“Good for YOU…not me” was what I always thought when I met an amazing mom that homeschooled her children. I was confident that I was both a better mother getting a break from my children, and that a fully trained individual was more qualified for the job. Yet I spent the past year homeschooling my […]
“Good for YOU…not me” was what I always thought when I met an amazing mom that homeschooled her children. I was confident that I was both a better mother getting a break from my children, and that a fully trained individual was more qualified for the job. Yet I spent the past year homeschooling my […]
Science can be challenging, but this big list of free science learning sites & apps can help make the homeschool transition a little smoother.
“Good for YOU…not me” was what I always thought when I met an amazing mom that homeschooled her children. I was confident that I was both a better mother getting a break from my children, and that a fully trained individual was more qualified for the job. Yet I spent the past year homeschooling my […]
5 Reasons We Swore We’d Never Homeschool (And 10 Reasons We’d Never Go Back): As a public school teacher and former manager of a group home for boys in the custody of the state, my husband and I have always been proponents of public education. Though each of our school experiences differed, we both felt […]
I swore I would never medicate ADHD in my children. I encourage their interests. I praise their efforts. I even homeschool to mold my kids’ education to their particular needs. But, ultimately, I saw that my efforts would never be enough. My son needed more — and he deserved it, too.
You swore you'd never be here, yet here you are, actually considering the idea of homeschooling your kids.
Ooka Island is a "learn to read" game for children from pre-K to 2nd grade. It is software based, not an online program. There are three editions: School Home & Homeschool We are reviewing the "Homeschool" edition. Our Ooka Island software arrived quickly, and was delivered on a USB drive for Mac. Installation was a SNAP and it was ready to play in no time at all. Now...let me give you a little information before I get into the "meat" of my review. My 7 year old (Troy) has had a VERY difficult time learning to read. He also gets frustrated with the computer, and does not spend any time on it. We limit time with electronics in our home, so it is not like he has a lot of "practice" either. When preparing to do this review, I did not have high hopes. Back to my review: Troy sat anxiously watching as I installed the software and was immediately drawn in by the graphics. He repeatedly asked, "Is it time for me to play yet?". Finally, it was time. He played, and played, and played some more. There are also printable workbooks to go along with the program, and correspond to the books they read within the program. We used these to help reinforce the computer learning. (Yes, we often do school in our pajamas) I think the first few days he spent 2-4 hours a day playing. (I know, I know...that is a lot. However, he was learning and loving it, who am I to argue?) Immediately I noticed changes in his reading ability. I mean after his first day playing it, not after a week or two. After several weeks of playing, he has grown by leaps and bounds. I swore I would never use a computer based tool for homeschooling, opting for the more traditional living book method. Ooka Island is my exception to that rule. We LOVE it not only because it is fun... we love it because it does what it is supposed to do, and that is to teach a child to read. Troy begs to play it DAILY! (yes, even weekends) The best feature for me as the parent is the Ooka Island "Lighthouse". This is what the website says about the "Lighthouse", and it explains it better than I could: "The Ooka Lighthouse Reporting System is an easy-to-use online portal for parents and educators. As young learners travel through the downloadable Ooka Island Learn-to-Read System, account holders can follow along in real-time by logging into the Lighthouse via a web browser. Current research is emphasizing that academic success in the early years is highly correlated to success in life. In fact, if children can read fluently and well by age seven, the likelihood that they will reach post secondary education doubles. The findings from the Lighthouse Reporting System tell us that children, ages five and above, using the Ooka Island program, can emerge into reading after as little as eight hours spent on the program, and that four-year-olds can emerge into reading within 13 hours. The “Red Line / Blue Line Chart” describes a typical five year old child’s progress on the Ooka Island Learn-to-Read System." Here is a little video peek at the Ooka Island Adventure: You can see the pricing here. BUT WAIT, do you want to save some? Here is a link to save 30%!
“Good for YOU…not me” was what I always thought when I met an amazing mom that homeschooled her children. I was confident that I was both a better mother getting a break from my children, and that a fully trained individual was more qualified for the job. Yet I spent the past year homeschooling my […]
If all else fails, here's a mega list of chore-free ideas to help give kids some direction. 100 Easy Ways Kids Can Fight Boredom & Celebrate Childhood.
Learn simple Korean words or phrases every day of the week.
“Good for YOU…not me” was what I always thought when I met an amazing mom that homeschooled her children. I was confident that I was both a better mother getting a break from my children, and that a fully trained individual was more qualified for the job. Yet I spent the past year homeschooling my […]
From Cat to Butterfly, Koala, Crocodile and Sparrow, find out the names of 170+ animals in Korean in this fantastic vocabulary guide. PLUS flashcards!
Explore reconstruction after the Civil War with History Quest: The Ten Percent Plan Edition
Particles. Crush · Love You With All My Heart
I saw them walk into the church one Sunday, all five of them, the boys in their long pants and button-up shirts and the girls in their dresses, heads ducked low. They’d just lost their mother to a brain aneurism and I swore I’d never complain about another dirty diaper. And then the next day my el
Let’s learn how to talk about sports in Korean. Exercise is 운동 (un-dong) and exercising is 운동하다 (un-dong-hada), there’s plenty to learn.
Since we formally started homeschooling, I have taken beginning of school pictures to capture that special moment in time. After seeing thi...
There is something about new school supplies that make me feel so giddy about a new year starting. If you’re new to homeschooling or need a supply list these are the top 10 deals I can’…
Learn simple Korean words or phrases every day of the week.
“Good for YOU…not me” was what I always thought when I met an amazing mom that homeschooled her children. I was confident that I was both a better mother getting a break from my children, and that a fully trained individual was more qualified for the job. Yet I spent the past year homeschooling my […]
“Good for YOU…not me” was what I always thought when I met an amazing mom that homeschooled her children. I was confident that I was both a better mother getting a break from my children, and that a fully trained individual was more qualified for the job. Yet I spent the past year homeschooling my […]
activities and crafts for kids
