Seeds of Wisdom: Best Aspect of Homeschooling

This week, we are so excited that several of our Mommy blogger friends are joining us in answering the Seeds of Wisdom question!  This week, we asked homeschooling moms to share their favorite aspect of homeschooling.  Here is what they said:

My favorite aspect of homeschooling is the reason I've heard many people give for why they DON'T homeschool. I love being with my kids all day, every day. This time is a blessings and only lasts a short season. Soak it up homeschool mamas, you'll miss it one day! 

Heather from Upside Down Homeschooling 

My favorite part of homeschooling is being able to learn WITH my children. I want to instill a lifelong love of learning and my children. I think there's no better way to do that than to show 

them that Mommy and Daddy like learning too! 

Dusty from To the Moon and Back 

The best part of homeschooling is being able to learn whatever inspires us and do it in a fun hands-on way. We love to learn by exploring nature, going on field trips, with learning games 

and by reading living books. 

Karyn from Teach Beside Me

The best part of homeschooling for us was the unexpected side benefit of a really close family. We genuinely enjoy spending time together, even on the bad days. 

Erin from The Usual Mayhem 

My favorite aspect of homeschooling is watching my girls learn. I LOVE when the little lightbulbs go off in their heads and you know that they understand a new concept. Seeing 

them learn is so cool! 

Marla from Marla's Motherhood Musings 

For our family, the best thing about homeschooling is the strengthening of our relationships. This journey can be exhilarating and/or challenging, but through it all, we grow closer to our 

Lord and to one another.

Dorie from Homeschooling, Just Next Door

What is your favorite part of homeschooling?

Seeds of Wisdom - Homeschooling During the Christmas Season

It is no doubt, Christmas can be a very busy season. With decorating, baking, shopping, visiting, and parties, just how do you ensure you get 'everything,' including homeschooling, done?







Aurie ~ We have a light school schedule during December on purpose. We are using the Nativity Story as a basis for homeschool and building around that. We'll bake cookies as part of school, and plan field trips for light displays, angel tree gifts and Sesame Place during our regular school days. Our goal this season is to savor the moments instead of rushing from one thing to the next.

Marla ~ We do "fun school" in December and mostly do Bible lessons and art projects. I also consider helping me with Christmas shopping and making homemade gifts as "schooling" for my girls.

Beth ~ I am like the other girls, and everything we do will be related to Christmas and making the celebration one to remember. We will incorporate activities such as Christmas recipes into our homeschool. Books, movies, and music included in homeschool will be related to Christmas. The Nativity is set up for the kids to play with. Education is always taking place, even if "scheduled" learning is not.



Do you have any tips for homeschooling during the Christmas season? We'd love to hear them.

 

Seeds of Wisdom - Changes in Our Homeschools

It is the season of change. Autumn leaves change and fall. Trees begin to lay barren to the chilling air, and no one can deny, another season will soon be upon us. The same may be true of our homeschools. There may be change in the air there as well.

Depending on when you started your year, your family may have already completed 1/4 to 1/3 of your school year. Is there anything that you had to change or adjust in that time? How did you know a change was necessary?




Aurie ~ We haven't changed too much since we started in September. We have a basic schedule that we follow {bible, language arts, math} and then fit in other areas as needed. Since we are interest led, I only plan 2 weeks ahead, which has really helped me not feel bound to a schedule or plan.

Beth ~ Yes, we have had to change since the beginning of the school year. Having children with special needs, I have to look for creative ways to teach them because in our house, traditional methods won't always do. And, I am okay with that. We are focusing less on seat work and more on hands on learning. Because ultimately, everything we are teaching them is preparing them to DO something.

Jessica ~ We took a day for student-teacher conferences after the first quarter of the year. Based on our discussions, we changed several things. Two children are now using different math and language arts programs. We also devised a new way to organize materials for my sixth grader so he can have more autonomy in managing his own work. It's been several weeks since those changes and they feel like good decisions. One of the greatest blessings of homeschooling has been the ability to change what isn't working. I can't imagine all the learning that could have been lost if my child were suffering through a year of poor fit in a classroom setting.

