Teaching My Child from Home.

For all to read: Teaching children academics before the age of 5-6 is making your child completely left brained. Ironically this will eventually hurt your child later on down the road. Children under 5 need the sensory motor component of movement, movement, movement in order to stimulate the vestibular system and cerebellum (small brain). I work with school kids who were forced to read early and exposed to letters, numbers, colors, shapes to early. It is good to teach your child about these things in a situation like the grocery store (these are red apples...yumm yumm) but cards, CD's and all of that is ruining their chances of learning spontaneously. Children should be learning through play (True Montessori). What happens to the developing brain when one side gets higher then the other is a disconnect. There is actually proof that ADHD, Asperger's, Autism, PDD, Dyslexia and other neurological disorders is from this exact thing....read more in a great book called Disconnected Kids by Dr. Robert Melillo. Don't worry about educating your child. They will learn it in 5 minutes when their brain is ready to accept it. Get the brain primed for learning by plenty of crawling, climbing, running, jumping, playing, swinging, swimming, spinning, crashing, pushing, pulling, lifting and playing! Movement helps integrate the brain (left/right) and makes sense of all the sensory information coming at it. When left brain is high and right brain is low there are many problems that you will see later around 3rd-4th grade when they have to read to learn instead of learn to read. Read TO your child and try not to make him smart beyond his age. There is NO advantage because the other kids who learn to read at 5-7 will catch up and bypass him quickly because they will know infering skills, decoding, storage, discrimination, phoetic awareness better then a child who was taught rote learning.

Run to the library and get "How Children Learn" by John Holt.

Get straight on what your goals are for your child. If your goal is for him to be a happy, well adjusted adult who is creative and has the ability to solve problems on his own, consider Natural Learning (also sometimes called Unschooling).

Children do not truly learn by flash cards and memorization, though it may appear that way at first, because they are able to parrot back what they've been drilled on. "Training" children in the way many mainstream parents and teachers do today does much more harm than good. A two year old does not need to be "taught" anything - lay off if you want your child to flourish.

If you intend to homeshool, I'm not sure who you are trying to impress with his "skills". The only reason (or at least the main one) anyone pushes reading and math on young children is some misplaced perception that they will be behind when they get to school. With school out of the picture, you can relax and enjoy your child's natural development.

To quote Mr. Holt:

"Birds fly; fish swim; humans think and learn. Therefore, we do not need to motivate children into learning by wheedling, bribing, or bullying. We do not need to keep picking away at their minds to make sure they are learning. What we need to do - and all we need to do - is to give children as much help and guidance as they need and ask for, listen respectfully when they feel like talking, and then get out of the way. We can trust them to do the rest."

**What I did for my two year old is let them PLAY! I had them in a playgroup, met with some local home schoolers to prepare for when they were ready....At age two they learn through play, not through curriculum. We joined The Little Gym and they had a blast...now my kids do gymnastics and karate, in addition to the home school group. I learned how they like to learn and it works well for us...:)

Research studies show that the children that were "ahead" end up at the exact same point by 4th grade as children who were deemed "behind"..difference being them is the children who were given curriculum too early tended to be "burnt out" a lot quicker. There is no reason to push so hard, especially if you plan to home school for as long as you can.

At age two, my kids played, I would say things like "look at that round, red apple!" or what color means go? Or look! this is $2, and I have $5, so we have $3 left to get something else!--They learned about money from going to the dollar store, and other things by just living life, and I would vocalize what we were doing. Some people look at you strange, but they learn from everyday adventures--now, they see "educational" things in everyday life and do not realize they are learning...

There is a difference between learning and memorizing...Learning is accomplished when a child is interested in something and it sticks with them. Most public schools do "memorize" as learning...You memorize what you need for that test, pass it and then dump the information. I have 3 doctorates, and I learn something new everyday just by home schooling my elementary kids!

My advice? Let your 2 year old be a 2 year old...play with him! build, move, jump, act silly and just have fun! You will be amazed how much he will learn! (And having him watch things like the Leap Frog DVDs, Dora and other great PreK cartoons can help too!)

