A New School Year

Hello friends! I am looking forward to getting back into posting this school year's lessons. Thank you for the encouragement that you have given me to keep up this blog. God has truly blessed me with new lessons and I would love to share with you as I homeschool my son.

This summer, my husband and I were looking to place our son in a preschool to help his social development. I would have to admit that a once teacher now mom can be quite the critic. I realized that parents need to know what to ask when looking for a preschool for their child.

Here are some important things to be looking for...

1. What Bible curriculum do you use?

This is the most important question to ask a teacher. If the teacher wavers in their answer about God's Word it shows then what is most important to them in their classroom. Ask when they teach Bible. Is it first in the day or last? Why? If they don't have a curriculum ask them why? Ask to see the Bible they teach from. Is it a real Bible, children's, or just a devotional?

2. What preschool benchmarks are they teaching?

If the teacher doesn't know what you are talking about then that should be a sign that they are possibly just a daycare and not a preschool. Not all states have benchmarks for preschool but some do. There will be a time when, if your state doesn't already have benchmarks, your state will. You can find Washington State's benchmarks here. Ask to see a preschool progress report. If the preschool doesn't have one ask them why not? The answer, "They are just 4 year olds" isn't a good enough answer.

3. What are your discipline procedures?

Do the teachers send children to timeout, the corner, or do they even have a discipline procedure? Do they involve the parent in that procedure?

In our search we found a beautiful preschool program where they love the children and I agreed with most of their teaching styles. Not everyone is going to teach hands-on or the way I would. But, then, God didn't create every teacher the same. Everyone has their own gifts.

But, alas, make sure you ask the following question...

4. Does my child have to be 100% potty trained.

Most likely the answer is yes. For liability reasons your child needs to be able to help themselves in the bathroom. So, by the end of August, my little man still isn't potty trained and is going to be homeschooled again this year.

I am excited to share with you new activities with weekly themes this year instead of my usual monthly themes. Most themes will be written around literature since my three year old is obsessed with the written word.

Feel free to print off my schedule in the sidebar and follow along yourself. If you are homeschooling your child as well, the information above is quite helpful for you as well. Make sure you are asking yourself the same questions. Find out what is important to you and to your child. Make a list. Use that list to set goals for yourself and your child.

Stay tuned in for a supply list and new lessons to come!

Teach Well: Before starting the school year, make a list of the goals you would like to set for yourself and your child.