Homeschooling a child with autism is challenging, but this mom of a severely autistic child encourages you to give ita try, even if for just a year. It may be the best decision you ever made.
Complicated grammar frustrates little kids (and moms). They don’t need to know about nouns and adverbs, they just need to know how to write good sentences. That’s why I was so happy when I discovered New Language Exercises for Public Schools by C. C. Long. Here was a ... Read More...
We have been homeschooling my fourteen-year-old son since he was eight years old. Last week he went back to school. He is enrolled in a Medieval History class at a private school, as part of a homeschool hybrid program. He wants to go. He wants to get away from his little brother. He wants to...
Homeschooling special needs students can feel intimidating, even when you’ve found the perfect curriculum that suits your child’s learning style. It's even more intimidating when you either can’t find a good fit or you’re so bombarded with therapy schedules and doctor visits, that you wonder how to make one work. Not that long ago, I found myself in a unique situation that I never expected. Based on necessity, we had to make some changes.
Homeschooling a Child with Special Needs can be one of the best things you do for your child. You can find all of the homeschool special needs curriculum and successfully homeschool by choosing the right curriculum that matches their learning style and homeschool methods.
Click on the image to view the Minecraft activity. Print the PDF to use the worksheet. Minecraft Penmanship Practice Enjoy this fun activity page themed from Minecraft.
Looking for a homeschool science curriculum? Read our review of the Real Science 4 Kids curriculum. Get an idea of whether it will fit your needs!
This will mark the ending of our very first year of Classical Conversations. Joshua's class will be reciting the Preamble, Caleb's class will
If any one is a 3rd-5th teacher this past month and a half (depending on where you live/work) you have been doing what most of us....test pr...
Homeschooling a child with dysgraphia presents unique challenges. Learn how to beat dysgraphia with these 8 strategies!
Keeping your budget low while homeschooling is easy when you utilize this list of Free Homeschool Curriculum. Our list includes over 100 resources for free lesson plans…
When your child has sensory processing disorder, or just sensory issues, even homeschooling can be challenging. Here are some tools and tips to help.
Understanding how dyslexic students learn and teaching with corresponding methods will make big impact on learning.
Today we started our next year of homeschooling! We began the day with taking some first day photos and going to get donuts (see those photos on my Instagram page @mackenziemakes). Our oldest is starting first grade and our youngest will be doing a little with letters and numbers. In this post I am sharing
How many times have you heard “don’t forget to stretch!” when you exercise? Hopefully you’ve heard the advice often enough you at least think about
Explore medinamom3's 2285 photos on Flickr!
Here is a chart I found that shows the calories burned per hour of horse activity. I have no idea if it is correct or not but the numbers do make sense.
Kids will LOVE these engineering challenges with craft sticks, cups, and wood cubes. Engaging, open-ended, and creative!
Most of us think of two main areas of study when it comes to homeschool history - American history and world history. Those are important subjects for students to learn about and should definitely be part of any student’s education. While studying Ancient Egypt with its pharaohs and pyramids or the American Civil War with its battles and ideologies is fascinating, sometimes it’s fun to study subjects that hit a little closer to home. Have you ever thought about studying the history of your town or region? No matter where you live that place has a history. People lived and visited there for a reason. Events took place there. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know more about those people and events? For instance, I currently live in Peoria, IL. In our study of the area, we have learned that this was once of whiskey capital of the world. Yep. From 1837 to 1919, Peoria IL had over 24 breweries and 73 distilleries. At its peak, taxes on the alcohol made in Peoria supplied nearly half of the federal government’s entire revenue. Whiskey money allowed people in Peoria to build grand houses, churches, schools, and hospitals. Whiskey grew Peoria, IL. That’s just a little bit of what we learned from our history study of the area we live it. It’s been fascinating and we’ve met so many interesting people along the way. Our study opened up ways to connect our town to events and eras in our American and even World history studies. It was intriguing to see how the part of the world that we live in every day and take for granted fits into the larger scheme of things. Local History Study Resources When we first decided to do a local history study, we weren’t sure where to start. Like with almost any research project, we started on the internet. We found lots of good resources to get started. It gave a direction for us to go. After our internet search, we decided that we needed to check out some local history sources. The information we found locally is what made our study come alive. Local history sources are easy to find. Most are easily accessible to the public and those in charge of them are more than happy to share their knowledge. Here are a few local sources to use in your own history project. Local Historical Societies Every town or county has a local historical society. They may have an office or a meeting place. Try to make contact with someone there. Historians are a wealth of knowledge and love sharing it. These societies often have original documents or artifacts that most people don’t get to see or even know about. Make friends at the historical society and they will open the treasure trove to you! Local Libraries Local libraries often have a local history section with books and articles written about the area. This is a good place to go to research specific local subjects. Librarians are often good sources of information. If you are researching a certain topic about your area, ask the librarian. They may have knowledge or know of additional resources that might help you out. Local Museums Towns and counties of all sizes usually have some sort of a museum. Even if it is just a small house or space that is only open a couple days a week or by appointment. These local museums have displays, documents, and artifacts that can be useful in your research. Always try to talk to the curator or historian on staff. They will be a fount of knowledge. Local Historical Sites Or Homes Visit local historic sites or historic homes. Many of these offer guided tours or at least have someone or something on site to offer information. In our area, we have visited historic sites like Jubilee College State Park that was one of the first institutes of higher learning in Illinois. It was built in the middle of the prairie miles from town. We learned about the man who founded the college and his reasons for starting it. It was an interesting look at what life was like in our country in the mid 1800’s. Our area also boasts some amazing homes designed by renowned architects of the time and built by whiskey barrons and politicians who shaped the area. Tours of those homes gave us a look at the personal lives of the former owners. What Local History Can You Study? Ready to learn more about your area? Start by what you know and build from there. What are your curious about? What or who do you want to know more about? If you don’t know anything, visit a museum, historical site, or society. Look for things that interest you and your kids. Enjoy!
