This is the first post of an ongoing series regarding particular subjects, and how we approach them. Our state requires that we teach Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies. For 8th grade and above, Reading becomes Literature and Writing becomes Composition. Depending on where you live, requirements may be different, be sure to look them up!
I am a huge bookworm. My husband, not so much, but he does collect how-to books, as he is always looking for new projects. I will read just about anything. It was one thing I hoped to pass on to my children. When our boys were young, I read to them all the time. I made a point to collect classics: Dr. Seuss, Golden Books... I read my favorites, and sought out new books. When e-books became a thing, my brilliant hubby gifted me with a Nook, and I downloaded books for me, and books for the boys. Anything to get them interested in reading.
With my first son, I thought I had failed miserably. He was a capable reader, and his comprehension was good, he was just uninterested. Trips to the library, bookstores, suggestions, even me assigning him books to read all failed. He was in public school most of his school years, and thankfully, in 6th grade, his teacher assigned the 'Percy Jackson' book series, or at least the first book, 'The Lightning Thief' by Rick Riordan. I had not heard of these books, but he was hooked. We started gifting him the books as they came out, and he was excited to continue the series. He was addicted to learning all he could about Greek Mythology, and devoured everything he could about it. He sought out other books that featured the Greek Gods, or similar teen fiction. Hallelujah! This was the moment I had been waiting for, finally we could relate to books.
The book suggestion came from public school, but this is the kind of thing homeschoolers excel at. By searching out new material, and continuously offering suggestions, trying new things, eventually, something 'clicks' with a child, and their interest prompts learning. Let your kids go with it, don't try to force them to only read classical literature, what is 'approved'... if they like comic books, roll with it. Toss something that is out of their comfort zone at them periodically to see if it clicks, but if your kid is reading and enjoying it, don't take it away!
We try to strike a balance with this by approaching Reading in two different ways. The boys are allowed to read whatever they want, whenever they want (as long as their chores are done). I require them to keep a reading log for our school days of 30 minutes free reading. Then I assign reading, choosing from lists of age-appropriate material, things I think might spark their interest, old favorites or classics, something that has a movie coming out soon (which we then watch for credit), or something that I think might carry a moral message I want to convey.
My older children have done well with this on their own. They might grumble at the assigned reading, but sometimes it turns out to be something they really enjoy or think about, and they continue learning on their own. My youngest has some attention and comprehension issues. He is 11 now, and has improved dramatically since we began homeschooling, but we still read our assigned reading together. We find that often my middle son will join us to hear the story too. We discuss what we read, we look up things we are not sure about (places, history), we talk about context and meanings, and we document it.
So much learning can happen just by cracking open a book, and children will often surprise you with their choices. As a parent, it is our responsibility to monitor what their minds consume, at least for the younger ages, but I firmly believe that allowing a child to explore their own interests can only help them with understanding a wide range of subjects and material. Watch their little minds form and take shape as they develop their opinions. It is really quite remarkable, and I have come to enjoy watching them grow and become independent thinkers.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Monday, July 30, 2018
How We Homeschool
Every homeschooling family is different. Curriculum, styles, schedules, programs, activities, the possibilities are endless and can be overwhelming. Not every plan works for every family. You have to think about what your homeschooling goals are, and what tools/techniques you will need to help you get there. Are you a structured family, one that thrives with a consistent schedule? Are you more flexible and free-spirited? Are you morning people or night owls? Just as every individual is different, so is every family. We had to consider many of these things and decide what approach to take and how we were going to do this homeschool thing.
Some parents opt for an 'unschooling' approach, in which learning is driven by the children. Not every child is ready to learn how to read at the same age. This also allows children to pursue their own interests. There is no testing, grading, just living life and learning as it happens. The notion of this was intriguing to me. 'Unprogramming' our kids from public school was important, but because they began their school lives in a structured environment, we felt that retaining elements like a daily schedule, assigned work, and feedback was important. However, for the first year that we homeschooled, I refrained from grading anything formally.
Many homeschool associations or co-ops are formed by groups of parents that share the same world-views; Christian and secular groups are common. Most of these students follow a prescribed curriculum, with textbooks, workbooks, assigned reading, tests... all of which you can find in a public school setting, but centered around a specific approach. While it is nice to know that 'school-in-a-box' was available, we did not want to be confined to a certain regimen and standard. In addition, many pre-packaged curricula were far out of our budget and price range.
Online school is another option. Through our state, there is an online public school option, free to any student. However, though the child is at home, it is still public school, with a set schedule that needs to be met, a teacher who has set expectations... none of which we wanted.
We have found a nice mix options for a solution that seems to work for us. In our state, our only legal requirements are to record 180 days of schooling, which must include the following subjects: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies. For middle and high school students, Reading becomes Literature and Writing becomes Composition. We found a Homeschool Association that is very casual and welcoming of non-traditional school. I set about finding resources that would aid us in teaching age-appropriate subject matter. The state's education resources gives guidelines for each grade level, which is a nice target to let us know what they might otherwise be learning in public school, but we don't stick to the exact same material.
To achieve our 180 days, we school formally 4 days a week, Mon-Thurs. We give a week off during Thanksgiving, when my mother visits so they can have quality time with her. We also have the week between Christmas and New Year's off, just depending how the calendar falls, so the boys can enjoy their holiday and gifts. (We tried schooling during this time our first year, and they were far too excited to concentrate.) This allows for a month break which we take in June as our 'summer vacation'. The boys go back to work the week after the 4th of July.
I spend a lot of time before our school year begins putting a plan together for the upcoming year. I focus on each subject and lay out a curriculum to follow, most of which I put together myself. We have experimented with different resources, and now that I have a middle schooler and one right behind, we use some additional online programs that cost a small fee. I also pick up the occasional workbook, and subscribe to some sites where I can download worksheets. I figure we would be spending at least that much in school fees and gas costs transporting our children, may as well put those saved funds towards their education.
I will go into detail about how we approach each subject (and it is constantly evolving), but we incorporate many of our daily activities into our schooling, so not everything happens in a 'classroom' setting. Trips to the grocery store become talks about nutrition and budgeting. Caring for our animals become science lessons, which we pass along to visitors. Working at our small business and farm become lessons about entrepreneurship. We take day trips to libraries, museums, parks... The boys enjoy this most because we classify them as 'field trips', something that public school has set to the wayside due to budgeting restraints, safety concerns, and the need to focus on academics to meet standards. Yet another freedom we enjoy as homeschoolers.
What about socialization? There is that question again... When we are working, our children come along and interact with our clients. Often, there are other children present, and we allow them to go off and play nearby. When we are shopping, we encourage interactions with people we come into contact with, like cashiers. When we are on field trips or 'scheduled fun time', we run into other families and the boys socialize then. We also open our farm to visitors, or when customers visit and bring children, off they go again. What we have discovered is that the layer of shyness that had begun to encompass them because of the rules placed on them in public school began to fall away. We are recognizing their unique personalities, and they are beginning to shine. They have plenty to talk about with other people, and they are not afraid to voice their opinions, but they are very respectful at the same time. We are able to incorporate the best of our values and make all of our time together of the highest quality. This is something we were never able to do before, with all of the constraints on our time.
So this is how we roll... How do you homeschool?
Some parents opt for an 'unschooling' approach, in which learning is driven by the children. Not every child is ready to learn how to read at the same age. This also allows children to pursue their own interests. There is no testing, grading, just living life and learning as it happens. The notion of this was intriguing to me. 'Unprogramming' our kids from public school was important, but because they began their school lives in a structured environment, we felt that retaining elements like a daily schedule, assigned work, and feedback was important. However, for the first year that we homeschooled, I refrained from grading anything formally.
Many homeschool associations or co-ops are formed by groups of parents that share the same world-views; Christian and secular groups are common. Most of these students follow a prescribed curriculum, with textbooks, workbooks, assigned reading, tests... all of which you can find in a public school setting, but centered around a specific approach. While it is nice to know that 'school-in-a-box' was available, we did not want to be confined to a certain regimen and standard. In addition, many pre-packaged curricula were far out of our budget and price range.
Online school is another option. Through our state, there is an online public school option, free to any student. However, though the child is at home, it is still public school, with a set schedule that needs to be met, a teacher who has set expectations... none of which we wanted.
We have found a nice mix options for a solution that seems to work for us. In our state, our only legal requirements are to record 180 days of schooling, which must include the following subjects: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies. For middle and high school students, Reading becomes Literature and Writing becomes Composition. We found a Homeschool Association that is very casual and welcoming of non-traditional school. I set about finding resources that would aid us in teaching age-appropriate subject matter. The state's education resources gives guidelines for each grade level, which is a nice target to let us know what they might otherwise be learning in public school, but we don't stick to the exact same material.
