Dietrich Academy is Underway

Teaching is in my blood. A teacher is what I always wanted to be. My mom has written in my Baby Book that at the age of five I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up.

I remember when I was in sixth grade, a teacher who lived down the road from us would let me come over to her house and grade her papers. I was in heaven using her “teacher pens” (which I still swear by today). And I have no doubt she loved having someone else do the never ending job of grading papers. I also can remember her bringing me to her school and letting me help her set up her classroom before the school year started.

She probably has no idea that I remember that…or that it would have such an impact on me. But it did.

Fast forward a few more years and I remember being a freshman in college having to declare a major. I can still see myself lying on the top bunk almost panicking. I remember thinking, “Who actually grows up to be what they wanted to be when they were five? What if I don’t like it once I get started?” I remember trying to think of a back-up plan but I came up with nothing.

There’s no doubt God made me to be a teacher. I love it. I love coming up with ideas to make learning fun. I love teaching them new things and watching their eyes light up when the “get it”. I love encouraging them when they think something is too hard. I love listening to the excitement in their voices when they are having discussions about what they are learning.

The only thing better than teaching a class full of excited children is….

TEACHING MY CHILD.

It’s completely different. Yet completely the same.

How It All Began

We have done “homeschool preschool” for the past two years. Not in a structured sit-down-it’s-time-to-do-your-work way. More of a here’s-some-things-we-can-do-today-do-you-want-to-try-some way.

And more often than not, he was asking to do something. Especially as we got into a routine. There’s nothing like hearing, “Mom, can we do our bible activity?” to warm a mom’s heart!

This year he’s going part-time to a preschool just down the road. Partly because he’s begged to go to “real school” for over a year and partly because I know how much preschool teaches outside of academics. And he LOVES it! He’d probably go all day, everyday if he could.

But, we are still doing our school at home. I’ve continued to keep it unstructured. I have a checklist of what I want to accomplish with him that day and we work it into our day.

I never want learning to be forced. Forced learning can shut a child down. Now I know that not all children love learning so I am blessed to have a child who loves to learn!

So What Did We Do Last Week?

Nursery Rhymes

One of the funniest things I like to do is have Matt fill in the blanks of nursery rhymes. I’m sure he learned them at some point in his life but they have long been forgotten so he just hilariously fills in the blanks.

Liam knows a lot of nursery rhymes already. Mainly by songs we sing (or, if I’m honest, by TV shows and videos he watched when he was younger). We’ve been working through a list of 39 poems and nursery rhymes suggested for kindergarteners by The Core Knowledge Foundation.

Side note: If you have a child, I highly suggest the What Your ___ Grader Needs to Know series. We worked through the What Your Preschooler Needs to Know last year and have began What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know this year. I could go on and on about why I love these books (and the teaching curriculum that go along with them but you would get incredibly bored). Just check them out if you get a chance!

One of the rhymes we worked on last week was “Little Jack Horner”. Can you recite that nursery rhyme? We got crafty with this idea I found online.

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We also worked on Star Light, Star Bright with a quick and easy crafty writing activity.

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Fable

We read the fable The Dog and His Reflection. This time I decided to try out his art skills. The assignment: draw the dog in the story. Pretty simple but since I have absolutely no artistic talent at all, I turned to this video on YouTube. And, wow. I was impressed with his ability at four years old. Also pictured is mine. Not too bad, right? He enjoyed it so much that he went on to draw a whole dog family.

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Spelling/Phonics

I’m following a language arts curriculum and then supplementing with more fun activities. I found this idea from Little Ones Learn on Instagram.

I went around the house and found different objects. Then I drew lines and filled in certain letters, leaving out letters and sounds I knew he knew. He then filled in the blanks working on his letter/sound recalling as well as letter formation. It was a hit…and way better than a worksheet!

School Isn’t Just During the Day

When Liam requested to play the “Old Squirrel” card game after dinner, we of course said yes. So the four of us sat around the table practicing counting syllables trying not to be the Old Squirrel (think Old Maid). And, man, we were laughing hard by how many times the Old Squirrel got passed around before the game was finally over.

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Not Everything is Exciting…or Ready

We did some reading and some math as well but nothing that was quite picture worthy. And our Bible lessons haven’t quite started. The teacher wasn’t quite prepared yet so that should start this week or next 🙂

And I must say that having a list of things that must be accomplished daily helps me TREMENDOUSLY. And there is nothing more satisfying than placing that check in the box…or crossing through the item. Lately I’ve been in a checkmark mood. It has been extremely satisfying to draw an empty box and then place a nice, big check inside it later in the day. Anyone feel me?

The Weeks Ahead

I am so excited about some of the things I plan on teaching Liam this year. Just like when I was in the classroom, it’s not just about language arts and math. The next few weeks we’re going to be studying each of our continents…and I have a feeling I just might learn a thing or two as well!

Are you someone who enjoys learning as much as Liam? So often, the desire to learn slowly fades away. I pray that his desire to learn more only increases with age!