Preschool Blues

My DD did not go til 4, both for finances and for potty training issues. Before that, we did a lot at home with Meet Ups, local events, storytimes, etc. For my DD, it was less about her ABCs and more about learning to take directions from others, sit still and listen, and interact with a group. DD did learn quite a bit through play. So when you do find a preschool, don't discount one that will teach her about things by doing.

mine did 3 year old preschool. it is fun.. and really not that expensive.

3 year old preschool is usually 2 hours 2 days a week ... so it only costs abourt 800 for the entire school year. ($100 a month-- $25 a week)

look at local churches and other places that have coop preschools they are cheaper.. also if she has a speck delay she might qualify for FREE preschool to help her catch up.

If your daughter sees a speech therapist, she likely qualifies for your state's free preschool/Head Start program. Ask the therapist, he or she may know how to apply or at least point you in the right direction.

Would you qualify for Head Start?

When my daughter did 3 year old preschool, it was 2 days a week, 3 hours each day, and I think it cost $900 for the school year - which worked out to be about $100 per month.

My kids homeschool. There is no need to send children to school, as long as you read to them and teach them the love of learning.

I don't "teach" my kids. We play. We talk, go to the zoo, go for walks, do seasonal stuff like plant seeds, etc.

It's funny: a common preschool theme is "the post office." Last week, we went to the post office twice, and played " can you spot a post box or mail truck" almost every day while riding in the car. I am sure my kids know more about the post office than kids that go to school. In fact, preschool is really only necessary if you never do anything with your kids. Take a look at "preschool themes." They all involve being introduced to the world. These lessons are better off being learned in the world. End of story..

Just join a meet-up group and go have some fun! This age is really about learning how to be in the world with others.

If you can't afford preschool what about joining a mom's group or playgroup of some kind?
Most preschools (good ones anyway) focus on playing and socialization, not academics. She can and will learn numbers, colors, drawing/writing skills with you, preschool is more about learning how to get along with others, share, take turns, sit still and listen, etc. These are skills she can learn in ANY group setting, even story time at the library, or in the church nursery on Sunday mornings.
Look for free or inexpensive things like that, she will be fine I'm sure!

If you don't make a lot of money she might qualify for Head Start. It's a pre-school program for kids of families that can't afford expensive private schools.

They often have kids that are having any sort of delay start school in the regular school system as soon as they turn 3. They are usually in one classroom no matter what the delay is. They may have a hearing issue, speech issues, physical disabilities, etc...

I think you should check it out so that you can get her in school for free. School does not cost anything.

I looked up the programs that would be free to you through your local school program.

http://simi-ca.schoolloop.com/file/1317566161384/13163535...

************************************************************************
Bottom of page 7 is the program your child would be.

CHILD FIND SYSTEM
The district is part of the Ventura Special Education Local Plan Area which has established written policies and procedures for a
continuous child-find system which address identification, screening, referral, assessment, planning, implementation, review
and triennial assessment for the purpose of identifying individuals with exceptional needs. Information regarding these policies
is available from the district’s Student Support Services Office.
(Education Code §56301; Board Policy 6164.4; Administrative Regulation 6164.4)
*************************************************************************
On page 27 starts the disability statements and this statement in on the top of page 28

SECTION 504
Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 USC 12101 et seq.) prohibit
discrimination on the basis of disability. Section 504 requires the school district to identify and evaluate children with
disabilities in order to provide them a free, appropriate public education. Individuals with a physical or mental impairment
that substantially limits one or more major life activities, including seeing, hearing, walking, breathing, working, performing
manual tasks, learning, eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, bending, reading, concentrating, thinking, speaking, are eligible
to receive services and aids designed to meet their needs as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students are met.
Parents or guardians should be informed of the following: the name and contact information of the person designated by the
district responsible for implementing Section 504, the screening and evaluation procedures used whenever there is reason to
believe that a student has a disability that limits his or her ability to attend or function at school, the right to a written
accommodation plan if the student is found to have a disability that requires services under Section 504, the right to be
educated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s individual needs, and notice of the
procedural safeguards guaranteed by law.

Neither went to pre school. We spent lots of time having fun, going to the library, lots of computer learning games, art and reading. They are both very smart and took top honors in high school and one in college with 2 majors and a minor. Not a problem!

Many 3's are not going to preschool due to the economy. Save up for next year. In the meantime, go to your local library for stories/crafts/groups, etc...

Find a couple of Moms who would want to rotate houses and have playgroups. It would be free and kids learn best through play...

I do not know to many 3's who can read letters. Read to her. Let her name pictures in books. Recite rhymes, etc...

i don't think 3 year olds need pre-school, or formal homeschooling, in any way, shape or form. you're already doing a LOT by having her count and read.
all her speech needs is more opportunities to practice. hanging out with as many different people as possible will make that happen. the internet makes it magically possible to find groups for just about anything, including plain old playdates in the park. just get her involved with other kids, and don't feel pressured to put her in pre-school.
khairete
S.

