Successful Homeschooling: What if… What if by the time you finish teaching your kids… They are kind. They are confident. They look people in the eye when spoken to. They befriend the new kids. What if: They put down their phone when others are in the room. They are strong and hard working. They know how to cook, chop wood and change the oil on a car. They are compassionate and caring. They LOVE to read and devour the written word. They never text and drive What if: They hunt down information when their interests are piqued. They can balance their checkbook and manage a budget. They can break down a project into a workable timeline. They can manage a calendar. They can create powerpoint presentations and present their ideas to a group. Related: Download your free “WHAT IF” printable What if: They know how to receive instruction. They can add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. They can measure accurately using various tools. They can take a disappointment in stride. They lose with dignity and win with humility. Follow me on YouTube What if: They pass on compliments (…”my dad taught me that”) They can manage their own small business, like lawn care. They put things back where they found them. They acknowledge that a great team is worth its weight in gold. They master the art of harmony– working together blending talents and abilities for the greater good. … 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 »
How to Homeschool: Quick Start Videos to Rescue “Help! We just decided to homeschool our kids and I’m freaking out!” I’ve received various translations of the same message from so many family members, neighbors, friends, and readers that I’m, putting all the answers on one page. –>THIS ONE. Homeschooling is like eating and elephant, you’ll have to do it one bite at a time. Pages: Page 1 Page 2
Homeschool Super Heroes Week! It’s BAAACK!!! It’s finally time to announce our super fun Back to School event. What if you could sit in the home of an experienced homeschooler, askingany question you have about homeschooling? The answer is “OF COURSE”!.If you have just 1 minute, I’ll show you the next best thing. . . A private invitation to listen to our this year’s Homeschool Super Heroes forFREE. Kerry Beck is bringing back her ever-popular event to helphomeschoolers like you get ready for the best year ever. And she’s letting me share a private invitation to grab a Free Basic Pass.Her Basic Pass allows you to watch all 60+ workshops for free, as long asyou watch them within the first 24 hours they are released. If you miss one,you can always get the All-Access Pass which gives you lifetime access toall video workshops, handouts, audio interviews and more. Click here to get all the details and your Basic Pass. Why is Kerry doing this . . . and why am I involved? We know what it’s like to be in the trenches as a homeschool mom.Sometimes you need a little encouragement or a few fun tricks fromexperienced homeschoolers. Real homeschool parents who have realexperience balancing school & family with cooking, cleaning &chauffeuring. Or even working outside the home. Plus, Kerry has a heart of GOLD! Thank you for bringing together such wonderful speakers! I am a first year homeschool mom and these have been such an inspiration to me. Jennifer During our Homeschool Super Heroes Week, you’ll get answers toquestions you have on your mind. How to overcome the overwhelm andhomeschool with confidence. FULL list of Speakers!! What topics will they cover? You probably don’t want/need to use all of these. Choose the ones youraudience will identify with.● How to include the 4 essentials to an awesome school year● How to use the holy trinity of homeschooling (my workshop!)● How to motivate your child to greatness● How to teach specific subjects● How to homeschool autistic children● How to simplify your homeschool● How to coach your child, instead of dictate● How to include Music in your homeschool● How to include Life Skills in your homeschool● Lots and lots and lots of homeschool encouragement My workshops August 25 (Day 2): The Holy Trinity of Homeschooling: Heart, Attitude, and Character August 27 (Day 4): Math- Embrace the Vocabulary and the 3 Know-Knows of Writing And so much more! I really appreciate that each interview includes the question “What would you have done differently?”. I think the recurring theme is “relax”. Last year, just starting out with a 5 year old and a 2 year old, I quickly had to keep school fairly relaxed in order for all of us to stay sane. But sometimes I’ve worried that I’m not doing enough. It’s nice to get the encouragement that it will be O.K. from those who have many years of experience and perspective. Charlene Our Homeschool Super Heroes have a combined 290+years of homeschooling experience. Find out who they are AND grab yourpass here. BONUS!! Kerry and her daughter, Gentry, will release 1 or 2 Secret Super HeroInterviews each day. Gentry is a homeschool graduate and now a mom.She will ask the hard questions, others avoid asking. With the Basic Pass,you can listen to these short, spontaneous interviews, just like theworkshops. Click here to get your Basic Pass now. I have a Special Bonus for everyone who upgrades to the {ADD LINK: All Access Pass with my link! To get your I CAN Teach My CHILD ($25 Value) completely FREE . . . {Add Link!}Click here to get your All-Access Pass at the Early Bird Special PriceEmail me a screenshot or copy of your receipt with your order number, so I can verify you clicked my link to buy the bag.We will email the FREEBIE to you. Please allow 24-48 hours to process your request. What past attendees have said about this amazing week. My AHA moment was when you talked about teaching the kids to plan out their own week. I’ve been doing almost all the planning for my kids. But I know they need to learn time management for themselves. Plus if they have a hand in it, they will own what they’re doing better. Brilliant – thank you! Cynthia It has been great to sit back and relax as I take in so many wonderful tips from homeschoolers who have gained so much over the years. There is always something new to learn. Kelly It’s just always fantastic to get some perspective on parenting and homeschooling, and so timely, at the beginning of the year 🙂 Kimberly This is very encouraging in accomplishing my day to day duties of many roles. Thank you for this!!!! Michelle S YES!! There’s an ALL Access Pass!!
