Top 3 Benefits of "Partial Homeschooling"

Last week, I shared about my family's decision to become "partial homeschoolers".  Our daughter attends Pre-K every morning and I teach her in the afternoons.  Today, I would like to share what we love most about partial homeschooling.

1. Our daughter's learning potential is up to us and to her.  Because academic instruction is done at home, we can work at her pace.  Abigail has learned so much this year from her lessons with me and the instruction she receives at school reinforces much of what she has learned.

2. Our daughter's social skills have greatly improved.  Being in school with her peers every day has given Abigail the opportunity to make friends and learn to handle conflicts with others.  Being in school has helped her learn to navigate friendships and social relationships.

3. Our youngest child gets 1:1 learning time with me.  While Abigail is in school, I spend time one-on-one with Charlotte.  She gets to learn academic and life skills during our time together each day.  Abigail being in school has helped Charlotte's learning.  In addition, having time away from Abigail has given Charlotte the chance to develop her own identity as a separate person.

Do you partial homeschool?  What do you like best?  

Join me next week as I share the biggest drawbacks of partial homeschooling.


Marla is a former special education teacher, university instructor, and stay-at-home mom of two little girls (ages 2 and 4).  She blogs about raising and teaching her children at Marla's Motherhood Musings and her family's experiences living in Zambia at Our Life in Lusaka.

Gearing Up to Start Year-Round Schooling

Today, we are very excited to welcome a guest post by Stephanie from Where He Leads, We Follow!

During our very first year of schooling we started in early July.  I thought it would be great to start early and have time off as needed and an extended Christmas holiday.  It was nice!  We got all of our days required in by the end of April and we were able to relax.  I decided that next year would be different.  We would start school later in the year and go along with the public school calendar.  So, we started in early August and followed the national holidays and breaks that the public school system does.  It left the kiddos and myself feeling more burnt out than ever and needing a major break.  We didn't do much in the way of schooling through March and are back at the grind here in April.  That made me stop and evaluate what we should change - because honestly something had to change.

I prayed.  Boy have I been praying!  Asking God to reveal to my heart what it is that we should change in order to keep us all from feeling the burn out at the middle of our next school year.

I talked to my hubby. I love that man!  He keeps me grounded when my feet want to leave the floor.  He tells me when my ideas are crazy or when I need to push forward.

I talked with the kiddos.  Honestly those two were no help!  HA!  They could care less that mom is burnt out.  They are just ready to be done with the school day so they can go outside to play.

So that leads me to taking with you today.  Today I am planning.  I am planning our very first year-round school year.  Wanna know what my thoughts are?  Good!  I thought you did.  ;)

First of all we are going to be taking a 4 week break from mid May through mid June.  That way we can rest and recharge and mom can get things in order.

While we are on our break I am going to be gathering all of our necessary materials for our next school year.  I already know the curriculum we are using and have the bulk of it purchased.  I just have to buy the odds and ends.

Then I will work on our schedule.  We are required 180 days of school (who are we kidding we all know kids learn 365 days a year!) so I am going to figure out when we can/should take breaks and chunk up our curriculum to fit within those days.  I will also have to take our co-op classes into account since we are planning to join a new co-op next year.

After that is done we get to start back fresh and new!!  We will have some workbooks, mainly handwriting  that we will have to carry over to the new school year but that is fine by me.  

We are all looking forward to our new school year and are excited to see what greatness it holds for our family.

What does your school calendar look like?

Stephanie is homeschooling mama of 2 and wife to the man of her dreams.  She has been creating graphics for her web-based business for three years.  While homeschooling was never a dream she dreamed for herself she is thankful that God placed it upon her heart.  Find her homeschool blog, Where He Leads, We Follow, here: http://www.whereheleads-wefollow.com and her design website, Tatorbug Creations, here: http://www.tatorbugcreations.com

Why I Still Consider Myself a Homeschooler

Last fall, I wrote about my family's decision to send our oldest daughter (age 4) to prekindergarten.  When we moved overseas, our family situation changed and the move had significant social implications for our children.  Making the decision to send Abigail to school for socialization was very difficult for us and we are constantly reevaluating our choice.  

Since Abigail started school, I have questioned my participation as a writer for this blog and have wondered if I am still a homeschooler.  

Abigail attends school five mornings a week and I pick her up at lunchtime.  After lunch, we spend about 2 hours doing lessons that I have created before we attend afternoon activities (ballet, piano, gymnastics, swimming, playgroups). 

Now that the school year is coming to a close, I have finally figured out that we are still homeschoolers.  Yes, my homeschool set-up looks different than most.  

However, my husband and I still believe that we are responsible for the education of our children.  We ensure that, every day, both of our girls receive learning (academic, religious, and social) that meets their needs.  We teach some lessons and we allow others to teach some lessons.  But, when it comes down to it, we take ultimate responsibility for the education of our girls.  And, I have come to believe that choosing to be responsible for your child's education and teaching as necessary is what makes one a homeschooling parent.  

What are your thoughts?

Marla is a former special education teacher, current PhD student, university instructor, and stay-at-home mom of two little girls (ages 2 and 4).  She blogs about raising and teaching her children at Marla's Motherhood Musings and her family's experiences living in Zambia at Our Life in Lusaka.