I am a qualified preschool teacher who is working as a teacher's aide at a private school that uses the A Beka curriculum. To be perfectly honest I think the curriculum is slow and boring and the kids have no fun with it....at least ours don't. Does anyone have any suggestions to spice up the hum drum curriculum. I'll take all the advice I can get, however I have to watch what I use because my director is a little uptight over what is changed in the class room. Please help us!!
This is really a tuff curriculm to teach with and like I said our director is not open to to much change but I am at least going to add to the stuff that we do cause it gets so boring half way through the year. So if anyone has any ideas that will add a little spice I'll take 'em.
I taught ABeka 2nd grade and I hated it, as did my students. I was able to supplement a lot but since you have to be careful I really can't get too detailed about what I did since it wouldn't help you.
I'm not familiar with their preschool curriculum, but can you turn things into jingles or use finger plays and such?
I just got 2 students from a school who taught the Abecka program. They are in 1st grade. They're reading skills are very behind. They only know how to write their name in cursive, and can't write anything other than that in cursive.(apparently they were only taught cursive). When they try to print (as we expect our kids to do) all of their letters are backwards. I find the program to not be developmentally appropriate. Sorry to rain on your parade.
Yes, ABeka does cursive first, then manuscript. I hate that!!!!!! We just discussed this at our meeting yesterday. A lot of parents want that since it's the "newest thing". It's a huge homeschooler thing too. (I guess because so many homeschoolers use ABeka)
I use Abeka at my private school (I teach kindergarten). We do not learn cursive in our preschool program. (Cursive isn't taught until after Christmas in second grade). I have alot of freedom in my planning. Our director says as long as the children learn their stuff we can do what we want. She does insist that anythings we do n ot use we send home, since the parents paid for the books. Once the children have mastered a skill we move on, yes we do review just not the abeka way (really how many times can you point to the letters of the alphabet and have the children name the letters in a school year). Alot of the coloring sheets and "art" I send home as homework. The children like having homework, it makes them feel like big kids.
There are a few things I like about the program, but also there is alot I do not like. I HATE the songs, so I use my own. Also I don't like the I is for Indian lesson--the poem about the indian is just WRONG!!! I am in Oklahoma, and everything here is tribal---the children are educated on what Indians really are---not what the cartoons show them about indians!!!
I say make the most of what you have---- such as use the worksheets you like and you find useful. Do away with the "script" and the songs!!!! Use words that the children will understand and here. Also, find a good set of children's CD's (like Greg and Steve) or some of your own songs. Make time for learning centers and circle time.
Are you in a full day program or half day?
Also what age are you teaching? I have only worked with 5 yr olds using Abeka.... but I can probally get some good tips from a few of our other classes. We have 10 full day preschool classes, so I am sure one of the other teachers has to have some good input!!!
Last year we had abecka language books at our preK - 8th private school. Every teacher hated them, so at the end of the year we evaluated and chose a new language series (Houghton Mifflin) Abecka was just so dry and boring. At the end of the year last year, I had my students write a letter about the year and what they remembered most. Many of them included that language was the worst subject. They hated it! So, I was very pleased when we got a new series this year.
I've taught 4 year old ABEKA for nine years. The phonics is strong,math-ummmm, needs science..... We are a half day program. Workbooks I use (not all that are offered): ABC/123, Readiness Skills, Writing with Phonics (usually start this one in January) and the Bible coloring pages. I do unit/themes incorporating the letter, number, etc. in the centers, art and cooking projects. I also have a lot of hands on learning center activities. I agree it is not a developmentally appropriate curriculum as written but there are so many songs, games, art activities, movement activities, etc. that you can do to teach the concepts using the ABEKA as a guide for what to intro when, etc. I do use some of the chart game boards they have. But for example if the game is to feed the bird a paper worm if you can say the letter, sound etc.-I will have gummy worms. for math, we count (and eat!) m & ms, marshmallows,instead of just using the felt board or counting misc objects. So much more fun, keeps their attention, they learn the concept and it's tasty, too!! Some worksheets we do as a large group, some in small group, some review pages are sent as homework. Some papers we may use colored pencils or markers or even paint instead of crayons. Some of the trace, color, cut papers can be used in the writing/fine motor center during centers time...There are a lot of ways to use this curriculum, be creative, allow the children to be creative and have a well balanced program. Sorry, this is long, I got a little carried away. I do hope this helps you.
I was able to supplement a lot but since you have to be careful I really can't get too detailed about what I did since it wouldn't help you.