How to Teach at Home Quick Steps to setting you up for teaching at home. Even if you don’t know where to beginEven if you’re over whelmed at the thoughtEspecially if you want to begin in the EASIEST way possible! Know your CORE reasons. Establish your MASTER Goals! Recognize Homeschool Planning Season FREE: Notes to help you through Homeschool Planning SeasonDownload
Homeschool Conference 2018: Right at your Kitchen Table Inside: a personal invite to a homeschool conference in your yoga pants! About 20 years ago, five homeschool moms jumped into a van and went on a journey to our first homeschooling convention. Leaving behind husbands, babies, and small children we were convinced we needed this conference to set us up for success in our school year. … Read More »
Relaxed Homeschool? Yes, It’s possible! Inside: Homeschooling can be rip-your-hair-out hard. These Tips will help you hold on to your sanity and all of your hair. I almost hit my goals with homeschooling. I know, “Almost doesn’t count except in horseshoes, hand grenades”, and homeschooling. Grandma always said, “you cannot hit a goal unless you have a target.” I aim for being a loving wife, a cool mom and a relaxed homeschooler. That is my target. Relaxed homeschooling. Yep. I try to hit that one every day, week, month and year of homeschooling. Sometimes, I even hit my goal! It has taken me years to realize that relaxed homeschooling is not lazy homeschooling. …Read More »
3 Proven Ways to Homeschool LAZY Boys without Losing Your Mind Photo by Agnieszka Bladzik Sitting by a warm fire. Drinking coffee. In my jammies. Jealous? Don’t be. I just don’t feel like doing anything today. I have my lazy turned up to high. Since I am not characterized by being lazy, my family is simply pleasantly surprised that I am “chilling”. They are curled up with books or movies in this same room. Heaven. When dinner comes around, I will not win friends and influence people if I say, “I forgot to make dinner” though will I? Not in my house full of men. They want to eat:). Laziness is one of those strange things. It is so appealing on a rainy afternoon, like today as I write this. But laziness to the point that responsibilities are neglected is simply intolerable. photo by Seth Doyle Now three things personify laziness: A male lion lazing in the shade, An overfed house cat, And a 12-year-old boy…. Read More »
From 8th Grader to Man: Homeschooling through High School Son #3 is currently wrapping up 8th grade. That’s right, high school is just around the summer corner. It is time to make “the list”. What list? The “Everything I want to teach you before you graduate from High School” list. … Read More »
Homeschooling and Life: Perspective I’m sitting here enjoying a cup of coffee next to my youngest son. It’s raining outside. Really raining. We flipped the sofa around so we could enjoy the stunning fall view out of our window (in the picture), and it got me thinking about perspective. Life gets crazy. Toddlers find nail polish and paint the floor. Teenagers spend all day on social media and then need help on an essay late at night. Coworkers try to undermine each other. The paycheck runs out before the next payday. The power goes out and nothing in my agenda was able to be accomplished. Etcetera Life. Home. HomeSchool. Work. Ministry. They can all become dark, dreary, and dismal at times, can’t they? When they do, flip the “sofa” around. I’m a Jesus believing, faith walking, prayer warrior. Yet, I can still get down right despondent, disturbed, and depressed (Dr. Seuss). I have to make small tweaks to my day to improve my outlook. Suggestions? These will sound simplistic, but they have worked for me this week: Rainy and dark: flip the sofa around and look out the window. Teenager misused his time: sat next to him and helped him on his essay, hugged him tight, and removed his phone from his hand the next day. Paycheck runs out before payday (we really try to stick to our budget): made “depression meal” of Bush beans and hotdogs. Kids loved it. Power outage: great day! We went for a walk and enjoyed the beautiful place we currently lived and discovered: We are going to identify each next week (homeschool impromptu lessons) Co-worker drama: prayed, really prayed (have you seen War Room?). God stepped in and saved the day. Is homeschool not working? Change your perspective: Take the kids outside. find something cool and then go learn about it together. Try notebooking Go to the library and find books related to whatever you are studying in history and science. Marinate in the topics. Go to discovery education or YouTube and find videos about whatever you are learning. (You’ll need to pre-screen them). Put the kids in charge of school for a day. They teach you! Cook a meal or dessert together to bless another family. Participate in a community event. Join a 5k run with the kids and train together. Visit you nearest museum. Go to the park, farms, beaches, caves, mountains, deserts, or prairies near you. give your kids dry erase markers and do “school” on the mirrors or windows. Tape their papers under their chairs and have them work lying on their backs. We get into ruts. So do our kids. Changing our perspective is sometimes all it take to bounce to a better place!