Seeds of Wisdom - Favorite Field Trips

Field trips add something special to well crafted lesson plans.  For history, they can help a child recognize that the people or event really happened.  For science, a field trip may help a student understand a concept or apply a theory better.



So, today, we are asking: What was your favorite field trip?


Jessica ~ Our favorite field trip was to the Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City. We were studying the same time period in history so the children were even more interested than they would have been otherwise. We have never had a field trip we didn't love, but those that are closest to things we are working on are always the "meatiest" in terms of take-away value.


Beth ~ At the time, I didn't really consider this a field trip per se. But it was! We were in a transitional time and so we did a lot of education on the go! When we first moved to Hawaii, we got to visit the Waikiki Aquarium. This is a link to my post which has pics and info about our visit, but is actually a science experiment post!


Dorie ~ Our field trips are always a highlight of our school year. We look forward to the planned time of hands on learning and personal observations. Even just seeing a historical location in person puts a more personal spin on what we are learning. However, one of the best for all of us was an unplanned day. In September, we went camping for a weekend and ended up with a surprise field trip as we covered history, geography, and science in one day. The children navigated our hike, we observed flora and fauna, elevation, rock formation and erosion, evidence of glaciers, and even learned about the CCC.



Now we are wondering, what was your favorite field trip?

Seeds of Wisdom - Concerns about Homeschooling

Most of us, before we start something new, have a concern or two.  Maybe we worry about a specific task which will be required of us.  Maybe we are afraid of failure.  Before we started homeschooling, there were some concerns, worries, or fears we had.  Today, we are sharing a few of these.

 

Today's question: Before you began homeschooling, what concerns or worries did you have?

 

 

 

Aurie - I was worried that I wouldn't be able to teach the girls everything they needed. Now, I know that I only need to teach one thing at a time, they don't need to know everything at once. I also realized that as they get into subjects that I'm not comfortable with, I can find someone who is and partner with them.

Beth - I worried would I be enough for my child? Would I be able to meet all his needs? What if I left something out? Occasionally it still bothers me; but usually this only happens when I start comparing our homeschool experience with somebody else's.

Dorie - Before we began homeschooling, we researched and planned, but I was still concerned about socialization.  Would my child(ren) be like other kids their age?  Now, I don't give it a second thought!  I am quite happy each of my children are not like kids their age.  Instead, my children are individuals who are developing their God given interests and talents which are being expressed in their own unique ways. 

Sam - I was terrified of math. I knew I would have to find a solution that would not include me knowing math, and I am thankful for Teaching Textbooks. I am good with the lower grades, but Algebra still scares me.
 

 

Did the idea of homeschooling scare you a little?  What were some of your concerns before you began?

Seeds of Wisdom - Surprises in Homeschooling

Most of the time, when you begin a journey or new path in life, you plan and prepare.  You find out just where you are headed and how.  These actions help alleviate most shocking experiences as you know generally what to expect.  However, if we are all honest, there is usually something along the journey which shocks, or surprises us. 

 

Homeschooling is no different. 

 

So, today, we are asking and answering the question: What has surprised you most about homeschooling?

 

 

 

Aurie ~ That I don't have to do everything all at once, and it's okay to take a sick day now and then.

 

Beth ~ The amount of time that I have had to spend attempting to convince family and other professionals that homeschooling is best for us. I really think they will just have to see the fruit in order to believe.

 

Marla ~ I was surprised to learn how many people homeschool. Before we started teaching our girls at home, I thought that homeschooling was only for a few crazy people. However, in the past few years, I have met so many families that choose to homeschool in some capacity.

Have you been surprised by something in your homeschool journey, too?

