A Plug for an Online Preschool Course: Who Might Be an Ideal Candidate?

When Covid-19 hit and schools closed, my school also closed. I began to work on my goal of videoing an entire year's worth of preschool. 4 videos a week, about 25 minute videos, creating all of the worksheets, coloring pages, craft videos, etc. When the new school year began, schools opened, but not in-person. Teachers were teaching remotely. Luckily, I had all of my students begin watching my course videos. For a substantially smaller tuition fee, every student was supposed to watch the 4 videos each week and participate in finishing the corresponding worksheets.They watched the videos for 2 1/2 months.

During that time I heard about huge frustrations the younger grades, particularly, had in the local public schools. The students were too young to work the computers well, so parents had to be there the whole time. Parents felt like they were given more homework than the child. It was super hard on teachers who were trying their best to make new technology systems work and trying to connect with the children through screens, and also extremely hard on parents who now felt like they had as much to do as the teachers. It was hard all around.

My students had a very different experience. Because the lessons were all videos, parents had only to start the video. Parents and children still had independence during the learning. Everyone stayed on track and when we came back together for in-person learning ALL THE CHILDREN KNEW THEIR ALPHABET SOUNDS AND WERE READY TO START MY BOOKS. It ended up being my most successful reading year ever!  I had more advanced readers than I had ever had.

5 Significant PRO's to an ONLINE preschool experience:

1) It was amazing! After the children had spent 2 1/2 months watching me on their little screens they came to in-person preschool and their eyes were GLUED on me. They had been trained to watch me distraction-free. When I started speaking they automatically stopped and listened (and that is NOT the norm for a 4 year old.) Either they thought I was a rockstar because they finally had me teaching in real life OR they had been subtly trained to LISTEN. In fact I usually don't take students after the start of the school year because we have an accelerated curriculum and I don't want them to feel unsuccessful. However, that Covid year I had space and I accepted a child who was moving into town who had no previous experience with preschool. He had NOT watched any of my videos. The contrast between he and the rest of the class was stark! They sat in their seats, focused and listening while he was literally rolling on the ground, having a hard time sitting, wanting to wander and definitely NOT listening to me.  I sigh as I write this because of my in-person class today: so many interruptions, poking friends, playing with little forbidden objects from their desk, talking to friends, looking around, and touching those around them! It is sometimes shocking they can learn ANYTHING in a classroom. Haha. I jest. But only a bit. It can be very hard for them to focus. But that is less the case when they are alone, focused on the video monitor, as it turns out.

2) Is your family budget tight? The high price of child care and preschool can be taxing on a family's budget. This online course covers an entire year of preschool (fun science, learning to read and write, craft ideas, math, and all of the associated worksheets and coloring pages for only $17.95 a month. It is an amazing deal for your child to learn to read...starting life at the very top of his or her little peer group. The confidence they acquire as they practice reading is off the charts! 

3) Do you have strong feelings about keeping your child home for as long as you can? Building a strong bond with your child before they start formal school? Or does homeschooling appeal to you? This course allows you to have your child taught at home by a professional- teaching science, reading, etc (arguably the hardest parts which create a foundation for the rest of their learning). Do you ever have power struggles with your child? This course allows the parent to support the teacher with the worksheets and practicing the books, but leaves the parent free to do the enrichment activities: field trips, crafts, learning experience, cooking, read alouds, puzzles, etc. 

4) Is the lack of SOCIAL for your child a deal-breaker for you? It doesn't have to be! What could be better than handpicking 4 children for your OWN PRESCHOOL CLASS- a Mommy School Co-op? You choose who is in the class. Each mom takes 1 day a week to host Miss Anna's Class at THEIR house. You choose who your child rubs shoulders with. You host one day....your child still gets a wonderful social experience. They still have independence on the other days when the other moms host. You still have some alone time, if you need it.

When you host: the children arrive and play for 30 minutes, then they watch Miss Anna's Class Video, then they do the worksheet or coloring page, if desired, then you have a snack, then play the last 30 minutes. 2 hour Preschool Class Done. Quality Instruction, Quality Social, Quality Independence. If four days a week is too much- Watch the videos from home twice a week and have your Mommy Co-op twice a week. Then you would only have to host once every 2 weeks. It can be crafted to your IDEAL...and the possibilities are endless.

5) Is your child's preschool mostly a play preschool? Would you like them to learn more? Miss Anna's Class Online Course could also be a supplemental course for children who need more, children who might have learning disabilities who need supplemental help in preschool, kindergarten, first grade, or even second grade, who can benefit from English immersion, or for children whose parents would like them to be ultra prepared for kindergarten. 

In all cases, this online course can help children avoid future anxiety, gain added confidence, and help children start at the top of their learning journeys, with a trajectory pointed straight up!