Best Homeschool Math Curriculum for Struggling Students and Their Parents Since you mentioned math… Five kids later, I can testify that most kids are NOT future mathematicians. In my scientific study five, only one is a math guy. He went all the way through Calculus 3 and cried when it was done. The other four? They burned their books the moment they reached “high enough”. And please… …don’t try to make your artist, dancer, or farmer for into a mathematicians world. Mathematicians reveal themselves. I knew my son was a math brain long before high school, but I purposefully held him back until he touched 9th grade so I could make sure he didn’t miss life math. Measuring twice, cutting once.Building and managing a budget.Tripling recipes.How to know you have enough gas to make it home.Are the beans on sale for $3.00 a can REALLY a better deal than the ones sitting next to them? Math has always been my love hate subject- yours too? I love math.I just hate teaching it to kids older than 12 because I have to study their math lesson and do all the problems first- then teach them the lesson and have to endure the frustration.I always frustrated my older sons when teaching math. SIGH. Why? Because I don’t know the harder math off of the top of my head. But we survived. And the boys all thrived!!! Lessons from a mom of five boys who all made it through Algebra without dying. Get a clear understanding of what your kids really need to learn: It will have nothing to do with a chapter or page number!Always look for hands on lessons to practice skills!If your kids don’t know how to add, subtract, multiply, divide, solve fractions and decimals, and do percentages… They are NOT ready for algebra.Do a little math every day.Solve math problems on windows with dry erasers or on the sidewalk with chalk.Hang a white board and do math together.If a math curriculum isn’t working DITCH IT!Use graph paper for help kids learn to solve math neatly.Make math funny. Solve math with jokes, or get your kids funny shirts. My math kid LOVES his latest shirt. WARNING- You may not think it’s funny because its a higher math shirt. Trust me. It’s funny.Look for math picture books and read aloud daily! Yes, slip in a math book or two each week.Eat the problems. Whenever possible, teach math with food. Best Homeschool Math Curriculum for Struggling Students and Their Parents This is a tricky one. What works for my kids may not work for yours, but here is a list of amazing math curriculum and youtube channels to give you and your kids assistance as they follow their math roadmap to success. Pro Tips: Know what your kids need to learn before starting to teach.Look at the table of contents. I bet you know how to solve most of the math. Use the Table of contents as a guide. If you get stuck- turn to the lesson page! Teaching Textbooks is by far the most recommended math curriculum by homeschool moms. They have video lessons so your kids can simply follow along and do the work. Math You See is another homeschool mom favorite. It is very hands-on and makes very small steps forward so your child can achieve mastery. My boys didn’t love it; but I know MANY homeschool families who do!Evan Moor is HANDS DOWN my favorite publisher for teaching materials for kids PreK-6th grade! I discovered them before entering into homeschooling. Easy to follow and fun, I recommend them for all subjects- but especially math, history and science!All Things Algebra. I WISH I had found Gina when my older sons were beginning pre-algebra! Her curriculum is hands-on, challenging, but fun. She’s not cheap- but her materials are WORTH the money!Abeka Math is wonderful! They appeal to me, someone who loves color. “If mama doesn’t love the math curriculum, no one will.” Kids with Special needs? Teaching Math to Students with Autism Homeschooling Kids with Dyslexia YouTube Channels for Math help The trick is finding the correct teaching from someone you can relate to and learn from, right? The Organic Chemistry Tutor saved us when my sons hit Algebra and beyond. Math MashUp Is great! Goofy Math to make your kids laugh These are video my kids loved, or that I loved to torture them with when they needed to learn or practice a concept. Sergeant Seven will have your kids master their 7 multiplication facts in 7 minutes. School house rock! Why? Because it works. The number three is our favorite! Goodies I’ve created for over the years. Printable Math Basics through grade 6 Your Turn! Did I miss anything that worked well in your home? PLEASE share below!!