How to Set Homeschool Goals that are Worth Achieving Ready to Set Homeschool Goals that are manageable and achievable? How about goals that will benefit your children more than helping them pass a test? Yesterday, my 13-year old made me promise that I would NOT do the dishes for him while he was outside playing. It was almost dark and I was “forcing my kids to go play” before the light was gone for another day, and my son wouldn’t budge. He knew that I was in putter mode and that I was heading toward his lunch dishes. Would you like to raise kids that get in between you and a dirty kitchen? Do you dream about kids that race you to the dryer so they can be the ones who grab that warm load of laundry that needs to be folded and put away? Can you imagine eating a delicious meal that was planned and prepared by your teenagers while you were not in the kitchen? Grab a copy of Homeschool Guide for Real Families. Here is what you will find: Included: What makes a successful homeschooler? Survival Plan How to Homeschool: Setting goals Establish Goals Worksheets Identifying Children’s Strengths and Weaknesses Over 16 years of teaching/homeschooling wisdom Identifying educational benchmarks Choosing curriculum Planning school year worksheets A Year at a Glance Worksheets Unit Study Worksheets My Favorite Resources Staying Organized Sound good? As a homeschooler, I never had a large homeschooling budget. I have always taught on a shoestring budget, creating what I need along the way. I wanted to be able to share so much value with you that you would feel like you found buried treasure. I am so blessed to be able to work from home as I school our boys. None of this would be possible without the love and support of my husband and five of our children!
Am I a Good Enough Homeschool Teacher? I wrestle with feelings of insecurity when it comes to homeschooling our boys. Sometimes I wonder if I am the best teacher for my children… Am I alone? Last week I picked up the novel my son was reading to help him with comprehension. He is reading Call it Courage. As I read the first chapter I realized that this book was not about a boy’s struggle with war. (That’s right! I never even noticed the cover) Good Lord, help my children! OK. I am not the most literate adult I know. In fact I did not read one book in high school. I was that student that could scan and skim, gather the right information and quotes to get an “A” in the class while never really having to read anything. I was pleasantly surprised by the plot of this tiny little book my son was reading, yet it made me question my ability to lead him. How could I possibly teach this child when I couldn’t even scan a book in advance to know it was about an island culture and their worship of courage? How could I look myself in the mirror and be confident in my ability to help my son love learning? After about three days of feeling bad, I realized my son’s interest had awakened as he read about and drew the setting of the story: an island surrounded by a beautiful coral reef. I picked up a Coral Reef book filled with fantastic photographs and we began exploring the complexity and delicacy of these living structures. Oh my, we were and continue to be captivated! In our research we discovered a new creature: The mantis shrimp. Holy smokes! This little guy is fantastic. Supposedly this creature has the fastest movement in the animal kingdom as it punches its prey. We had to learn more… A quick internet search, led us to one of my favorite YouTube Channels “Smarter Every Day” and viola, there was the beautiful, powerful, and astounding mantis shrimp. This one is worth watching with your kids! So there you go. A ride on my homeschooling merry go round. First I allow my son to read a book that I know nothing about. second, I form an opinion about the book strictly by its title. Then, I am struck “dumb” as I read to catchup with my son. next I see an opportunity to follow a rabbit trail down an area of interest. Then, we become engrossed and amazed in a little creature we didn’t even know existed. Yep, a successful homeschooling week I’d say. Of course, I failed again when I fell for the “Finding Nemo is all about a coral reef”: hook, line and sinker. How about you? Do you ever struggle with feeling like you fall short as a homeschooler?
