Bookmarks for Summer Reading
Submitted by kim on Tue, 06/05/2012 - 08:40 in Homeschooling
I am working with a seventh grade boy and his mom this summer to make their summer academically meaningful. I really admire this mom. She works full time as a night nurse, and stays is extremely involved in her son's education. She needed a "right hand" so to speak to not only meet with her son a few times, but to also help her understand emails from his teacher and learn some better techniques in assisting her son.
Making Our School Space Work
Submitted by kim on Thu, 05/31/2012 - 07:52 in Homeschooling
Once upon a time, last September actually, an old door in our garage....
became a desk in our family room.
Super Summer Challenge
Submitted by kim on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 00:15 in Homemaking, Homeschooling
A few summers ago, I created the "Super Summer Challenge" for my children. Josiah, our 12 year-old, mentioned it one afternoon last week while we were walking. He asked that I create a similar system for him this coming summer. I love it when my children remember of something that worked well in the past and ask for a repeat!
What exactly is a super summer challenge? It is a list of activities customized for each child that helps them fill their long summer days AND develop new skills and habits.
Links to Weekly It's Monday? Write Again! Plans
Submitted by kim on Mon, 10/01/2012 - 22:04 in Homeschooling, Writing
Want to stay encouraged to write with your homeschool students?
Check back each Monday for tips, links, and free printables!
It's Monday? Write Again! #1: Writing to Learn vs. Public Writing
It's Monday? Write Again #2: What the 2011 National Report Card on Writing means to homeschoolers and writing from pictures.
Build Deliberately
Submitted by kim on Fri, 02/24/2012 - 00:06 in Homeschooling
I am in the process of preparing two workshops for our community's annual homeschool conference the end of March. In addition to reading, synthesizing, and outlining content for the talks, I'm making lists. I go to every homeschool conference and curriculum fair with lists. There is the list of vendors' booths to be sure to visit list. The list of new curriculum I want to get my hands on. And the lists I labor over the most: each child's list of subjects and texts for the next year. Sometimes, it can almost seem like I'm Santa - making my lists and checking them twice. Actually, checking them ten or twenty times is more realistic.
Cost of Homeschooling - Part 3
Submitted by kim on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 02:34 in Homeschooling
One thing we could not have known when we made the decision to homeschool through high school was the cost to homeschool would increase annually. This lesson was learned in math class.
Cost of Homeschooling - Part 2
Submitted by kim on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 09:23 in Homeschooling
We completed preschool. The curriculum we had chosen included teacher materials through second grade. Things were going well. So with very little out of pocket expense for kindergarten, we pressed on. At the end of our second year homeschooling, our daughter's kindergarten year, we made a major decision. We would continue homeschooling through high school. Looking back, I marvel that we thought we understood life well enough to make such a major commitment. We were young parents. Full of ideals and conviction. More than a schooling choice, we viewed our decision to teach our children at home as a decision based on scripture.
Deuteronomy 6: 4-8
Cost of Homeschooling - Part 1
Submitted by kim on Mon, 01/16/2012 - 22:32 in Homeschooling
A young mom recently asked for insights on a topic I've considered exploring- the costs involved in homeschooling. I mentioned the subject to Rich and his initial response was exactly my own - financial costs or real life costs? Hmmmm.... much to unpack. I'm going to pause here a bit - perhaps write a few posts on the subject. Hopefully, those wrestling with the decision to homeschool will find something to consider.
Three Weeks Left
Submitted by kim on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 21:52 in Homeschooling
I have always loved Easter. When a little girl, my grandfather would drop off corsages the Saturday before Easter Sunday, one for my mother and one for me. It was always a bit too big looking for me, but I loved wearing it to church the next morning. I think the tradition of woman having corsages for Easter Sunday is outdated, but these beautiful tulips showed up on my table Saturday night. Love them!
Selecting Language Arts Curriculum
Submitted by kim on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 06:50 in Homeschooling
Homeschool parents today have a spectrum of choices when it comes to language arts curriculum. Rainbow Resource, the super center of all homeschool supply companies, offer 515 full curriculums, and over 700 individual items to help with grammar/usage/mechanics. Overwhelming! Instead of offering a review of specific products or endorsing one company over another, I want to offer a few tips regarding languages arts in general:
