Preschool Goals
Thursday 
in the early morning 
Mystie
I’ve finished planning out what we’ll do this next year and my goal is to actually do it. I had my plans before, but “circle time” twice or thrice a week, every other week, was when I was consistent. Yeah. I like planning, but the doing is a little trickier for me.
Most of what kept me from being consistent was simply not doing it when I had no reason not to. Inwardly I’d just say, “Wouldn’t it be better to do the dishes than sit on the couch for half an hour anyway?” or “Really, I’d rather read a book, and they’ll never know we didn’t do it anyway.”
Still, even with this sporadic application, Hans has retained Psalm 1 and has progressed in learning both Genesis 1 and the Ten Commandments and still knows more than 20 catechism questions. So then I think, “Wow, what could he do if I really did this every day?”
So I’ve set goals that are more for myself than for him. They are for keeping me accountable and for spurring me on and giving me a reason to persevere. They are there so that I see it as one of the more important things on my “to do” list. Matt and I have gone over the plans together and he fully approves and now I have concrete plans and someone who will ask if I did it today. Even if he won’t be mad at me if I skip, just knowing that someone will think about it and as is that little extra motivation to tip the scales when I waver. I also shared them with Elly and she shared hers with me. She has been much more consistent with Judah than I have been with Hans, and has borne the fruit that Judah is beginning to read! Ok, maybe it’s not competition, but it’s a little extra kick in the pants that I need to get my act in gear. :)
My goals for Hans for 2007-2008 are as follows, in the priority I consider them:
1. Memorize
Psalm 1
Apostles’ Creed
Exodus 20:1-17 Ten Commandments
Matthew 22:37-40 Greatest Commandment
Ephesians 6:1-3 First commandment with a promise
Genesis 1:1-2:3 Creation
Matthew 6:5-13 Lord’s Prayer with introductory verses
Galatians 5:22-26 Fruit of the Spirit
Psalm 139
Entirety of the Catechism for Young Children
2. Daily read from Proverbs and Psalms
3. Sing and learn hymns & psalms
Holy, Holy, Holy
Church’s One Foundation
Mighty Fortress
It Is Well
Have Thine Own Way
St. Patrick’s Breastplate
For All the Saints
Be Thou My Vision
Psalm 103 from PS
“Christ Shall Have Dominion” (PS)
Psalm 2 (CC)
Psalm 40 (CC - I Waited For the Lord)
Psalm 42 (CC - As the Hart)
Psalm 45 (CC - My Heart has Found a Ready Theme)
Psalm 95 (CC)
Psalm 124 (CC - Let Israel Now Say in Thankfulness)
4. Gain familiarity with basic Bible stories
Creation
Fall
Noah
Babel
God’s promise to Abraham
Abraham and Isaac
Joseph
Baby Moses
The Exodus
Red Sea
Joshua and Jericho
David and Goliath
David & Saul
Solomon’s wisdom
Elijah and the sacrifices
Jonah and the whale
Daniel and the lion’s den
Fiery Furnace
Jesus’ birth
Jesus’ life
Parables
Jesus’ death and resurrection
5. Phonics - learn all letter sounds
I’m going to teach him phonics, but not go into blending or anything approaching real reading unless he starts trying to do so himself. Phonics is the tool for decoding, and it’s memory, which this stage is geared for; from what I’ve read and experienced (I was a late reader), with a basic knowledge of phonics and high exposure and availability of books, a child will pick up a book and either begin reading or at least begin attempting to once he is ready. I’m using TATRAS, which teaches all a letters sounds at one time (a = /a/t /ay/ /aw/), which makes for fun chants. It’s what my mom used, so the sounds and the names for the rules are already familiar with me, and that’s the primary reason I chose it.
My goals for Jaeger for 2007/2008:
1. learn colors
2. begin learning letters, upper and lower case
3. learn Psalm 1 (Hans learned it just before turning 3)
4. learn at least the first 6 catechism questions
Jaeger will be part of our morning time and reading times.
My goals for myself for 2007/2008:
1. read 10 books I own and haven’t read yet
2. read the books for the lit group
3. keep notes while reading
4. practice italic handwriting, change over by July 2008
5. read through the Bible, beginning to end
Ok, so my list is significantly shorter than Hans’. But I’m assuming I’ll be memorizing and learning all that he is, in addition to my own list. :)
(MCL)
with 
(personal library)
Good idea to include memorizing songs… I hadn’t thought of that! Why are you doing the italic handwriting thing? I did that a long time ago, but never progressed from italic print to italic cursive, so my handwriting is a very sloppy italic print. I’m hoping to teach my kids handwriting with an italic program, since I like the look.
I’m looking forward to learning what Judah memorizes, as well - right now we’re BOTH learning the Beatitudes.. and I’m learning them with much more success than any of my previous scripture memory programs/plans. Praise God for children that force us to learn!
Amen to that one! :)
I’m going to try italic because it’s the program I’d like the kids to learn and so it seems it would be handy if I could do it to help them learn, but also because my handwriting is a conglomerate of styles because my mom changed programs several times throughout my schooling and it’s just gotten sloppier and sloppier. My mom used to change her handwriting on a whim and just practice and practice and then have a totally different style and I always thought that was neat, so I decided it was time for me to change my style. :) It would be neat to progress to calligraphy eventually, too, and perhaps do something a little artistic in that way. Maybe. :)