Just started thinking of home schooling HELP :)

[Kelley0321]

I am just now thinking of home school, I am a mom to a little girl that will be 4 in March and started thinking about Pre-k and thought what if I did it myself instead, and kept her home with me, for the most part she has always been home with me there was a short time I worked and she went to Daycare and loved it. and I have tought her many things....She knows all her colors, she can count to 20  She can say the ABC song, and knows some of the sounds. I have never had like a learning routine with her, and wanted to know

How to get started?

What should she know?

Where can I get material at?

What types of activities should she be doing?

And anything and everything else I should be doing lol

 

Thank you

Kelley

[LoreleiSieja]

What you do will depend on what your goals are.  Do you want to push educational activites, or creative ones?  Do you want to begin teaching her to read, or teaching her to play the violin?  What  is important to you and your DH? 

Some people never have any structure in their homeschool, and that's okay!  They don't have a set curriculum, but study whatever sparks an interest in their kids at the moment.  This really works for some people.  For others, it would drive them nuts. 

Some people do "school at home" rather than homeschool.  They want to be just like public school, with desks, a bell for starting and ending classes, chalkboards, textbooks, gym period, home ec class, etc.  School isn't working for public school kids, so I'm not sure why this method is so popular, but it is.  And for some, it works.

Some people do unit studies.  Some do independent studies.  Some do online interactive schoolwork.  Some "un-school". 

Now that I've made you really confused, I'll invite you to visit my website as a starting point.  I'm a former homeschooling mom (kids are all college age and older) with a background in Early Childhood Education, and I provide my blog for free.  I have twenty unit studies posted, twenty weeks worth of activities including art, dramatic play, blocks, large muscle activities, small muscle activites, and more, that any good preschool or day care program would provide, but all adapted to the home environment.  You could start with "Red Week" - a week's worth of activites on the color red.  Or "A is for Apple".  This will provide a structure for your day, and introduce your child to a learning program, while you think about what you might want to do differently, and it won't cost you anything to get started.  But please, if you like something, post a comment - or even if you don't like something, post a comment, so I can make my website better.

Thanks!

Lorelei