resources books. There are some that do not require true handwriting skills, but she would need to be able to circle, X and/or color...stuff like that.

[Hadassah]

Good point, pitterpatter. Dd is a good speaker (read: she NEVER. STOPS. TALKING. :glare: :D) and she does speak quite well - full sentences and such. I can't compare her to my other kiddos because she's adopted, and my biological kids were/are all speech delayed. She can "perfectly" write about 3/4 of her letters, mostly because she tags along with dd(5) during handwriting lessons. I can already tell that she's not really into drawing, though her fine motor skills are OK. She's about on age level with that - so yes, circles and X's and such. She reads books like Junie B. Jones and some Magic Tree House.

The only thing I'm hesistant on is the "would she do it on command?" question. I honestly don't know. I've never required her to do any of those things. She does it just to amuse herself, I guess.

[Tracy]

I've never required her to do any of those things. She does it just to amuse herself, I guess.

 

That is as it should be. :) She is only 2 and should not be required to do much more than take baths and wear clean clothes. She will learn so much doing exactly what she wants to do.

[Hadassah]

That is as it should be. :) She is only 2 and should not be required to do much more than take baths and wear clean clothes. She will learn so much doing exactly what she wants to do.

 

 

Point taken. I sometimes turn into "momzilla" and have to remind myself... the kid's only 2 years old.

[Hadassah]

Also, since 2 y/o is adopted, I can't expect anticipate or prepare myself for anything, as I have no idea how she's going to turn out. She's already nothing like my biological kids. It's like being a first-time parent again. Oy.

[Tracy]

You probably already know this, but it will be very helpful to you to connect with other parents of PG kids. You are at a bit of a disadvantage, and most PG kids have PG parents, so they have some shared experience. I don't know what your background is, but I am assuming that you don't have that shared experience with your adopted dd.

 

From what I see on the gifted forums, parents of PG kids find themselves to me more like educational managers rather than teachers or even mentors. There is little reason to impose a structure or an educational plan, because these kids are so driven to fill their own brains. And the kids don't fit anyone's notion of a student, because they are so asynchronous in their development. It is very hard, for example, to find appropriate reading material for a 5yo that is reading at a high school level, because they are not mature enough to understand it on an emotional level.

 

You are already ahead of the game, though, because you have already made the commitment to homeschool. It is unlikely that you would find any alternative that would meet your dd's needs as well.

[Hadassah]

Tracy, you're right - I was identified as "gifted" as a child, and I entered college two years early, but my 2 year old self was NOTHING near having the capabilities of dd. My biological kids, too, are gifted but not PG. One of the reasons dh and I decided to homeschool was because we were both horribly bored in ps.

[anabelneri]

If I had a 2yo reading Magic Tree House, I'd skip FIAR except to get the general feel of the program, and then apply it to the books she's actually reading. I loved the FIAR idea, but by the time I got my hands on it, Sweetie was reading books much more interesting and advanced than the picture books in the program. FIAR was a fun diversion, but it might be a little slow for your dd from what you describe.

 

Other ideas:

-audio books are fabulous, and lets little minds soak in great language while getting to play & draw at the same time

-Miquon is good for math, or maybe Right Start... both are hands-on enough that you can play with them rather than feeling like a momzilla

-Living math books. Science too.

-you could probably start Nebel's BFSU sooner than others. There doesn't have to be a lot of writing on the part of the child to get the material, and it can be a lot of fun. My dd isn't pg but I can say that in 1st grade the K-2 book was easy; I'll start it sooner with my younger dd.

-foreign languages can be possible even if you don't speak the language; it just takes perseverance and resources. "Resources" can mean money, but it can also mean a good library system or even simply choosing a language with a lot of materials available

-you could even do readings from the various Charlotte Mason style curricula, like Ambleside Online. Lots of the Year 1 kids aren't reading as well as your dd; she might really enjoy the books and maybe even the history. I wouldn't ask for narrations, but with a child like you describe you probably don't need to worry about that. You'd cover literature, history, and some science too.

-Intellego units are something a friend with a pg daughter is using. They're really enjoying them (a few grade levels up from the daughter's age). Currclick has them, and they have their own website.

 

Part of me looks at this list I've made and I feel momzillaish, but at the same time it would depend on the kid. My younger dd becomes destructive when she's bored, so it's critical that I keep my eye on her and solutions to help her mind meet its needs. I also have to keep in mind to not push; if she says she doesn't want to do something, I let her make that choice. She's got time (and if I turn my back she'll learn it without me anyway).

 

Good luck!

:)