Seeds of Wisdom - Homeschool Blessings

Here at Growing Your Homeschool, we share our homeschool journeys to encourage others.  Sometimes, we share our challenges, and sometimes we share our blessings. Isn't that life? Good and bad? Easy and hard? Joys and despairs? 

Today, we are focusing on the blessings of homeschooling.  Perhaps you share a few of these, too?

Sam ~ I am most grateful for our time together. Spending time with my family is a joy. Life is short, and there will never be enough hours to spend with them on this side of eternity. I am also grateful for the flexibility homeschooling allows, especially now that I am working outside of the home! Finally, I am grateful that homeschooling allows me to tailor our curriculum to the needs of my children. When something isn't working, we try something else.

 

Aurie ~ I love that my girls are able to be with us at home. I love the freedom we have to teach Biblical truths. I feel so blessed that I am able to guide them as they grow instead of handing it off to another person.

 

Beth ~ I am thankful that our family is in a position to even be able to do this. I am sure there are lots of families who would like to, but for whatever reason cannot. I am thankful that God has given us the opportunity.

 

What are some of the blessings of homeschooling in your family?

Seeds of Wisdom - Favorite Resources

You know you have a favorite!  Not all were created equally.  There is one, or maybe two, which you just love to pieces, and maybe more than all the rest.  They make your days easier.  They help your schedule run smoother.  Or maybe they just hold everything in its place for you.    Ah, come on admit it, you have a favorite resource.  Today, we are sharing a few of our favorite homeschool resources...



Sam - My favorite resource this year is the simple - yet wonderful app Homeschool Helper!  It is now available for Android phones as well as the iPad, and it is only $4.99.  I have been sharing it with everyone.

Beth - Hands down my favorite resource is Signing Time.  We have been usinig this for a long time.  It does so many things.  It increases vocabulalry, literacy skills, teaches music, science, and most importantly gives your child a second language.  If you have children with special needs, giving them a way to communicate with their family is of absolute importance.  I would recommend this product to everybody.

Marla - Our favorite resource is the iPad.  Since we moved, we have relied on it heavily for access to new books through the iBooks app.  Abigail does independent math and reading work using some fabulous apps, and Charlotte and I work together on some toddler skill apps.


Looking for more favorite resources?  Check out the weekly link-up at Learning All the Time.

Seeds of Wisdom - Reading Aloud

Some of the sweetest homeschool moments happen during the hearing of a story.  Whether read aloud by you or with the help of an audio book, read alouds are a favorite part of the day for most families.

Today, we are sharing a few of our recent read alouds and adding them to a favorite Thursday read aloud link-up.

Jessica - Our first read aloud book for this school year has been Moccasin Trail by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. It is set on the Oregon Trail and in the early years of westward expansion, the historical time-period we are currently studying. It has wonderful descriptions of how Native Americans,trappers and settlers lived. The story has also piqued the interested of my children in pioneer life. We have enjoyed many conversations about cultural understanding and tolerance based on the struggle the main character goes through. I definitely recommend this book!

Beth - We listened to Charlotte's Web on audio as our first read aloud this year. It was narrated by the author E.B. White and was fantastic. I hadn't read the chapter book in a while myself, so it was very captivating. My children enjoyed it very much. It was warm like cozying up under a warm blanket during the fall. Great book for autumn.

Dorie - We just finished Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell.  It is a story about one girl alone on an island for many years.  Shortly after a traumatic loss of most of the men in their tribe, Karana's people choose to leave the island.  Karana, ready to depart with her people on the boat, can not find her brother Ramo.  She finally spots him, on the island, alone.  Without consideration for herself, Karana jumps off the boat and swims to the island to join her brother.  The boat leaves without them.  Just a few days later, Ramo dies, and Karana is left alone on the island for many, many years.  Our family loved this story the first time we read it, and again five years later.  It is one we will return to time and time again.

 

Looking for more read aloud suggestions?  Every Thursday, Amy at Hope Is the Word hosts a link-up called Read Aloud Thursday.  It is a great resource to find new read alouds or be reminded of old favorites.  Hop on over there today, or any Thursday to find some more great read alouds.

