As we officially dive into homeschooling this year, I've been thinking a lot about the general plan, a daily routine, as much as we can have a predictable schedule, and catering to my sons' different learning styles.
In addition to this reflection, I have done quite a bit of research and reviewed potential homeschool curricula. This post includes our Montessori Homeschool Curriculum ideas for preschoolers.
I think we can all agree that teaching your children poses challenges very different from those faced by a teacher in a classroom setting. So, it is essential to be thoughtful, of course, in your curriculum choices and your approach to homeschooling in general.
There are a variety of ways to “do” homeschool. Some parents might be comfortable with an off-the-shelf curriculum, essentially taking the academic experience from a classroom setting and bringing it home. There are fantastic curriculum choices across the board.
Online homeschooling is also an excellent option for many families, especially if you are considering middle school or high school homeschooling. Other parents might consider outsourcing their homeschooling and view their role as administrators, not teachers.
I am somewhere in between all of these approaches.
How to Homeschool
My first step in creating a framework was to embrace the fact that this ‘plan' is subject to flexibility and change when necessary, guided by my boys (5 and 3.5 years old). We will have a structure, and I will be organized about taking notes and keeping records.
However, the inner workings of this structure will be led by my children. In short, they will have a lot of liberty within the broad boundaries of our plan.
So, my most significant task is to observe them and assess their interests and passions as accurately as possible, and then lean into these assessments as best as possible.
Montessori Curriculum – Preschool & Kindergarten Homeschool
Here is a draft of our curriculum. These pieces are part of our general plan for where we're headed this coming school year. No doubt there will be revisions as we progress throughout the year.
I will update this post, and you as those revisions take place. The curriculum is geared for preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade levels.
Language
- Montessori Language Lessons
- Montessori Grammar
- AlphaTales
- All About Reading
- Schoolhouse Rock!
- Bits of Intelligence Cards
- Audio Books & “Book Reports”
- Brave Writer – Language Arts Curriculum
Math & Logic
- Montessori Math Lessons
- ShillerMath
- Lego Education Sets
- Lego Build class
Practical Life
- Practical Life
- Cooking with Pretend Soup Kids Cookbook
Sensorial
- Montessori Sensorial Lessons
- Nature Immersion & Outdoor Classroom
Geography
- Montessori Geography Lessons
- Travel & Excursions
History
- Passage and Duration of Time Activities
- Learning to tell time with the Judy Clock
Life Sciences
- Montessori Life Sciences Lessons
- Nature immersion & outdoor classroom activities
Music
Art
Physical Science
- Montessori Physical Science Lessons
- Nurturing the Young Scientist
Gross Motor
- Brain Gym
- Rock Climbing
- Skiing
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
- Forest Preschool
Resources
- Montessori Grammar Symbols
- Homeschool Lesson Planning Books
- Montessori: Letter Work
- Lego Education
- Montessori Services
Online Homeschool Resources
- Khan Academy is a fantastic resource that allows you to essentially create a curriculum for Deigo and will track his progress. You also can add coaches. Coaches can be you, Alberto, tutors, and so on.
- IXL outlines Colorado's education standards across Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, & Spanish. You're probably familiar with the program, but it is far more robust than Dawson presents (at least to parents). Homeschoolers across the country use this resource to track progress, dig deeper into topics of interest, and work on areas of weakness.
- Udemy
- The Great Courses is a phenomenal resource and will only get better for homeschoolers.
- JAM is also a fun resource, not a standard curriculum but many fun courses for kids.
- Thomas Jefferson Education appeals to me in a big way. I enjoy the perspective, and different courses (e.g., studying the classics, leadership courses, history resources) offered to parents, kids, and families.
- The Homeschool Treasury offers tons of super cool Colorado resources, including factory tours, government enrichment, museums, and athletics resources for homeschoolers.
I hope we inspired you today!
Marnie