Guest Blogger Melissa Jenkins: Teachers and Homeschoolers Sharing Wisdom Ready for some more teacher/educator/homeschooling sharing? I am pleased to introduce you to Melissa Jenkins of My Broken Bootstraps. Melissa is fellow homeschooling mom and educator with a passion for teaching and she has so much knowledge to share with us! Be sure to visit her blog and grab some of her resources! ~Bekki Without further to do… Here’s Melissa! I have always known I would be a teacher. I remember lining up my dolls and stuffed animals as a child and diligently teaching them their ABCs every Saturday. While others worried about their career paths, I had an inner calm already knowing my purpose. And I was right. Twenty years out of college I can look back and see the many students whose lives I touched. More importantly, so many of them touched me. I have worked with infants through college, Deaf Education, Special Education, and Regular Education. I have had students that are adults now find me on Facebook and tell me how much I helped them. Several have become teachers themselves and give me some credit for making that decision. And yet… Without a doubt the students I loved teaching the most are my own twin daughters, now age 19. They are one week from graduating high school and I couldn’t be more proud. They both have learning disabilities, so school was a long hard battle for them as well as me. Their first grade teacher said Megan and Katie needed to repeat that grade, so they did. With me. I homeschooled them to the dismay of several public school teacher friends. We did not follow the typical public or private school curriculum. I saw how they learned. I knew where the gaps were and decided to focus on that alone. We did reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic, with an emphasis on reading. By the end of the semester, Megan, who entered homeschool as a non-reader, was now reading on a second grade level. We had gained two and a half years in one semester. Talk about miracles! The next time we decided to homeschool was during the terrifying Middle School years. I took a break from teaching other students to focus on my own. We had the joy of homeschooling 6th – 8th grades. There were many reasons behind this, but the main one was we wanted to draw them closer to our family unit. This is such a risky time when so many choices have life-long consequences, either good or bad. My daughter Katie has since come to me and admitted that if we had not homeschooled her during middle school, we might very well had lost her. She has already declared that she will be doing the same when she has children of her own. While homeschooling my own children, I pulled so much information from my training and experience as a professional teacher. I have been on both sides of the tracks. I fully support any family that wants to homeschool their children. Just as I heard dismay from public school teachers when I let them know of my plans to teach at home, I saw the wringing hands of homeschool families when we decided to put them back in public school. I have never understood why there are opposite “camps” on this issue. I think that at times there can be a benefit to both sides. As a professional teacher I have had the opportunity to try new things with a variety of students and happily tuck away the successful ones for future use. Here are a few ideas I have used when my students are struggling. One of the most difficult skills a good teacher MUST learn to do is break down information into smaller bites. WE know the information already, but our children do not. Think from the child’s perspective. Break the information down into small steps. Do not go to step two until they understand step one. This takes a lot more time, but it is so worth it in the end. Don’t be afraid of silence. When you ask your child a question, wait. And wait. Aaaand wait. The fancy word for this is latency, but the purpose is the same. We already know the information, and the fact that we were going to ask it. Your child does not have that knowledge. Plus, if it is a child who is struggling, they may need longer time to process that information. Variety is the spice of life. It is also the spice to teaching. When you are teaching something new, talk about it, read about it, youtube about it, make something about it… Make sure your child has the opportunity to see it, hear it, visualize it, and experience it. The more opportunities they have to learn in different ways, the better they will internalize the information. Wash, rinse, repeat. Repetition is critical for a struggling learner. Research has shown that young readers need to hear a story read to them up to 20 times in order to internalize it. It’s the same with any new information. Go back to information you have already taught and review it from time to time. After you’ve taught the concept, let them take a turn to be the teacher and explain it to you or a younger sibling. Random Teacher/Mommy Handwriting Hack: When you are working with a child that has atrocious handwriting, try writing what you want them to practice with a yellow highlighter first. They can copy the highlighted letters and get a feel for how they move. This will give them more confidence when they write on their own. A Freebie from Melissa: Math Anchor Charts-Freebie Two more favorites: Literacy Activities Detective Family Kit Writing Center Kit-Posters and Activities Also, I try to have freebies every Monday on my blog. It has not been as regular as I wanted, but I think I am back on track. Thank you so much for this opportunity! Melissa Jenkins, aka My Broken Bootstraps Disclosure: I receive no monetary perks for any of the teaching and learning packets shared in this post. I am simply trying to share my heart for becoming a better educator by connecting great teachers with great homeschoolers. We have so much to learn from each other!