Seeds of Wisdom --- End of Year Celebrations

This week, our writers answer the question, "How are you planning to celebrate the end of the school year? Does your family have a special tradition for the end of the school year?"

Sam

We school year-round, so we don't really do anything special to end the year. We will take two weeks off {that is the plan} and we will then start the next year. The new year is when we take our homeschool photos. :)

Tracy

We school year-round and don't have any kind of celebration. However, I do change our schedule up and begin adding in lots of nature study. We are all looking forward to the summer schedule.

Jessica

We celebrate the end of our school year between grades. We invite family and close friends, cook up simple refreshments and create displays. The children all choose something to recite, perform or give a talk about. We set out examples of work done over the year and display the books and units we have studied. I also make a slide show on the computer of snapshots from the year. It is not only great fun, but also a wonderful way to show friends and family how rich and full our homeschooling lifestyle is.

Aurie

We aren't planning anything, since we are not taking the summer off. We'll have a lighter schedule, but right now Sophie loves doing school so we have decided to keep going!

Dorie

We take a summer break from our normal school schedule. However, we do still work on some subjects over the summer, but it is not a full day of school. Every year at the beginning of June, we meet friends at a park and hike. It is a tradition that helps celebrate the end of an 'official' school year. One year, I made a green 

eggs and ham cake to help celebrate.

Marla

We actually are just starting back up with school after slowing down (but not completely stopping) schooling during our overseas move.  We plan to school year-round, though, so will  likely not have end-of-year celebrations, but instead 

celebrate accomplishments in learning as they happen.

How are you celebrating the end of the school year?

Seeds of Wisdom --- Motherhood Moments

Happy Mother's Day to all homeschooling moms! Today, we would like to share with you some of our more memorable motherhood moments.

Aurie

The moment that I became a mom. We had our struggles on the way to pregnancy, but the moment that they put Sophie in my arms was worth every bit of the struggle.

Sam

Becoming a mom for the first time-being terrified I had no clue-realizing it all came so naturally and that I was fiercely independent as a relatively young new mother.

Jessica

I'm not sure about the most memorable, but the most defining moment of mothering in my life was deciding to homeschool. I went against the grain, set my family apart, and took what we felt was a huge risk in order to meet my children's needs in the best way I could.

Tracy

There are so many moments, but a recent one has been my son's first love note to me, composed and written all by himself on our dry erase board. I took a picture so that I would still have it after it was erased. So sweet!

Marla

The moment that I found out that I was pregnant with my oldest was amazing!  I am not sure that I have ever been as happy or as excited as I was at that moment.  For days, all that I could think about was the beautiful little baby growing inside of me.  Motherhood is wonderful and I am so blessed to be a mommy!

Please share your memorable mommy moments with us!

Seeds of Wisdom - Measuring a Day and a Year

Although we spent each Friday in April evaluating our current school years, most of us are still finishing up our school year. 

Today, we are responding to two questions.
The first: What is the one thing (or few things) your children must finish before you feel as though they have completed a day of school?



Sam ~ School is finished at the Kelley house when we do all of our studies. We don't have lengthy seated work, and can finish in a few hours. I will allow math to be skipped in a pinch though. ;)

Marla ~ The one subject that we must cover is our bible lesson. Occasionally, that is all that we accomplish and I still feel like we had a productive day. Preferably, though, I like to make sure that we also do language arts, math, and a fun activity (art project or game) every day.

Jessica ~ Individual reading and Math (as well as phonics for my smaller pupils) are 'must-do's' for me - but my children wouldn't consider the day of school complete without history. We also work on science, handwriting, spelling, geography, literature and art - but not every day.

Tracy ~ Phonics and math complete our day. As long as we've completed at least one activity in each, I'm okay with calling it a day.


and... How long is your family's school year?

Marla ~ We homeschool year-round.

Sam ~ We do year-round as well.

