Homeschooling? Here Are Six Things You Should Know

If you're just starting out in homeschooling, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed. This is my attempt to set your mind at ease.

I've noticed a common theme among questions asked by those new to homeschooling. For lack of a better title, I'll call them "should I" questions. Should I use this curriculum? Should I do notebooking or stick with workbooks? Do you think my seven year old should be reading by now? What should I do when my kid won't sit still?

I find it puzzling that someone would ask me what is best for their child. Now, I'm not saying it's wrong to ask for advice. Advice can be very useful. However, I think a lot of these questions come from mothers who are feeling a bit unsure of their ability to carry out this undertaking now that they have committed themselves to it.

So, since you asked, here is my advice: No one knows your kids better than you do.

The Best Educational Philosophy Is Your Own 

Maybe it's mother's intuition, maybe its just because you are living in close proximity, but you know those kids much better than I do. I can tell you what works with my kids, but I'm pretty sure your kids aren't any more like my kids than they are like the thirty or so kids that would be in the same class with them if they were to go to a public school. Isn't that part of the reason you are homeschooling them -so you could teach them in a way that was best for them?

There is a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from the writings of vetran homeschoolers such as Charlotte Mason and Ruth Beechick, and from systems like the Principal Approach or Classical Education. But if your effort to mimic these philosophies and ideas is interfering with your ability to teach your child, you are defeating your purpose.

Relax, you can do this! If you think about it, homeschooling really isn't much different than the rest of life. All those birds, flowers, trees, and animals you pointed out to them were an introduction to science. And they were learning math every time you said, "You may have two pieces of cheese, but only one cookie." If you taught your child to talk, teaching them to read is just the next step. And since you've been reading to them since they were little, you must know what books they would enjoy. So, pick out a few that will double as a history lesson. Every parent is a home educator. Some of us just do it more often.

Curriculum Is A Tool 

Just as there are many great homeschool philsophies to choose from, there are also many wonderful curriculums. However, even the "best" curriculum is no good if it doesn't work for you. Remember, curriculum is just a tool, and like any other tool, it should make your life easier.

There is nothing wrong with using only part of a program or mixing two programs together. There is also nothing wrong with getting rid of a program entirely and trying something new. If money is an issue, find someplace to sell it second hand. It isn't worth your time or sanity to struggle along with a curriculum that doesn't fit. You and your childen will both end up dreading your learning time.

When choosing your curriculum, don't confine yourself to the whole "grade level" thing. Children are often ready to learn things before -or even after- the recommended grade. As I said before, no one knows your child better than you do, so teach them what you know they are ready to learn, not what everyone else says you should.

Placing children in different grade levels is an artificial system set up for organizational purposes in the institutional schools. However, in homeschooling it often makes more sense to teach a subject to all the children at the same time. There are many excellent science, history, and geography programs which are intended to be taught to multi-age levels. If you are teaching several children at the same time, this method is a great time saver.

There's More to Education Than Bookwork 

It is easy for a homeschool mother to get overwhelmed by all the responsibilities of educating the children and keeping up the home, even if she only has one or two children. However, when the household contains a large number of children, it becomes absolutely necessary that every member do their part to keep things running smoothly. All the children, from youngest to oldest, should be required to help with the daily cleaning and maintenance of the home as soon as they are able.

This, however, should not be seen as a hardship. It is not a "downside" to homeschooling or having a large family, but rather a benefit. It is not something which we should view as secondary to our childrens' education, or as getting in the way of their education, but rather as an important part of their education.

Book learning is important and should not be neglected. However, our children will also require a variety of skills throughout life, and doing chores is the perfect way to learn those skills. This type of learning should be a part of all childrens' education and you should never feel guilty for requiring it of yours.

Some of the Best Resources Are Found In Unexpected Places 

I always encourage my children to take advantage of their opportunities, because we never know if that opportunity will present itself again. It is much easier for a single young man or woman to aquire skills and knowledge that will help them later in life than it is for a married man or woman with family commiments and financial obligations to pick up those same skills when they become necessary. It is often much cheaper too.

