So instead of putting Eli in a preschool this year, I've decided to "homeschool for preschool." Not that I actually believe that 2 year olds need to go to school. My personal beliefs are that toddlers and preschoolers need educational opportunities, but not necessarily "school." However, since I'm a teacher by trade, I couldn't resist the establishing of some "school" routines for Eli. I've been incorporating a few each week with the intent of having a fully implemented program in the fall.
Also, I will be co-teaching a 2 year old class, the Eaglets, at Heritage Christian Academy in the fall. It meets on Fridays from 10-12 and is just a supplemental fun activity for Eli and some of his homeschool friends.
Here are some of the schooling activities we have been participating in throughout June.
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| Sorting: Of course, we always build with blocks, but we have been working on sorting by colors and shapes as well. I actually didn't instigate this. Eli started sorting by colors and lining up in rows. I encouraged him to keep working, but he did this all by himself! (He is obsessed with lining things up like this!) |
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| Practical Life: In good ole Montessori fashion, I have been encouraging Eli to do at least one "real life" activity each day. In June we started off by washing dishes. In July, we have done cutting (I hard boiled an egg and let him cut it up with a butter knife) as well as using toothpicks to eat pieces of food. |
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| More washing! Eli also helps wipe down the table, set the table for dinner, and cook dinner! |
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| Spooning: I change out the items that he uses, but in this picture Eli is using a measuring spoon to move rice from one cup to another. I have changed this activity by changing the items in the bowls (rice, beans, beads, rocks, etc.) and changing the types of cups and spoons. These tiny changes make the activity seem brand new each time! AND the other night, Eli was able to spoon steamed broccoli onto my, Sam's, and his own plate at dinner time without spilling one piece of food! I feel like this is incredible fine motor skill growth! |
I've been doing a lot of reading about the Montessori method, preschooling at home, and other early education ideas. Here are some of my favorite reads lately:
- Basic Montessori by David Gettman
- Counting Coconuts
- Unschooling Preschoolers
- 1+1+1=1: Tot Trays and Lapbooks
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