Jessica ~ We schedule 36 weeks of school days in a calendar year. We are flexible about when those weeks take place. When we began homeschooling we set our year to our area schools. After three years we keep beginning sooner and ending earlier. We take breaks when we need to and work extra days when we feel like it.

Tracy ~ We homeschool year-round but have two distinct schedules. Our summer schedule is much less informal than the schedule we keep during the winter months, and I try to include subjects and activities we didn't have time for during the regular school year (art/nature study) as well as phonics and math.

Seeds of Wisdom - The Children's Favorite Part

You've read our responses to a few evaluating the school year questions, today you will be treated to our children's responses. We are asking our children: What was your favorite part of the current school year?




Tracy ~
‎3 yr. old: "Hmmm. Let me see...Doing school on the computer." [our free trial of Reading Eggs]
‎5 yr. old: "Math!" (And I can't tell you how warm and fuzzy that made me, since math has definitely been our most challenging subject this year.)

Sam ~

Christian (14): Listening to mom read the stories from Trail Guide To Learning.

Hannah (12): Reading and Copywork with Trail Guide To Learning.

Noah (9): Drawing stories from Daniel Boone.

Emma (7): Doing the activities from Trail Guide To Learning.

Evan (5): Math.

Leah (4): Daniel Boone

Marla ~

Abigail: "when we counted and then got treats"

Ralene ~

Alana: "Playing art!"
Kyra: "My favorite part was when we were watching our math shows." (I'm not sure if she meant the Math-U-See teaching videos, or the LeapFrog videos.)

Jessica ~

‎1st grader: "I like math, phonics new learning, space, learning about the center of the Earth...and I like learning about plants and nature. Subtraction and telling time were the best."

‎3rd grader: "Read-out-louds are my favorite; they are so fun.  Johnny Tremain and The Journeyman were some I really liked listening to. Also I didn't know that sound can't travel in space - that's amazing."

‎5th Grader: "My favorite part is the family time; there is really a difference from regular school. I like being able to be with my family so much instead of just part of the evenings. I love being able to play with my brother. As far ...as what we've studied, I would say the read-out-loud books as well. It's so fun to eat breakfast while your mother reads to you. I've loved my individual reading assignments this year, too, like Om-Kas-Toe because I was fascinated to learn how Indians lived. You can weave that into your play time by making games out of what you have learned."

Dorie ~

7th grader: visiting the science museum

5th grader: reading historically set books, particularly the ones from Daughters of Faith Series 

3rd grader: reading and studying the Bible

Preschooler: playing alphabet memory and reading My Very First Encyclopedia with Winnie the Pooh and Friends: Nature
(a book given to us by a fellow homeschooling mom)

What was your child's (or children's) favorite part of the school year? 

Seeds of Wisdom - Making Changes

Last week, we shared "our best of times, worst of times" moments. Today we are talking change. What is something you plan to change for your next homeschooling year?





Jessica - We will be changing our language arts and possibly our math programs for next year. I love the language arts we have been using, but my two sons feel very differently about it. We need something with a tighter structure, less creative writing and more disciplined grammar work. We have all liked the math we have been using but I feel we could find a better fit and I would like to find something that has a meatier self-guided bent for my oldest son. We are also considering taking a much shorter summer break and moving closer to schooling 'year round' so that we can take shorter breaks when we need and want to. This would be especially helpful during our busiest times on the farm (planting and harvest), through the holidays, or when the opportunity for a trip pops up.

Ralene - My girls will be in first grade next year. We will be adding new subjects like science, geography, and character study to our curriculum. I look forward to using Confessions of a Homeschooler's Expedition Earth series, and some of Amanda Bennett's Download'N'Go unit studies.

Tracy - We will be beginning Tapestry of Grace next year, which means I'll be experimenting a lot with our schedule and am hoping to find a balance between structured and less-structured learning.

