Starting Down the Path with Your Preschooler: Dispelling the Myths you Believe

Posted by Debra | 0 comments

I have had the opportunity to meet many parents who are considering teaching their preschooler at home. While this seems like a precious and exciting decision, many struggle with it not because they aren’t capable of taking on this task, but because of all the voices around them that say, “Children can only learn in a classroom” or “Only professionals know how to teach reading readiness,” and “If you don’t begin teaching correctly from the beginning you’ll mess them up in the long run.”

There are all kinds of myths perpetrated by voices outside our own heads and hearts. I’m here to tell you to go with what you know to be true. At the young age of three, four, or five years old children don’t require a classroom or a professional teacher in order to learn and grow – if ever. What they do need are parents who are loving and confident in their choice to keep little ones close and introduce them to all of the marvelous things about life.

It’s amazing how we can manage family budgets and investments or wade through the verbiage on a home loan and “get it” but we cower in fear when it comes to teaching our preschool-aged children some basic fundamentals at home. Take heart! You can do this! Famous words from Deuteronomy confirm it:

These are the words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

If God believes that teachers and parents are the same thing then surely you can get started in homeschooling without knowing the ins and outs of lesson planning or how to define phonemic awareness. In fact, the easiest time to apply this hands-on method of learning just might be in the preschool years when children are eager to learn and love being with you. So, let’s shake off some of the predominant myths about teaching your preschooler and help you move forward in your decision.

Myth 1: Schooling should look very different from home life.

Don’t think of it as schooling. Think of it as intentional parenting. Look at all the things that you have already taught them “as you are going:” sharing toys, smart food choices, and social skills. Academically you have already tackled early math (1,2,3,4,5…), identification skills (this is a puppy), and the very essence of language itself. The truth is you are already homeschooling your young child every day. You don’t need to create a highly regimented schedule, transform your basement into a classroom, or make yourself over into a teacher-esque persona. Make learning part of life, invite your child close and just remain loving, devoted and intentional Mom.

Myth 2: Teaching a preschool aged child takes hours every day.

This is only true in a classroom setting where there are 11 other children with needs equivalent to or greater than your child’s. We can’t compare our one-on-one attention with that of a teacher-to-class ratio. Classroom schedules incorporate small chunks of time on teacher-directed learning and big chunks of time on toileting, playing, and eating. It’s kind of like what you already do at home. Your child will not likely thrive under a huge block of concentrated learning time during which you direct their every step. Leave formal seatwork behind and teach as you are going about your day. If you choose to spend intentional time on a concept then be sure to keep it short and engaging. Five to ten minutes is all you need. A few sessions like this several times a week will keep them moving forward in their skills and help them love learning.

Myth 3: Preschoolers should learn to read and write.

When moms tell me about how their four or five-year old child is resisting writing I cringe. Put the pencil down. Preschoolers do not need to learn to read and write. If yours wants to, then move at their pace and enjoy your exceptional child. However, for most, their fine motor skills are likely not ready for it. Resistance in these areas is more likely an issue of human development – not rebellion. Just like potty training, it is better to wait until the child is ready to progress. You can, however, continue to do preparatory work like drawing circles, lines, and X shapes, writing numbers with a finger in pudding, or saying cookie starts with “c.” Keep it fun!

Here are some things to consider about the developmental needs of children from ages 3-5:

• They need a lot of time to play. This is the number one way they learn. If you want to be a part of their learning process, play with them and teach as you are going. For example, what lessons can you teach while running trains around on the track? How about taking turns, helping others, and maybe a little physics!
• They love to copy what you are doing. Let them sort the socks and put the silverware away – sorting is a basic fundamental for future math skills. Let them practice self-help skills by buttoning up shirts or put the zip-off pants back together. Helping you with your chores not only nurtures their development, but it gives them a sense of being an important part of the household.
• Their language skills are growing at lightning speed. By the time they are ready for Kindergarten they could have a vocabulary of up to 5,000 words. Read books, sing songs, describe things they see, and engage in art and science projects. Most importantly, tell them about everything you are doing. You can grow their vocabulary by leaps and bounds even if you only “work on it” naturally.
• They will develop in fine and gross motor skills at different rates. My toddler was hopping with two feet when he was turning two. Other children take longer to obtain this skill. Riding a bicycle, hammering a nail, bouncing a ball, and coloring inside the lines are things that come easy to them at different times. If my boys ever stop developing or regress in their skill development then I get them checked out by a doctor. Otherwise, I don’t sweat it.

Myth 4: It takes a lot of patience to school my 3-5 year old at home.

It takes a lot of patience to be a parent. Teaching them at home doesn’t change that. You may actually find that your child will be better behaved, more cooperative, and completely excited to be doing activities with you. Though you’ll need patience for the rest of your day to be sure, the intentional times spent with preschoolers are happy times because they love the moments spent with you.

Embrace these days of curiosity and go with it. You really can’t go wrong teaching your preschooler from your heart. Former U.S. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander once said, “The first teachers are the parents, both by example and conversation. But don’t think of it as teaching. Think of it as fun.”

Check out my article on page 26 of the funky flipbook edition of Heart of the Matter Magazine.

Debra Anderson has been married to her true companion for 14 years and has three sons under age10. Debra’s passions are education, art, her husband, church ministry and missional living — not in that order. She has served as her co-op’s coordinator in Portland, Oregon and loves connecting homeschoolers in relationship to one another. Debra has her seminary Masters degree in Christian Education and has always home educated their boys — even on the hard days. She maintains a blog at www.emergent-homeschool.blogspot.com.