Tips for teaching pre-schoolers at home
WHETHER you have decided to temporarily homeschool your pre-schooler in light of the recent upsurge in COVID-19 cases, or you just want to support your child’s enrichment and education, congratulations on making this bold first step towards your child’s academic future!
If this is your first time, we know that the thought of this can be quite daunting and overwhelming, but to ease your mind and to help you prepare for what could be your reality for at least the next few months, we have compiled some tips that you may find useful on the journey.
Gather your learning resources
There is a lot of preschool content available online for free. Fortunately, parents can also access the curriculum and collect other available teaching and learning resources online from the Early Childhood Commission. If you can, you should also buy the books recommended by your child’s school. These materials will be an indispensable part of your home schooling programme.
1. Create a designated learning space
The trick with teaching at home is that if left unchecked it can lead to disorganisation and chaos — it can get messy and there is the possibility for distraction. So decide on a learning hub and outfit it with all the necessary learning resources. You also want to make sure that the furniture is child-friendly and child-proof. Also, they will know what is expected of them or allowed in each room — ie, the learning space is for learning and organised play, the TV room is for screen time, etc.
2. Develop a timetable and stick to it
Try your best to create a schedule that mirrors the regular school schedule. The timetable will create a routine for your toddlers so that they know what they are going to do, which will make it easier for them to adjust over time and make the transition easier when they resume face-to-face classes. So, for example, your timetable may look something like this:
Breakfast, get dressed, potty – 7:30 am
Devotion – 8:15 am
Reading – 8:30 am
Class activity – 9: 35 am
Snack/ Break – 10: 15 am
Hands-on activity/Sensory play – 10:30 am
Lunch 12:15 pm
Outdoor play time – 1:00 pm
Class activity – 1: 40 pm
Sensory play/puzzles – 2:10 pm
Quiet time/reading – 2:40 pm
End of day play
After school hours, allow your child to engage in liberal play and/or other activities that he/she enjoys. When children engage in play, especially if they have a playmate(s) there are numerous social and emotional benefits to be had. They learn how to interact and engage others, to share, etc. In addition to these, playtime also improves executive functioning and academic skills.
3. Lots and lots of practical things
Toddlers are at an age where they are exploring, and getting better at engaging with the world and learning more through their senses (seeing, touching, tasting, smelling and feeling). As such, a lot of what you do in class should be hands-on, which means a lot of crayons, cartridge paper, glue, paint, objects of different colours, textures and shapes. It can get messy, but it’s an integral part of their learning. Find appropriate hands-on play activities that you and your kiddo can do together — for example, building various types of vehicles, flowers from paper, and crafting animals with cardboards. You can also take them outdoors for nature walks so they can observe and sensually interact with nature and everything else that is happening around them.
4. Set aside a lot of time for reading
Don’t underestimate the importance of reading to your pre-schooler and of course encouraging them to read along with you. When reading, make sure to point out words as you read together. Reading with your toddler encourages better communication skills. Give your child a chance to choose the books that they want you to read together; they are more likely to sit and listen and participate when you ask questions.
5. Oh, don’t forget the music
We already know from their love for television nursery rhymes just how much children love music and sing-a-longs. Not only do they find these fun, but it’s an easy way for your little one to learn new concepts.
6. Keep in touch with other moms
Apart from educators, parents can also learn from other parents — we all have different techniques, will explore different activities, and the truth is what works for one child may not work for another. So don’t be afraid to reach out to another parent to check on the progress of their homeschooling and to ask for tips in areas that you and your little one may be struggling with.
7. Be disciplined with screen time
Many parents will struggle with this, especially when you have other work and home responsibilities. This might cause some parents to be tempted to allow more screen time than is healthy, even during allotted school time. We recommend that you find other alternatives.
8. Build a support team
Like with schools, teaching from home will be a team effort. If both parents are working, then both should work out a schedule to support the child’s educational needs. At-home support is not just limited to parents, rally other family members who are willing to assist you with homeschooling or just being there to supervise and support learning engagements, virtual or otherwise.
9. Be realistic
An important part of this home learning process is patience and compassion, not just for your little one but with yourself as well. It may be difficult for you both and it doesn’t always go how you intended to, but it doesn’t mean that you are failing or that your child is difficult to teach or learn. So you may want to pay closer attention to the child so that you can learn how he/she learns so you can be a better teacher. Remember, this arrangement is new for both of you and it will take some getting used to. Cheer up, and enjoy the process!
