I want to write a series of posts on homeschooling. This'll be the first. That way, if someone asks me about homeschooling, I can direct them here. Hopefully, I can get some kind of concise ideas down and share my experiences without going off subject too much.
History, first. I've been homeschooling "officially" for 2 years. I've just completed 1st and kindergarten with my 5 and 7 year old. I started teaching my 7 year old when he was two, things like colors, numbers, and letters. So if you want to count those years (I do), I've been homeschooling for about 4 years. I now have kids aged 7, 5, 2, and 4 months, which makes for an interesting day.
In this first post, I am going to address early education, before kindergarten. Don't make the mistake of thinking homeschooling starts when your child turns five and is "school-age". If they're already 5 or 6, don't sweat it. They've probably picked up more than you think, and will do fine.
If you're planning on homeschooling your kids, and they're 2 or 3 or 4, that's where homeschooling starts. Before you try to start homeschooling in kindergarten, try to make things easier on yourself. Getting your kids into habits and teaching them the basics first is essential. Learning to read before kindergarten will really enable them to take off with a head start. Both my kids were reading well before starting kindergarten. Trust me, teaching is much easier when your child can read simple directions and the like by themselves. It also helps when you're trying to manage multiple children's lessons at one time.
So start when they're toddlers. The beauty of homeschooling is that everyday life is just as much a learning experience as serious, sit-down-at-the-desk time. It starts with talking to your child. Ask them questions. "What color is that?" "Is that big or small?" "How many do you see?" When you talk to your child, talk about what they need to learn. Don't just say, "You can play outside now." Instead, say, "The yellow sun is up in the blue sky. It is above the tree. Do you want to play under the tall tree with green leaves?" It's much easier to live and learn than to try to sit a toddler down and get them to pay attention. Get some colorful blocks and play, while asking "What color is this block?" ""Can you give me the green block?"
My daughter learned her letters at 3 when we put up the alphabet in her room and sang the ABC song (while pointing at each letter) before bed at night. It was great fun for her, and she learned to say the letters and recognize them without any trouble. Eventually, we started taking about three letters a night and talking about their sounds. We pointed out the vowels, too, when she was a little older. We invented a game she begged to play, too...we had a stack of alphabet flashcards, and we'd have her stand across the room from us, and hold up a card. If she got it right, she could jump forward. If she got it wrong, she had to take a hop back. When she got several right in a row, she'd make it over to us and either get a hug and kiss or a treat. This same game worked with numbers and shapes. In addition, if your child is dexterous, start writing letters. My kids loved chalk boards and wipe off boards.
Teach them gently, and don't worry if they don't get it right away. Or even if they don't seem to get it at all, or they don't care. Keep showing and talking. They're listening, and listening more closely than you realize. Don't get mad. Don't be too frustrated when they wander off or want to play trucks or dolls instead. Everything a child does at this point is a possible learning experience.
I recommend teaching your child to read early. However, do not push them too hard. Reading needs to be something enjoyable. You don't want them to hate reading, or they're gonna have a heck of a time doing any schoolwork. Reading must be a joy, and you can set an example by reading to them, and letting them see you reading and enjoying it. I used two guides when my kids were ready (it's great if you can teach them letter recognition and letters sounds, first). This book, by Siegfried Engelmann, is a great place to start. I eventually moved on to The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, but the 100 Easy Lessons was better for my kids at first, because it has big print and age appropriate stories with fun illustrations. We did many lessons over and over, as many times as it took for them to catch on. That's normal, too. I've seen a few friends who think they have a very bright child become devastated when their kid doesn't take to reading easily. It's best to expect them to be confused at first. In my experience, kids can learn letters and sounds easily, because those are individual rules. Reading requires the child to put a lot of rules together, which is a big step forward in cognitive development. It's not easy. But you can make it fun, and they'll love to keep trying.
I had no idea what I was doing when we started homeschooling. There are great books out there, read a ton of them. Pick and choose what you think is the best method for your child, and jump in. When something clicks, and you see that light bulb flash on, it's going to be as exciting as your baby's first smile, first steps, etc. It's something I'm so glad I didn't miss by sending my kids off to school at a very young age.
I might continue this post later, or choose to move on. Best of luck, reader.
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