Thoughts on teaching 2-5 yos

[Mallory]

It is the middle of the night and I can't sleep so bear with me. ;)

 

I have one of those 2yo who loves to do school. I always joke that he is my best student. When I say it is school time he is often the first to the table. He doesn't have anything he is supposed to be doing, but he likes to work in his brothers workbooks on a page protector with a dry erase marker, or sit and do copywork like they do, or play with the rods or balance or compass as they do math, or sit on the couch with his own pile of books while they read thier books.

 

But I also think that this spark of learning is extiguished faster through my planning and plotting then through my somewhat benign neglect. In other words next year I could start his own lesson plans. Counting, recognizing letters, memorizing poems, ect. Or I could just go on as we are, making the tools available if he wants them, but not keeping any kind of hidden or not so hidden agenda.

 

My guess is that when he is 5 or 6 the benign neglect way ends up with a kid still on fire to want to read, add, and write. Perhaps even one who has figured out some of it on thier own. And the other ends up with that desire smoldering under flashcards and oral "quizzes", and a kid who doesn't like school.

 

Not that there aren't developmentally appropriate ways to get in some education, even with a 2 yo. Reading books, smelling flowers, singing, climbing, learning how to take care of himself and his things, ect. I just think you that for most kids you do everyone a disservice when you push the academics to early.

 

Underneath all my rambling, what I'm trying to say is I don't think you can get rid of that desire for school by ignoring it, in fact I think you get rid of it quicker by doing too much school. Do you agree?

[StephanieF]

I don't think he knows what "school" is he just wants to learn stuff as he has done since he was born. He doesn't see it as work which is to be avoided.

I just taught ds phonics and numbers through play. I didn't need any lesson plans because it took time for me to know what worked with him and what didn't. I also found that when we doing learning at a young age often the kitchen table wasn't the best place, he wanted to lie on the floor and move about whilst leaning letters and numbers-Jump to the sound of J etc. Also probably being included is important to him so there is no reason why the "work" he does shouldn't be constructive and leading somewhere but I personally wouldn't bother with a lesson plan-although having goals in your head isn't a bad idea!

Stephanie

[Targhee]

what I'm trying to say is I don't think you can get rid of that desire for school by ignoring it, in fact I think you get rid of it quicker by doing too much school. Do you agree?

 

I think you can definitely squelch interests if you push, or even make things rigid for them, too young. You also don't want anyone to feel like they can't be part of home learning. I bet most of your dc's interest comes from wanting to be a part of what the rest of the family is doing. Just as kids imitate adult "work" (washing, store shopping, hammering, etc.) they will imitate what they see you doing - your work happens to be home school.

 

I'd give them some mazes, tracing, etc. to do in page protectors. Think of some other parallel things for them to do. For example, I am planning on getting the Cuisenaire rod alphabet book for my ds3 to use while we do math (our math uses rods). Invite them to sit with you for read alouds. I'm letting DS make an alphabet notebook next year - no pressure, very free-form. It will be something productive and instructive, but it will be on his terms.

[Lovedtodeath]

You have some good thoughts. DD LOVED every minite of our preschool work. We played, played, played and she learned a lot! But, I am having trouble because she has been so far ahead for so long that she bores easily now, and it has made all of us lazy about schooling, IYKWIM. If you want a plan Accelerated Achievement has great ideas for learning through play for K.

[Tabrett]

My ds was two the past school year and insisted on doing school with his older sister. Everything I did was reading and manipulative based and hands on (for example~ building letters with the wood pieces and letter cards from HWT's, Laurie puzzles, pattern blocks, ect...). When we did table time, I would just let him down when he got wiggly and tell him he did a great job!!! HE learned so much the past school year. It really amazes me. Right know he is making me do lessons out of Phonics Pathways because his sister is doing it. I just keep letting him "go with the flow" and when he gets tired we stop with no pushing. I didn't do any planning for him either.

 

I think what you are doing is great and wouldn't worry about it. Just let him "do school" till he is done and let him go play. I can only see this letting him love school more.

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

My dd was reading on her own at your ds's age. We never used flash cards, reading programs, etc. I never made her do worksheets where she had to "circle the number of bears" or the like. She will turn 7 on Sat. and can now read any book or magazine in this house. We didn't sit down and actively teach her to do this.

 

There is a big difference in pushing and meeting the child where the child is. Pushing is harmful, but so is holding a child back simply because of age.

 

My advice to you would be to keep doing what you are doing. Let your ds explore the homeschool materials on his own and answer his questions. Don't be afraid to show him a thing or two when he shows interest. You can't go wrong if you are following his lead.

[sweetbaby]

Learning is a natural part of life. I have an inquisitive soon to turn 2yo also who does "school" with her brothers. She loves to "play read" and sits at the table while they are working. I have to give her something to write like her brothers or she has a fit.:lol: We are going to use Heart of Dakota's preschool program this year and I feel it is just right for her. I think if you allow your preschooler to lead in learning then you can't go wrong.

[angela in ohio]

That's not the way it worked out here. I often counsel friends who went the relaxed route and are now having trouble at 8 or 9 getting their dc to willingly do anything educational. The dc have no desire to learn. OTOH, I have been slowly rampling up with my dc since they were little, and my dc are on fire for learning. They (12, 10, and 6 yo) love their school work, they beg to do it, and they spend most of their free time learning on their own.

 

I don't think there are hard and fast rules that early school leads to a lack of love of learning. I have seen the opposite. I absolutely think you can get rid of the desire by ignoring it. I have seen it time and again IRL in friends' dc. I think it depends WAY more on what is going on in the home. It is a lot easier to look for rules (if I don't push school early, they will automatically love school,) and I think homeschool speakers and authors feed on this, which doesn't help. But the scary fact is that there are no rules; whether your dc love learnign or not is more about your family's priorities, what they see you doing, what you do with them, and so on...

 

Instead of dropping it altogether because you are afraid of overdoing it, I encourage you to learn the middle ground. Don't do flash cards with a 4 yo (unles he or she likes them; my youngest ds loved flashcards with pictures on them more than books, LOL, which caused some indignant stares from other homeschoolers.) I would definitely start memorizing poems, sitting down each day one-on-one to help with writing and recognizing letters and numbers, etc., though.

 

Just my thoughts, odd as they may be... :)

[Jen500]

My ds3 likes to be included, so he has his own dry erase board for math, etc. He draws shapes and numbers...for about 5 minutes and then he moves on to lincoln logs or lego. I think the OP has the right idea. We have an overall 'learning' atmosphere in our house, and I never pushed the older kids. They learned to read in ps at age 5, very quickly, and have been charging ahead. I could have taught them to read earlier, but I don't think there would have been any point.