I want to maximize my child’s learning potential during his first five years—but what does that mean? If you’re wondering how formal a young child’s education should be, today’s Home School Heartbeat can provide some perspective.
Mike Mike Smith:
This week, we’re joined by June Oberlander, a retired teacher. She’s also a grandmother of seven children, several of whom have homeschooled, and her son happens to work at Home School Legal Defense Association. Mrs. Oberlander, how structured should the teaching time be for very, very young children?
June Oberlander:
Well, sometimes children are exposed to structured learning before they’re ready. But children do need some structure in order to learn many things. First, though, they need to learn to listen to and follow directions on their level. Unfortunately, most children this age have very short attention spans and we need to work on that. But through meaningful play experiences, a child’s listening span can be increased. But when he is required to sit and attend a task for far too long, problems may arise and if he hasn’t learned to listen—follow directions—lots of luck, he’s going to have problems! This may cause him to become frustrated if he’s been asked to sit too long; he may balk and refuse to cooperate. Some children have done this and develop mental blocks.
Mike:
Thank you for sharing that. Until next time, I’m Mike Smith.