This is the Best List of Delightful Books for Preschoolers (and their Parents) What’s that I see? My little guy toddling around the corner in just his underwear and cowboy boots tightly gripping his treasures: his snuggly blue satin blanket, a loaded nerf gun and 3 tattered books. My face relaxes. It must be almost bedtime. I panic a little. …Read More »
Pincer Grasp Activities for Fine Motor Development Your son is using all of his fingers to rake small items into his palm rather than pinching them together with his thumb and index finger. Your daughter is choking her crayons rather than carefully holding them between her fingers. Maybe your kids need some help strengthening their pincher grasp The development of this fined tuned grasp is influenced by a child’s growing interest in objects and desire to hold them. Kind of curiosity’s way of helping our kids. We all need great pincher grasps to: zip zippersbutton buttonstie shoesthread needleswrite beautifullyhold pencils without crampingbeating someone at tidily-winksputting on make-uppainting nailsand so much more! 8 Hands-on Toys to Help Kids Develop Pincher Muscles Sewing Buttons!! Buy on TpT Related: Fine Motor Activity from Hands On As We Grow Super easy!! More Pincher Grasp Activities! Simple Activities to Improve Pincher Grasp and Help Your child Hold a Pencil Peel Duct Tape: Place strips of duct tape onto surfaces like the sidewalk, garage walls, or the floor. Your child simply peels the tape!Squishy Sponge: Give your child a sponge and bucket of water. Have them water plants by squeezing the water out from the sponge!Tongs and tweezers: Give your child a pair of tongs, and egg carton, and a bin of small things (pom poms, beads, pasta, etc). Have them fish out objects with tweezers and sort them into the egg carton. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RZNG5PW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=abett06-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07RZNG5PW&linkId=c20a374356badff2b7b81f0fe672daf8 Classic Games are the perfect way to sneak in Pincher Grasp Development Don’t Spill the Beans Ants in the Pants Kerplunk Jenga Hi-Ho Cherrio Perfection Medical schools are noticing a decline in students’ dexterity, possibly from spending time swiping screens rather than developing fine motor skills through woodworking and sewing.The New York Times The great news is Pincher Grasp Development is easy to weave into your child’s day. A Little less swiping of screens and a little more of old fashion fun and these intricate hand muscles can get a good work out! For Older Kids Crocheting and knitting Embroidery Tin Foil Art Using a sock to improve pencil grip (Brilliant) Print this free homeschool mom reminder. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… Download Your Free Printable Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder.
How to Turn Homeschool Frustration into Joy and Learning Dear homeschool mom, Don’t homeschool. I’m not kidding. Yes, kids need to read and write and solve basic math problems, but they don’t need school at home. They need to have plenty of time to run, jump, slide, swing, lay, laugh, build, and rest. Related: building toys Give them time to be bored, time to think, time to day dream. Don’t give them workbooks, worksheets, and hours of assignments. Instead, give them LESS. …Read More »
What You Really Need to Homeschool Homeschool Supplies at Your Fingertips When we had our first son, we had all the gadgets. Bassinet, stroller, carrier, car seat, bouncy seat, playpen, baby gate, huge diaper bag, and a baby monitor for our 425 square foot apartment. By the time we had our fifth son, we had narrowed down what we really needed: a crib, a car seat, a diaper in my purse, and a fun toy for him to play with (my car keys). Homeschooling is like that. … Read More »
97+ Amazing Ways to Make Math Fun for Our Kids Inside: A master list of simple, inexpensive, and fun ways to teach all the basic math principles your kids need to thrive. PLUS- Free Math Roadmap Most homeschoolers overcomplicate math with fancy curriculum, worksheets, quizzes, stop-watches and tests. We choose to be different! Stripping math back to its basic foundational core, we can set our kids up for success in life by giving them a solid foundation with allows them to add, subtract, multiply, divide, count, measure, weigh, and estimate. Pickin’ Cute!!! …Read More »
