Online Preschool Activities October 24, 2011

The T4L preschool materials are beautifully done. Produced by Kris with Alex, Juliana, Kim, Kelly, Cady, and others, they are a labor of love and really enjoying and beneficial for the kids.  Probably, 20 minute sessions are eough at the age but I highly recommend them.  Until recently, the T4L preschool activities were only available directly from T4L on a per student basis. They are now opening it up to groups and schools.  Here’s the play by play:

Original Online Preschool Offering by T4L

Some of these online preschool materials were put onto LG4K.  But its only a sampling, there’s no scope or sequence, and therea re advertisements.  :-<

Now, Time4Preschool.com provides virtual preschool learning  for schools.

On another note, kindergarten science will soon be available from S4U.com!  And other blogs of interest:

other blogs that I support:

http://homeschoolcurriculumcity.wordpress.com/
http://learnseowithme.wordpress.com/
http://learntowriteablog.wordpress.com/ 

And this bit about helping Mr. Google is aobut as good as gets although admittedly, not all preschoolers will get the humor:

For instance, I’m trying to help Mr. Google find the very best educational games and I feel that the Big Mr. G might be confused. Here are my recommendations:

Google, please check these out and see if you should be paying more attention to them!

• Unscramble
• Word Search
• Hangman
• Crossword Puzzle
• Latin Learning
• Phonics Games
• Homeschool Curriculum 

 

Playing Games May 20, 2011

Playing games with your kids can be a great way to begin integrating the learning process into their lifestyle.  There are lots of fun games they can play online at sites like Learning Games for Kids, but you can also keep them on their toes with fun home games like tic tac toe and hangman…

“Have fun with your child by playing games like  tic-tac-toe, dots, checkers, dominoes, concentration, hangman, Scrabble, chess, and increasingly complex card games such as hearts, rummy, and cribbage. All these games involve problem solving and logic, and all are based on mathematics. Help your child excel in the areas she is strong in to give her confidence to tackle areas in which she may struggle.” -http://fifthgradecurriculum.com/

Learning Styles May 8, 2011

As you begin homeschooling, it is important to recognize that each student will have different learning styles.  It is especially important at the beginning to try several techniques so that you can establish what works best for your student.

Jamie says. ”If you choose a curriculum that matches their particular style of learning, understanding the content will be much easier.  If they are an abstract learner, workbooks will probably be a good option. However, if you child is a concrete learner, a more interesting approach such as DVD’s or online courses may be the best option for them.  Above all, remember that you are in charge of your child’s education, if something doesn’t work – change it! There is something out there that will meet your child’s particular needs.” – http://eighthgradecurriculum.com/

Game Time April 24, 2011

Making learning fun is one of my main goals every day, but it isn’t always easy.  That’s why I love websites that have learning games on them.  One such site is http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/.  “Educational games are a great tool for building foundation math and language skills that today’s elementary school curriculum requires. These online learning games and songs for kids are fun, teach important skills for preschool and elementary school kids and they’re free.”

But then we come across the problem of scheduling game time.  One mom says, “

One of the ideas we’re looking at trying is scheduling specific times for each child to have access to the computer or TV. Their times wouldn’t start til after noon.

See one of our issues is that they rush through their schoolwork so that they can be the first to get to play. Hopefully having set times will eliminate that.

I also deal with, “Moooooom!!! He’s getting extra tiiiiime!! I want extra time if HE got extra time!” The problem is that usually they have NO idea how much extra time their sibling actually got. They seem to always forget to set a timer! Of course the one who’s getting the extra time denies that it’s anything over what they were entitled to. I can’t seem to get them to understand the concept that when you’re playing a game it doesn’t feel like you’ve been doing it for 3 hours. However, for the one who’s waiting it feels like it’s been 5 hours!”

Beginning the Homeschool Process April 15, 2011

With today’s technology, homeschooling has become very advanced, so many options and vehicles to use.  Personally, I feel like using a combination of  teaching techniques is the most effective, as it keeps things interesting and exciting and new…  No matter what you decide to do, it is always important to be aware of state requirements and to keep good records. 

