Preschool

Jacks just finished his first year of preschool at the end of May.  He absolutely loved it! His first year of preschool was really more of a social growth for him than an academic growth.  He made a lot of friends and got the social interaction he needed.  He didn't really learn as much as I would have like him to.  He had amazing teachers he just really struggled. I've been trying to work with Jackson at home since the beginning of June and he's already made some progress.  He's a really smart little boy he just struggles with paying attention and certain other areas.  

When Link takes his nap it's Jacks time and we sit down together and do preschool work.  At first I really had no idea what to do and how to teach him.  I think we have a system now that is really working.  He's made a lot of progress in the last month.  I've printed a ton of handwriting worksheets off and put them in sheet protectors in a binder and let him use a dry erase marker to write on them.  We start out by doing  a worksheet then do a craft, worksheet, game and then a science experiment. Jacks kind of hates worksheets.  I have to break it up and just try to find crafts and games that are educational and help him with numbers, letters, colors, and basic skills like cutting and gluing. He loves science experiments, crafts, and games. I bought him some leap frog movies and try to make him watch those when he watches tv.  Those have actually helped a lot with his letters and counting.  
It's been a lot of work and can get really frustrating.  I definitely have more respect for teachers now I could not do it! It's been hard but totally worth it it's really fun to see Jacks learn and progress.  He still has a long way to go to get ready for kindergarten and even catch up to some of the other kids his age.  He still has another year of preschool left so I'm hoping that he'll catch on and be ready for kindergarten next year.    

Jackson's Progress:
-When Jacks finished preschool he could only count to 3.  We've been working really hard counting everything, playing games, and singing songs.  It's been something he really struggles with.  He can count to 6 now!
-Jacks didn't really know any of his colors.  I really wondered if he was color blind for a long time because he just does not get his colors for some reason.  In the last month he's learned yellow, orange, blue and he knows green sometimes.
-A month ago he didn't know any letters.  Now he knows what sound the A makes.
-Jacks is getting better at basic skills like cutting and gluing.
-Jackson's attention span seems to be getting better he is getting better at sitting for longer.
-Jacks really struggles with handwriting.  He hates it!  He still struggles to hold his pencil correctly and it's always kind of a fight for us to get him to hold it correctly.  He is getting better at tracing things.  He can trace but writing independently without something to trace is a serious struggle.

By the time Jacks starts preschool in August I'd really like for him to be caught up to other kids his age and be able to do the following things:
-Count to 10
-Consistently hold his pencil correctly
-Write his name: this one I know is a stretch but we're really going to work on it.
-Learn all the colors.
-Cut a straight line
-Use appropriate amount of glue.

Last day of preschool

Some of Jackson's favorite projects

Watercolors and pipe cleaner spider

Monsters made of baking clay