To achieve our 180 days, we school formally 4 days a week, Mon-Thurs. We give a week off during Thanksgiving, when my mother visits so they can have quality time with her. We also have the week between Christmas and New Year's off, just depending how the calendar falls, so the boys can enjoy their holiday and gifts. (We tried schooling during this time our first year, and they were far too excited to concentrate.) This allows for a month break which we take in June as our 'summer vacation'. The boys go back to work the week after the 4th of July.
I spend a lot of time before our school year begins putting a plan together for the upcoming year. I focus on each subject and lay out a curriculum to follow, most of which I put together myself. We have experimented with different resources, and now that I have a middle schooler and one right behind, we use some additional online programs that cost a small fee. I also pick up the occasional workbook, and subscribe to some sites where I can download worksheets. I figure we would be spending at least that much in school fees and gas costs transporting our children, may as well put those saved funds towards their education.
I will go into detail about how we approach each subject (and it is constantly evolving), but we incorporate many of our daily activities into our schooling, so not everything happens in a 'classroom' setting. Trips to the grocery store become talks about nutrition and budgeting. Caring for our animals become science lessons, which we pass along to visitors. Working at our small business and farm become lessons about entrepreneurship. We take day trips to libraries, museums, parks... The boys enjoy this most because we classify them as 'field trips', something that public school has set to the wayside due to budgeting restraints, safety concerns, and the need to focus on academics to meet standards. Yet another freedom we enjoy as homeschoolers.
What about socialization? There is that question again... When we are working, our children come along and interact with our clients. Often, there are other children present, and we allow them to go off and play nearby. When we are shopping, we encourage interactions with people we come into contact with, like cashiers. When we are on field trips or 'scheduled fun time', we run into other families and the boys socialize then. We also open our farm to visitors, or when customers visit and bring children, off they go again. What we have discovered is that the layer of shyness that had begun to encompass them because of the rules placed on them in public school began to fall away. We are recognizing their unique personalities, and they are beginning to shine. They have plenty to talk about with other people, and they are not afraid to voice their opinions, but they are very respectful at the same time. We are able to incorporate the best of our values and make all of our time together of the highest quality. This is something we were never able to do before, with all of the constraints on our time.
So this is how we roll... How do you homeschool?
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Why We Homeschool
When it comes to the education of your children, many parents discuss options. Public school, Private school, Home school... the choices can be overwhelming. For most, public school is what we rely on. We were the same. Our oldest spent most of his school years in public school, and our younger children began their education journey there. Public school has its place, and its purpose, and we do not hate on public school, don't get us wrong. The fact that we made the decision to educate our children at home was a result of many different factors.
First and foremost for us, was time. When we worked regular jobs, sending our kids to public school was what we had to do. We certainly could not afford private school, and we needed two incomes to make ends meet, so public school filled a need. Most people fall into this category. We know our kids need an education, and thankfully, public school is available to do what it can to prepare our children for the future.
However, public school is not ideal. The teachers and administrators of public institutions must cater to the needs of the many, and unfortunately, some children slip through the cracks. Children, just like adults, have different learning styles and needs. Children also do not mature at the same rate and are not necessarily ready for aspects of learning according to an average time table set by the school. Public school cannot be flexible enough to give each child individual attention to be sure that they are meeting and exceeding their capabilities. That each child is challenged or rewarded according to their individual selves. Not even a private school education can do that.
It is very hard for two working parents to balance both their jobs, their homes, their children's schedules, homework, school functions... It can literally drive you crazy. Sacrifices must be made. Someone has to be sure the kids get on the bus or get dropped off at school, this can make a parent late for work, or impact their work availability. Someone has to be sure the kids are met at home, or have a daycare to attend; more costs are incurred as work is lost or more hours are required to pay the daycare or sitter. Homework must be done; children are already exhausted, and the homework pile only grows more and more. Parents often do not understand what their children are being asked to do, confusion and frustration mounts. Conferences are called to get teachers and parents on the same page, hard to coordinate with work schedules, communication suffers. I cannot tell you how many missed conferences, awards ceremonies, school functions, fundraisers, etc. that we had to miss because we could not afford to miss work, or our jobs would not allow us the time off.
