One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive is the one about starting the ABCJLM curriculum in the middle of the year. I wanted to cover this topic as I know several people are looking for a preschool curriculum to begin in January.
All four of the ABCJLM curriculum are created to be flexible. Although they are designed to start in August and finish in May, this is simply to match up the holidays with activities in the curriculum. The basic curriculum does not change.
For starters, decide which curriculum to use.
1st - Figure out how many years the has before Kindergarten. A child who has only one year needs to be doing the 4 Year Curriculum or 5 Year Curriculum if possible so that they are prepared.
2nd - Use the Objective Pre Test to figure out what the child already knows.
3rd - Use the Curriculum Chart Guide to help you decide the best curriculum for what the child already knows.
Next, decide where to start.
All of the curriculum build on themselves in one form or another. The older curriculum even more so than the younger. I would suggest beginning all of the curriculum on Week 1 because of this building factor. Move the holiday activities around as needed. Then choose the pace based upon the child's needs.
Let me give you some scenarios…
Scenario #1 - Fred is 5 and will be attending Kindergarten in the fall. He struggles with some letter sounds but can write and name all of them. He struggles with gross motor skills and mixed us several of his numbers. He also does not know any Bible stories, verses, or songs. Given this, I would suggest starting the 4 Year Curriculum at the beginning but moving at a faster pace so that you cover two lesson plans in one week. Focus on the Bible stories, songs, and activities that Fred most needs.
Scenario #2 – Sara is 4 and won’t attend Kindergarten for 1 ½ years because you have chosen to red shirt her a year. She knows the basic colors and shapes and knows most of the letters and numbers. I would suggest beginning the 4 Year Curriculum for Sara, moving at her pace. Then in the fall, follow up with the 5 year curriculum to further prepare her for Kindergarten.
Scenario #3 – Tommy is 3 and won’t attend Kindergarten for 2 ½ years. The pre-assessment shows that Tommy knows his colors and most shapes but very few letters. I would begin Tommy at the beginning of the 3 year curriculum. Continue as far as the calendar will allow until August and begin the 4 Year Curriculum.
Scenario #4 - Kate is 25 months and knows all of her colors, many letters and numbers, and most shapes. While this is very advances for a 2-year-old, I would begin Kate on the 2 Year Curriculum because there is so much more to the curriculum than academic concepts. Focus on the Bible stories, songs, social skills, fine and gross motor skills, etc.
So, dive in. Be flexible. Move at a pace that works for you and your child. Most of all – have fun.
Thank you so much! We're starting this August, but just reading the three examples made it so clear where to start with my daughter (3's). Thank you! We can't wait to get started. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing this curriculum! My daughter is 27 months old and we are considering preschool. However, I feel like we need some structure to our days and I was at a loss as to where to begin and how to incorporate the Bible into our daily routine. Beyond prayer, reading bible stories, and worship... I couldn't figure out how to incorporate it into crafts and fun activities. I'm starting now (the end of October) with the 2 year curriculum, and will try to catch up as we go along. She already knows her shapes, colors, numbers, and letters in both English and Spanish. Should I start with the 3 year old curriculum in her case?
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot more to the 2 year Curriculum than just shapes and colors. I would still do the 2 Year since she is so young. This will allow you to focus on the areas that she is weaker in. You can always add in a little more depth if needed.
ReplyDeleteI very briefly started the 3s curriculum with my son (who was older than 3.5 at a time) in August, and it just wasn't the right time. My daughter was at an extra-busy stage and I thought I'd better stop for the moment.
ReplyDeleteNow, my son is 4 years 1 month and my daughter is 25 months, and I think it would be the right time to start.
I don't think he's quite ready for the 4s, so I think I'll go back to the 3s and skip ahead a little as I'd like (and if the activities don't match our season, heh).
Mostly though, I think the 3s, 4s and 5s curriculum looks excellent and I like the Bible and memory verse component especially for this age. I'd hate to miss out on the fun and foundation of year 3 by skipping ahead :)
I think I'll just do the 3s for both of them, rather than trying to do 3s and 2s (and my daughter will skip/modify anything that she's not ready for). Or hmm, maybe I'll do the 3s, but also get the 2s worksheets for her.
here's hoping it works out! :D
Let us know how it works out!
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