Marla - This summer, we will be adding our first purchased curriculum to our homeschool routine. Abigail will be starting Horizons kindergarten math. I love creating my own curriculum and it has been great for us so far, but I think Abigail will really benefit from the addition of Horizons.

Sam - This coming year I plan to change my mindset. In much the same way I had to cement in my head that homeschooling was permanent for us, the third time around, I am doing the same thing with curriculum. We now know what works and doesn't work for us. There will be no shopping for better. We love what we use for the younger kids, and our oldest has also found his niche. Aside from reviews I will be doing, all curriculum decisions have been made, and are solid.

Seeds of Wisdom - Homeschooling Highlights and Challenges

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us..."
~ Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities 

Homeschooling can sometimes feel like that introduction to A Tale of Two Cities.  Some days, we are reaching the mountain top and other times, well, we are trudging through the valley.  Today's discussion is in response to a two part question: What was the highlight (or favorite part) of your homeschool year? What was the most challenging (or least favorite part) of your homeschool year?

Marla ~ Seeing both of my girls learn has been the highlight of the year. They have both learned far more than I anticipated this year and it has been so cool to watch them learn and watch them get excited about their knowledge!

The biggest difficulty of this school year was homeschooling during our move. Trying to continue teaching my child through boxes, a month of living with family and in hotels, and while getting adjusted to our new home has been rough. We are still working on getting back into our homeschool routines, but we have managed to keep teaching/learning throughout our move.



Jessica ~ The highlight of our school year has been our history studies. We have been focusing on the earliest parts of American history (beginning before European discovery) and it has been so fun to watch the children play out famous scenes from history in their free time. Even when they aren't 'in school' they are applying and enjoying what they've learned.

The most difficult part of this year was schooling during the long hospitalization and eventual death of my mother-in-law. Even so, school was such a comforting anchor for us in the midst of everything. It allowed us a level of flexibility that enabled us to meet many more needs than we could have otherwise. It also gave the children a schedule open enough to participate in as much of the care of their grandmother as they desired. It was a difficult time for us, but not because of homeschooling - our family lifestyle made dealing with a difficult situation easier than it could have been.



Sam ~ Math has been our biggest hurdle this year, and finding the right fit {at least for now!} has been one of our biggest accomplishments.  This year I don't feel so new at this, and having more confidence has helped me tremendously!



Dorie ~ Our biggest challenge was maintaining a momentum.  We had several major {beyond our control} unscheduled breaks in our school year that negatively impacted our motivation.  It has been a struggle that is finally ending.  Our highlight has been seeing our children's creativity develop.  Watching them try new things, express their ideas, and create art in many forms has been beautiful. 



Tracy ~ My highlights have come during our challenges—homeschooling through morning-sickness and the birth of our third child has presented a lot of challenges this year. The highlight has been seeing the kids learn when I've least expected it. It doesn't necessarily take organized crafts and well-planned lessons; sometimes learning can just happen.



Ralene ~ The highlight of my school year was whenever I saw my children apply what they had learned in their lives. Whether it be me catching them singing some of the songs we learned to their animals or when they come up and tell me that they were going to do something they weren't supposed to, but then they remembered their Bible verses and did the right thing.

The most challenging was dealing with Alana's struggles with school and her attitude when she wasn't getting something right away.



What was your highlight or challenge in homeschooling this year?

Seeds of Wisdom - Learning Along with Our Children

As we approach the end of another school year, it is a great time to evaluate our academic years. Each Friday, during the month of April, we will share a little about our current homeschooling years.

Today, we are discussing:
What is something interesting you learned while teaching your children this school year? 

Ralene - I learned that a child is willing to learn anything as long as you put it to music or in a game. :)

Tracy - I've learned just how much a child can learn! I have to constantly remind myself not to put limits on what I think they are capable of because they are always surprising me.

Sam - This year I have learned to stick with what I love, and not question what works for us. I'm in the process of unsubscribing to a lot of companies that only want to sell me things, instead of helping me as a homeschooler.