10 of the BEST Homeschool Subscription Boxes for your Kids Inside: Top picks for homeschool subscription boxes by moms like you. These subscriptions will spice up your homeschool Travel to the future with me, and let’s give each other a virtual high five today. Ready? There are two boxes and an envelope on the kitchen table for your child. YOU are so excited, you can’t contain yourself. You close your eyes and think to yourself: “Don’t say they’re for school!”“Don’t say they’re educational!”“Don’t say they’ll be fun learning lessons!” You are squirming with excitement, because you know your child is holding the future in their hands and waiting with anticipation for the go ahead to peek inside. They hold up one of the boxes. “This one?” YOU: Not, yet. They try to hide disappointment, and hold the the other box. “This one?” YOU: Maybe you should open the envelope first.((Insert wink.)) They tear open the paper and read, “You are about to get a glimpse of the future. Something that will some to you every month for the rest of next year!!!” At this point, tell them to pause while you get another cup of tea or coffee and ask them to guess what’s inside. YOU: What do you think it could be? ((Insert virtual high-five here)) They are so excited, they can barely contain themselves. What is in the boxes? 💛 Excitement💛 Curiosity💛 Fine motor Development💛 FUN How is this possible? I polled hundreds of homeschool moms and compiled their favorites list of kits into a list for you. My own 15-year old gets the Kiwi Co Tinker Crate each month. When it arrives, he places it on the ottoman and waits for the end of the day. That evening, he opens the box with great fanfare, making sure his DAD sees and is equally impressed. Then he gets building. Careful reading of instructions Fine motor development Engineering and design Problem solving and math skills Those are the words we HIDE AWAY from his ears and replace them with WOW! FUN! Let me see. MAGIC. You have time to make this happen. Most kits take a few weeks to get to you and there is one for almost every kind of child and passion. Just be stealthy and I promise… …I won’t spoil the surprise. Food for thought: These make GREAT gifts for people in nursing homes too!! Quick Links to the top Homeschool Subscription Boxes Green Kid Crafts KiwiCo Mel Science Bitsbox Ivy Kids Young Woodworkers Let’s Make Art Rock By Rock Raddish Letter from Afar Highlights Little Passports Think Outside Craftsman Crate Sensory Therapy Play Box BarkBox DIY Preschool Earth Box Plan DIY ABCs of God Plan Free Science for three months from Mel Science? Here’s how you register! When you really want to know what’s best you ask the experts, right?Kids LOVE getting stuff in the mail! Surprise them with a special gift – A subscription box just for THEM! Perfect for birthdays, holidays and more! But, if you’re like me you’re wondering which are the BEST Subscription Boxes for kids. So I asked all the moms On our Facebook page: I’m looking for subscription box and membership ideas for homeschoolers. Most subscription boxes are chosen to meet a specific need, want, or interest. Throw in the fact that you don’t need to look for duct tape, buttons, or instructions for how to whip together something cool and BOOM. Your kids will think you’re the coolest mom on the planet. Not sure which boxes will best fit your family? That’s exactly why I asked a few dozen of my homeschooling friends. Check out all the AMAZING subscription boxes other Homeschool Moms love. …Read More »
24 Ways to Make Learning about Verbs Creative, EASY, and Fun INSIDE: Fun and Easy Action Verb Activities for teaching verb tenses I was browsing Pinterest this morning over a cup of coffee looking for a creative action verb activities. I know, not your typical read-over-coffee topic. But I’m tired of kids falling asleep or worse groaning when we begin talking about verbs and other parts of speech. “There has to be a verb game I can use to bring this area of learning to life!” I dreamed. If verbs are really where all the ACTION is expressed in writing, then why can’t we find ways to make them jump off the page with our kids. I took another big sip and started digging. …Read More »
Preschool At Home MAGIC My oldest son turned 28 yesterday. Sigh. Do your kids still leave their actual handprints on your walls, clothing, and windows? …Read More »
22 Simple Manners Every Kid Should Know By High School Has this ever happened to you? You beam with pride with joy at how wonderful, caring, and thoughtful your kids are; and without warning, they prove your heart wrong. Before you beat yourself up for being a terrible mom, Before I drag my ungrateful son away from his new pile of gifts, I need to tell us something. They’re kids. … Read More »