What is one thing you need to become the best homeschool teacher? Sharing some top tips on becoming an amazing homeschool teacher!
Want to homeschool but don't know where to start? These are the four basic things to do when you want to begin homeschooling but don't know what steps to take.
When it comes to favourite subjects history is rarely at the top of the list. This may be because history lessons tend to be hard to connect...
Free Third Grade Homeschool Curriculum When I first got started homeschooling I never realized how quickly your budget can be blown, or if not careful spiral out of control. In fact my first year of homeschooling I didn't even set a budget. That quickly led to things getting out of hand. I bought many items
THere was a time when we were overwhelmed & constantly behind in our homeschooling. Then, we tried a drastic experiment - a four day homeschool week.
I love finding unit studies and free printables to go along with books that we are reading in our homeschool. Adding extra resources to what we are reading can really add to the fun and give your children extra learning experiences.The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner was one of the first chapter books I remember reading when I was little. The story always resonated with me and is one I don't ever forget. This is a classic book that I think everyone should read. If your children enjoy this book, they may also enjoy the entire series. There are 19 original books in this fun mystery series, and many, many other books have been created as spin offs.
Are you ready to start homeschooling but not sure where to start? With our resources you can begin homeschooling with ease!
Blending homeschool styles to meet your child's needs means focusing on what works for your kids and your family - not everyone else's.
Whether you're a veteran homeschooler looking for new ideas or you're brand new to it, you don't want to miss these homeschool websites for preschool!
Who says history is boring?! Check out these totally NOT boring history book series for kids, including fiction and non-fiction.
Homeschooling is something we feel that God has called us to do, but it does mean that we have to make it go on one income while I teach the children. As a result, our educational dollars have to stretch! Here are a few of the ways we have done that. I pray this would be encouragement to anyone who is planning to homeschool: that this is not about the money, but the effort! 1. A heritage of learning. One of the reasons we knew homeschooling would be a good fit for us, was that both of us were home-schooled When we announced we planned to homeschool our children, you can imagine just how much our moms were pleased. We had the full support of our extended families, and the full boxes of their leftover books! While this wasn't always a perfect fit, it was a huge blessing. I discovered quickly books that were outdated and used up. Emma's history book referred to the Berlin wall and the USSR, but many books, such as language arts and spelling, are really timeless. We especially love some of the old readers! While you may not have parents who are curriculum hoarders, you may know a "retiring" homeschool mom who was one. It easy to find her; she is likely the chairwoman of the "Homeschool Graduation Committee" in your homeschool support group. ;) Find a homeschool mom to mentor you, and ask if she will loan (and likely she will give) you some of her old curriculum. 2. Find a lending library. Our homeschool group has a lending library for curriculum. Every year I donate a box of books that didn't work for us, and check out a box of books that I hope will! It's wonderful to be able to spend an afternoon there flipping through curriculum without having to buy it first. (And then I remember I'd signed up to help "organize" and clean the library that day, not read it all!) We actually have two homeschool groups in town, and thus, two lending libraries. You will find pretty much every group has them. They are filled with items donated by those who switched curriculum, or those moms who retired without anyone begging for their books! (see #1) If your homeschool group doesn't have one, start one! It will be full in no time when hoarders like myself start unloading baggage. The hardest part is finding a place that can host the library. Maybe a church with an extra classroom with a lock? Maybe a local Christian hang out with a storage room? Maybe a homeschool mom with a garage she doesn't mind opening for others from time to time? Your homeschool group may even want to rent a nice storage unit and build some bookshelves! 3. Be an opportunist. In our area, there have been several schools closed due to district consolidations. Every few months a school shuts it's doors and an auction is held. It's a sad day, for the school anyway. Watch for those school auctions. You can get desks, blackboards, reference books, and even unused workbooks for next to nothing. Once our homeschool group was invited to a closing educational services unit to pick up any curriculum we wanted "before it goes in the dumpster." We filled our car trunks and pickup beds, and whatever we couldn't use went in the lending library. I managed to get an entire set of Saxon Math (1st through 7/6) that day. *score!* Ok, I'm going out on a limb here and baring my soul. I confess I have even dumpster dived for curriculum. I had missed the auction for another school-closing, and whatever hadn't sold was being dumped out the front doors into a large construction dumpster. There were three of us homeschool moms in there, and I had brought my pickup. I scored 6 school desks and a box of geography workbooks still in the shrink wrap, among other things. I would have found more, but that was all I could see by the light of my cell phone. For the record, dumpster diving is perfectly legal in most states as long as you don't trespass on private property. When a local college upgraded their entire computer lab, they sold all the computers there (not that old, but they had their operating systems wiped) for next to nothing. You could get a nice computer for $25 plus the cost of installing Windows. 