As my boys and I were discussing plans for the upcoming week, which would include attending a relative’s eighth grade graduation ceremony, my eldest son made an interesting comment. It was something to the effect of “That’s another thing I like about homeschooling; you don’t have to do that.” He was referring to the graduation ceremony. We…
One of the benefits of homeschooling that I really enjoy is the freedom to create lessons that go beyond the textbook page. Since our school days are not bound by rigid time constraints, we can explore topics in various creative ways. One way that has proven to form lasting memories for my children is the use of…
Whether you are beginning your first year of homeschooling or your fifth, getting started and staying motivated can be difficult. Sometimes we are not realistic in our expectations and begin the year with too many plans in place. We may sign our kids up for lots of extracurricular activities without realizing the time or mental commitment involved.…
At the beginning of the summer I installed a countdown application on my cell phone. I set the app to count down the number of days until we begin school again in September. I thought that by regularly seeing the number of days remaining in our summer vacation each time that I looked at my phone, I…
Choosing a curriculum can seem like a daunting task, but sometimes the task is not even necessary. Before learning about and entering the world of homeschooling, my son attended a public preschool for a few hours each week. I thought that's what you were “supposed” to do when your child reached a certain age. Sure, he already…
One of my goals in homeschooling is to encourage my children to become lifelong learners. I desire that my kids pursue their interests and learn continually throughout their lives. Completing an independent study is a great way for students to learn about something outside of their regular curriculum or to expand on a topic that they have learned. (more…)
The new year brings with it the promise of a fresh start. We make goals and write resolutions. We edit lesson plans and evaluate our students’ progress. Then, we forge full-steam ahead into the new year convinced that our efforts will be fruitful. But, what happens before winter’s end? (more…)
Through the years, I have found that the way I approach choosing curriculum has changed. When my children were young, I used a thematic unit study approach to teach most of their subjects. It required some research on my part, but it was a simple strategy. It provided for many opportunities to expand on topics and follow…
More often than not, the holiday season comes and goes in a whirlwind with activities and events that seem to fill every available hour. In some homeschools, schoolwork takes a back seat until January. Instead of carrying on with traditional assignments, time is spent on making crafts for gift giving or preparing special meals. But, is this ok? Should we feel remorse if we take “time off” from homeschooling to focus on the holidays? You will need to answer that question for yourself, but I suggest that if you’re struggling with an answer right now, then you need to think about what homeschooling means to you. (more…)
Sometimes we can get so caught up in academics that we forget to teach our kids important life skills. Now, I’m not talking about basic life skills, like brushing your teeth or doing household chores. I’m talking about things like money management. Do your children know what it takes to create a budget? (more…)