Oh what fun! I have been teaching preschool this past year to my 2 boys. Jman, my 5 year old, loves it. He is very bright, but gets frustrated easily. He is a perfectionist and has to do it right the first time. We practice writing his name, letters, numbers, shapes, etc. and it is a challenge sometimes to get him to keep practicing. It usually involves a little chat before he will try it again. He is able to sit for the entire lesson of about 25 minutes, but gets distracted when BG starts playing. BG is only 2, so it is a frequent occurrence. I'm still learning new ways to keep them focused and finding new tricks to get them to sit still. Art, dancing, singing, acting out the stories and "racing" during lessons are always winners. There is never a dull moment during school time!!
I have been researching different curricula for kindergarten. I'm trying to find something that will work well for my kids. They have a lot of energy and like to have hands-on, interactive activities. I want them to have a good biblical foundation as well. My first year teaching preschool, two years ago, I designed my own curriculum. I came up with a list of different themed units and got on the computer ever Sunday night to find activities and stories. It was a lot of fun, but quite a bit of work. I ended up buying a laminating machine. It is one of my favorite purchases! I printed off alphabet flash cards, letter writing worksheets, number flashcards, matching games, mazes, etc. I found them all free on the Internet, along with other games I created myself. I laminated them all and bought dry erase markers. The boys can use the sheets over and over again without having to waste reams of paper. It is great!
This past year I purchased a preschool curriculum teacher's guide that is Bible based. It has been very easy to teach from and the boys enjoy it. It just isn't exactly what I'm looking for. So the hunt is on to find something else! I think I've found it. It has been in the back of my mind for a while. Prayer, research and God's nudging have led us to what we need. It will be exciting to continue on our home school journey. It is always an exciting adventure at our house!
Do tell! We decided to homeschool our daughter as well this fall! So far my favorite is My Father's World. We also attend Bible Study Fellowship once a week. It has been a huge blessing for our family. It is teaching my kids so much about Gods word. My favorite part is we are all doing the same lesson.
ReplyDelete-chris (Barrus) Ireland