I always enjoy reading other's lists of planned objectives for their homeschooled children, and the resources planned to meet those objectives. For instance, this one and even this one, give me all sort of ideas, whether or not I think they're right for Silas at this time. So, seeing as how I've spent the last week researching, reading, and writing thoughts, goals and objectives for Silas's upcoming year, I thought I'd post a bit about what's going to be going on for us over the next few weeks, possibly longer if I feel it's working out. While I love to plan and research, I'm not gonna stick with something that isn't working just cause that's the way I planned it!
Basically, I'm going with a simple work box approach. Except I'm using clear drawers. Just gotta be different! I like how compact they are and it seems to me that most things don't fit well in a shoe box style box anyhow. For larger games and other things that don't fit, I plan on taking a picture, or a photocopy of the cover, or whatever, laminating it and sliding that into the drawer. If, for example, Silas were to find a picture of a large puzzle, he'd know it was puzzle time and it would be located in a convenient, pre-arranged location (still to be determined!). The boxes and large books and other objects sticking out all over the place really bother me in any picture I've seen. Hmm. I'm anal and visual, what can I say?
Anyhow, this gives me a way to loosely structure my plans around six short activities each focused preschool session (of around 45 minutes). 1 pre-reading activity (alphabet stuff mostly as he's really keen on this right now!), 1 pre-math activity (sorting, patterns, one-to-one correspondence, matching, recognizing numerals and counting past 12), 1 pre-writing (Kumon workbooks in tracing and cutting, collage and gluing, beading, coins etc) activity, 1 French activity (French songs, books and games), 1 art or music activity, and 1 wild card activity (toys such as puzzles, blocks, legos, marble mazes and board games - these could probably fit into almost any of the above categories, but that's okay. It's a way to spend time together and learn while having fun). This will be done twice a week, I'm thinking Monday and Tuesday after nap time (cause the other days are booked already - how does that happen?).
With both boys - obviously fairly limited participation from Oliver - I'll be going over the calendar each day. Silas is always asking if we can turn the page on the calendar yet, what day is it today, do we go to Grami's today, and getting yesterday and a few days ago mixed up. So I thought now's a good time for a bit of calendar learning. I'm going to get a desk blotter sized calendar to cross off each day, probably as we eat breakfast. We'll go over the days of the week, talk about what's happening today, tomorrow and any special events coming up that week, month or season. We'll jot a quick note about our plans each day, for instance, if it's "Grami day" or "Park day" or what have you, so we can talk about what we did yesterday or last week fairly easily as well. I'm hoping that will help him sort through that muddle in his head a little.
Additionally, on Fridays we'll go for a nature walk and collect items each time in a paper bag. If they don't fit in the bag then I'll let Silas take a picture with my camera. Saturday afternoons, we'll work on a Nature Journal together, recalling and illustrating our walk together (another way to aid in sorting out past and present!), learning about the items we collected or photographed, and putting all together in one special little book.
Sunday evenings as part of our bedtime routine, we'll talk about the month's virtue (following the Family Virtues Guide and Building Moral Intelligence). I'm doing this with Silas in lieu of belonging to a church. I would love to participate a the Unitarian Universalist congregation, where everyone is welcome to follow their own nose in spirituality and learn about the many different ways it can be done, however the nearest one is over an hour away. I'm just not brave enough to attend with two little boys who aren't big on driving (not mention the cost of gas!). Someday, once they're older, perhaps I'll be able to go, in the meantime I want to give Silas the terminology and focus on the little gems that make people so great. And just a quick note: I do not believe churches or religion make people moral beings, I believe the major factor is parenting and parents. Church and religion provides a way to open up communication about values, virtues and expectations. So I'm trying to do the same at home!
This month, I think, we'll begin with Caring, all the while building up his emotional vocabulary and enhance his sensitivity to the feelings of others. I know he's still little, but I don't think there's any harm in using everyday situations to build up what he knows, as long as my expectations are appropriate. I understand that my example, and others around him, are the best way to teach morality, however I want something a bit more intentional as all the learning in the world will do him no good if he's immoral. I'm kind of drawing off of both books I mentioned above. We'll read some books about Caring, we'll play some games using facial expressions and home made cards. We'll see where it goes from there!
Finally, I'm hoping to do a few monthly themed activities: themed play dough and sensory tubs. I was so inspired by this blog! I'd like to try and make the sensory tub young toddler friendly so Oliver might use it as it is, but I'll make him edible play dough to go with whatever themed tools I've chosen for the month.
This is all a lot of work! I'm going to try it for the rest of the month and see what needs tweaking, what needs some work, and what needs to be scrapped all together. I've made a form to help things go smoothly, especially the gathering of materials on Sunday night!
No comments:
Post a Comment