7 Patriotic 4th of July Activities for Preschoolers Celebrate Independence Day with these amazing 4th of July Activities for Preschoolers! Because they’ll LOVE them all!! Have a red, white, and blue fashion show! Kids will love throwing together wild and patriotic clothing combinations and come strutting through the room to make you smile. Build a float and march in a parade (or down the street) 4 of our five sons The first year we lived in a small town in California, we decided to enter the boys in the 4th of July parade. Can you believe they won 1st prize? One of the boys is riding his bike ahead. It was all decked out with red, white, and blue party streamers. We created a tank by wrapping our wagon with spray painted cardboard and stuck our preschooler in the driver’s seat (secret plan to keep him busy). The air is sucked from my lungs as I see my oldest son in my hubby’s Navy dress uniform. That’s the same uniform my husband wore to our wedding! Make 4th of July Pinwheels! These pinwheels make great cupcake toppers or party picks, and with the awesome 4th of July ribbons from the Ribbon Retreat, they will add some fun and festive flair to your next patriotic gathering! 4th of July Printables get yours here This 16 page fun and engaging reader is just the ticket to help your preschoolers dive into the 4th of July! Your preschoolers wil: Trace say and trace the sight words they will find in their readerColor and read their bookinteract with each word inside the readerFall in love with reading 4th of July books F is for Flag Every day seems like Flag Day. Perfect for reading together with a young child, F Is for Flag shows in simple terms how one flag can mean many things: a symbol of unity, a sign of welcome, and a reminder that-in good times and in bad-everyone in our country is part of one great big family. Red, White, and BOOM! It’s the Fourth of July! Travel across the country for a city parade, a beach picnic, and fireworks in the park in this poetic celebration of the many cultures and traditions that make America’s birthday BOOM! I Spy July the 4th A Is For America! A Fun Fourth of July National Patriotic Holiday Guessing Game Gift for … Preschoolers and Toddlers! 4th of July Activity Book Beautiful projects appropriate for child ages 6 -12.Printed on a high quality paper.80 Pages various activities for children 4th of July Gross Motor Boom! Crash! Fireworks! Great games by Preschool Plan it! The children pretend to be fireworks! When you yell “BOOM” they start making fireworks movements and sounds and when you yell “CRASH” they fall to the floor! EXTENSION: Give the children colored dancing scarves to use during this! Fence Weaving Image and Activity from Centers and Circle time This is the simplest activity, but it is wonderfully entertaining. Materials needed: FenceRed, white, and blue streamersAdorable kids Patriotic Windsock Craft Craft by All Kids Network “This craft would make a great gift for a Veteran or a 4th of July decoration. Wrap red, white, and blue yarn around a toilet paper roll to form patriotic stripes. Then have your child help you fold a sheet of paper to make rows of stars reminiscent of paper dolls. The paper folding can be a lesson on the term “half”, since you will be folding the paper in half 4 times!” Summertime FUN from my friend Amy with Planning Playtime!! Preschool summer theme Summer continues with our most favorite summer theme!Enjoy pool noodle sight words, flip flop matching, and pool noodle tallies. Preschool Camping theme Letter Matching Smore’s, Tent Patterns, and, Alphabet Hunt Bag, and 10 Frame activities! Space theme The Space theme is packed full of learning fun like marshmallow constellations, 10 Frame moon rock counting, and space play dough patterns. What’s your favorite activity to help preschoolers celebrate summer and the 4th of July? More preschool FUN The BEST list of delightful books for preschoolers and their parents Preschool at Home- MAGIC Easy Preschool Crafts and Activities
How to make a fan cooler Free Printable for your fridge! Fun Science projects: How to Make a Fan Cooler! How to make a fan coolerMake an Easy Air Conditioner DIY Air Conditioners Home Cool Down Tips If cool in morning, open all windows and cool off houseUse fans to keep air circulatingKeep curtains and shades closedUse dehumidifier if humidDo not use oven Keep People Cool Wear lightweight breathable clothingKeep clothes on!Cold bath for feetCool showers/bathsCold wash rags held to neckStay indoorsStick to the shadeDrink lots of cold drinksEat cold/cool foodsKeep a pack of wet wipes in the fridge – wipe your neck, face, hands and pressure points Pets need to stay cool Never leave your pet in a parked carUse cooling collarLimit exerciseProvide shade and waterMake pet pop cycles Food Ideas for HOT