While casually browsing through the internet i came across an idea of keeping good records of the homeschooling child's homeschooled years. Which would be important keeping so that if you ever decide to put your child back in school, everything will be in order.

anybody on how it can be done?

MY VERSION OF PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

I was wondering if there is any listing of what each child is required to learn in each grade.

Then i searched The Internet and formulated my own curriculum for preschool.

Any suggestions are welcome !

A TYPICAL COURSE OF STUDY : PRESCHOOL :

It goes as follows :

- academic subjects

- each academic subject is further divided into the topics to be covered through the particular course.

1. COLOURS AND SHAPES

1.1 Recognising and identifying primary colours

1.2 Recognising sleeping lines, standing lines and slanting lines

1.3 Recognising rectangles and circles

1.4 Making a match of shapes and relevant objects based on shape

1.5 Copying a shape

2. LISENING AND SEQUENCING

2.1 To follow simple directions

2.2 To listen to a short story

2.3 To listen carefully and analyse

2.4 To recognise common sounds

2.5 To repeat a sequence of sounds

2.6 To repeat orally given numbers / phonics

2.7 To retell simple stories in sequence

3. MOTOR SKILLS

3.1 To be able to run

3.2 To be able to walk a straigth line

3.3 To be able to jump

3.4 To be able to hop

3.5 To be able to alternate feet walking down the stairs

3.6 To be able to march

3.7 To be able to stand on one foot upto 5 seconds

3.8 To be able to walk backwards

3.9 To be able to throw a ball

3.10 To be able to paste objects

3.11 To be able to clap hands

3.12 To be able to match simple objects

3.13 To be able to button a garment

3.14 To be able to build with blocks

3.15 To be able to complete simple puzzles

3.16 To be able to draw and colour (simple scribble)

3.17 To be able to zip-unzip a zipper

3.18 To be able to control a pencil or a crayon

3.19 To be able to cut with a sizzors with care

4. NUMBERS

4.1 Counts orally through 10

4.2 Counts objects in one to one correspondence

4.3 Counts numbers on fingures

4.4 Understands empty and full

4.5 Understands more and less

5. POSITIONS AND DIRECTIONS

Understands -

5.1 up and down

5.2 in and out

5.3 front and back

5.4 over/on and under

5.5 top, bottom and middle

5.6 besides and next to

5.7 hot and cold

5.8 fast and slow

6. READING READINESS

6.1 Remember images/objects from given picture

6.2 Has been read through regularly

6.3 looks at books and magazines and pretends to read it

6.4 recognises common nursery rhymes or kids songs

6.5 Identifies body parts

6.6 To identify the objects that have functional use

6.7 To identify common farm and wild animals

6.8 Tell you own first name and last name

6.9 To express self verbally

6.10 To identify other kids by their names
6.11 To be able to tell meanings of simple words

6.12 forms short sentenses

6.13 To be able to answer questions about a short story

6.14 Looks at pictures and tells a story

7. SIZE

7.1 Understands big and small

7.2 Understands long and short

7.3 Matches shapes or objects based on size

8. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

8.1 Can be away from parents or primary care for 2-3 hrs without being upset

8.2 Takes care of toilet needs independently

8.3 Cares for own belongings

8.4 Knows how o use a handkerchief or a tissue

8.5 Brushes his own teeth daily

8.6 Knows parents' names

8.7 Knows house address

8.8 Knows house phone number

8.9 Enters into casual conversation with others

8.10 Carries a plate of food carefully

8.11 Plays with other children and shares his toys

8.12 Recognises authority

8.13 Meets visitors without shyness

8.14 Able to work/play independently

8.15 Helps family with chores

9. TIME

9.1 Understands Day and Night

9.2 Knows Self age and birthday

These are rough notes for my own purpose. They are not meant to be followed as bible.

050509

We have almost decided to homeschool Amal by now. The idea itself is very exciting and inspiring.