Creativity and Boredom My dad always said creativity and imagination lived just on the other side of boredom. I watch this truth play out not only in my own life, but the lives of my children as well. I have 5 very talented and creative boys. Yes, I am biased, but I am telling you it’s true. My boys are Lego architects, writers, painters, musicians, and simply a whole bunch of fun to be around. Before I sound too much like a snotty prideful mom, I want to repeat what my dad always told me: “Creativity and Imagination live just on the other side of boredom.” Here is the secret to growing amazingly creative and imaginative kids… …Let them be bored! Allow your kids to get bored. I mean really bored. Do not rescue them (unless there’s blood). Do not turn on the TV and absolutely ban “all things electronic. Tell them all you have is an endless list of chores for them to complete if they come to you for suggestions. If the weather permits, send ’em outside and tell them they cannot come in until the timer dings. At least an hour! Sit back and wait… Depending on how over-stimulated and over scheduled your kids are, there will likely be a delay between their first boredom appointment and the flow of creativity. It could be a few minutes, or a few days. Trust me it is worth the wait! Plan for periods of boredom regularly. Daily is best. Summer is meant for this type of schedule- embrace it. You may think I am crazy, but I am quite sane. Its the bored kids who create the “new games”. Its the bored kids who create awesome forts. Its the bored kids who write creative stories. Its the bored kids who think painting a fence is fun. Its the bored kids who weave complicated characters and events into their make-believe playtime. Its the bored kids who change the world. Now, if you just cannot handle the thought of allowing your children to become really bored, or if the thought of the possibly whining makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck: cheat. Go to the local thrift stores and let them buy some new dress-up clothes. Pick up a few (or a few dozen) empty cardboard boxes. Buy an assortment of PVC piping and let them create. Find a spell-binding book to read aloud at breakfast or lunch. Be sure to stop reading at an exciting part! This is a great time to send them off. My kids end up personifying literary characters often! Buy some spiral bound notebooks and “special pens” to help them write a creative story (Tell them you will not correct spelling and grammar… just let them write). Invite a “cool big kid” over to play. As homeschoolers we can over schedule our children’s lives to the point of physical and mental exhaustion. Slow down. Let the lull of summer on the horizon remind us that it is more than OK to slow down. We need to allow our children to come to the end of their schedules in order to provide time and opportunity for creativity. Download your FREE “Creativity and Boredom” {Printable}
How the Heck to Plan a Successful Homeschool Day Inside: How the Heck to Plan a Successful Homeschool Day and what to do when everything goes wrong. Homeschool kids smell an unplanned day like wild animals smell fear. Normally this is not an issue. I take the time to sit and think through what we are doing in our homeschool day about 4-6 weeks at a time. I create an easy to follow calendar for each of the boys so they know that- “mom has a plan for today, so I better get busy.” I am a little stressed right now because my current calendar/plan runs out in less than 36 hours. Related: I have a free homeschool Success plan Printable for your refrigerator! The fact that I am not ready for the next step is like a ticking time bomb.Come Monday morning, if I do not have a clear plan of attack for our homeschooling week, my boys will eat me alive. Kids KNOW when we do not have a plan. The run, they hide, they break out the Legos right after breakfast, they seem stunned that we expect them to clean their dirty faces, fix their bed-heads and GASP- learn something. If you do not have a plan, your kids will suddenly forget how to get up, make their beds, add and subtract, multiply and divide, and write legibly. They may even forget that they are homeschooled. I think it is a conspiracy. “Psst-Maybe if we pretend to forget how to do school mom will let us play all day and live in our pajamas.” Can you relate?If kids do not see that we are well prepared for our day, week, or topic they do not buy in