Early Education Options for My Kids-- Part 1

What are our options for Preschool?

I took some time to search online for information about preschool and homeschool so that I could get a better idea of our options.  My goal was to find enough information so that I can be confident in the decision that we make.  Here is what I found:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facts and Research on Preschool and Homeschool
A study out of Berkeley found that social and behavioral problems have been shown to increase among children who attend preschool, compared to stay-at-home peers.

Research facts on homeschooling, from the NHERI website.

This study concludes that preschool has positive impacts on kids, especially disadvantaged ones- but all backgrounds have been shown to benefit  I also learned that 75% of 4 year olds attend preschool, and 50% of 3 year olds.  Also--Well-designed preschool education programs produce long-term improvements in school success, including higher achievement test scores, lower rates of grade repetition and special education, and higher educational attainment. Some preschool programs are also associated with reduced delinquency and crime in childhood and adulthood.

This study concludes that preschool was not associated with children’s development of self regulation.  For decoding and letter knowledge, results suggest that the first and second years of preschool are both systematically associated with decoding and letter knowledge gains, and the effects are cumulative.  Finally, children’s chronological age, and not whether they experienced one versus two years of preschool, predicted children’s vocabulary and self-regulation outcomes.

Research from ScienceDirect.com on home and preschool learning environments as they relate to early numeracy skills.  Basically--- it depends on the quality of the home learning environment. Also-- parent involvement is key if the student is in preschool.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Homeschool 


There are many different options for homeschool, as I have come to learn.  I have listed a few of them:


Eclectic Homeschool

"Relaxed" or "Eclectic" homeschooling is the method used most often by homeschoolers. Basically, eclectic homeschoolers use a little of this and a little of that, using workbooks for math, reading, and spelling, and taking an unschooling approach for the other subjects.  The advantage of this method is that the parent feels that the subjects they believe are most important are covered thoroughly. This method also allows the family to choose textbooks, field trips, and classes that fit their needs and interests. This quote comes from this website:  Although most eclectic homeschoolers teach academics, textbooks are not used alone. It is believed that each child needs the freedom to explore his interests and to take advantage of everything and anything that can be a learning experience. Many eclectic homeschoolers attend private or group music and dance lessons, or go to classes with other homeschoolers. Eclectic programs often include venturing out to museums, public libraries, or nature walks. Eclectic homeschoolers believe that their method provides them with an extremely effective and functional system of learning. Classical Homeschool Classical homeschooling is a formal style that focuses on giving children a strong foundation in reading, writing, and math, as well as a thorough grounding in history. Science, the arts, and languages (particularly Latin) are also integral. Classical homeschooling, which has its roots in the Christian tradition, can also easily be adapted to a secular homeschool experience.  For more information-- the well trained mind

Charlotte Mason Method

The Charlotte Mason method has at its core the belief that children deserve to be respected and that they learn best from real-life situations. According to Charlotte Mason, children should be given time to play, create, and be involved in real-life situations from which they can learn. Students of the Charlotte Mason method take nature walks, visit art museums, and learn geography, history, and literature from "living books," books that make these subjects come alive. Students also show what they know, not by taking tests, but via narration and discussion.

Website--Simply Charlotte Mason

Another website with further explanation on this method of homeschooling


Waldorf Method

The Waldorf method is also used in some homeschools. Waldorf education is based on the work of Rudolf Steiner and stresses the importance of educating the whole child—body, mind, and spirit. In the early grades, there is an emphasis on arts and crafts, music and movement, and nature. Older children are taught to develop self-awareness and how to reason things out for themselves. Children in a Waldorf homeschool do not use standard textbooks; instead, the children create their own books. The Waldorf method also discourages the use of television and computers because they believe computers are bad for the child's health and creativity.


School at Home Method

School-at-home is the style most often portrayed in the media because it is so easy to understand and can be accompanied by a photo of children studying around the kitchen table. This is also the most expensive method and the style with the highest burnout rate. Most families who follow the school-at-home approach purchase a boxed curriculum that comes with textbooks, study schedules, grades, and record keeping.Some families use the school-at-home approach but make up their own lesson plans and find their own learning materials. The advantage of this style is that families know exactly what to teach and when to teach it. That can be a comfort when you are just starting out. The disadvantage is that this method requires much more work on the part of the teacher/parent and the lessons are not as much fun for the children.


