Moving from homeplay to homeschool - what does that look like?

[Southern Ivy]

I'm struggling with phrasing this how I want, so I hope it makes sense. 

Dd(3 1/2) is currently in a preschool/daycare setting and home is play-centered. If she seems into something educational, we work on it until she decides she's done; but there's nothing formal right now (aside from the 1 hour she gets at school). 

I know that I want to homeschool her starting in K, but I admit I'm worried about how she will respond while adjusting from home as only play-centered to home as play AND school centered. 
She's very stubborn and I foresee some struggles ahead, especially in the beginning, as we are establishing a learning routine. 

I know this is at least a year away, so I'm borrowing trouble right now. But, I keep coming back to her strong-will and my strong will and would like to avoid a clash at least in the beginning days. 

Are there things that I can begin implementing over the next year to make that transition easier? Any suggestions to ease her into home as a schooling environment? 

 

[freesia]

One thing is to remember that a 5 year old is different from a 3 year old. My most strong willed 3 year old was a very pleasant 5 year old. Also, as one former teacher to a present teacher, k at home looks very different from k at school (especially nowadays). For my Ks--all of them--the first b/c I had littles and the last b/c I was also schooling bigs--formal sit down work has been in spurts. You do 10 minutes of phonics/reading work along with a book read aloud and then go play, have snack, do 10 minutes of math work, go to the park, etc. It can feel very piecemeal to a former teacher,but remember that tutoring is much more focused work.

 

As for now, I would work mainly on her responding to her authority. I am not saying that b/c I think you have a major problem or anything--just normal parenting, really. If you don't have things she has to do, but doesn't like to do (cleaning up, sweeping the stairs, helping set the table) begin to institute short times she needs to be working with you and work towards doing it without complaining. One thing that worked well with my strong willed dd was that she really wanted to do schoolwork at 4 b/c her brother did schoolwork. Even though I am normally relaxed in the early years, I insisted she follow the directions on a page (x if it says x--don't check it, color something blue if it says blue, no changes, etc). If she wouldn't, we closed the book and did it another day--no second chances. Now, this only worked b/c she really wanted a pre-school workbook and wanted to work with me. But it illustrates the type of thing I did that really worked for this child.

 

But, really, I think you will amazed how much more she is ready in 2 years and how you will just smoothly begin to add work.

[Southern Ivy]

One thing is to remember that a 5 year old is different from a 3 year old. My most strong willed 3 year old was a very pleasant 5 year old.

This is very encouraging to me. I don't resent her strong-will. I know it will be great for her as she gets older. But, it will be nice if there is a bit more compliance. haha She's a very good and obedient girl, but when she sets her mind to something...

 

Also, as one former teacher to a present teacher, k at home looks very different from k at school (especially nowadays). For my Ks--all of them--the first b/c I had littles and the last b/c I was also schooling bigs--formal sit down work has been in spurts. You do 10 minutes of phonics/reading work along with a book read aloud and then go play, have snack, do 10 minutes of math work, go to the park, etc. It can feel very piecemeal to a former teacher,but remember that tutoring is much more focused work.

Having seen just how public preschool looks in my district, I can only imagine how K looks as well. I definitely don't want that. Thank you for the break down. I'll have to remember that! 

 

As for now, I would work mainly on her responding to her authority. I am not saying that b/c I think you have a major problem or anything--just normal parenting, really. If you don't have things she has to do, but doesn't like to do (cleaning up, sweeping the stairs, helping set the table) begin to institute short times she needs to be working with you and work towards doing it without complaining. One thing that worked well with my strong willed dd was that she really wanted to do schoolwork at 4 b/c her brother did schoolwork. Even though I am normally relaxed in the early years, I insisted she follow the directions on a page (x if it says x--don't check it, color something blue if it says blue, no changes, etc). If she wouldn't, we closed the book and did it another day--no second chances. Now, this only worked b/c she really wanted a pre-school workbook and wanted to work with me. But it illustrates the type of thing I did that really worked for this child.

She's usually good about picking up, especially when we use "If...then..." and she knows she can do something after. Good idea to add some other things in. We'll start training with that. 

 

But, really, I think you will amazed how much more she is ready in 2 years and how you will just smoothly begin to add work.

 

Thank you for your advice. It makes me not as nervous. 

