Little Bears Family Homeschool
Pre-school Programme
About * Who we are * Activities * Basic Daily Routine *
* Educational
Programme *
* Theme-work
in our everyday programme
* Contact
Us *
"Little Bears Family Homeschool" is a family with young children who do not attend playgroup or daycare. We advocate parentally-(as opposed to 'expert')-guided programme of education in a home environment which is developmentally appropriate..
Our current pre-school informal educational programme takes the form of ‘theme-work’; that is, looking at a given theme for a week to a month to a season.
The emphasis, however, is on learning through play & positive (suitable) social interaction. Exposure to other languages & cultures is also encouraged by singing nursery rhymes from other countries including, amongst others, France and Sweden. (Details upon request littlebears@tesco.net ).
Sharon: Mother, "Homemaker" and Personal Tutor!
Mark: Daddy, Quality Engineer and Homeschool Principal!
What do we Do?
* Music * Going Out * Story-time *Shopping
* Free-Play *
* Mealtimes * Housekeeping * Grooming * Foundations *
* Social Contact *
Music time:Nursery rhymes, songs, dancing: language, group activity Craft-work:Drawing, painting, cutting & sticking, modelling, etc.: Encouraging creativity & imagination.
Going out to the park/ playing in the garden, going swimming: exercise, contact with nature. Educational, fun outings, using public transport, green-cross-code traffic training.
Story-time: Using the library service, encouraging fantasy & imagination, telling our own stories.
Going shopping: To the post office, bank & local shops: contact with local people. Regular contact with other children & other grown-ups: experience of larger group activities.
Play: guided & free-play:Role-play, dolls, soft toys, building, puzzles, reading, water-play, sand-pit, educational computer programmes
Mealtimes: home-cooking nutritionally balanced meals, laying the table, social training
Housekeeping: washing & drying up, tidying, gardening & watering plants: for responsibility & education
Grooming:: personal grooming training: getting dressed, washing, potty-training, etc.
Foundations: love & care, security, comfort, consideration, support, encouragement
Social Contact: We prefer to limit social contact, at least in the early years, to positive or 'suitable' company, not limited to same-age peers: this is provided by, amongst other things, Sunday School.
8:00 Breakfast, wash up
8.30 or 9:00 Music & story time Including a Bible-story/ reading & prayer
10:00 Morning activity (usually going out)
11:30 Make lunch, lay table
12:00 Lunch, wash up
12:30 Midday activity (usually indoors)
14:30 Make tea, lay table
15:00 Tea-time, wash up
16:00 Afternoon activity (in or outdoors)
17:00 Story time
17.30 Make dinner, lay table
18:00 Dinner, wash up, tidy up
Theme-Planner 1998/99
This year's overall theme: Nature & Communication
Although you are not required to do so if you keep your children at home, we do cover all areas of the Government's pre-school curriculum ("Desirable Learning Outcomes' ) in our activities:
1 Personal & Social development
2 Language & literacy
3 Mathematics
4 Knowledge & understanding of the world
5 Physical development
6 Creative development
Our interpretation of the DLOs are,
however, very informal.
For more information about our reasons for this, take a look at
our "Reasons for Homeschooling" page.
Our educational programme is framed around themes or unit studies as follows:
* SEPTEMBER * OCTOBER * NOVEMBER * DECEMBER * JANUARY *
* FEBRUARY * MARCH * APRIL * MAY * JUNE * JULY * AUGUST *
| Autumn Theme: | Endangered Species | |
SEPTEMBER '98 |
|
NOVEMBER |
| Winter theme: | Hibernation | |
| DECEMBER Christmas Christmas Food: cake * Music: carols * Christmas presents [Christmas week = holiday] |
JANUARY '99 |
FEBRUARY |
| Spring theme: | New Life | |
|
APRIL |
MAY |
| Summer theme: | Holidays | |
|
JULY |
AUGUST Travel & Post Over/ Underground * In the Air * On the Water * Travel in nature |
We have designed a form for planning your own unit studies, and here is a sample ready filled-in:- winter
If you would like to see some of our plans for the above unit studies, e-mail us:- littlebears@tesco.net
How do we Incorporate
theme-work
into everyday activities?
Everyday activities:
music time: related songs, rhymes
Outdoor play: See what we can find outside that has to do with the theme
meal-times: design food or use recipes relating to theme
Story time: related stories
Indoor play: Offer toys connected to the theme, but also encourage free-play
Mondays:
At the park: see what we can find outdoors related to the theme
Tuesdays:
At the library: Encourage the children to find related books themselves, (also prepare with literature for next week’s theme myself)
Wednesdays:
Outing: Educational, fun outing related to theme
Story time: talk about the outing
Thursdays:
Craft time: drawing, painting, cutting & sticking, modelling etc. related to theme
Fridays:
Music-time: discuss the week's theme, and sing any new songs or rhymes
Story time: talk about this week’s theme and tell the children about next weeks theme
If you would like to get in touch with
comments, suggestions
or for Additional information
or
If you are at home with your children (or considering bringing them home) & interested in our programme, let me know.
Please contact us:
Welcome to the Homeschool Tour
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© Sharon Mortemore
July 02, 1999