Unschooling

This website provides a good description of what "unschooling" is:

This is a survey from unschooling families that gets into more detail   (while I consider the survey responses to be extremely biased, the website does provide a better description of 3 different types of unschooling)

"research" applicable to unschooling..

Good old Wikipedia info on unschooling

A new york times article on unschooling.  this is how the article describes unschooling:   "a philosophy that is broadly defined by its rejection of the basic foundations of conventional education, including not only the schoolhouse but also classes, curriculums and textbooks.""There is scant data on the educational results of unschooling, and little knowledge about whether the thousands of unschooled children fare better or worse than regularly schooled students. There is not even reliable data on how many people are unschooling, though many experts suggest the number is growing."



 Montessori

I like this description of the Montessori philosophy

This website also gives an overview:  

Developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s, the Montessori method is all about providing an engaging, interesting environment for children, then allowing them to choose those activities that most interest them. It is a very sensory, activity-based method. In fact the use of computers, video games, and televisions is strongly discouraged, due to the belief that chlidren learn best through experiential, rather than passive, experiences. Children are encouraged to do plenty for themselves, which develops their self-confidence. 



Unit Studies

This website provides a good description of what unit studies are.



Play Based Learning

While not a particular "style" of homeschooling, play based learning is a philosophy of early childhood learning.

An article about play based learning

I like how this article talks about the role of play:  "By taking a closer look at children’s play, we see that it does more than stimulate physical, social-emotional, and creative development. Play is also the primary means by which children explore the world, investigate its properties, and build an understanding about how the world works."

The CMEC statement on play based learning
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Private Preschool


These are the options that I would consider looking at in our area:

Creative Montessori School--  9-12 monday through friday--- $405/month for 9 months  (ummm wow!)

Jessamine Montessori---  Full day and half day options, ranging from $365-$490 a month

Children's Creative Campus----  $130 per weekSouthland Christian Church preschool---Registration fee $75, then $35/week or $47/week for 2 or 3 day option.  I have several friends who send their kids to this preschool and they love it.  It would be worth checking out.


Based on the pricing, the only current option would be Southland, and we could only do the 2 day per week one because I take care of children in my home on Tuesdays.  I would have to find a job that would allow for one of the other options.  I'm still not sure if this is the route we want to go or not
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Preschool

In my current area, the option for public preschool is the Jessamine County Early Learning Village.  This is where all preschool and kindergarten classes for the whole county are held.

This is the eligibility criteria:

FOUR YEAR OLDS You must be a Jessamine County resident.  Your child must be age 4 by October 1st.  You must be eligible by family size and income (Income limits are determined by federal guidelines for 150% of federal poverty levels) or have a child with special learning needs  Limited tuition spaces are available for non-eligible 4 year olds (if age 4 by Oct 1st)

THREE YEAR OLDS

• You must be a Jessamine County resident. 
• Your child must have special learning needs. 
• Any child who turns 4 after October 1st is considered a 3 year old for eligibility 

So-- My daughter turns 4 in November, so she would not be eligible for public preschool for the 2013-2014 school year.  It's possible that she could be enrolled for the 2014-2015 school year, which would end right around the time we will be moving back to Florida.  There is no information on the school's grade on the department of education website-- it says the school does not have grade levels that are assessed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Conclusions:

Based on what I have read and learned so far, I think I would gravitate more toward play based learning for preschool learning.  I want to be really being intentional about providing an enriching environment for my kids so that they can freely engage in learning through play!  I think if I were to homeschool when my kids are a bit older, I would lean toward an Eclectic style--I really like some of the ideas from many of the styles, especially Charlotte Mason, Montessori, and Unit Studies.  I also like the idea of not being "locked in" to a particular style, and having the freedom to do whatever we feel is needed to meet the needs of our children.



I am open to exploring the option of private preschool if the need presents itself, but I am feeling good about allowing our kids to learn through play at our home, and that it is certainly more than enough to prepare them for future learning and school environments.