Online research has begun on my side. I feel, to keep Amal updated, i need to know what is happening around in regular schools in terms of education.

I'm very much sure that the whole process is going to be equally enligthening and enjoyable for amal as well as me. I've yet not figured out how minal (amal's baba) is going to fit in, in this exercise. But it gives me strength even knowing that he is equally "FOR" the idea of homeschooling.

People around, keep asking questions about homeschooling and tell us how amal might grow up into an intorvert or a shy boy. so first job is to find out or rather formulate an answer that justifies our decision and still is not bias. Whether or not others accept/welcome the homeschooling idea, our answer should be ready and clear in our own minds. I cant just say that i never enjoyed school so I thought of not putting amal in school !

There is a lot of material available on the internet for homeschooling parents and kids. Also there are many people around the globe who are doing the job on their own. Its pleasure and fun to introduce your kid to the whole world of knowledge all by yourself. Its such a joyful xperience to relearn things along with your child.

Managing and organising this material available in abundance is crucial. I've to yet fin out a system for doing the same. But writing about t is the least that can be done offhand. So i start my notes here for AMAL.

Here are few mentionable books :

1. How Children Fail BY JOHN HOLT
2. How Children Learn BY JOHN HOLT
3. The underachieving School BY JOHN HOLT
4. What do i do Monday BY JOHN HOLT
5. Freedom and Beyond BY JOHN HOLT
6. Escape from Childhood BY JOHN HOLT
7. Instead of Education BY JOHN HOLT
8. Never too Late BY JOHN HOLT
9. Teach your Own BY JOHN HOLT
10. Learning All the Time BY JOHN HOLT
11. A Life Worth Living BY JOHN HOLT
12. Magazine : Growing without Schooling BY JOHN HOLT
13. The Lives of Children BY GEORGE DENNISON
14. Reading BY FRANK SMITH
15. Patterns in Mathematics BY LAIDLAW BROTHERS
16. The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart BY JAN HUNT
17. In Their Own Way BY THOMAS ARMSTRONG
18. Social Implications of Schooling BY DR AVIJIT PATHAK
19. Kids have all the write stuff BY SHARON A EDWARDS & ROBERT W MALOY

In India we see a strong family bonding and world wide it is believed that a child begins his first years of education from home. because they say and believe, what parents and grand-parents can teach, none else can !!!

- sonal modak

home schooling..open schooling...non-schooling....

Finally the time has arrived to take a decision. I know its not so easy to take such a decision for someone else who is completely dependent on you. The success or failure of any idea will be evident only after it starts showing up the results...
After getting married having kid was a very obvious option. Eventually it happened and amal arrived in our lives. I'd thought a lot about having kids, and how i would raise them, how would i help them grow up with sensible rational approach. who grow up into a sensitive, inelligent and integrated persona. How i would love them to see growing in nature, playing in nature and learning from nature.
Personally i never enjoyed my schooling days, except for the extra curricular activities, which offered me to stay out of class often. And that was an incentive to finish it without failing. To pass the exams was never so difficult with the minimum required efforts put in.
There, this idea came to me, to home-school / non-school or put my child in an open school. Before amal's arrival the thought did not sound so difficult as i was looking at it as a third party or an outsider i guess. But now as amal has already turned 2 years and the obvious next step would be of putting him in some school pops up. All the thoughts gushing at the same time, positive / negative all together, am rendered totally confused. Not able to clearly see the situation.
So many people around have to say so many different things on the topic..they are not going to take decision on my behalf but they are there to put forth all the possibilities pleasant as well as non-so-pleasant ones. Its good in a way..but on my side it calls for a lot more courage and in depth knowledge...
My research has begun...friends, internet, various groups, discussions...its going to take time.If you have anything to say, please feel free to respond. If you know someone dealing the issue in similar ways please let me know. If you can help me out in getting resources in or around mumbai it would be welcome.
- Sonal modak