CEO Series: Computers in the home classroom

Getting Kindergarten ready with Computers

My daughter has a laptop. It's a hand-me-down, a real old hand-me-down, but it does the job I need it to. Her Caillou Preschool CDs (insert nails screeching down chalkboard here) keep her occupied for at least an hour at a time on the days I need a teacher's assistant.  

As a preschooler, learning needs to be fun and come naturally. I avoid "teaching" her how to navigate the computer and her program. This would cause my Spirited child to shut-down and forever view the computer as a tool for work and a weapon of "the man". When I say Spirited I mean stubborn, opinionated, focused, carefree, life loving, anti-establishment. Yep, I will have a tree-hugging Anonymous member as a daughter when she reaches college age. Pray.For.Me. (And her!)

Fundamentals are Unplugged

Aside from the few YouTube videos I incorporate with lessons, our school days are uplugged. Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Grace & Courtesy, Practical Life, and Pretend are all of the utmost importance in my homeschooling approach, so is computer work.

Computer learning I angle as a treat for my daughter. Sometimes it helps the day's lessons go by smoother and sometimes it heals a rough day. Either way, she is developing eye-hand coordination and technology navigation which will only help her as she grows into a contributing member of society.

How early a child should be exposed to computers, well, is an argument as touchy as breastfeeding.

At what age did you start your children using the computer?

Going to Preschool, Now Playing Dumb.

Is this regression or just a phase?

My daughter started one day a week preschool this summer. She needed a break from me and I her. She needed to be around kids. She needed other adult authority figures in her life. She needed to learn.

After seven weeks of preschool I have a bad gut feeling. Every week I ask "What was class about today?" To which she replies "I don't know" and that's all the talk about school. She refuses to pick out her name card before class, will not write her name without asking how to spell it, and has just about all and all given up on reading. Her confidence in her knowledge seems gone.

Playing dumb does not fly with me!

Certainly in some parenting book there is a chapter about this. Somewhere someone will tell me "leave her be, she's trying to fit in", "This is a phase", yadda, yadda, yadda.

I know she knows how to write her name. She knows I know she knows how to write her name. She also knows how to sound out letters to form words and write all the letters. Playing "dumb" (for lack of a more tactful word) is not pretty. I hate it when people play dumb. Call me a Tiger Mom if you must; I like tigers-pretty ones.

What to do?

Maybe I am too far up her butt. Can a parent know her child too much? I understand the capabilities of her age and know her abilities. Looks like our homeschooling year will begin earlier than planned.

Tell me...

Did you experience something like this with your preschoolers?

Answer Pages in a Preschool Workbook

Um, I think you may have some bigger problems if you need to refer to the answer pages in your child's PRESCHOOL workbook. Wow!

CEO Series: What I Learned Homeschooling Preschool

Rookie Homeschooling a first year Preschooler

Three Lessons learned by a rookie homeschool teacher! It took a full school year to figure out what works best for me & my daughter.

Thank God for summer! Little does my daughter know but I have put her on a summer break from planned homeschooling. I need time to regroup and apply the lessons I learned to a more productive and smooth second year preschool. (Of course yesterday she eagerly set everything up then came to me smiling "Let's do a reading circle!". It was nice. I just had to show up and read with no learning objective.)

Lesson #1: Planning

Even with homeschooling, and it only being preschool, I must plan ahead and have the weeks set. This past year I was planning the week/day the couple hours I had to myself before she woke. My printer took the brunt of my angst for my poor time-management. Lack of planning on my part does not constitute an emergency on yours, I'm sorry Epson CX9400.

The month of June is my planning month. Since this will be her 2nd year as a preschooler I will be reusing much of what we did last year saving me TONS of time. She turns four June 17th so a main planning tool I am using is Active Learning for Fours. I used the version for Threes, more as a last minute reference. This time it's a manual!

Lesson #2: Winging it

Even with the best plans, it's OK to wing-it when necessary. This was a big lesson for me. My Type-A, slightly OCD side wanted to stick to whatever last minute plans I made. Near the end of the year I learned it's OK to throw the day's plan out the window and do something else. I can incorporate the learning objective on the fly. Example: chucking the day's plan, jumping in the car and go to the mall. While walking and during our intense conversations asking pertinent questions like "What letter does that store's name start with?" "Which color bracelet do you like?" "Let's count the steps to the next store." etc. all were opportunities to reinforce what she already learned and teach new stuff as needed.

Lesson #3: Relax, she still has 18+ years of schooling to learn everything!