 

[purpleowl]

DD#1 was in daycare until she was about 3.5.  We referred to her daycare as her "school," so it was pretty simple to say "we'll do school stuff at home now!"  It helped her transition, I think; she was a little dubious about the idea of not going to "school" any more.

[Southern Ivy]

DD#1 was in daycare until she was about 3.5.  We referred to her daycare as her "school," so it was pretty simple to say "we'll do school stuff at home now!"  It helped her transition, I think; she was a little dubious about the idea of not going to "school" any more.

Yay - We do currently call it school and she asks if she's going to school. 

[freesia]

Good and obedient--but strong minded! Excellent qualities if properly guided. You'll be fine, really! One day at a time. . .

(And fwiw, 3 was my hardest year with every one of my children. I wouldn't worry about anything future based on a 3 year old, really. Wow, am I glad I'm done with 3. Give me a 2 year old any day!)

[Ellie]

For homeschoolers, there's no such thing as kindergarten (or first grade, or fifth grade...). There's only learning more this year than last year. You can help her learn things without there being a battle of wills.

[Southern Ivy]

Yes, I do understand that. I mentioned K because, without homeschooling, that would be the next natural progression for her. 
 

[rocassie]

With my oldest, I started "preschool" at age 4.  After breakfast, we had "school".  Sometimes I would just read, ask questions, and point things out in the book.  Other times we would just draw or I would follow the child's lead in what they wanted to do.  Mostly we did play based, but I called it school.  It lasted about 15 min or more depending on their interest level.  This was really just to get us into the routine, both for me and the LO.  Once Kindergarten started, I started to add in one thing (actively teaching) about every six weeks. 

 

With each subsequent child, they wanted to do school with us so I had things for them to do while I was teaching the others. Again, at about age 4, I usually spent about 15 min instructing them on something particular while the older ones were working independently - handwriting, reading, and math. I did these because by 4 they knew colors, numbers, letters, and letter sounds.  Otherwise I would have started there.

 

 

 

[Southern Ivy]

With my oldest, I started "preschool" at age 4.  After breakfast, we had "school".  Sometimes I would just read, ask questions, and point things out in the book.  Other times we would just draw or I would follow the child's lead in what they wanted to do.  Mostly we did play based, but I called it school.  It lasted about 15 min or more depending on their interest level.  This was really just to get us into the routine, both for me and the LO.  Once Kindergarten started, I started to add in one thing (actively teaching) about every six weeks. 

 

With each subsequent child, they wanted to do school with us so I had things for them to do while I was teaching the others. Again, at about age 4, I usually spent about 15 min instructing them on something particular while the older ones were working independently - handwriting, reading, and math. I did these because by 4 they knew colors, numbers, letters, and letter sounds.  Otherwise I would have started there.

I like that idea, too. I could even start that during the summer before we begin our first curriculum. 

[clementine]

We started 'pre-school' at home when our dd was 4.  I planned out the year in weekly themes.  

 

For example, one week would be 'Circus' - we would go to the library on Monday morning after breakfast and check out all of the books we could find about the circus.  We would come home and read one or two books and move on to a craft relating to the circus.  We would learn songs, poems, or finger plays relating to the circus.  We would count lions or tigers for 'math', we would learn a science fact about a new animal each day, and our lunch would incorporate some sort of circus theme.  Each little activity would last about 15 minutes - the craft maybe longer.  Our school day only went until lunch.  If there was a field trip relating to our theme we would do that one day in the afternoon.  

 

One of my favorite sites from back then (over 10 years ago) was www.hummingbirded.com    There are so many great ideas there for little ones.  

 

[freesia]

We started 'pre-school' at home when our dd was 4.  I planned out the year in weekly themes.  

 

For example, one week would be 'Circus' - we would go to the library on Monday morning after breakfast and check out all of the books we could find about the circus.  We would come home and read one or two books and move on to a craft relating to the circus.  We would learn songs, poems, or finger plays relating to the circus.  We would count lions or tigers for 'math', we would learn a science fact about a new animal each day, and our lunch would incorporate some sort of circus theme.  Each little activity would last about 15 minutes - the craft maybe longer.  Our school day only went until lunch.  If there was a field trip relating to our theme we would do that one day in the afternoon.  

 

One of my favorite sites from back then (over 10 years ago) was www.hummingbirded.com    There are so many great ideas there for little ones.