Here is the law in Florida...hope I have helped, and let me know if you need any other help!**

Homeschooling in Florida
Here we separate fact from fiction when it comes to homeschooling in Florida.
How to legally homeschool in Florida
There are a few steps you must take to ensure you are in compliance with Florida's home education laws.
1. Send in a letter of intent to homeschool to your district superintendent. This letter MUST contain the child's name, child's birth date, home address and the parent's name. NOTHING more is required. If you use a form provided by your school district they will most likely ask for information that is not legally required of you. You do not need to list a phone number, social security number, vaccination records or grade level.
2. Within the next 365 days you must have your child evaluated (see methods of evaluation below). The results must be on the superintendents' desk no later than 365 days after you file your letter or intent, and every 365 days thereafter. The due date is always the anniversary of your letter of intent, NOT the anniversary of when you sent in your last evaluation.
3. You MUST maintain a portfolio that contains samples of your child's work throughout the year. Samples do not need to be workbooks, they can be copies of letters written, art projects, photographs from events, etc. Keep each portfolio for a period of no less than two years and have it available for superintendent inspection with a 15 day written notice.
4. You MUST maintain a DATED list of books read and materials used. Keep the list for a period of no less than two years and have it available for superintendent inspection with a 15 day written notice.
Evaluation Options
Here is a simple breakdown. You must pick ONE method.
-Annual portfolio evaluation by a FL certified teacher. The teacher can teach any subject, any grade. This evaluation is due exactly 365 days after you file your letter of intent to homeschool with your district superintendent. Many counties send threatening warning letters to homeschooling parents in the spring giving parents a due date for their evaluations, please know that THESE DUE DATES ARE NOT MANDATORY, nor is it with the school district's legal scope to ask for your evaluation before your 365 days are up. The best course of action is to discard this warning letter. You are not being singled out when you receive this letter, it is sent to every parent who has sent in a letter of intent to homeschool in the district.
-Student can take a nationally-normed test administered by a FL certified teacher.
This test can be the SAT, ACT, etc. The parent is responsible for finding a teacher to buy & administer the test.
-Student can take a state assessment test, the FCAT.
The FCAT is available for free in certain grades if you take your child to your locally zoned school for administration with the public school students. Most districts send homeschooling parents a notification via mail of test administration times and dates.
-Annual portfolio review by a licensed psychologist.
-Any other method mutually agreed upon by the parent and the district superintendent.
You have another choice!
Another method of educating your child at home is through the Florida Private School Laws. Families that use this option are not legally considered homeschoolers, their children are considered private school students by the state. This is an option for many families for many reasons, and only YOU can decide if it is the right choice for your family.
Commonly referred to as "umbrella schools" or "600 schools", these private schools vary greatly in cost and benefits. Umbrella schools can range from very low cost and offer only the basic record keeping to over $1000 per month with a full curriculum, sports programs and supplemental teaching.
Yet a third choice!
You also have the option of having your child privately tutored by a licensed Florida teacher. See the statute listing below for legal information.
The actual laws
The Florida Department of Education maintains a current listing of all the laws regarding home education.
Here you will see the statue numbers that correspond with each law.
1002.01 - Definitions of a Home Education Program
1003.21 - Regular school attendance
1002.41 - Home Education Programs
1006.51 - Student Standards for Participation in Interscholastic Extracurricular Activities
1009.53 - Bright Futures Scholarship
1007.27 – Dual enrollment in a college or university
1007.263– Admission into Community College
1007.261 -Admissions into state universities
1002.42 - Private school options
1002.43 - Private tutoring options
Some other interesting tidbits of information
You do not need to belong to the Florida Parent Educator's Association to homeschool legally or to obtain educator discounts.
Your evaluation is not due "at the end of the year" or "at the end of the school year" or at any date give you in a form letter by the school district. Your evaluation is always due on the anniversary of filing your letter of intent to homeschool, regardless of when that day occurs in the year! The school district cannot enforce the due date they give in the above mentioned form letter.
You do not need to file a letter of intent each year. The submission of your child's evaluation is considered confirmation that you will be homeschooling the upcoming 365 days.
According to Florida Statute 1009.53, homeschooled students may participate in the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
According to Florida Statute 1006.15, homeschooled students in Florida have the right to participate in any extracurricular activities offered by their zoned public school. The child must have proof of immunization, and may be required to participate in a school-hours class, such as band. The child does not need to be enrolled as a part-time student of the school. This does not apply to private schools.
You do not need to hold a teaching certificate or college degree to homeschool any ages or grades in Florida.

Go to your Library. They will have a section on homeschooling. We did this and it was sooooo helpful. Also there are books at WalMart, Michaels, office Depot that are educational workbooks for the kids.
After Kindergarten my Daughter wanted to go to school instead of homeschooling. So this year she is registered. Now she is having 2nd thoughts but we are commited, at least for a semester!
When it gets near Kindergarten you will need to register with you school district your intent to homeschool. You pick you start date. At the end of each year you will need to have your child evaluated to show they improved/learned since the last year. I stressed about that! But it was easy as pie!! You get to chose your evaluater from either a list the district sends or a certified teacher you know.
Keep them at home as long as you can! It is good for both of you.
We went to our local YMCA for classes also. That way she got interaction with other kids and learned from other adults. Socialization is the thing most worry about. So try to see if there is a Co-op in your area. This is where a group of homeschool parents share the teaching duties. Each teaches a subject they excell in. This is great for the kids. They get to learn from others and be around peers.
Florida also has a Virtual Online school. I tried to get my DD registered for Kindergarten but it was full before we got there!! I have heard great things from them!!!
Good Luck and know you are doing what is best for you and your child!!! no matter what anyone says :)
Send me and email if you have any other questions!
J.