to whatever learning experience we set before them. They see us grab our teacher’s manual and then say, “OK, let’s get going. We have a lot of school to do today.” They see us begin reading the lesson and make that certain face that says, “what am I supposed to They see us begin reading the lesson with a confused expression and they silently whisper, “She doesn’t know what to do, let’s slip away”. When we, the teachers, finally grasp the core of today’s lessons they have snuck away from the school area and are resentful that we try to lasso them back to school. If you are honest, you would resent attending a class where the teacher wasn’t prepared too. I took the time to come to school, surely she could have prepared in advance to teach me. You took the time to come to school, surely she could have prepared in advance to teach you. Right? Our kids are no different. They need to see that we have invested in their education by taking the time to become familiar and excited about the learning material before we declare it is time for school. Kids smell a day without a plan and begin wiggling to get out immediately. What can we do: Plan school for 2-6 weeks at a time. In pencil. Become extremely familiar with the material before we try to present it to our kids. (remember the teacher from Ferris Beuller? Help us not be like him! I know this is hard. It takes time. I am currently teaching High School Algebra and Biology to our freshman- no fun. But I have to put in the time to study, otherwise, I confuse the hell out of him.) Schedule lessons out for 2-6 weeks in advance. Write them in pencil, so that when life happens you simply erase and begin again the next day. Never try to teach the school week without a plan. Even if you take a rabbit trail because your kids show a sudden interest in penguins, you will be much better prepared. As homeschoolers include a dinner plan/menu into your school day. Be excited about what you are learning together. How do I plan? I have 4-5 weeks of student calendars printed and ready to go, labeled with their names and dates. I teach 5 core subjects: Bible, Math, English, History, and Science FIRST, mark off all school holidays and family days. I schedule math in first. Cause, it’s easy. It usually is just the next number lesson. I include activities like flashcards, videos, and games in my calendars. If I do not schedule flashcards, the kids do not do flash cards. Kids need reminders. Next, I schedule the rest of the “do the next page” assignments. Handwriting, handwriting, phonics workbook pages, and spelling. Now I have to think. I plan a weekly memory verse and Bible reading. True brain power needed. I have a 5-6 week history focus. History is my core, my golden thread. I look for 3-5 main ideas to pull from a lesson and look for English, Math, and Science activities that go along with what we are learning. I have to skim the readings, pull vocabulary and scour for student activities that will work with my boys. This year I am using Story of the World and they have a great Activity Book from which I pull reading comprehension, map, art, and cooking activities. And then, of course, there is Pinterest. I have a whole series of Homeschool boards to help you and help me. Science is my weakest subject as a teacher. Alas, I am not entirely sure why, but even superman had a weakness. Science is mine. Again, I deal with science in chunks: main idea, 3-5 learning objectives, and at least one hands-on activity per topic. (This is ideal. I am lucky to get 2 experiments in a year). I plan English last. The older my kids, the more I plan. Younger kids need lots of time reading, being read to. Older kids need more and more time writing. Here is a great list to help you teach writing. Lastly, I double check my pencil calendars against the master calendar looking for conflicts. Are we home all of the days I planned to teach school? Are there any obvious monkey-wrench days (days that are destined to fail before they begin). I make adjustments whenever necessary. Sacrifice While every homeschool family has different goals and ambitions, talents and abilities, we all sacrifice something to homeschool.My husband and I personally sacrifice time. Lots of time. It is not easy homeschooling a troop of boys of various ages, grades, interests and learning styles. After 18 years I have learned that the key to success is being prepared before the day begins. Grab your FREE copy!
