Homeschooling My Toddlers

I first thought about homeschooling when I was a teacher, because I could really see the inadequacy of effectively teaching every child. There were just too many students in a classroom to be able to give each the attention that they needed. So, back then it was just a thought in the back of my mind.

For the past few months, I have been reading a bit on homeschooling, just to get a better picture of it. Currently I am reading, Morning by Morning: How We Home-Schooled Our African American Sons to the Ivy League. So far it has been very thought-provoking. I am really enjoying reading this book. My husband is not on board with homeschooling as of yet, and I'm not sure that I am completely either, but it's something I am really thinking about.

Last week, I thought about the fact that while I am home with them, I can "homeschool" them now. Even though they are two and one, there are things that I can do with them each day or each week to help them develop intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. Of course I have been doing this anyways, but not in a focused, intentional way. A great resource that I have found is Hands On Homeschooling and Tot School, which provides me with a loose schedule of things to do with my kids each day during our homeschool time.

I think a great bulk of homeschooling toddlers can consist mainly of reading aloud and active play outside. There are so many teachable moments that can occur during this time. But, it's also great to have different and creative activities to engage them in on a daily basis. So far, it has been great to add more structure and focus to our days.