As homeschool parents, we should always be aware of the learning opportunities that arise around us. If your hot water heater goes out, have the children watch as it is replaced (from a safe and out of the way location). If the local farmer asks your boys to spend an afternoon helping him put up hay, let them. Look for opportunities for your child to volunteer. Look for friends and relatives with special skills who are willing to pass them on to your children, then create the time and opportunity for that to happen. Take advantage of local events: ethnic festivals, library programs, VBS, concerts, plays. Visit parks or craftsmen in your area and encourage the children to ask questions.

This approach to education often calls for a sacrifice from us as parents. We must be willing to work out the details to make these experiences possible. Sometimes we must sacrifice our time to drive them to and from an event and sometimes we must sacrifice their time and the plans that we have already made for them. But these small "opportunity costs" are greatly outweighed by the benefits gained. And these opportunities don't always come more than once.

At the same time, make sure you keep a balance. Remember, you can't do it all. But do try to do what you can.

But Don't Forget To Be A Mom! 

As a second generation homeschooler, I sometimes cringe when I hear other homeschool moms talk about their "educational opportunities." I hear comments like, "We took a walk today. Mark it down for phys ed!" or "We're taking a cross country trip to visit relatives. How can I make it educational?"

While I loved being homeschooled, and I think my mom did a great job overall, I occasionally felt as if I was stuck in a perpetual classroom. Somewhere along the way I had lost my mother, and she had been replaced by SUPER TEACHER! In her enthusiasm to give me the best possible education, she sometimes forgot that it's also important to have a "life outside of school."

It's true that all of life is educational, but that's true even for those who DON'T homeschool. It's OK for your children to experience some things as nothing more than a normal part of family life. (That doesn't mean they won't learn from them.) Some things should be less about making grades and more about making memories. This is especially important in a large family where "mom time" is somewhat limited.

And One Last Thing . . . 

Don't forget that learning isn't just for kids. Mothers too often use their busy schedules to excuse themselves from any mental exercise. But just as muscles atrophy without use, so a mind that is not exercised soon turns to mush. Continuing to learn new things will not only benefit your family by making you better equipped to fulfil your duties, but it will also send a message to your children that learning is not just something one is forced to do until they are old enough to do more important things. As your child sees your enthusiasm for learning, they will become excited about learning too.

Here are three ways you can use "mother culture" to nuture your child's love of learning:

1. Set educational goals for yourself.

Think of something you want to learn and then make time to learn it. Your goals could include learning new skills or increasing your head knowledge. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

* Learn a foreign language.

* Build a web page using trial and error.

* Do a research project on that topic from the kids lessons that you wanted to know more about.

* Make a lapbook (use a kit or design your own)

* Learn how to sew, knit, or do another handcraft.

* Take a photography class.

2. Read something besides fluffy fiction or the kids school books.

Read books on homemaking, homeschooling, motherhood, or marriage. Consider these your "textbooks” which can be read and reread for insight and encouragement.  Or, read something that will help you to reach the educational goals you have set for yourself. But also read great literature- books which will stretch you and fill your mind with beautiful pictures and ideas to ponder. 

3. Nuture your own curiosity.

No trivia is trivial when it provides the opportunity for a great educational experience. Children will naturally ask questions, but they will not always know how to get the answers unless you show them. A great way to do this, is by keeping track of those times when you say "I wonder . . ." and making the effort to actually find the answer. 

Remember, learning is a lifetime experience. Enjoy the adventure!

Hands-On Homeschooling

There is an ongoing debate in the homeschool community as to the value of projects to the learning process. Some feel these types of activities should be viewed as extras which can be done if their is time after the "regular" lessons are finished. Others view them as time and money wasters, to be avoided at all costs. And still others, such as myself, view them as absolutely indispensable for teaching important life skills and for cementing knowledge in young minds. This quote by Richard Maybury, author of the Uncle Eric Series, does an excellent job of summarizing my beliefs as to why hands-on education is so important:

Experience creates models automatically . . .This is why classroom instruction via lecture is the least effective way to teach and hands-on learning by doing is the most effective. We are made in such a way that we build models automatically by doing. Typically, classroom instruction is like teaching someone to play Monopoly just by making him memorize the rules and then giving him a test on those rules. . . Unfortunately, some models are impossible to learn using hands-on process, so one method humans use to substitute for real world experience is telling stories. Stories are used to demonstrate and illustrate ideas.