Homeschooling 101: A Guide to Getting Started, by Confessions of a Homeschooler Sign up here to receive freebies, deals, and resources!! This post contains my referral link which helps support the work of this site. Here’s my full disclosure policy. Today I am featuring one of my favorite bloggers! Erica@ Confessions of a Homeschooler is a true inspiration to me as a mom and homeschooler. This past year she released an amazing resource for homeschoolers, that is a must-have for newbies!! Enjoy this post from Erica. So you’ve finally decided to homeschool…but have no clue where to get started? After thousands of emails asking for help getting started homeschooling, I thought a book that set it all out for you in a step-by-step format would a great benefit to new and current homeschoolers! Homeschooling 101 is a step by step practical guide that will help you to get started, and continue on in your homeschooling journey. It is designed to help guide you through all of the steps to getting started, choosing and gathering curriculum, creating effective lesson plans, scheduling your day, organizing your home, staying the course and more! It even includes helpful homeschooling forms! Just the mere thought of homeschooling can be a very daunting task. Delving into the unknown can also create an element of self-doubt that fills your mind right off the bat. That coupled with an overwhelming task of choosing and gathering curriculum, creating lesson plans, organizing supplies, and teaching multiple grade levels can be quite disheartening. But don’t worry, in this book it is my intention to offer you a step by step practical guide that will help you to get started and continue on in your homeschooling journey. I will help guide you through all of the steps to getting started, choosing and gathering curriculum, creating effective lesson plans, scheduling your day, organizing your home, staying the course, and more! As you may have heard already, there is no one right way to homeschool. This book is by no means a rigid set of rules that must be followed exactly. Instead it is a tool to provide you with the means to get started in your journey. Take from it what makes sense for your family, and alter that which needs to be changed to fit the unique needs of your homeschool. I thought a quick glimpse at the table of contents would help give you an idea of all the valuable goodies included in this book. Chapter 1: You’ve Decided to Homeschool… Now What? Chapter 2: Choosing Curriculum Chapter 3: Gathering Curriculum Chapter 4: Creating Effective Lesson Plans Chapter 5: Getting Organized Chapter 6: Starting School – Day 1 Chapter 7: Homeschooling Multiple Grades Chapter 8: Homeschooling & Discipline Chapter 9: Standardized Testing Chapter 10: Homeschooling with Toddlers Chapter 11: Homeschooling Your Preschooler Chapter 12: Homeschooling Kindergarten & Elementary Chapter 13: Homeschooling Jr. & High School Chapter 14: Homeschooling on a Budget Chapter 15: Starting Homeschool Midyear Chapter 16: Switching Curriculum Midyear Chapter 17: Homeschooling an Only Child Chapter 18: Homeschooling & the Working Parent Chapter 19: Homeschooling & Special Needs Chapter 20: What about Socialization? Chapter 21: Time Management & Keeping your Sanity Chapter 22: Homeschool Burnout Chapter 23: Staying the Course & Naysayers Appendix (Helpful Homeschool Forms, including a FREE Lesson Planner!) Resources & Links Make no mistake, this is not a pamphlet full of fluff, instead it is full of helpful information, tools, and resources! I also did my best to include requests from my readers as well, so hopefully I covered most things related to homeschooling. While I realize that all homeschools are different, new homeschooling families still need a tangible starting point. With over 100 pages of valuable information and tools, Homeschooling 101 will guide you through your homeschooling process! There is also a free printable lesson planner in the Appendix for all of you who would like a little color added to your day! And of course I added a TON of awesome homeschool planning forms to help you get organized! Sign up here to receive freebies, deals, and resources!!
Projects Don’t Have To Be Fancy! I am so thankful that homeschooling projects do not have to be planned or fancy to have their full impact on my kids learning. Aren’t you glad too? The boys were reading a chapter in Story of the World: Ancient Times and simply could not describe to me how a shaduf would work after reading the selection. They each read it. I reread it. I read it again. Somehow their brains could not picture this ancient irrigation tool. Solution: Impromptu Science, Physics, History Hands-on Learning Experience Materials: 2 sticks at least 4 feet long A Bucket of water A ziplock bag some kind of weight (they chose a shopping bag with pool balls) some string Directions:“Boys, here are the basic elements for making a shaduf. Figure out how to put them together in a way that allows you to fill the baggie with water from the bucket and then swing the arm around to water your make-believe garden.” Results: Dipping bag into the water Swinging the water around to reach the “garden”. “Crops” being watered. Here’s a (windy) explanation of what they learned, narrated by the youngest. Sometimes less is more in homeschooling. I had a whole afternoon of schooly looking activities planned for the boys. Instead, they were able to use critical thinking to solve a problem, build with their hands, and play in the water for over an hour. They learned more in this activity than I had planned for them to accomplish, even though we have nothing on paper to show for it. Aint Homeskoolin” Grate? (Yes, I misspelled on purpose. Sometimes you just have to jump out of the box!) [leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=14776fb46639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox]