Are you thinking about just teaching him until he's old enough for pre-school or are you thinking about homeschooling in a bigger way, like through grade/middle/high school? I homeschool my kids and I love it! If that's what you want to do, then you need to contact your local school district and ask them who you need to talk to about the reporting requirements for homeschooling in your state. You can also check out the HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association) website for the laws specific to your state. I know that my county has a homeschooling liason at the school district office and my state has the Standards of Learning online in a PDF that you can download and print for reference. The only thing left is to decide HOW you're going to homeschool, but as you wade through the gazillion resources and recommendations remember that you're never stuck with one way. You can try something and if it doesn't seem to suit, you can try something else. The most important thing is to find something that works for you and your child.

However, I do always recommend this book to everyone that asks about early childhood education and homeschooling in general as a great place to get started. Get a copy of "The Well Trained Mind". It is a book about classical education (like the same kind of education our founding fathers got) and it has a specific curriculum embedded from infancy through high school. It is complete with resources and ordering information for the resources (it also has useful tips like "don't buy the teacher resource for this program because it's mostly about handling a classroom full of children and homeschoolers don't need that" which save a ton of money - the teacher's guide in question was several hundred dollars I believe). I have a copy of it on my Kindle for easy reference.

You should also pick up a copy of "The Socialization Trap" by Rick Boyers to answer that ages old question "Don't they have to be in school to be around other kids?"

BTW, how has the "Your Baby Can Read" thing worked out for you? I haven't heard good things about it. I've heard that it's basically just whole word recognition (which I disapprove of as a reading method) with no phonics and that you end up having to teach phonics anyways at a later date.

Good luck! Message me if you'd like more comprehensive information.

I have just recently decided to start homeschooling (officially) my little one. I chose to go with the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum through Lighthouse Christian Academy (but you can just buy the materials and not go through the academy). So far we are very pleased. You can assess your child and see what his level is according to this program, they offer free assessments. Point being, if you think he's ready for the material, start kindergarten early. When you're doing home school - you make the rules. :) That way he could get an early start to his education, although he'd probably just think of it as fun time with Mom (my little one does) and you won't have to worry about his social maturity because he'll be with you - not getting lost in a roomful of other kids. Even if he's not ready for kindergarten - call A.C.E., I'm sure they'll be able to help you find some appropriate materials for him. Good luck and have fun. :)

Just have fun. Don't worry about missing anything. Don't push yourself or him past where he is ready. Look at curriculums, books, art supplies, etc. Don't spend too much on any one thing just in case he doesn't like it. Anything he won't do now, carefully pack away and try again every few months until he does like it.

Pick up a 2nd computer and make sure you have wifi in your house so that you can get him online. www.starfall.com is free. abcmouse.com is cheap and time4learning.com is inexpensive too. If you don't feel you can afford a 2nd computer, look at Dell.com's refurbished computers. I have 5 computers (3 desktops and 2 laptops) for about the total price of one newer desktop.

Spend a lot of time outside, visiting libraries, pet stores, and pick up hobbies if possible. Don't put yourself or your child in a box. It's a BIG world and exciting. But everyone learns differently. That's where homeschooling shines because you can be sensitive to him and his needs and the changes he goes through.

I'd say you are off to a great start.
I've heard awesome things about the "your baby can read" books.
First question is...are they working for you??

My son just turned two yesterday. He knows all the letters of the alphabet, the sounds they each make, and what words start with them.
He also knows how to count to 5! Knows his shapes & colors.
Now I'm not trying to brag here, just saying that it IS possible for kids to learn such things at a young age. As long as you encourage them to learn. They're like little sponges.

I think the best thing is to just keep at it.
Get alphabet, shape, color, number books.
Set aside a time each day for "learning time"
Flash cards are great as well.
Big thing...Talk to your child like a normal person.
They are a lot smarter than some people make them out to be.

Most of all HAVE FUN WITH IT!~
If they're having fun they'll keep it up

At two, your baby is learning so much by self experience and play!!! don´t need to hurry up and try to bring school prematurely to him... is not worth it. I recommend to relax and enjoy....buy educative toys like blocks, wood puzzles take him to parks, nature, put some clasic music in your car when driving, dance with him in your arms (they love it) that is a lot of estimulation for him....why to read since so early? what for?