days Do meal prepping when weather is cooler!Frozen fruitTaco saladGreek chicken pitasAntipasto saladRolled sandwich meat, cheese, fruitCold sandwichesCerealYogurt with fruitWatermelonCarrots, celery, and veggie trayTuna saladDeli wrapsIce cream & pop-cyclesCold pasta saladsBLTA (cook bacon in cool of the day!) Seriously! Ways to Entertain kids Long cool baths with toysMovie marathonIndoor forts with fansMovie theaterLong drives in ACSwimming after heat of the day passes: SUNSCREEN!! Dream About SNOW? YES!! printable fun Perfect for distraction from the heat! Activities Included in this pack: KWL Chart about snowMy Weather ReportThe color of snow readingComprehension questions: The color of snowThe Sound of Snow readingSound of snow mazeTypes of snow readingFill in the blank: Types of snowSnowfall, Snow-cover, and formations vocabulary (3 pages)Crossword: Snowfall, Snow-cover, and FormationsAvalanche ReadingTips to Surviving an Avalanche Flip-ableWilson “snowflake” Bentley?Comprehension Questions: Snowflake BentleyMake paper snowflakesSnowflake Sudoku
Looking for Cute Teacher Outfits? Inside: Ideas for cute teacher outfits for homeschool moms, teachers, and virtual classrooms Did you favorite teachers wear really cute teacher outfits every day? Mine did too!! She always wore her lessons. She may have invented the phrase “all-in”. When you embrace a lesson enough to change your earring, shirt, skirt, bracelet, and shoes… the kids notice. Yes, they may look at you sideways. But they remember the lesson. Here are a few themed ideas to getting you on your merry way. Learning about FROGS? Frog Earrings Yes! A frog dress Lessons about FROGS Nat Geo FrogsLife cycle of frog printable lessonFrog Lapbook lessons Learning about the Solar System? Solar system “Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus is serious #teachergoals. She’s eccentric, dedicated, and compassionate. Best of all, she’s known for her wild and wacky teacher dresses that have a way of making every classroom lesson fun and memorable.” – We are Teachers Solar system dress Lessons about the SOLAR SYSTEM NASA solar system for kidsEPIC solar system projects for kidsSolar System Lapbook lesson Related: This teacher dresses up on Zoom every day in the best costumes Learning about Dinosaurs? Dinosaur earrings Dino dress! Lessons about Dinosaurs Dinosaurs of the BibleDinosaur Museum TourDinosaur printables for preschool Learning about Geography? Globe earrings Geography dress
Homeschool Mom- Printable Bingo Game Free There is no right or wrong way to be a great homeschool mom. You already qualify as the best teacher and mentor on the planet for your kids. No one else cares as much about their success as you! Instead of being too hard on ourselves, let’s have a little fun. Invite a friend to Play Homeschool Mom Bingo! Print your gameMark off the ones you’ve completedShare the fun with friends! Need help completing a square? 1. Turns baking into science “Believe it or not, cooking and baking can be great teaching tools. You know what I always say….“Science is everywhere!” You may be wondering how spending an afternoon baking chocolate chip cookies can relate to math and science. Then again, you may not care if the end result is cookies. Let’s go over the super important sounding words that are at the heart of learning in the kitchen.” 2. Buys copy paper by the case 3. Homeschool Master Goals Established… check! 4. Follows 2+ Homeschool bloggers Ok, this one is subjective. If you are lucky enough to have homeschooling friend’s next door, like I did when I first began homeschooling you may not need to follow a homeschool blogger. There are many, many, many moms (like me) who share their homeschool journey through their own blogs. My favorite homeschool bloggers: Amy with Planning Playtime has amazing preschool goodiesAna with They Call Me BlessedGena with Music in Our HomeschoolKelly with Happy You, Happy Family (not a homeschool blog… but she sees you through your screen)Don’t forget A Better Way to Homeschool (That’s me) 5. Asks homeschool questions in FB group Come join Our Lives as Homeschool Moms! If you ask 100 homeschoolers a question, you will get 137 different answers. I may be a bit biased, but this little corner of the internet is the most encouraging I’ve found! 6. Owns a FANTASTIC pencil sharpener Worth every penny My husband doesn’t understand. He laughed when I told him how much I spent on this bad boy. But it’s a life changer. It treats expensive, wonderful, quality pencils and cheap, peeling, “can’t hold their lead” pencils equally and without prejudice. I will almost never say what I am about to say, but I can’t help myself. Go buy yourself a Carl Angel 5 Pencil Sharpener right now. 7. Knows That LEARNING is the goal, not page numbers What does successful homeschooling look like? You’re gonna want this printable for your fridge. 