My son received speech therapy at home when he was 2. When he turned 3, he aged out of Early Intervention and we were referred to our school district. He was put on an IEP and went to preschool for free.

Check with your school district to see if you can do the same.

Best of luck!

Try to find a cooperative (coop) preschool near you. I found this one: http://www.pvcoop.org/
I know it's not super close, but my friend who lives in Moorpark used to commute daily to Camarillo, so it's probably not too bad of a drive.

Coop schools are great - they are very inexpensive (the one we go to in Irvine is only $160/month) and there is a lot of parent involvement. I know that our school even offers scholarships to families that can't afford the full tuition.

The Gymboree Preschool Program is also a good one and probably costs less than even a coop preschool. Most kids go to preschool at three, though some start at two and others wait until they are four. Most common is two years of preschool prior to kindergarten.

It's great that you are teaching her academic skills at home, but the point of preschool is really to gain social skills and school readiness skills (following directions, sitting still and listening, working well with others, following routines, etc). Kids who have no experience in preschool or another organized, routine setting tend to have a harder time adjusting to kindergarten.

If the Camarillo school is too far, see if you can find a closer one here: http://ccppns.org/find_school.php

I think it's important to realize that the importance of preschool is not to teach numbers, letters, etc. Academics is NOT important. Preschool teaches kids to separate from their parents, work or participate in a group, and negotiate their own space without hitting! That's all that's necessary to prepare a kid for kindergarten.

There's a lot of emphasis on preschool in many communities, but I have a neighbor who has not sent her child. He'll go to kindergarten in the fall, and he's done fine by playing with kids in the neighborhood, having play dates, going to story hour at the library, going to free activities like the petting zoo at the local garden center, and so on. He separates well and can be at the neighbor's house without his parent present, and I know he will do fine in kindergarten.

You don't need to home school any farther than you already have. Instead, get your child out of the house and into social situations, situations where she has to follow directions (e.g. lining up is a hard concept for many kids!), places where she has to cooperate with other kids, and so on. That can be as simple as neighborhood play dates (go from 2 kids to 4, to 6, etc.) where they have to speak to get along and to communicate. Go to playgrounds and have her play with kids she doesn't know. See if she can follow directions from the children's librarian - go to story hour but sit in the background so she engages with the story-teller. If you go to the local children's museum (libraries often have passes by the way, so you don't have to pay), then encourage her to sit in the little programs where they show a live animal or do any other educational program.

I don't know if you want to pay for Gymboree if you can't pay for preschool. But that's your call.

Get her outside - she what she can observe about the weather or the scenes around her. A lot of preschools do "circle time" and include talk about the weather - is it cloudy or sunny, breezy or still, cold or hot? You can discuss those concepts in your own life.

Kids also need to learn to adapt to changes in schedule. So getting your kid to clean up her toys before you do arts & crafts, or cleaning up her snack plate before going outside, etc., are helpful skills.

Overall, based on my experience with early childhood educators, I'd say not to worry about academics at all. That's not what teachers need! They need kids who can cooperate, who are inquisitive, and who have some skills in fine motor and gross motor areas, who like to be read TO even if they can't read themselves. Kids who can read don't necessarily do any better than those who cannot. Kids who can't share and who can't follow directions are the ones who have the most trouble, as well as kids who are bored with letters and numbers because they've been drilled too much at home.

http://www.conejoadultschool.org/parenting/Parenthome.htm

Please visit the Parenting Program at the Conejo Adult School, commonly known as "Horizon Hills". It's near Thousand Oaks High School and families from Simi, Camarillo, Malibu, the Valley, all over go.

It's a parent co-op, so it's extremely affordable. It cost about $1,200 for the year when I took my daughter there 5 years ago. Vs. $6,000/yr for Montessori. It's half day 9-12pm.

My son was there too. He's 13 now. My daughter is 8.5. It's a WONDERFUL community of parents and children and since it's parent participation (parent education) you will learn a lot about child development.

My daughter was in Ms. Cheri's class. My son was in the big Team class. My daughter needed a smaller class. They have such wonderful, hands on centers (learning through play) that I could have never recreated at home. I learned so much from being a parent there.

BTW, many homeschool parents use that program as well. That tells ya' something!

Call them up and take a tour. My children have fond memories of that place and they have a summer camp for alumni. Because my daughter still goes for summer camp and still has ties to the school, her preschool memories are very fresh. She says when she grows up, she wants her kids to go there because it's the best place ever.

Talk to the program director. If you have financial need, they might be able to work with you. The director Eilene Green has years and years of knowledge in child and brain development. When I have any questions or problems, I still go back to her for advice.

You have options in this community. Please tour Horizon Hills.

I went to Parent Participation Preschool with both of my kid's. It was a co-op and I worked on Monday;s and dropped off on Wednesday and Friday's. Maybe there's something like that in your neighborhood? If not, look to see if there is a preschool that is a co-op. There is one that I know the price depends on by howmany days you work.

Good luck!