Preschool Corner: Tossing the Bath Water...

... keeping the baby. All of them.


I had some pretty big ideas about what preschool would look like this fall. I sat with notebook in hand this summer, very large with child, while the kids ran around in the grass that makes up our front yard. I started with a basic list, a brainstorm of ideas. From there, I organized it all onto a calendar... taking into consideration special dates that work for the themes I had in mind. Then I started thinking in more detail about what I would include for each week's theme. I wanted to have as much planning done before baby came as possible... so I'd be more likely to get it done on this end.

Let's just say... the time and work were not wasted. I can still use those ideas someday... if I want to. But I am making the decision to let it all go.

The plans.

The schedule.

The delusions of grandeur.

I'm tossing them out the window. Saying good-bye. And not looking back (except to borrow ideas when I want to.)

But let me clarify here... I'm tossing my plans. My curriculum. My lesson plans.

I am not tossing learning. Education. Preschool.

The bath water (my curriculum) is gone. The baby (learning) is sticking around! (As is Little Man... just in case you're worried!) Just with a little less structure (or no structure... as the case may be.)

So below is the new plan, for now... always ready for tweaking as needed! This may simply be the plan for this week... or this month. Maybe it will last through the fall, or to Christmas. Maybe it will be all of what this "school year" looks like. It's ok. He's 3, she's 2. This is preschool we're talking about. And it looks like, as hard as I've tried to fight it, this more relaxed approach is the best way for us after all!

We'll be concentrating on character in general... obedience specifically. I'll be learning how to slow down. To incorporate the children into life. To exude gratefulness. To keep my focus upward. To keep our home with joy. And so many other things. The kids will learn whatever they glean from the day to day... and hopefully a lot of what I'll be learning will spill over onto them.


Our plan:

Bible and Character

Small Talks About God:Devotions for Young Children
Scripture Memorization
Bible Stories
Catechism (Big Truths for Little Kids: Teaching Your Children to Live for God)

Science

Nature
Seasons
Animals (interest led)

Reading/Language Arts

Read Alouds (Chapter Books specifically, but also tons of picture books)
Mazes, Tracing, Coloring, etc.
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons or The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading (not doing this right away, but plan to start sometime this year)

Math

Number Recognition to 20
Telling Time (again, not right away, but a goal for the year)
Other early math as it comes up in life

Social Studies

Literature based (as it comes up in our reading)
Holidays
Community Helpers (interest led)

I hope to share with you each week some of what we've done... and what it ends up looking like. I'm excited for the year, and I'm no longer overwhelmed because this is pretty much what our lives look like without trying. I'll prep for some things and plan some activities as I have time, energy and desire... and if we don't ever get to working at the table (coloring/mazes) one week, I'm not going to worry about it.

As much as I love planning, I'm looking forward to just living... and seeing my kids learn through it!


Checkout what others are doing too!

Labels: Homeschooling my 2 Year Old, Homeschooling my 3 year old, Preschool Corner

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 3:23 PM