Preschool is ordered!

Miss Madelynn wants to do school. I've been buying the preschool workbooks from walmart for her to color in for "school", but it is no longer working. She wants me to teach her like I teach Savannah and Charlotte. She is also wanting to learn how to form letters.

*sigh*

It is time.

Here is what she will be using for preschool:

From the Handwriting Without Tears website she will use "My First School Book", "My Book", and "I Know My Numbers". While I was on that site, I also ordered the student handwriting workbooks for K-2nd grade. (FYI, the teachers manuals are fairly useless. Just order the student workbooks).

I also ordered Essential Math A and Essential Math B from the Rainbow Resource website. Book A is good for preschool and Book B is good for Kindergarten. You'll also want some sort of manipulatives. Chocolate chips, raisins, blocks, pennies, and fingers are all good.

For reading, the Leap Frog videos have been great. She now knows her letter sounds (at least the first sounds) and is ready to start practicing blending. When she knows how to blend sounds, then I get out the Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading and begin with the first reading lesson. I also use Bob Books. When she reads the Bob Book through the first three levels, I move on to the McGuffey Readers. When she actually starts reading out of the Bob Books, I will also begin teaching her all of the phonogram sounds via the flashcards from The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading.

And, of course, I try to set aside time to read to her. That is the most important thing.

Preschool is definitely a time to move at the child's pace. Some skills will come faster than others. I never require my preschool kids to sit down and do work. It is all voluntary (and FUN) at this age. We may start and then stop for a few months for maturity or skill to catch up.

There is so much available curriculum out there that is great. This just happens to fit my style. If anything, hopefully this can serve as a starting point to get you going.

For all beginners, I recommmend the books The Well-Trained Mind, Latin Centered Curriculum, and researching Charlotte Mason. All are different approaches to homeschooling. I have gleaned from all approaches and took what works for us. Also, the website www.welltrainedmind.com/forums contains a wealth of information. Search the site, ask your questions, research curriculum.