Book knowledge is necessary, but it is useless if a child cannot remember it or has not been taught how to apply it. Hands-on activities can be used to enhance lessons, but some hands-on activities ARE the lessons. Stories are a good substitute when we can't experience something for ourselves, but we really learn best by doing. Hands-on projects turn abstract facts into learning that is relevant to your child. Details of a particular project are usually remembered much longer than details learned through rote memorization because the child has something concrete to attach the facts to, a memory of an EVENT that they personally participated in. 

Hands-on projects not only reinforce lessons, but they also teach a child skills which can be used in other areas. Hands-on learning accesses a different area of the brain than classroom lectures, making it possible to teach things that otherwise might not be learned. Studies done on memory disorder patient Henry Molaison provide an interesting insight into the way that our brain stores different types of learning. For instance, though Molaison was unable to retain any short term memory or convert those experiences to long term memories, he was able to retain and improve upon motor skills he had practiced, even though he couldn't remember having practiced them. Hands-on learning takes advantage of the full learning capabilities of our wonderful brains and gives equal opportunity to students who are gifted in other types of learning.

Rediscovering Our Creative Sides
The idea of adding hands-on projects to our normal educational routines can sometimes seem overwhelming, especially for those who have convinced themselves that they aren't "creative." But humans were made in the image of a creative God, and each one of us reflects that creativity in a unique way. Hands-on education is just a matter of rediscovering our own personal form of creativity, while also allowing our children to express their own creativity. The most effective form of learning will be one that feels natural and is painless to implement. This doesn't mean that it won't be messy or time consuming, but the satisfaction we receive from it will be worth the sacrifice.

Creating is good theology.  In the beginning God created. ~Ann Voskamp

All these projects are a lot of work, but the kids remember and enjoy them so much more than all the book work. And in the words of Edith Schaffer, "time can be made to have double value by recognizing that what is done today will be tomorrow's memory." and "Many times you are not choosing what to do with the two or three hours for the immediate results, but you are choosing a memory (or not to have that memory) for a lifetime." (from What Is A Family)

How hands-on is you homeschool?

Please share your ideas, or feel free to ask questions.

Keyboarding {course plans}

Keyboarding 
Prerequisites: none
Grade Level: 9-11
Credit: .5

Students taking this course will learn correct keyboarding technique and will work to improve their keyboarding speed and accuracy. Formatting of basic documents will also be taught, and students will be given opportunities to apply their keyboarding skills in “real life” situations. 

Curriculum List

• Typing Instructor

Websites  

• Basic Computer Skills Curriculum (Sorry, this link no longer works)
• Computer Skills Checklist (Sorry, this link no longer works)

Additional Projects

• Use word processing software to type and format papers for other classes.

Personal Notes: I wish we had gotten to this in earlier grades, but it is a necessary life skill. I did research course descriptions from various public high schools to make sure I could legitimately count this as a high school level class. 

D is for Dinosaur

alphabet notebook page

I knew when I started making an Alphabet Notebook with my son that it would be a hit-or-miss activity. With seven older childer to educate and a baby to care for, it is hard to find time to time to squeeze in preschool projects. But I had no idea it would be over a year before we made it to the letter "d"!

This is actually the second page we have done for this letter. The first time, we followed the example on the Totally Tot's website and made a daisy. It was a disaster. There was no way to make it look right AND make it look like a "d." Besides, daisies don't really hold much appeal to rough and tumble little boys.

handprint dinosaurs

Yesterday CJ and I made handprint dinosaurs like the ones on Red Ted Art's Blog. He had so much fun that today I got up early today and made a pattern for a "d is for dinosaur" notebook page. He was thrilled and ran upstairs as soon as we had finished putting it together so he could show it to his oldest sister. I hope you enjoy it as much as he did.

d is for dinosaur coloring page and pattern

Chemistry In Our Kitchen

I know this looks like a dark, chocolate-y, half-eaten cake . . . And you are probably wondering (when our family has not been eating much sugar or gluten for several months) why a cake would be sitting in our kitchen. But it is really NOT a cake. It is a science experiment.