Jessica - I have learned so much about American History this year! It has reaffirmed many of my personal views and reignited the passionate side of my patriotism. It is amazing that a story you already know can be so fresh and invigorating - no wonder we all like to read our favorite books or watch our favorite movies over again. There were so many details about the American Revolution that I had forgotten or never really understood before our studies this year.

Marla - I have learned a lot of cool facts about animals during our animal studies. It is so cool that teaching your child can help you learn too!

Dorie - Teaching our oldest informal logic has taught me a lot about how people communicate and draw conclusions.  {And, I thought it was going to be a dry subject that I would have to feign interest in!}

And, now we'd love to hear from you...
What is something interesting you learned while teaching your children this school year?  It could be a historical fact, way to teach, something about child development, or anything new-to-you. 

Evaluating Progress

This week at Growing Your Homeschool, we asked our bloggers,

"While testing is one way to determine skill level or mastery in a subject area, it is not the only way. What are some other methods or creative ways you have chosen to use to evaluate your child's progress?"

MARLA-"I observe Abigail to determine her skill levels and levels of mastery. I give her independent work and watch her complete it. If she feels confident and is able to do it on her own, I know that she has mastered the skill. If not, I know that we need to keep working on it. I also observe her in play and free time as I have noticed that she rehearses a lot of the skills that we are learning during her play time."

DORIE- "We do use some testing methods, but we also implement some other ways of checking our children's progress. Observations and listening to them reiterate a lesson or material they have learned are two ways. Another way is to have them 'teach' someone else the same material."

TRACY- "Observing my kids in "out of school" moments really gives me a terrific idea of what they are learning—conversations in the car and at the dinner table, playtime activities, etc. I have also loved using narration this year, having the kids tell me what they learned as I write down their answers. For records, however, I do depend a lot on worksheets (graded or non-graded) to give me an accurate assessment."

DELENA-"I ask my 5 year-old to "teach" what he learned to his younger brother--he loves it, and he really does a good job of covering the subject. I will also have him tell Dad about what he learned at school when Dad gets home from work. Our fav...orite way is to just ask questions around the dinner table in kind of a game show-type way. We're Catholic, so our questions might consist of, "What does the fourth commandment say?" or "Which saint was roasted over a gridiron because he loved God?" or "Why did Jesus turn over the tables in the temple?" We use silly voices and sound effects if he gets the answer right or wrong--which generally causes a good case of the giggles."

JESSICA- "Like Tracy, observing my children talk to others about what they have learned is a wonderful way to see what is sticking with them, especially in history and social studies. I encourage them to discuss what they are learning during dinners... with Dad, grandparents and friends, and they enjoy "showing off." As far as 'paper work' sort of learning, I've found the best way of measuring how they are doing is whether or not they want to work independently and how many of those tasks worked correctly without help indicate their grasp. If they have questions, want to talk it out or even want me to sit with them, I feel they probably need more time and practice. If they disappear and come back with correct work, I know they have mastery and it's time to move on."

MAUREEN-"I always feel a bit confused on this topic, as a home educator. For me, my children's learning is such an intimate affair that to me it's like asking- how do I know how much I know about something... I just do. It's natural. We are learn...ing TOGETHER and talking all day long. I consider it one of the main benefits of our chosen homeschooling style that I always know right where my son and daughter are in different areas."




How do you evaluate your child's progress?

Incorporating the Presidential Election Into Our Homeschool Curriculum

This week we asked the bloggers here at Growing Your Homeschool,

February 20th is President's Day. We elect a new president this year. We are hearing about it on the news. There are debates going on. Will you include this historic occasion in your homeschool curriculum? If so, how?

Marla-Since Abigail is only three, I am not sure that she is old enough to really understand the concept of electing a president. She does know that Obama is our current president and that George Washington was our first president. For now, that is all that I am planning to teach her.

