Each week* we will focus on one letter. I've divided the Alphabet Project into daily and weekly activities. Daily activities will be shorter, while the weekly activities will be more involved.
Daily:
1. SEE the letter.
2. SAY the letter's sound.
3. READ a book based on the letter. (For example, for the letter A, we'll read a book about apples.)
4. WRITE the letter.
Weekly:
1. COOK something that begins with the letter.
2. MAKE something that begins with the letter. (Yes, "make" could be the same as cook, but for "make" I'm envisioning an art project or something.)
3. DO an activity that begins with the letter.
*I am expecting baby #2 at the end of April, so I'll probably take a month-long break in May.
Showing posts with label Background. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Background. Show all posts
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Why the Alphabet Project?
The Alphabet Project is my attempt to teach my two-year-old the alphabet. I got the idea for this almost two months ago. My daughter and I were outside of Kohl's, when she points up to the sign and says, "H!" I was a bit dumbfounded--I had no idea she knew the letter H, and I certainly didn't teach it to her. (I'm guessing it came from an episode of Sesame Street). Since she already knows her shapes, colors, and numbers 1-10, I figured it was time for the alphabet.
Let me point out that I am not one of those education-crazed parents. Yes, I want her to be brilliant, but I am not obsessed with her becoming brilliant as a toddler. She has a late birthday and will be almost 6 before she goes to kindergarten, so she has plenty of time to learn the basics. However, she also seems to be blessed with her father's brain, and can remember things after hearing them only one or two times. She enjoys learning and being able to point out colors, numbers, and pictures in books. For me, this is more about keeping her occupied, happy, and stimulating her curious brain, than it is about academics. (Though it is a beginning step to becoming a reader...). While I am certified to teach English for students in grades 7-12, I have virtually no qualifications for teaching young children other than my own experience (and experiments!) with my own child.
So we're going to try. Emma just barely turned 2 in November, so we'll see how we do. I'm confident that she will be able to memorize the letters and sounds. I'm less confident that she has the motor skills to write the letters. Feel free to join us and share your own experiences with the Alphabet Project!
Let me point out that I am not one of those education-crazed parents. Yes, I want her to be brilliant, but I am not obsessed with her becoming brilliant as a toddler. She has a late birthday and will be almost 6 before she goes to kindergarten, so she has plenty of time to learn the basics. However, she also seems to be blessed with her father's brain, and can remember things after hearing them only one or two times. She enjoys learning and being able to point out colors, numbers, and pictures in books. For me, this is more about keeping her occupied, happy, and stimulating her curious brain, than it is about academics. (Though it is a beginning step to becoming a reader...). While I am certified to teach English for students in grades 7-12, I have virtually no qualifications for teaching young children other than my own experience (and experiments!) with my own child.
So we're going to try. Emma just barely turned 2 in November, so we'll see how we do. I'm confident that she will be able to memorize the letters and sounds. I'm less confident that she has the motor skills to write the letters. Feel free to join us and share your own experiences with the Alphabet Project!
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