When it
comes to teaching your child most parents will say that they as a parent
are the child's first and best teacher.
Even if you would debate the
‘best' you certainly could not debate the ‘first'.
And now as schools
struggle to meet educational demands and standards seem to be in decline
year after year, increasingly parents are turning to teaching their
child at home, thus becoming the first, best and only. And as
homeschooling resources and numbers continue to grow so does your
ability to teach your child well.
Research indicates that of the children entering kindergarten, whose
parents read to them early and often, and encouraged constant verbal
interactions, have shown a significant advantage over those who had not.
Not did those children who's parents were actively involved in teaching
their children start ahead, they stayed ahead and generally the
advantage grew even wider.
To us
homeschooling parents who take great pride in teaching our children
well, this comes as no surprise. Being the ‘best' at teaching our
children is not something we just believe we can do, in fact, much of
the research indicates that is exactly what we are doing. Teaching your
child well starts early and often so it becomes a natural part of their
life forever more.
Start
by talking and reading to your child from day one. Expose and
communicate to your child all that you do around the house. This will
set the stage for your child to become a lifelong learner.
Teaching your
child at home also entails surrounding your child with the opportunity
to learn and read. Keep children's stories and books constantly in their
environment. And, of course, make use these by reading to your child
everyday and often. I cannot stress to you enough the importance of
this.
As soon
as possible expose your child (and yourself) to your local library and
all of the wonderful material available to teach your child at home. To
Teach your child well
involves a strategy of early, often, and
with much enthusiasm and praise as your child begins to learn.