4. Shop, swap, and sales! Shopping on ebay or even at yard sales, you can often find books for bargain prices. Most curriculum fairs or homeschool conventions include a used curriculum swap and sale. It's a great place to sell what you have, but won't use, and to find what you need. Show up at the end and offer to buy whole boxes of books for bottom dollars. I guarantee that most of the people there would rather give the books away then haul them home. A good friend put me onto this swapping tip(thanks B!). I have mentioned before about swapping for free books on Paperback Swap .com. She took it the next level on her smart phone. There are apps (for both Android and iPhones) you can download to link to your PaperbackSwap account. They are able to use your phone camera to scan bar-codes of books and see if they are on wishlists of other swappers. She suggested that I use this feature to pick up cheap books for swapping. Recently, I was at the library, and they had a "stuff a bag for a buck" fundraiser. I flipped through the shelf, scanning books and checking their "wishing" status. I filled a bag with books I already knew I could "swap" on the site. I have found several good books on my curriculum list, and have requested them with my credits. My only cost? The postage for mailing off the books (usually about $2) and about 10 cents to buy them. 5. Sign up to sell or review. If there is a curriculum or company your heart is just set on, call them up! Tell them how you love their stuff, and offer to staff a table at your next curriculum fair or trade show. Ask if they have an affiliate program where you can earn credit by selling their books to others. You would be surprised at the opportunities out there. If you are a blogger like myself, be sure to follow the Review Crew blog (see the button in my side bar?) in the fall when they are looking for new reviewers. I've enjoyed the fellowship with other homeschool moms, and the opportunity to try out new curriculum for my honest review here on my blog. I feel I've become a better blogger from hanging out with these ladies too! 6. Keep an open mind. By now I'm sure you're thinking that I will use any book without discrimination. That's only partly true. When I began my homeschool journey I thought I knew what I liked. I'd been homeschooled myself and I'd formed plenty of opinions throughout the years. Without my giving away my age, I will say that a lot has changed on the curriculum front since then! Being on the Crew this year has exposed me to lots of books I would have never considered buying. I've tried out lots of things I never knew I would love so much! Yes, also a few things I didn't. But it made me realize that you really have to open a book and give it a test drive before you know if it is for you. I am completely willing to try out a book, and not keep it if it's not working, especially if I got it for free. I also love that I can swap the books I don't love (see #4) for books I do! I can also sell them and use the cash to buy what I really want. Bring on the school auctions and library sales! 7. Don't forget the best things in life are free. One last thing: remember that the most priceless stuff your children will learn won't come from a curriculum. You are training these kids by the actions and behaviors you model. Whether it is your ethics, your Faith, or just how to find the right books at the library, your kids are learning from you. All. The. Time. No pressure. :) "As homeschooling moms, we don’t just undertake teaching a set list of educational goals, but also of life. We have a special opportunity for modeling behaviors before our children all day long. They are our disciples. This may come as a surprise, but we aren't raising children; we are raising adults. They are children now, but isn't adulthood the end goal? When we hit an impasse with a school concept, we aren't just teaching our kids math anymore. We are teaching so much more: how to deal with frustration, how to look at a problem in a new way, or even how to ask God for help." -Practical Grace for the Homeschool Mom There is SO much more I could say here, but there's a whole blog cruise on the topic, and you'll have plenty to read. So, get going already! Linked: ©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com *This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. *
Exactly what is homeschool strewing? Strewing is providing interesting experiences and resources to encourage curiosity and exploration.
Typical Course of Study for Highschool. One of the big concerns about homeschooling high school is determining what to study.
Homeschooling a distracted child can be a challenge. It can make for a long homeschool day and a frustrated mom and child. Here are some tips for how to homeschool the distracted child.
Whether you’re just starting to research homeschooling, you’re a new homeschool mom, or you’re seasoned and looking for encouragement and ideas, this list is for you! In each category, I have compiled my top TEN favorites. I hope you love them as much as I do.While I do not subscribe 100% to a particular method of educ
The benefits of homeshooling are as diverse as the reasons you would homeschool – this is my top list after 20 years of experience.
When you were a kid, did you learn more from textbooks or from reading books just for fun? I definitely learned a lot more from historical fiction than from any history textbook!
Want to teach your child about Canada? Do you want them to learn about New Brunswick? Check out all of this family's New Brunswick unit study activities!
The three methods that promote interest-based learning in the home are the Montessori method, Waldorf method and Unschooling. Learn about each of these.
A timeless tale of love and hate at the crossroads of history: Our Bronze Bow Unit Study engages students with the political, cultural, and literary features of Elizabeth Speare's historical fiction novel.
