Instead of talking about homeschooling preschool or kindergarten, I use the term early learning because I just want to be confusing. But more than that, homeschool early learning reminds us that we aren’t teaching a class here. We’re just starting the learning process.
Talking about preschool and kindergarten sometimes gives us the wrong impression. We start wondering what curriculum to get or what teaching schedule we need to use or what desks we need to buy. It can get all complicated and stressful.
But then, when we make homeschooling all complicated and stressful, (and this is true in any age), we make it hard to learn. We don’t enjoy a complicated, stressful education, so of course our children won’t either. We need to make homeschool easy.
So if early learning is not all of those things, what is it? Here’s a crazy video to explain, or just skip the nonsense and read below.
Early learning is natural.
We’re not talking about books and pencils and quizzes and evaluations. We’re talking about the day-to-day life that teaches so much. Living life: cooking and cleaning and helping and playing and loving. The natural rhythm of life that gives childhood beauty and meaning.
Early learning is everywhere
The kitchen. The living room. The grocery store. The doctor’s office. The library. The park. Everywhere a child goes, there is so much to learn and explore. The desk is not a classroom. The world is her classroom.
Early learning is verbal
Little children ask too many questions. There. It’s not very holy for me to say it, but it’s true. I wish there were a limit to the questions. “You get three more, then you have to wait until tomorrow.” But apparently good moms don’t say that, so I’m not going to tell you I say that.
But those questions do offer so many learning opportunities. What does a credit card do? Why do we put baking soda (or is it baking powder? I don’t bake, obviously) in the cake? (By the way, why do you?) Why does a car need gas? Why can’t I paint in the living room?
This is a big reason we don’t need an early learning curriculum. Little ones naturally crave the info they need. They are hungry for info, and they work hard to get it.
Early learning is long.
We often want to rush our child forward. Is he behind? Is she learning enough? Is she in the same grade as her friends at school? How do we know when we should begin first grade?
These are all the wrong questions.
Instead, we should ask ..
- Is she listening to instructions?
- Can she obey multi-step instructions?
- Is she independent with her hygiene?
- Is she able to sit for 30 minutes and listen?
- Does she enjoy picture books?
- Can she tell a story?
- Has she begun learning to read?
- Can she read short books by herself?
- Is she between the ages of 5 and 10?
Children learn to read, in particular, at all different ages. If he isn’t ready to begin this step, he needs to wait. As a matter of fact, I don’t like to begin elementary work until my child is reading well.
There is so much time later to put a pencil to paper. And there is so much to learn in young childhood. Don’t feel the pressure. Enjoy early learning.
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