8. Attends 1+ online or in-person homeschool conference After I attended my first homeschool conference, I was hooked with connecting with other homeschool moms. Especially older homeschoolers. There’s something magical about gleaning hard earned wisdom from people a little farther ahead of you than you are today. Pro-tip: Make it a goal to find one GOLDEN nugget (wisdom, advice, or resource) from any conference you attend. It only takes one to make the whole conference worth your time and money! Online conferences worth attending at least once: Charlotte Mason Inspired All Kerry’s Conferences and Workshops are amazing! 9. Knows where to ask MATH questions I highly recommend collecting mathematicians for your homeschool journey. Yes, you’ll want a math roadmap, but sometimes you just need someone to explain things to you. While I’ve collected a few math whizzes in my time homeschooling, I’ve also found some amazing YouTube teachers! Organic Chemistry Tutor! Wow this guy has made a huge difference for usMath Antics: Clear and easy to followMath and Science: My personal favorite. He helped me remember how to do all the math things I forgot! 10. Has books in EVERY room of the house Adoring books may be the one common trait of homeschool moms! 120 Classics to read This is the Best List of Delightful Books for Preschoolers (and their Parents) 11. Ignores the “you should” comments Everyone on the planet will give you advice about homeschooling. You’ll want to quickly learn to fine-tune who you collect advice from. Years ago, a friend taught me to inspect the life of the person who is freely giving me advice before listening. 12. New BUG? Homeschool moms can turn anything into a learning activity, but the best homeschool moms hide the truth that kids are learning. Their kids believe they play all day! Discovers new bugcollects itturns into science lesson for the week 13. Trains CHARACTER 14. Buys or creates printables 15. Confident that art, music, dance, and LEGOs are important 16. Loses sleep while thinking about teaching kids 17. Sometimes feels alone and overwhelmed 18. Sometimes feels alone and overwhelmed 19. Googles “how to make learning FUN” 20. Looking for affirmation that she’s on right track 21. Has thought it might be easier if they go to school-school 22. Has gifts and abilities she wants to use in teaching but doesn’t know how
Ways to Say Happy Father’s Day Husband Let’s join our kids and celebrate their father with these fun ways to say Happy Father’s Day Husband to their dad! Let’s get creative this year and celebrate Father’s Day, with FUN and creative ways to Say Happy Father’s Day. Sure, the mud pie and t-shirt with handprints are amazing, but so are these! 5 Amazing Gift Ideas for Father’s Day 1. Camping Gifts for Dad Camping Gifts for Dad Maybe it the fact that being dirty is just part of the fun, but most kids LOVE camping with their dads! Help their next camp out be amazing. Fun camping gifts HammockGreat multi-toolGloves with flashlights in the fingers! 2. Father’s Day from Bump From your little bump If you’re expecting, your husband may still feel like a deer in the headlights. Help him feel extra special with a fun gift from that moving bump! 3. Best Dad By Par Best dad by par If your hubby loves golf, he’s gonna love these. 4. Cycling Gifts for Dad Cycling Gifts for Dad These are my personal favorites, because all five of our sons enjoy biking with their dad. They can’t revisit the feel of hero dirt! Hero Theme to help celebrate dad! 5. Ways to Make Dad a Homeschool Lesson Interview himCreate a Power point presentation “My Dad”Oh! How about a a secret message with your own special code that he will need to break to readMake a dad collage! Have dad lay down on butcher paper and trace his body. Yes, kids LOVE this one. Then color, decorate, or label with all the things dad loves!Print, cut, color, and create your own keepsake craft while sharpening fine-motor skills There are many, many ways to let your husband know how important he is in the live of your children. Father’s Day can get overlooked because it falls right after the school year ends and all the kids scatter into doing summery things. Take some time to pause and celebrate Father’s Day for and with your husband! More about Fathers Dad’s Role in Homeschooling: The Powerful Man Behind the Scenes