All parents want their children to accelerate at learning. When I was feeling flustered B wasn't learning as quickly as I, her MBA mother thought she should, a close friend and fellow homeschool mom would remind me "Kim, she's ONLY 3!" Then I'd look at B and let it sink in that less than a year ago she was still in diapers! Reading the encyclopedia is not necessary right now; learning to wipe her butt is!

Though I've taken the summer off from active homeschooling, B has a very filled one! She will be attending a preschool-like program through the park district one day a week. My goal is for her to learn more discipline and group behavior with other kids. She is also registered for swim lessons and dance. This girl will be busy starting Monday! 

If you are thinking of homeschooling and it seems overwhelming or that you are not capable, learn from me. One, yes you can teach your children. Two, the best plans are organic and ever evolving. Leave the static plans to the schools!

Foreign Language Learning

We took a break from Italian School for the summer so it is on my & my in-laws shoulders to keep her moving forward in her bilingual education these next few months. Mondays will still be Italian Day and I have the curriculum book from last year to use. Also there are many ways to immerse foreign language throughout the day, even if the parent does not speak it! Stay tuned for my next CEO Series post "Language Immersion The Mom Standard Style".

How to: Mosaic Easter Decoration Egg Shell Craft

After making some fried egg sandwiches the other day I felt guilty throwing the shells away knowing they could be used for something great, not just the compost. 

Dye the shells in food coloring water combo. Let dry. Crack into smaller pieces. Print or draw an egg picture to use as template and get some craft glue with a paint brush.

Have your little one paint the glue on and start laying the mosaic shells.

This is a good lesson in taking time to do something neat.

Finished product! Beautiful!

Add it to a frame and you have a decoration for years to come!

Little Angels DVD Release Party a Blessed Success!

We had a Little Angels DVD Pre-release Party!

Our home was filled with 7 little angels aged 6 under and it could not have been more fun! The key to success for our party was enough munchies and activities so there was non-stop action until the kids hopefully fell asleep on their car rides home!

Fox Home Entertainment/Think Jam Publicity sent a great party package of wings, halos, activity sheets, wall decals, photo frame crafts, and a Walmart gift card to kick the party up a notch. The day we went to Walmart for supplies I got all excited about seeing a promotional ad piece when we walked in for The Little Angels DVD Release February 14th. I went straight to the manager to ask if by chance they had an extra one that I could borrow for the party. Sadly they didn't. I still took advantage of a perfect photo backdrop and took a picture of my fashion forward tiara wearing daughter, then commenced shopping.

The morning of the party the house was quickly heaven'ed up to go with the theme.  All the halos and wings were hung as part of the decor until it was time to adorn them.  I printed from the website each of the Angels description sheets and created place-mats and juice box labels with them.

Once all the kids arrived the first big thing was EAT! All the kids lined up by the buffet and were allowed to help themselves to the treats.  While sitting at the table munching I pulled the angel sheets. All kids had to see which angel they had on their juice box and if the one I was reading was theirs they got to take the printout home with them. It was a fun little activity that strangely each kid had unknowingly chosen an angel that was much like him/herself. Funny how that stuff happens.

After Round 1 of munching was complete, Angel Music Time! All willing kids donned angel wings and halos; I pulled out instruments and a keyboard and a very loud Angel music parade was underway. That was my favorite part of the day! I can say it wasn't for the parents that chose to hang around for the party though. It sounded heavenly to me and I'm sure to the real angels that were watching us that day.

To wind down from the fun heavenly music time, crafts ensued! All the kids sat around the craft tables and made Valentine's bouquets or Angel picture frames.  Once that was finished, Round 2 of munchies and videos! The Little Angels DVDs are a hit!

My daughter has been watching them when its her TV time in the evening everyday since receiving them! Ariel is her favorite Angel she tells me, oh about 100 times a day.  What I like about the series is that it is out-front Christian focused but not in an offensive or pushy way. These are not "bible thumper" videos setting out to "save" our children.  The series focuses on doing good and the usual manners and societal requirements preschoolers need to start to learn, either via parochial or secular in nature.  Also, listening to the videos in the other room hours on end does not grate on my nerves...WIN!

Quick Synopsis of the series in case you are wondering: “Little Angels” is an animated DVD series exclusively created for pre-schoolers to teach not only practical learning skills, like the alphabet and numbers, but also to introduce them to the spiritual, moral and ethical principles of the Bible.Alex and Zoe, two pre-school twins, are blessed to have eight Little Angels watching over them -- literally! These Little Angels “live” on the ceiling of Alex and Zoe’s bedroom, painted there so they are the first things the kids see when they wake in the morning and the last thing they see before they fall asleep at night. The Angels come to life when the children need them most.

