This year some of my friends and I have participated in a fabulous program called Joy School. Now last year we did an at home preschool, did the lessons ourselves, and learned letters - definitely way more work and not as fun. This program (which you purchase from valuesparenting.com for a very nominal fee) has a the lessons all done for you and they focus on different joys such as: the joy of the body, joy of spontaneity, creativity, obedience, honesty, service etc etc. I have loved watching them learn these important values and had fun teaching them. It has made me more aware of what I'm doing as a parent and more inclined to really think about and choose what I teach my kids at such a young age.
Favorite Joyschool Moments:
Christmas Nativity Program - the kids are pictured dressed up in several pictures. The LOVED practicing it. Performing it for others not so much - almost complete chaos. And three of them decided that they definietly had to be Joseph. The Nativity as a result was not true to history, but was hilarious. Oh and Caleb wanting to be Mary and his Dad not letting him. Sorry Meliss - that was hilarious!!
Service: We went and visited a darling elderly lady in our ward. Made her cards and cookies, and sand her jingle bells. They were glowing with pride at how happy they'd made her on the way home - and were covered in chocolate that she'd given them.
Quiet Time - I don't know about the other teachers, but I wasn't successful at the three minute quiet time until maybe the last time I taught - usually involves fighting over who gets to lie next to who until I let them get up again. Maybe it's because we have all boys -- so much energy!
Learning songs: We have one little boy who loves to sing and will always participate in song practice with me - the songs are really cute. The others alternatly look like they want to die of boredom or dance around like crazy people.
Halloween Program: They again practiced beautifuly - even stood up front on a line to sing songs. However, when the other moms arrived to watch, they wanted to sit by them. As a result Josh did the parade by himself and they kind of sang songs by their moms. Josh was "mad with them" for the rest of the day.
The things Josh says: It constantly cracks me up what he gets out of class. He told me I was lying whenever I couldn't do something he wanted after the honest unit.
How much they all love each other: They definitely have their moments, but Josh asks about each of his Joy school classmates by name on a daily basis and says things like, " I love them, or I just really like ____ he's my friend." Of course he also adds, "____ hit me last time." but ultimately they love each other.
The program really helps me to remember why I want to stay home with my kids. We've been talking about sending Josh to a "big school" next year. I have worried that he's too shy, that he needs a structured classroom without his friends mom's as teachers - but lately I've been thinking, you grow up fast enough - why not have one more year of joy? - k that was cheesy I know, but anyone else have thoughts on sending kids to preschool before kindergarten?
Gale - the lady we went to visit and who all the boys now think is their very best friend.
I had to include this picture because you can see Caleb about to bean Alex on the head. Got to love it!
I had to add this cute picture of the chica because she's usually an active participant, tearing down flannel board stories and such - and the whole class gets so excited when she wakes up from her nap during school
5 comments:
You've inspired me, Nicole! I know Sarah's a little young, but we'll be there before you know it. I actually remember Katie doing "Doy School" when we were little. :)
p.s. Thanks for mailing that stuff--we got it today!
loved this post. to each his own but i think there is a lot of value to keeping kids home as long as possible. we are getting comments already about Easton not being in some kind of 'school'...he's 3!! They will be in big boy school eventually i feel like i want to influence him for good (hopefully) as much as possible before he's bombarded with the world. (that was kindof dramatic...sorry.)
Joy school is great. I have mixed feelings about preschool as well. Because I couldn't afford to send Tytan, so we did joy school as well. But nowadays...preschool is the new kindergarten. So his motor skills were not as developed as the others in his class...and he is younger anyways because he has an August birthday. So I think preschool would have prepared him for kindergarten better...but I just wanted to be with him as much as I could!
oh my nicole. anna is the cutest. i really have no oppinion on joy school and preschool. all i know is anna looks darling in the last picture. i also know that josh is super funny. send my love to both children.
I laughed at those photos. I am loving Joy School too! But regular school has its advantages too. I wish I could do both, but that would just be too much on the kids. But I'd love for them to learn some of the concepts that we went over this year that they were too young to get. I'd like to do Joy School next year but supplement with classes from the rec center??? Check out this awesome video of the Joy School Christmas program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMaQR46BSyc
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