First, things, first. I need a Preschool curriculum. I started looking online for books that outline curriculum or monthly programs. Sonlight has a nice looking PreK program, 3/4 and 4/5 programs. I looked at Before Five In a Row, and Five in a Row. I looked at Mother Goose Time and Adventures in Learning for monthly programs. All of these are really wonderful and look like lots of good fun and learning. But when I go to buy them, I just don't seem to feel really good about any of them for my family.I have been feeling confused, are any of them right for my family?
So I prayed for guidance. I have been looking a lot at the Montessori style of teaching young children. Unfortunately, it is fairly expensive and I haven't seen any pre-made curriculum for starting a Montessori home preschool. I obviously can't be trained professionally, that would take me away from my children. I feel like I should focus on the Montessori methods for now. I will design my own curriculum by looking at things that should be learned and then finding Montessori types of ways to implement each thing. I've never done anything like this before and it does sound hard. But I feel that it is what I should do. I need to make my own, there just isn't a program that is already created that will be what I am looking for. I will work diligently, and look to the Lord for guidance in creating this curriculum. I'm sure it will be unique. If there is something out there, I haven't seen it.
I want a more formal, gentle guidance, play together or on your own to learn about the world curriculum. I want to incorporate God and plenty of peaceful happy experiences learning together. Some organized activities for learning how to be in groups and sit quietly when participating in programs and activities outside of our home. I want my children to love to learn, explore and create w/o my forcing them to and enjoy reading, understand how to be appropriate in public and have manners, be able to follow through on boring instructions that will get you what you want in the end, be able to communicate and express themselves through talking, writing, and art, be able to listen and understand the communications of others to them. Learn how to take care of themselves (body, home, financially, mentally, spiritually). Learn to care about other people and their needs, and the world, nature and it's needs. Learn self control and disciple, how to make schedules and set goals. Learn to find happiness w/o material things. Learn the gospel. I'm sure there are so many things I can't mention them all. Most of all I want them to be prepared to make it in this world and make it back to Heavenly Father. Is this possible? :) I hope so. I better keep praying :)
4 comments:
Look into A^2 (Accelerated Acheivement). It's LDS-based and includes gospel concepts in it's lessions and had articles of faith and stcripture mastery copy-work for learning to write...I'm using it as a guide for Adam's preshcool. It's complete K-12, and Jeff wrote the solutions manuel for the high school physics section. They don't have a set curriculum...more like lessons that you choose when and how to give to your children.
http://www.accelerated-achievement.com/
It's at least something you can look at, whether or not you choose to go with it.
I totally agree with the things you want for your children's education. Perhaps we can help each other out and support each other and swap ideas as we teach our children.
Also, if you google Montessori Homeschool Curriculum, you'll find that there are sites with that available to you.
Hugs,
~Mary
Mary, you know you're the only person who actually reads this blog :) I just want to be able to blog about stuff, but I'm so scatterbrained. Anyway, I did look up some Montessori curriculum but the supplies are pricey. I've got some ideas, I just need to start working on them. I will look more into the A2 Curriculum. I feel like there are too many options out there, I feel like I'm swimming through a sea of ideas. It makes me feel really confused. I really need to be very prayerful about this or else, I'll give up. I actually wish I could find a support group out here, but I just haven't yet. I've been looking at Montessori more for preschool and Kindergarten and then I was exploring some of the other methods out there, classical, Charlotte Mason, etc. I wish I would have studied this in college. Too bad they don't teach it in college. I wouldn't have even looked outside of the "school box" if I didn't have my own children. I just need to figure out how to organize things, and how to plan for the day without spending the whole day planning :)How is your preschool going?
It's going up and down. I'm not very well organized, and unfortunately, it's too easy to sit him at the computer with an educational game and let him have at it while I do dishes or something else. At least I have seen improvement, and those keep his attention better.
A2 is more of a classically based curriculum, designed after the way schools taught 100 years ago, using things like the McGuffy Readers.
Today I saw in LDS Living Magazine an article about www.theheadoftheclass.com , which is a completely free curriculum/online preschool, so I went ahead and signed up. Tomorrow I'll choose an activity for Adam to do and see how we like the program.
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