Aurie-We have talked about the concept of President and what he does for our country. Sophie knows that Obama is our current president. I don't think she will really understand elections, so for now we're focusing on what a President's job is and why that is important.

Dorie-Yes, we will include the presidental election in our homeschool. This year we are studying the exploration, colonization, and formation of our country. We will also include lessons on the government and elections. During the election, we will probably do a color coded map of the country to see representation and popular voting in action.

Ralene- We don't plan to. The girls aren't quite to that level yet. If they were a few years older, I would definitely want to include them.

Delena-I have a five year-old who refers to our President as "Jobama." I've got a feeling he might not understand the whole process. :-) I still plan on talking to him about our President, why we elect a new President, and how it's important to elect a President who doesn't support things that are intrinsically evil.

Jessica-We frequently discuss politics right now, especially because we are studying early American History. The children are learning (depending on their age level) how our government was formed and how officials are elected. We are reading books (like "VOTE" by DK readers) and watching School House Rock "I'm gonna send your vote to college" to learn about the way our electoral system works. My husband and I will be voting, and our children will come along to watch us participate.


Will you incorporate this year's election into your homeschool curriculum?  If so, how?

How We Are Growing

This week we asked the bloggers here at Growing Your Homeschool,

Depending on when you started and when you finish, we are about halfway through our 2011-2012 school year. What have you learned this year that you didn't know before that has impacted the way you do homeschooling? You can list several things if you like.


Jessica- GREAT question. I have learned the impact routine planning can have. Previously in my journey as a homeschooling parent, I found myself a slave to planning (and making everyone stay with it!). I have learned this year that the lesson plans are less important than the time structure. When we have a loose schedule that allows me to spend time focused on helping each child learn, we all accomplish more. I have been able to be more flexible (You already know how to do this, let's skip it) and more helpful (this is still giving you trouble, let's work on it some more instead of moving on to the next lesson). I have applied the same 'flexible routine' to teaching my children to help manage the household. Instead of daily/weekly chore lists that are already made, I assign each child tasks each day. This way, the tasks can change to meet the needs of the household at the time as well as the interests of the child performing them (I had one begging to learn to iron so it became her chore to press napkins one day - NO I don't press napkins, this was an invented chore!) It also helps keep things interesting and helps me feel free to change assignments or portions of the routine. Everyone continues to feel fresh and excited about most of their learning this way.

Aurie- I have learned to relax and go with the flow. I've learned that Sophie is an interest led learner, which has been eye opening for me. I've learned that I don't need to teach Sophie everything right now. I've learned that it's okay to ask questions when I have no idea what I am doing. It's been an amazing journey so far :)

Dorie Kay-  One of our biggest changes this year was implementing a more structured routine. It has made a tremendous difference in the flow of our days. Another thing I am learning is to prioritize better. There was a time when I tried to do everything. It isn't possible for me, and it was way too taxing on the children. This year, there are actually good things we said no to, so we can focus on the better and best things. I am hoping to sharpen this skill as I begin to plan for next year.

Marla-  The biggest thing that I have learned this year is that I don't have to do it all myself. I LOVE creating my own curriculum and making all of my own activities. It is a lot of fun for me! However, sometimes, I simply do not have the time to do that and everything else that I need to do. I have learned to balance the activities that I create with activities that others have made (there are some fabulous bloggers who share preschool activities for free). Not creating everything myself has greatly improved homeschooling for me and for my girls!

Tracy- Our biggest change has been a much less structured routine. Homeschooling while pregnant has been quite the challenge, but I've loved to see just how much my kids can learn from 1 to 1 1/2 hours of relaxed learning time.

Delena- This is our first year to homeschool, and I quickly realized that it doesn't matter if I'm tired or not feeling like doing school, I still NEED to do it for the sake of my son. I have also learned to watch for signs of fatigue (he's only 5) so that we don't let him get burned out on something too quickly. I've learned that if I make it funny he is able to remember it better--which is how his Mom learns, too. :-)

What have you learned so far in your homeschool year?