(Part 1) If you can imagine what it would be like to have 18, soon to 5 year olds, in your own private school classroom, then you have a basic idea of what I started with. Since I was a credentialed elementary teacher, with an Instructional Aide certificate in Phonics and Mathematics, I was essentially told to design an educational program for my kids that would teach them how to read, spell, count, and write and to request any materials as I needed them. After asking my young friends what they were interested in learning, I went to my local teacher supply store and got a pack of Phonics cards ( with pictures of the 45 sounds in English and their spellings), a pack of addition flash cards, graduated addition teddy bear coloring books, and many packs of smelly stickers.
I made learning a game and all my kids wanted to play it. I had lots of neat learning related things for them to play with and build. There was a lot more to this story, but you get the idea--I had some great kids, good support, and great place (in Southern California) for all of us to hang out. Our classroom was a big playhouse in the middle of its own large custom-designed playard. (to be continued)
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