OK, OK. It IS a cake. A really yummy cake. But it is a cake that my daughter was required to bake as one of the experiments in her Advanced Chemistry text. (The sacrifices we make for science!) In fact, ALL the experiments she will be doing this year involve cooking.

After watching my sons struggle through Apologia Chemistry, I vowed that none of my other children would ever be required to use that text. I had already purchased The Element curriculum by Ellen McHenry, for my oldest son to use, and I really liked it. Originally I had planned to have my daughter go through that, along with some other books we own. However, when I saw that Scott McQuerry (aka Mr. Q) had come out with a curriculum that taught chemistry through cooking, I knew it would be the perfect fit for my daughter. She will also be watching the Chemistry 101 videos. These are excellent, Christian videos which explore the history of chemistry. They are well made, and fascinating to watch. And they come with a printable booklet which shows how to use the videos for high school credit.

(Yep, that's what we do for science around here. We eat cake and watch movies. Ha, ha!)

Ten Things We Did This Summer

1. Built a Fort

 

2.  Made Chocolate Pudding Pops



3. Experimented With Vinegar and Baking Soda



4. Picked Some Fruit



5. Planted and Tended a Garden

6. Had a (Giant) Water Balloon Fight

7. Played Barefoot



8. Watched Fireworks

9. Made Jelly (and sampled it!)

10. Visited Friends

I can't believe it's almost over!



Curriculum Plans For The Coming Year

The intention of this post is to give you a look at our curriculum plans for the 2012-2013 school year. However, any list of curriculum used in our eclectic homeschool will automatically be inaccurate and misleading. The problem is that a simple list of curriculum does not show all the things we learn from that are not curriculum. It doesn't show the opportunities we will take advantage of during the school year, nor the various other resources that we add to to those texts. It does not show how we use those texts. Most importantly, it does not reflect the dozens of changes we are sure to make before it is over. What it does do is show you a few of the tools we will be using.

My 16 & 15 year old's Bible study and an
altered notebook to use with the Christian
living books I've assigned for them to read.

So, what's the plan? 
Last year I encountered resistance from a few of my children who were more interested in getting done than getting educated. It was discouraging, and by the end of the year I was pretty burnt out. These three are very alike in personality and learning style. They learn very well by building and doing and experimenting and talking, but they don't want to follow directions or record what they discover. This means that any written assignment becomes a battle ground.

This year has honestly been the most difficult year to plan since we began homeschooling. In fact, we are hoping to start school in four weeks, and I still have not purchased some of my books, nor even decided on everything we will be using. After 12 years of homeschooling, you expect to know everything there is to know about teaching your children. It is hard to admit that your ideas of how to teach don't always match up to how your children learn. In fact, your ideas of how your children learn don't even always match up to how your children learn. So, once again, we will be changing our methods. I'm not sure exactly what this will look like, but I do know that I would like to help my children take a greater interest in their own educations. I want to help them set goals, and give them more freedom in how those goals are accomplished. (Here are two articles I just read that were very helpful: 3 Tips to Transform Your Homeschool Year and Not Working Out?)

I have two students who will be graduating this year and one that will be "unofficially graduating." She will be finishing most of her "scholastic" studies this year, and spend the next year or two on more home-centered studies. (As I was planning out this year, I realized why it is useful to have a plan for all four years of highschool from the beginning. After three very heavy years, there wasn't much left for my three oldest to study this year. I think they would have prefered to spread the load out a little more, but at least we can look forward to a more relaxed year.) So, this year will be one of "tying up loose ends" for my three oldest students.

In addition to their basic subjects, my four youngest students will be doing reports on literature books chosen  off a list of approved titles. They will also be working on scripture memory and will be allowed to choose which verses they work on. Each report written or verse learned will earn them points which they will be able to redeem for (yard sale bought) prizes. Because some of the children have shown weaknesses in  spelling and penmanship (see last paragraph), we will also be emphasizing those.