One blogger summed it up nicely,  ”There are many things that I would suggest, but to sum things up there would be about five things that would be the most important.

• Enroll in a homeschool school program or submit your declaration of homeschooling to your county.
• Determine which curriculum you should use by matching it to the needs of your children. Look at their learning styles and determine what type of curriculum would make them fly!
• Keep attendance records – remember you can count your field trip days!
• Keep good grade records – try to make each child a year end report card. I keep their tests for a few years, as well.
• If your current curriculum is a source of daily frustration… CHANGE IT! It’s better to waste a little money (try to sell on ebay) than to suffer for a whole year. “

Preschool Curriculum Choices April 1, 2011

I was getting ready to enroll my daughter in a private prek in our area when my neighbor got going about homeschooling.  Well, I had always thought that homeschooling was not for me but I decided to pay attention.  She and her kids seemed to have such a great time doing their schooling, with field trips and so much extra time…  But how could I ever manage such a thing?  It was time to start researching.

I found some DVD’s and books which I was somewhat interested in but I didn’t think they would really capture Lilly’s attention so I kept looking.  Finally I decided on the online programs.  “This type of curriculum allows the student to use the web to access a web site that then teaches the student.  Often this type of curriculum will use cartoon characters to present the information and then interactive responses to test the students retention of the information.  Examples of this curriculum include Time4Learning and Monarch”.

We’ve been going strong ever since, and now we are getting ready to start our third year homeschooling, using primarily online curriculum.  Naturally, we do have to supplement, but we have had great success with our online learning experience.

Art in Pre-K March 19, 2011

Using art as an important PreK activity can really grow with the child as they get older.  I find that my kids find subjects more interesting when they can be expressed with art.  Anything that helps build their interest is fine with me!!!  I started having them just draw whatever they feel like.  It makes them feel great to have their art showcased and Time4Learning has a member art gallery which displays student art from time to time.

One Mom writes of her eighth grade online curriculum, “We scrap book our science lessons as well, and have really notice that the interest level gets so much higher when there is some “artistic” fun attached.  You might be thinking, “Really, come on 8th graders – scrapbooking their science lessons!” Yes, really.  It is a wonderful way to review what they are learning without have to use a pencil/paper.”

Recognizing the Letters in your name March 2, 2010

I’ve been reading school readiness standards and I’m always struck by the listing of the standard that children:
“should recognize the letters in their names.”

I guess the logic is that educators feel that a student’s pride and curiosity in their identity is a crucial lever to pull in getting kids interested in letters.

Or, it might be that schools want students who know how to recognize items with their name on it.  Anybody have any background on this?

Learning to Read – Preschool November 20, 2009

There are so many ways that preschoolers can get a head start on enjoying learning to read. I just read about how the homeschoolers curriculums work.  And I saw some great free learning games for preschool students.

The cadillac of preschool online learning that I’ve seen was just launched by a company called Time4Learning.com. And I quote:

When they’re logged in to Time4Learning, preschoolers won’t just sit and watch; they’ll laugh, learn, participate and explore. They’ll sing along with Ed Mouse on the farm and get up and exercise with a group of kids. They’ll yell out numbers to an octopus under the sea and politely help a mountain climber scale Manners Mountain. Children can label their virtual school supplies box and library card with their own name and plan their week with a customizable weekly planner. You’ll see smiles and hear giggles that let you know that your children are having fun and when they start talking about habitats and tertiary colors, you’ll know it’s more than just fun.

Preschool Activities November 19, 2009

We all love to watch our preschoolers develop new skills and independence. What  a thrill when I see a preschooler learning on the computer:

The Time4Learning preschool program combines technology, animated characters, original stories and fun music to inspire a love of learning in the littlest e-learners. Ed Mouse and his friends guide children through more than forty topics such as numbers, letters, rhymes, self, time, music and colors.

It follows the important standard groups such as:
NYAEC
State standards
Headstart