Crazy Fun Summer Emergent Readers Resources Aspiring readers are just beginning to grasp the basic concepts of book and print. They are acquiring a command of the alphabet with the ability to recognize and name upper- and lowercase letters. They are also developing many phonological awareness skills, such as recognizing phonemes, syllables, and rhyme. Early Emergent readers are beginning to learn sound/symbol relationships–starting with consonants and short vowels–and are able to read CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, as well as a number of high-frequency words. Early Emergent Readers Levels aa-C-Books at this level have: Strong picture supportCarefully controlled textRepetitive patternsControlled, repeated vocabularyNatural languageLarge printWide letter spacingFamiliar conceptsLimited text on a page Lesson plans for emergent readers You’re gonna want a simple plan to follow when working with emergent readers. The great news? They don’t need to be complicated! Sight Words Once your kids master their letters, they will use their emergent reader lessons to master those sight words in a natural and fun way. Each reader will have a few focus words for mastery, but you will want to make sight word practice a repetitive and fun activity during each school day. A little practice goes a long way! Use sight words as handwriting and Fine Motor Skills practice This Sight Words Set comprise from up to 85% of the text in children’s early reading materials. Therefore, a child who knows the Dolch Words has much of the base needed to recognize the majority of the words in a typical selection. EASY & FUN WAY TO LEARN SIGHT WORDS:: After one of the 220 Dolch sight words is called out, use your swatter to swat the word on the matching fly. Fun and engaging Summer Emergent Reader Low Prep Printable! Bonus activities included The beauty of emergent readers is that they are short and predictable texts that help build confidence and mastery! Get your copy here Looking for more emergent readers for summer? If you like this post, check out: Manners for kids Preschool Books for kids
Dad’s Role in Homeschooling: The Powerful Man Behind the Scenes Inside: Six homeschool lessons to glean from your kid’s dad. Even if he never picks up a red pen to help you grade a math test. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But when the going gets tough in homeschool, moms across the globe search for answers. We corner teachers to glean classroom management skills. We laugh and cry with our girlfriends about our kids as we sip too much coffee. We pick the brains of other homeschoolers we happen to bump into at the grocery store. We Google in desperation. “Which curriculum is best for a dyslexic science-minded girl who refuses to wear matching socks on Tuesdays?” But ask the man in our lives his opinion about how to teach his children or how to manage our lives, No way Jose…. Read More »
Learning at Home: Everything you need in one place A Quick Start Guid to Teaching at Home These resources have been moved to my academy.
Earth Schooling by Accident: Teaching and Learning as we Go “My 16 year old is really struggling with his purpose in life. He asks WHY about everything, lately. It’s just why about finishing high school, why he’s here, and what is he supposed to do in life (all in a very negative way). It’s heartbreaking as a mom, and while I’ve always taught them they are here on earth for a purpose… I can’t always answer those questions thrown at me. Have any of your boys struggled with that?” Her heart beckoned me to respond. I stopped in my tracks and wrote her back. “Yes… My youngest son was really struggling a few years ago (when he was 14 I think). I did something extreme. Every day, rain or shine, we began our day with a walk. I didn’t give him a choice. Honestly, his dyslexic brain needed the fresh air. Every day we laced our shoes and hit the road for the first 1-2 hours of school. I found myself looking at the man-child and realized I have very little time with him. It was killing me that when he struggled with school our relationship suffered. I named our new way of learning Tom Sawyer schooling. I handed him my phone and encouraged him to take pictures. We walked to a local beach and searched for treasures.We purposely splashed in puddles.He began to talk more and more each dayI began to listen with intensity. After a few weeks, (yes weeks), he said, “don’t laugh… but I think I might know what I want to do when I grow up.” “Buddy, I won’t laugh… what?” He took a deep breath. “A cardiothoracic surgeon.” My eyes went wide. ignoring the truth that he is dyslexic and can’t spell for beans, I replied. “WOW!! How can I help you get there?” Mom, this is the most important thing I learned that