My  16 and 15 year old sons will be doing the Prepare Thy Work Bible study from Doorposts. In addition to searching the scriptures to learn about the various principles taught, there is a list of supplementary books to read. They, along with their 14 year old sister, will also be doing Auto Upkeep, The Money Book For Teens, penmanship, logic, writing research papers, Bible copywork, and typing. My 14 year old will also be doing Saxon Algebra and the 15 year old a study of animal husbandry/anatomy.

Home Education and The Preschooler

Although I believe strongly that children should be taught as much as possible, as young as possible, I also believe this teaching should take place in a fun and non-pressured environment. I have never set my children down to learn their colors, numbers, or shapes. They pick those up pretty easily in day to day life. Once in a while we do traditional "preschool" activities because they are fun, but not because I think they are necessary.

My children begin "formal" schooling between the ages of 3 and 4, depending on the child, learning phonics in a relaxed way while continuing natural every day learning. Additional learning is introduced casually. I try to bring home books from the library on things that interest my children, but I also use books to introduce them to new interests. Counting and math are learned with manipulatives and games; science and history through crafts, experiments, field trips, and nature walks. Geography studies are really fun to do with little ones because you can play games, do crafts, fix foods, listen to music, and wear costumes.

I try to limit writing as much as possible. Children don't usually have the physical skills for writing until about age 6, and I gave my older children a permanent dislike of writing by pushing too much too soon. Drawing is a fun alternative way to practice these skills, without the pressure (especially drawing exercises where they are supposed to copy step-by-step). Mazes and dot-to-dots also help them to practice pencil control. There are many ways to use notebooking with younger children who aren't writing yet.

Because young children absorb things so easily, it makes sense to include them whenever possible while you are teaching the older children. It also solves the problem of "what to do with the little ones" during school hours. However, it is also good to have some alternatives for the times when it won't work to include them.

Some of the solutions we have come up with are:

1. Take advantage of nap times.
2. Have the older children take turns entertaining the younger ones while you give one-on-one attention to your older students.
3. Teach the little ones to sit quietly for short periods of time and read or color.
4. Have special toys and activities prepared which the little ones can only use during these times.
5. Place them in a safe area (a playpen or their bedroom which is closed off with a baby gate) and allow them to play by themselves while you work with the others.
6. Give them a snack (or scatter cereal or chocolate chips on the floor for a scavenger hunt- they eat off the floor when you aren't watching anyway)

Sometimes, the baby is the lesson

Preschoolers add a lot of noise and chaos to the homeschool. However, their ability to absorb information and their excitement over learning adds sparkle to the learning environment. Sometimes it is necessary to use distraction techniques in order to get the lessons done. But sometimes, the baby is the lesson. Enjoy the days with preschoolers in your homeschool. They will be gone too soon.

Parts of Speech Lapbook

Here are some pictures of a parts of speech lapbook my daughter made when she was 7.  No printables, no links. Just an example of the learning that can happen when you turn a child loose with a project idea and some scrapbooking supplies.

Getting Ready For Spring Planting

I've recently joined the Pinterest fad and while I was poking around over there, I found a couple of neat things to try out in the garden this year. I decided last fall that I wanted to grow sweet potatoes, so I was thrilled to find a link to an article explaining how to start your own sweet potato slips. It seemed like a good project for an 11 year old boy. 



starting sweet potato slips

 Then I came across another pin to an article telling how to re-grow celery from the end of a store-bought stalk. My grandpa grew up on a celery farm, and I grew listening to his stories. I've tried (and failed) growing celery from seed, so I'm excited to see if this will work. {Edited to say: despite what is claimed by the author of the post I linked to, re-growing celery does NOT produce more celery. However, if you want celery seed, you may decide to try it anyway.}

a garden on our window sill



My favorite part about homeschooling is teaching my children that education doesn't have to stop once you graduate. You can continue to learn new things all your life. Really cool things like how to start a garden on your window sill. I'll try to post an update in a week or two showing how our plants are growing.

Giving Your Kids The Credit They Are Due

fresh home canned beans

I am currently homeschooling three highschoolers and, as if the high level courses weren't enough to keep up with, I am spending a significant amount of time putting together transcripts for my two college-bound sons. One of the most exciting dicoveries I've made through this process is that many public highschools have their course descriptions posted online. It's exciting because I've come to see how many of the things my children are learning outside of their normal studies are being taught for credit in the classrooms of these highschools.