Homeschooling: Step Three- How Do I Homeschool? When I looked over my first stacks of teaching materials I panicked. “You mean I have to teach this stuff?” Photo by Jon Toney Curriculum- “those stacks of learning materials we rely upon to teach their kids”, can freak out the best of us. Over the last two decades, I have learned to approach curriculum very differently. I no longer feel chained to this page or that lesson. Instead, I rely on what I call the covered wagon approach. The Covered Wagon You can also call this style of teaching/learning: thematic learning, or unit study. First: We choose a focus for the current period of study. I call this choosing the ” Golden Thread”. An example of a Golden Thread: Study Native American History for North America. Second: I need you to look at the picture of the covered wagon. Use your imagination with me. This wagon is on a journey to some destination. There are 4 wheels solidly on the ground to help the wagon make it to its destination. The wagon is steered and controlled by the grown-ups or older children. There are extra horses to facilitate quick side trips. Lastly, notice that the wagon itself is full of supplies and activities to occupy the travelers. How you Teach Using this method We first choose a destination (In this example: studying Native American History). This is where we decide what our final project will be to present what we have learned. Need Ideas for Projects? I have a Unit Study Idea Sheet for you at the end of this article. Second, we look down and see our 4 foundational Wheels: History, Science, Math, and English (Language and literature). We will look for ways to incorporate each of these subjects while teaching about Native American History. History: learn about the main native American groups. Focus: for each group of Native Americans learn: where they lived, what was the climate, what kinds of clothing did they wear, what they ate, did they worship a god? Science: Focus: examples: study weather. create graphs of your local weather, compare that with weather in the areas that the native tribe you are currently studying lived. Study Native American weapons. English: Focus spelling and vocabulary around the tribe you are studying. Choose 5-20 words a week to learn. Choose books to read together and independently about Native Americans. Complete daily copy work about Native Americans, weekly narration about Native Americans, and weekly dictation. Math: Estimate the distance from one tribe to another. research whether each tribe had a way to record numbers and record data. Complete word problems focus on Native Americans. The 4 Wheels of History, Science, English, and Math are your foundation. Just like the wheels of a real wagon would be on the ground every day, these subjects would make up your core learning. Third: Remind yourself that the wagon is “controlled” by older children and adults. A 5-year-old will not necessarily determine that they want to study Native Americans, but an older student might. Remind yourself that you are ultimately responsible for your destinations, but there are almost no wrong places to study! You choose! Fourth: In the picture above there is a lone rider on a fresh horse. With the Covered Wagon Approach, you need to be ready to break free from the wagon when a spontaneous learning opportunity presents itself. For example, maybe your student becomes fascinated with the Appaloosa horse of the plains nation. Take a side trail to study the Appaloosa and other breeds of horses. Look for ways to incorporate Math, Science, English and History while you are on this side trail. Once the burst of Inspired Learning fades, go back to the wagon. Fifth: The covered wagon. Just like the picture shows a wagon full of supplies and activities, you carry into your teaching an endless supply of activities and field trips to supplement your child’s learning. This is where art, music, dance, technology and things like theater fit in. Where can you go, what can you do, how can you see, taste, smell what you are learning about? In our Native American Study you could research and explore Native American Art and learn how to reproduce things like beaded bracelet’s, you could download Native music, attend a POW WOW in your area, visit the museum, watch History Channel Movies (or even Disney Movies), research YouTube videos, interview a local Native American and more. The Covered Wagon Approach means you jump into a golden thread and focus all your learning in that direction. You choose an historical focus and design, plan or purchase programs that incorporate all of those 4 foundational disciplines into that particular area of learning (You really do not need a specific curriculum to learn/teach this way: With the exception of math where you will learn from a math program of some sort. This can be as free or expensive as you desire!) Download your FREE “Unit Study Ideas” {Printable} Join us for the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Curriculum has nothing to do with homeschooling success Showers are optional and overrated No amount of knowledge looks beautiful on someone with a terrible attitude Coffee is one of the major food groups Children’s shirts have four clean surfaces: Front, back, inside front, and inside back Feeding kids chicken nuggets and corndogs don’t make you a bad mom The Lord will lead the way in raising and educating my kids
Lapbooking Resources Lapbooks are fun ways to organize what your kids are learning into a fun project that they will be proud to share! I love this article by Tina. Not everyone is cut out for ALL that lap booking can be. It can be too much coloring, cutting, and crafting for some kids (or their moms). Tina from Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool does a great job sharing how to balance the idea of lap booking when the reality is that your kids don’t want to color, cut and paste! Preview of the Heart of Homeschooling God’s Way Master Class. We need to STOP measuring success by grades, achievements, awards, and worksheets.
Homeschooling: Step Two I don’t always fail, but when I do it’s with epic style. photo by Maria I threw an egg at a trash can and missed. Splat! Tried to sit on a cooler at a tailgate party. A styrofoam cooler. Crunch! Backed the car into a parking space at the library and hit a pole. Dent. What do All of these things have in common? … Read More »