Home Sweet Homepreschool: The Advantages of “Home” over “School” When it comes to Preschool at Home OR Homeschooling
Posted by homeschoolmentormom on February 18, 2011
Below is an important quote from Dr. Ruth Beechick, one of my favorite homeschool authors. It highlights the advantages that we have–at home–over a “school” atmosphere. From Early Childhood Education: The Big Picture, by Ruth Beechick (from the Best of the Home School Digest, the First Five Years, Volume 1; italics added):
…the best of schooling programs are trying to give children a homelike atmosphere. More than one specialist has written that if they could just take each child in their lap and read to him or her regularly and could talk with children one-on-one and give them time to play and explore, both alone and with a few others, then they could achieve the good results that homes achieve. They agree that the parent is the child’s first and best teacher. They envy the interaction that happens with such a low child/adult ratio.
…Families, when they are not feeling pressured to be academic, are the ideal setting for young children to develop emotional stability, language and communication skills, knowledge about things and events around them, and a quality called “disposition to learn.” These are the important developmental talks of this age.”
I just LOVE Dr. Beechick. I highly recommend her books to everyone who will listen to me. If you haven’t read her books yet–especially if you are newer to homeschooling–I suggest you start with The Three R’s and A Biblical Home Education. They are books you will refer to over and over. You can also read many of Dr. Beechick’s articles in homeschool magazines, such as Home School Enrichment and The Old School House.
Blessings~~Susan
You might also like these posts: “The Keyword in Homeschool is “Home” and “Making the Decision to Homeschool/Homepreschool: Comparing Institutional Schools with Homeschools”.
© 2011 Susan Lemons all rights reserved. Copyrighted materials may not be re-distributed or re-posted without express permission from the author.
tykesmom said
I love these quotes! My favorite way to teach my son is through talking to him while life is happening. When I first decided to homeschool, I was very stressed about tackling the academic portion because I thought it all too easy to fail, but the things my son has learned the fastest have come about through everyday activities at home. He learned his alphabet through singing songs, he learned counting from helping me cook, he learned his colors by playing in his room. Home is definitely the best teaching atmosphere. Thank you for posting these quotes!
homeschoolmentormom said
You’re welcome, and you’re right: Natural learning through real-life experiences and conversations just can’t be beat–and it’s an advantage that the government schools can’t offer!
~Susan