Great idea. We loved 5 in a Row or units from http://www.homeschoolshare.com/levels.phpwhich do this for you. There are books to read and activities in different subject areas for you to do--or not do as time allows. It was a fun and gentle intro to "real school".

[Southern Ivy]

We started 'pre-school' at home when our dd was 4.  I planned out the year in weekly themes.  

 

For example, one week would be 'Circus' - we would go to the library on Monday morning after breakfast and check out all of the books we could find about the circus.  We would come home and read one or two books and move on to a craft relating to the circus.  We would learn songs, poems, or finger plays relating to the circus.  We would count lions or tigers for 'math', we would learn a science fact about a new animal each day, and our lunch would incorporate some sort of circus theme.  Each little activity would last about 15 minutes - the craft maybe longer.  Our school day only went until lunch.  If there was a field trip relating to our theme we would do that one day in the afternoon.  

 

One of my favorite sites from back then (over 10 years ago) was www.hummingbirded.com    There are so many great ideas there for little ones.  

 

 

Great idea. We loved 5 in a Row or units from http://www.homeschoolshare.com/levels.phpwhich do this for you. There are books to read and activities in different subject areas for you to do--or not do as time allows. It was a fun and gentle intro to "real school".

 

I like both of these ideas as I can do them during the summer and on weekends/non-busy weeknights. 

Thanks! 

And I can't wait to dig into hummingbirded. 

[Garga]

I'd start a schedule now. Get her used to a routine. It would include active time and still time. I'd probably call them something like that: "active" and "still".

 

Active time would actually be play time and still time would actually be school. For now, though, during active time you'd do all the running around and jumping outside, etc. For the still time, you'd make a craft or color a page or something like that.

 

Right now, while the stakes are low, set your routine of active and still time. The still time will morph into "school" activities and not just crafts and coloring. She won't even know that she's doing anything different. The still activities will just slowly change into things that are more academically focused. Later, you can call it school if you like.

[Southern Ivy]

So, definitely going to do that during the summer, but probably should also start it a few afternoons a week and on weekends? (Some afternoons, we get home a lot later. I"m thinking more of when I can come straight home from school.)

[UCF612]

I just talked about starting K and how we'd be learning new things. I talked about it for a year with him, then when it got closer we circled our start date on the calendar and counted down to it. MY perspective changed once he became an "official" student and things fell into place. Kindergarten should be a fun year full of hands on activities which for us made it easy to transition.

[FO4UR]

I wouldn't worry about starting school at home with her right now b/c she's already doing school work. 

 

Start by building good, solid daily habits that will enable you to focus on school when she's actually school age.  Teach her to take care of her self, clean up her messes, help with simple chores, and entertain herself with meaningful play.

 

Keep a steady storytime. 

 

Keep a check on things like fine motor skills and coordination, speech and comprehension.

 

 

[Southern Ivy]

I just talked about starting K and how we'd be learning new things. I talked about it for a year with him, then when it got closer we circled our start date on the calendar and counted down to it. MY perspective changed once he became an "official" student and things fell into place. Kindergarten should be a fun year full of hands on activities which for us made it easy to transition.

 

I'll have to remember to talk about how she'll start doing school at home and maybe have a count down. I think she'd like that. 

 

I wouldn't worry about starting school at home with her right now b/c she's already doing school work. 

 

Start by building good, solid daily habits that will enable you to focus on school when she's actually school age.  Teach her to take care of her self, clean up her messes, help with simple chores, and entertain herself with meaningful play.

 

Keep a steady storytime. 

 

Keep a check on things like fine motor skills and coordination, speech and comprehension.

Yeah, I would only do "school" during the summer and very limited right now. I was more thinking about routines, some "active" and "still" activities like Garga mentioned, etc.  :) 

Funny that you should mention speech. We just started speech therapy a few weeks ago. 

[Btervet]

We started "school time" at 4. My goal was to teach him a good pencil grip and how to sit still for 5-10 minutes at a desk. We started with Kumon workbooks (cut and paste, tracing, mazes, etc).

 

I'm really glad we did this because it set the expectation of time to work at a desk. We still don't spend much time at a desk, and most of our learning is done elsewhere, but deskwork is I think most challenging for him. Having it be a set thing that we've done for plenty of time before more difficult work started has really helped. Over the past 2 years we've extended that time to around 45 minutes, covering handwriting, Latin, spelling, and math.