Now, let me clarify that I am not one of those mothers who tries to count every normal childhood experience as a "learning experience." I do believe that they are learning experiences, but I'm not writing them all down on their transcripts. But if students in the public schools are earning credit for classes in agricultural science, carpentry, and food prep, I think it is fair for my children to also get credit if they are doing the same work.


onions drying on the sidewalk

My children have planted and cared for two HUGE gardens in the past two years. And, due to pregnancies and births, I haven't been able to give them much help. They have learned about insect pests, plant diseases, and how to improve the soil. And they have also done quite a bit of canning, freezing, and drying. They have all been helping with meal preparation from a young age and are accomplished bakers and cooks.

My husband grew up in a family that hunted and raised their own meat and he has passed this knowledge on to his children. They have all participated in the butchering and processing of deer, cows, and pigs. They've hunted and skinned small game, and cooked things that I was too squeemish to prepare. They have butchered chickens for our own family and they have helped friends butcher for their commercial enterprises. They have seen calves being birthed, they have bottle fed goats, and they have helped castrate calves and pigs. The older boys even researched tanning and attempted to produce their own leather.

My husband is a trim carpenter by trade (one of the best!) and he has also passed those skills on to his children. The older ones have helped him with various projects and know more about wood, stain, and joinery than some adults who make their living in construction. They've completed projects which were far more complex than what is taught in a highschool shop class, and they've had a wider variety of experiences than could be offered in a classroom.

In researching how to transfer this experience to their transcripts, I came across a simple formula for determining how much credit to award. (I wish I could credit a source, but I've lost track of where I saw it.)

1 credit= approximately 120-180 hours of work

Lab science courses are usually closer to 180 hours, while English and history classes average 150 hours for a year-long class. 120 hours is usually considered sufficient for an elective class (art, music, sewing, carpentry, web page design, etc.)

I would also recommend that in planning "classes" for your child, you mix hands on learning with research (assign books or articles to read) and at least one written project to demonstrate mastery of the material covered.

Credit Log Sheets {free printable}

Edited 2/6/12 to add: Cindy Downes of Oaklaholma Homeschool also has some good information on  transcripts and giving credit for extracurricular activities.

Color Sorting With Paint Sample Cards {free printable}

Here is another activity I put together to keep the toddler busy during school hours. I found this idea at Walking By the Way, the blog written by Ami of Homeschool Share. She even created a grid that you can download. But I don't have any colored ink in the printer right now and I wanted to use different colors than she did. So I made my own.

All you need is some paint color sample cards, a scissors, a color sorting chart (and colored pencils if you print in black and white), and a laminator. I used some Scotch brand self-laminating pouches that I purchased a while ago.

Unfortunately, this activity is a bit too advanced for CJ. But his older sister had fun with it!  Maybe I should have tried the simpler activity I found on the Chasing Cheerios blog.

color sorting chart

black and white color sorting chart

How To Make Colored Rice

I had two problems. First, we were given a five pound bucket of white rice- leftovers from y2k. I know rice keeps for a long time, but the idea of eating food that is more than ten years old doesn't really appeal to me, especially since we try to avoid white rice anyway. Second, I have a two year old who needs to be kept busy while we are doing lessons. What to do? Why not dye the rice and let my son play with it?

Children love the feel of rice. It is great for pouring and measuring practice. Or it can be glued to cardstock to create collage pictures. A cookie sheet covered in colored rice is a great place to practice writing the alphabet, or for driving toy cars.

I had seen several recipes for coloring rice that involved the use of rubbing alcohol, but I wanted something a little less toxic. Once again, Google proved to be a valuable friend and I was able to locate directions which were more toddler friendly.

What You Need:

2 cups white rice
2 T. white vinegar
10 drops food coloring
quart mason jar with lid
cookie sheet
aluminum foil

Measure the rice into the jar. (If you are feeling particularly patient, your toddler would love to help with this.) Add vinegar and food coloring. Screw lid onto jar and shake until rice is evenly colored. Line cookie sheet with foil. Pour rice onto foil and bake in a 200 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until rice is dry. Allow to cool. Store in a closed container.

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