When we began our farm, time became even more important. We were lucky to have my mother-in-law available and willing to pick up many of the duties when it came to getting the kids from school, helping with homework, making dinner, whatever needed to be done; while my husband gave up his job to take on the responsibility of making this farm happen. I had to work outside the home to pay the bills, we had not much time to focus on what our kids were doing in school, try as we might to be available for questions, coaching. It was tiring and frustrating for us all!
Our oldest was in high school, he seemed to have lost all caring about his education; not doing homework, getting poor grades... all despite being very bright. Our middle child was extremely bright and found school to be very little challenge. He did the work, but was becoming very withdrawn. He did not enjoy his classmates, thinking they were not as focused on learning as he was and merely distractions. Our youngest was struggling to keep up with the daily schedule. He needs more time to process and retain what he learns, and we could see him falling behind. He was saddened and frustrated, thinking he was stupid, when we all knew he wasn't. Public school was failing us, and we felt that we were failing our children, but what could we do?
I have always taken extra time to incorporate learning opportunities throughout our daily lives. We made visiting the library a weekly trip, we enjoyed zoos and museums when we had time, we did fun experiments and projects at home. When the boys were on vacation, I gave them workbooks and activities to keep their minds sharp. I reasoned, weren't we already homeschooling? Certainly, if we had some guidelines to follow, they could learn just as well at home as they were in school, and they could do it at their own pace. So I started researching, and we began talking... with my husband at home working to make the farm function and profitable, my mother-in-law there to supervise, me to follow up, we could do this, right?
What we discovered was a much broader world of homeschooling than we had ever thought. State requirements vary, but our state was very homeschooler friendly. We reached out to friends and found many who were already doing what we were considering, and their children were successful. We talked homeschool associations, curriculum, reporting. I was starting to get the picture, and starting to believe that even with our time constraints, homeschooling was going to work for us. I read up on methods, from unschooling to structured curricula. I started to formulate a plan.
Then there was the question that everyone who considers homeschooling runs into... what about Socialization? Don't homeschooled children all end up being those creepy weirdo types that have trouble interacting with people and suffer in the long run for it? Well, that was not our experience when we met other homeschoolers. Most were articulate, outgoing, goal-oriented, free-thinking, interesting individuals. Just what we were looking for our children to be! Besides, when I thought about the 'socializing' that the boys had been doing so far, I had to question what people thought socialization really was. When placed in a room with a group of people all from the same geographic region, all the same age, and then told they aren't allowed to speak except at prescribed times (but not too loudly), what socialization is happening? When children begin to separate into cliques and bullies intimidate, teachers don't observe everything, what lessons about society are being taught? Instead, if our children went with us, they would learn to interact with people from varying backgrounds, of varying ages, with varying skills and interests, how broad would their world be then? Kids are everywhere, and my children find them, even without school. On playgrounds, at the store, at the library, at others' homes... their social opportunities are endless.
Once fortified with knowledge about how to proceed, willing to find the time, and with courage in spades, we made the leap to homeschooling, and have never looked back. It has become one of the most profound and fulfilling things that we have ever done, and we can see the change and influence it has had on our children, in the most positive of ways. We have our trials and tribulations with it every day, but who doesn't? We set goals, we meet them and then exceed them, and we keep growing and learning together.
So if you are reading this, and are on the fence about homeschooling, know that you are not alone. We were once right there beside you, and we had all the same concerns, doubts, fears, hopes, and dreams that you do. Believe me when I say, if we can do it, so can you. It is a serious commitment, and not a decision to be made lightly. If you find that you just can't, that's okay too. I hope that you will find something here to enrich your life with your children, and realize that school and learning doesn't have to happen in a particular environment or place. It happens everywhere, all the time, if you are just willing to look around!
First and foremost for us, was time. When we worked regular jobs, sending our kids to public school was what we had to do. We certainly could not afford private school, and we needed two incomes to make ends meet, so public school filled a need. Most people fall into this category. We know our kids need an education, and thankfully, public school is available to do what it can to prepare our children for the future.
However, public school is not ideal. The teachers and administrators of public institutions must cater to the needs of the many, and unfortunately, some children slip through the cracks. Children, just like adults, have different learning styles and needs. Children also do not mature at the same rate and are not necessarily ready for aspects of learning according to an average time table set by the school. Public school cannot be flexible enough to give each child individual attention to be sure that they are meeting and exceeding their capabilities. That each child is challenged or rewarded according to their individual selves. Not even a private school education can do that.
