How to Start Preschool at Home
I always had a goal in my mind and on paper to homeschool my kids. Finally in the fall of 2013 I began Preschool with Ben. I have been homeschooling him now for almost 7 months and I wanted to share with you how you can begin at home and some resources to check out!
I have heard from many friends and strangers the same question and thoughts about homeschooling- "I am afraid I won't be a good teacher because I did not do well in school and don't have a degree."
Can I share something with you friends? I was an average student in school and I do not have a degree.
Let's look at a verse for a minute.
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts, Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. " Deuteronomy 6: 6-7
When you became a parent you didn't go to school and study for 4 years or more did you? No, you had 9-10 months to prepare for this child(or children). Homeschooling shouldn't be a fear. You CAN do it and there are so many encouraging parents out there to walk with you through this homeschooling journey.
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I have heard from many friends and strangers the same question and thoughts about homeschooling- "I am afraid I won't be a good teacher because I did not do well in school and don't have a degree."
Can I share something with you friends? I was an average student in school and I do not have a degree.
Let's look at a verse for a minute.
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts, Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. " Deuteronomy 6: 6-7
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
1 Corinthians 15:58When you became a parent you didn't go to school and study for 4 years or more did you? No, you had 9-10 months to prepare for this child(or children). Homeschooling shouldn't be a fear. You CAN do it and there are so many encouraging parents out there to walk with you through this homeschooling journey.
1. Get a Notebook/Planner
You can never just jump into something without having an outlook of what you would like.
What would you like him/her to learn this year?
What do you want to teach him/her?
When I wrote down mine, I wrote down I wanted Ben to learn his whole alphabet, numbers 1-20, shapes and begin to memorize little bible verses. Simple right? It is that simple! I promise.
2. Find a curriculum to use
Now sometimes this can be overwhelming and daunting to begin because there are SO many resources out there. Here are a few to check out and I will also share what I use.
Confessions of a Homeschooler- Letter of the Week
Motherhood on a Dime- God's Little Explorers
1+1+1=1 - Raising Rock Stars
Teaching Mama- Preschool Journey
My Father's World- Preschool Program
All of these are great resources online to choose from. I currently am using the preschool books that I found at Barnes and Noble. It consists of Shapes, Numbers, Letters, teaching same and opposites and more! I absolutely love it and he enjoys it so much. It cost me about $30 for everything because I also picked up some flash cards that we go through each week.
3. Prepare your week/month
Begin by preparing your week or month. I do by each week at the moment. I look through what we will be learning and gather together the supplies I will need. I write in my planner what we will be doing each day and if there is a special activity I want to include.
4. Pray for you and your child
Homeschooling can get frustrating sometimes for you and him/her. You may get impatient or upset and he may lose concentration and whine. Take a break, pray for you and your child and come back to the task. Try and try again. Soon your child will be begging to do it each day (ok maybe that is only mine, and yes he really does).
5. Reach out to local mamas and groups and online
If you feel stuck, alone or just need some encouragement, form a homeschool group with other moms you know who want to homeschool! Get together once or twice a week and work together to homeschool your preschoolers! Look online for encouragement and reach out. Find a local group. Look at your church or MOPS group.
Just remember, God gave you these children of His and He has only the best outlook for you and them. He doesn't expect you to be perfect at it and you shouldn't either. It is all a learning process and you learn as you go. So do they.
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