Learning At Home For 5-Year-Olds: How To Become Your Child's First Teacher

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A lot of learning happens in kindergarten. This is when young learners practice the basic concepts of Math, Language, Reading, and Writing.

Some parents are still undecided if they enroll their kids to school with remote learning, skip a school year, or teach them at home. Teaching kids at home is the practical option without paying for school tuition fees, but how and where should parents start?

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We have compiled some useful tips and resources to help parents navigate this transition as they start teaching their children.

1. Use the DepEd curriculum as a guide.

The Department of Education has a K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum guide parents can follow to check the learning competencies of their children. This checklist will help the parents guide their child to reach important milestones for each given core subject even at home.

Click here to go to DepEd's Basic Education Curriculum guide. (By the way, DepEd has moved the August 24 opening of classes to October 5.)

2. Set a flexible routine.

Kids need structure. While the young learners may struggle at first, they will thrive with the order. Routine helps children get on a schedule and establish habits.

While maintaining a routine have benefits, it is also essential to remain flexible. Parents are encouraged to be sensitive to the child’s needs by adjusting some activities and being spontaneous.

Go here for two samples of a daily routine schedule that a preschool teacher.  

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3. Choose age-appropriate learning resources.

Free materials can be easily accessed on the internet — there is A LOT, in fact. And you can't be blamed if you freeze up when you see the number of materials out there.

The easiest way to curate is with DepEd's curriculum guide that we mentioned it item #1. DepEd even provides a weekly Kindergarten curriculum guide for Kinder. There are four quarters or 40 weeks worth of lessons here. 

Let these guides help you choose the appropriate learning materials for your child according to his grade level. DepEd's curriculum guide will also help you figure out if you are hitting the learning competencies.

You also know your child best, so you will know the resources that will fit your child’s learning style and interests.

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If you have not enrolled your child in an online class, enrichment program, or a school with distance education, the following can help resources, especially for preschoolers and kindergarten students.

• We put together a list of free home-based learning resources from activity sheets to educational games (click here to read more). 
• DepEd has released TV channels and programs based on DepEd’s “Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs).” These can be used as supplemental learning videos for subjects like Math, Science, English, Filipino, and Araling Panlipunan. Read more about it here.
• Knowledge Channel already released its programming grid for Kinder to Grade 10 students! The channel is also creating original content that will air on Facebook. Check here the complete class schedule of the Knowledge Channel.
• Mind S-cool also offers Science and Art TV programs. The kids can learn, in a fun way, with The Mind Museum Mind Movers and expert guests. Episodes are shown by CNN Philippines every Saturday at 8:30 a.m., with replays on Saturdays 4:30 p.m., Sundays 8:30 a.m., and 4:30 p.m.

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4. Check for school readiness skills.

Parents are the first teachers and whether we realize it or not, we prepare our kids to become school ready. What skills are essential for learning? 

Fine motor skills involve the movement of hands, fingers, and wrists -- like using scissors to cut paper, unbuttons and buttons clothes or properly grip a pencil.

Gross motor skills involve the movement of the arms and legs like brushing teeth, kicking/ catching a ball, or skipping.

Social skills are the skills we use every day to interact and communicate with others. Some important social skills include listening, following directions, taking turns, and using good manners like saying “Please” and “Thank You”.

The DepEd curriculum guide also includes these standards and competencies for young children. Click here to read.

5. Prioritize play.

Learning is more fun when done through play. Play-based learning helps kids to be engaged in any lesson. It is also important to let the children play on their own and for them to learn to entertain themselves.

However, parents should make sure to provide items like coloring pens and paper, play doughs, blocks, and other open-ended or pretend-play toys for their free playtime.

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