Along with the DVD series, the website has activity sheets that can be printed and introductions to the stars of the shows, the angels. We also purchased the iPhone ap that has games, prayers, music & videos. You can fan The Little Angels on Facebook too!




The DVDs came out for purchase today, what a great Valentine gift for your kids! Go out and get them some, you'll be happy you did. You can get them at Walmart, and most are open 24 hours so you have time!

*I received review copies of the dvds, gift card, and promotional materials to host a dvd party sponsored by Fox Home Entertainment/Think Jam Publicity.  All opinions are mine and I was not asked to skew them in a beneficial fashion, nope, good or bad all things stated are my own.*

Planning our Little Angels DVD Release Party!

Excitement is in the air at The Mom Standard's house! We are planning our DVD viewing party sponsored by Fox Home Entertainment of Little Angels--for preschoolers!

What is in store for our party? Well of course Shortycake Creations is providing the sweets--cookies, cake, and whatever else comes to mind. B and I will be making mini jelly, ham, and tomato & cheese sandwiches. Of course lots of preschooler snacks that I will pick up from Walmart with my gift card I receive for throwing this party.  B will pick out the goodies which I'm sure will include Goldfish, Lemonade, Grapes, and Candy.

While B finalizes the munchies I'll be getting the craft station ready.  Valentines stick bouquets each kid can assemble and take home along with Little Angels Activity Sheets. Thank heavens some smart person created the Cricut cutting machine!

Since each child will be receiving their own pair of wings and a halo I will incorporate a bit of Angel dancing which should  make for some great photo ops.

Time to get working on things!

Stay tuned for the party recap (i.e. "Ha ha, but you wished you would have let your kiddo come after all. Bad Mommy! xoxo)

Look at me, I'm the Bionic Woman Today!

Today I feel like that little robot girl from Small Wonder...remember that show? Better yet, I'm more like the Bionic Woman minus the long feathered hairdo. B is with her grandmother so I'm rushing around getting as much of my pompous to-do list done. I've got about 1.5 hours left and am taking my 15 minute cappuccino break.

It's funny, I've been writing everyday,  yet it's been a few WEEKS since I've posted anything of substance on my blogs. Go figure. What is helping me write EVERYDAY is the book by Julia Cameron, "The Right to Write". If you are a writer (and if you are a blogger, guess what, you're a writer) I totally recommend her book. Every chapter she has an activity for the reader to get in the groove of just getting pen to paper and words from your mind to the sheet.

What else? B did her gift donation drop off at the hospital. It was wonderful. One family was very touched by our tradition. We received a picture of the family with some very kind words. This is the lesson we hope B learns. What better gift? There will be an official follow up post on the whole experience. Stay tuned.

I've still been applying for jobs but I truly don't want to go back to corporate America. I want to write and get paid for it! Of course, the 4 children's books I've written still need to be illustrated...which requires an outlay of money so they are kind of just waiting for our winning mega-millions ticket to come to fruition.

We went through a crazy week with my sister and nephews. Like real crazy. A very wonderful lesson was learned...sometimes when people say they want help, they still may not be ready for it. The other lesson we learned? Never reply to any one's request for help! Seriously, I had 2 full blown panic attacks in 4 days and our life was in the process of being completely uprooted. Sometimes, if you love someone, you have to let them learn on their own. Pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps can be the best help out there.

This past Sunday we went to Comic Con. It was AWESOME! Of course I'll post all about it this week. Talk about a great family activity. My daughter has talked about it everyday since. You don't need to be the stereotypical comic book enthusiast to have a great time at Comic Con. Trust me!

OK, my 15 minutes are up. Time to decorate some cookies, paint a second coat of chalkboard paint on the wall, work on September's Pre-School lesson plans, make a picture frame jewelry display, sew some felt food, clean the house, and jog 3 miles!

xoxo

Chief Education Officer Series

Image via Wikipedia

I am fully embracing my newest role as Chief Education Officer for the Demetrio Family, Inc. As with any new venture, considerable planning time is being invested up front to guarantee an ample return. My goal to is officially start pre-school in August.

While researching I have come across some great resources: electronic, brick & mortar, and human. This CEO Series is going to be my sharing of such resources as well as a record of my progress & plan.  If you are thinking of homeschooling for pre-school & K and are a bit overwhelmed, I hope to I can help you too!

Any current homeschoolers interested in guest posting PLEASE let me know!

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