It is very hard for two working parents to balance both their jobs, their homes, their children's schedules, homework, school functions... It can literally drive you crazy. Sacrifices must be made. Someone has to be sure the kids get on the bus or get dropped off at school, this can make a parent late for work, or impact their work availability. Someone has to be sure the kids are met at home, or have a daycare to attend; more costs are incurred as work is lost or more hours are required to pay the daycare or sitter. Homework must be done; children are already exhausted, and the homework pile only grows more and more. Parents often do not understand what their children are being asked to do, confusion and frustration mounts. Conferences are called to get teachers and parents on the same page, hard to coordinate with work schedules, communication suffers. I cannot tell you how many missed conferences, awards ceremonies, school functions, fundraisers, etc. that we had to miss because we could not afford to miss work, or our jobs would not allow us the time off.
When we began our farm, time became even more important. We were lucky to have my mother-in-law available and willing to pick up many of the duties when it came to getting the kids from school, helping with homework, making dinner, whatever needed to be done; while my husband gave up his job to take on the responsibility of making this farm happen. I had to work outside the home to pay the bills, we had not much time to focus on what our kids were doing in school, try as we might to be available for questions, coaching. It was tiring and frustrating for us all!
Our oldest was in high school, he seemed to have lost all caring about his education; not doing homework, getting poor grades... all despite being very bright. Our middle child was extremely bright and found school to be very little challenge. He did the work, but was becoming very withdrawn. He did not enjoy his classmates, thinking they were not as focused on learning as he was and merely distractions. Our youngest was struggling to keep up with the daily schedule. He needs more time to process and retain what he learns, and we could see him falling behind. He was saddened and frustrated, thinking he was stupid, when we all knew he wasn't. Public school was failing us, and we felt that we were failing our children, but what could we do?
I have always taken extra time to incorporate learning opportunities throughout our daily lives. We made visiting the library a weekly trip, we enjoyed zoos and museums when we had time, we did fun experiments and projects at home. When the boys were on vacation, I gave them workbooks and activities to keep their minds sharp. I reasoned, weren't we already homeschooling? Certainly, if we had some guidelines to follow, they could learn just as well at home as they were in school, and they could do it at their own pace. So I started researching, and we began talking... with my husband at home working to make the farm function and profitable, my mother-in-law there to supervise, me to follow up, we could do this, right?
What we discovered was a much broader world of homeschooling than we had ever thought. State requirements vary, but our state was very homeschooler friendly. We reached out to friends and found many who were already doing what we were considering, and their children were successful. We talked homeschool associations, curriculum, reporting. I was starting to get the picture, and starting to believe that even with our time constraints, homeschooling was going to work for us. I read up on methods, from unschooling to structured curricula. I started to formulate a plan.
Then there was the question that everyone who considers homeschooling runs into... what about Socialization? Don't homeschooled children all end up being those creepy weirdo types that have trouble interacting with people and suffer in the long run for it? Well, that was not our experience when we met other homeschoolers. Most were articulate, outgoing, goal-oriented, free-thinking, interesting individuals. Just what we were looking for our children to be! Besides, when I thought about the 'socializing' that the boys had been doing so far, I had to question what people thought socialization really was. When placed in a room with a group of people all from the same geographic region, all the same age, and then told they aren't allowed to speak except at prescribed times (but not too loudly), what socialization is happening? When children begin to separate into cliques and bullies intimidate, teachers don't observe everything, what lessons about society are being taught? Instead, if our children went with us, they would learn to interact with people from varying backgrounds, of varying ages, with varying skills and interests, how broad would their world be then? Kids are everywhere, and my children find them, even without school. On playgrounds, at the store, at the library, at others' homes... their social opportunities are endless.
Once fortified with knowledge about how to proceed, willing to find the time, and with courage in spades, we made the leap to homeschooling, and have never looked back. It has become one of the most profound and fulfilling things that we have ever done, and we can see the change and influence it has had on our children, in the most positive of ways. We have our trials and tribulations with it every day, but who doesn't? We set goals, we meet them and then exceed them, and we keep growing and learning together.
So if you are reading this, and are on the fence about homeschooling, know that you are not alone. We were once right there beside you, and we had all the same concerns, doubts, fears, hopes, and dreams that you do. Believe me when I say, if we can do it, so can you. It is a serious commitment, and not a decision to be made lightly. If you find that you just can't, that's okay too. I hope that you will find something here to enrich your life with your children, and realize that school and learning doesn't have to happen in a particular environment or place. It happens everywhere, all the time, if you are just willing to look around!
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