Homeschooling/unschooling preschool

[jenn_unplugged]

Does that even make sense? I've gone back and forth about putting Carter in preschool, and every time I decide it's not time yet. For one thing, we have an AMAZING nanny, and I want to hang on to her as long as possible. This semester, I'm organizing my schedule so that I work two days a week (all day, 7-5) and then spend the other three days at

Comments

[telemicus]

I think you could wait til 3 and be fine, but I am an advocate for preschoolers getting to spend some time playing with other kids with no adults within reach -- we did Gymboree too and it is good, but my kids preschool gives him lots of free play with kids his age and it is invaluable. I think like with language learning etc there is a sensitive period when kids needs unstructured play time with other kids or they never develop necessary social skills, and I think waiting til 4 or 5 is honestly bordering on too late.

[jenn_unplugged]

I know a lot of people who homeschool who would probably disagree with that, but I do think that if your child is going to be in school, they will definitely benefit from learning some of the social skills they need for school before they start kinder. Of course, a generation ago, that's what kindergarten was for, right? It was meant to ease the transition into school after kids had been home with mom for the first five years of their lives. Interesting how things have changed...

[telemicus]

Oh I know my opinion is not a popular one :D You might like this article, sent yesterday from the head of my kid's preschool, where its ALL playplayplay
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/08/30/pressure_cooker_kindergarten/?page=5t

My and my cognitive psych PhD think that kids need those social skills (and a chance to learn them at 3 or 4 yrs old) regardless of whether or not they are going to be homeschooled, they will eventually go into the world, and from the homeschooled adults I know, there is a sensitive period for unsupervised socialization skills and they have missed it.

Just my 2cents btw, I don't mean to sound snotty.

[jenn_unplugged]

Thanks for that link! I reposted it to FB after reading it, actually. Since I'm a teacher educator, I see a lot of that sort of thing firsthand, and it's frustrating to watch idealistic young teachers get sucked into the accountability machine that is public education these days. But now that I'm also a parent, it's a whole new level of fear. :-P

Preschool is a fairly recent phenomenon, and so I'm guessing that traditionally kids would get lots of chances to interact unsupervised with other kids even while staying at home -- neighbors, cousins, siblings, and so on. But these days we live much more isolated lives, and I can see how that could be a problem.

And hey, that wasn't snotty at all! My PhD was not in education, and so I always like to hear from people who actually know more about this stuff than I do! :-)

[jenn_unplugged]

Thanks for that link! I reposted it to FB after reading it, actually. Since I'm a teacher educator, I see a lot of that sort of thing firsthand, and it's frustrating to watch idealistic young teachers get sucked into the accountability machine that is public education these days. But now that I'm also a parent, it's a whole new level of fear. :-P

Preschool is a fairly recent phenomenon, and so I'm guessing that traditionally kids would get lots of chances to interact unsupervised with other kids even while staying at home -- neighbors, cousins, siblings, and so on. But these days we live much more isolated lives, and I can see how that could be a problem.

And hey, that wasn't snotty at all! My PhD was not in education, and so I always like to hear from people who actually know more about this stuff than I do! :-)