day. He already KNEW what his first steps were! We continued walking and talking and he became more and more excited. Not wanting to lose any of the GOLD flowing from his lips, I recorded his developing plan so he could write it down when we got home. The Un FANCY recording of our conversation He’s now almost 16. He’s been studying human anatomy and the history of medicine since. He studies on his own, unprompted. Things like: how to survive and thrive in medical schoolhow to sleep enough in medical schoolhow to learn complex ideaadvance note taking skills Everything he studies has a clear purpose in helping him reach his goal. and he’s ALL IN. New homeschool word: Earthschooling. I didn’t know this is what I was doing; but it works. No. I didn’t buy any curriculum:). Everything he does has purpose. Everything he does has purpose. Taking photographs to relax his mind and soak in the outdoors and improving his fine motor skills through sewing and crocheting earning money for medical school with: photos he’s takena DIY heart foldableHeart BOOM cardssnowman printablesteaching kids to crochet, opening his Etsy shop. He’s laser focused on his goal, and we give him time, resources and assistance by wrapping all his school in a way to align with his goals. Oh the JOY As his teacher, I lay the practical skills he needs right on top of his goals. And then I stand back and rub my eyes in astonishment with what he accomplishes. Your teen can do the same kinds of amazing. If I could whisper in your ear it would be to say… stop normal school for the next few weeks, at least for an hour or two a day and hang out with him without technology. For me, walking was the ticket. It may be going on a drive with him… you know him best. That season is a serious gauntlet where the enemy not only discourages their hearts, but floods their minds with hormones so they can be testy. Prayer is key. So is leaning into their lives and listening. Even if it’s late at night. Once you’ve spent time enjoying each other, he may be open enough to share some of his hopes/wishes with you… respond with “how can I help you get there?” And then listen and take notes.” 3 Tips to Unlocking this Magical Learning Spend enough time shoulder to shoulder with your kids that they relax and learn to TRUST YOU with their heart.LISTEN a lot more than you speak. Take notes even.Choose materials and hobbies that feed their passion. Yes, even buying gifts like this for your wanna be surgeon like we did. (He LOVES it). I learned this “How can I help you reach your goals” and then listen from Kerry Beck. Wow! One workshop from her transformed my homeschooling. PRINT THIS FREE HOMESCHOOL MOM REMINDER. This post comes with a free printable reminder list to help keep your heart focused on the heart of homeschooling. I always have the hardest staying focused. This printable simplifies it! Here is a sneak preview… DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PRINTABLE Download the checklist. You’ll get the printable, plus join 9,000+ homeschool moms who receive my weekly parenting tips and ideas!Print. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.Place it on your refrigerator as a helpful reminder. WANT MORE POSTS ON HOMESCHOOLING FROM THE HEART? Don’t homeschool your kids Godly women and homeschool You don’t need to apologize
Pi Day Fun One of the perks of being both a homeschool mom AND a mom is going over board for things like Pi Day. March 14 is when all the crazy, fun and quirky math lovers around the planet have a blast celebrating this amazing number. Yes, there’s even a PiDay Organization to fill your imagination with amazing ideas! We are Teachers has 31 Amazing Fun Pi Activities for you! “Thank you, We Are Teachers What is Pi? Pi is the sixteen letter of the Greek alphabet, and it’s also a symbol used to describe the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, meaning that pi equals the circumference divided by the diameter (π = c/d). The interesting this about pi is that mathematicians who have been working on this number believe that it is infinite, meaning that it’s not the quotient of two integers. In other words, the number pi goes on and on and on, and we don’t know where it ends! So, the number “pi” begins with the numbers 3.14159265, and goes on and on infinitely (so we think). Computers have been cranking away at the number for a while now, trying to figure out just how big it is (and if it will ever stop), and according to Number World, the number has been computed up to 10 trillion digits. Wow! How do you get in the spirit of fun days like Pi Day? Get it? Chicken Pot Pi!! But pi’s ubiquity goes beyond math.