Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Nurturing Natural Curiosity

The ultimate goal of all educators is to teach. Anyone who invests their time teaching wants to know that their students are going to take something away from each discussion and lesson. Homeschooling parents are no different.


However, homeschooling is a unique scenario that balances teaching and parenting. Sometimes, the busy parents in us can squash the natural curiosity right out of a child without even realizing it. After all, how many times can any person be asked “Why?” without exploding?

The most important fundamental of any educational environment must be to nurture that basic curiosity that all children possess. Children are born wanting to learn, but most children learn somewhere along the way to hate learning. Why?

Most of us have heard at least one teacher say, “There is no such thing as a stupid question.” Children must be able to believe that. Once they’ve been shamed for asking a question, they may become discouraged from asking more. Repeated shaming or negative responses can kill the desire to ask any more questions.

One of the benefits of homeschooling is not being forced to adhere to a strict curriculum. If you deviate for a day, hour or week to discuss something you hadn’t planned to cover, things are still going to be okay. Nurturing that curiosity, especially at a young age, is more important than racing through other “more important” material.  

Learning must be fun. It must be interesting. If we are going to instill a lifelong love of learning, and not just the basic knowledge needed to survive, our children must have a reason to love learning. At a young age, they naturally do. This is the perfect time to nurture and encourage that love.

Children are also more likely to retain and remember information that they wanted to know.

I have been asked hundreds of questions at inconvenient times, and I will admit that I am not perfect at putting this philosophy into practice. Nevertheless, I know that it is extremely important and I try to make answering questions a priority. If I am unable to answer immediately, I write the question down and promise to answer it later.

If your children have stopped asking questions like “Why” and “How” and seem to have lost their natural curiosity, it does not mean that all hope is lost. Reignite their curiosity by asking them questions. Trust me –there’s nothing more fun than bugging a child with persistently asking “Why” after everything they say (I’m sure it’s not because it feels like revenge or anything. =D). Ask “Why” and “How” until they reach the end of their knowledge and start guessing. Then, seize that opportunity to teach them something new.

Monday, March 28, 2011

NEWS: NH Court Orders Home schooled Girl To Public School

Last Monday (March 16, 2011), the New Hampshire Supreme Court upheld a previous ruling that ordered a homeschooled girl to attend public school. This decision, which was made against the wishes of the mother, was sparked by a debate between the child’s divorced parents.

Although the decision closely inspects the impact of religion and homeschooling in this girl’s life, the Supreme Court statement included this disclaimer:

 “The particular circumstances of this case bear emphasizing… While this case has religious overtones, it is not about religion.  While it involves home schooling, it is not about the merits of home versus public schooling.  This case is only about resolving a dispute between two parents, with equal constitutional parenting rights and joint decision-making responsibility, who have been unable to agree how to best educate daughter.”

The parents, who divorced in 1999 when the little girl was just an infant, have continually disagreed about whether she should be home schooled or public schooled. The daughter attended private school for kindergarten, but the mother began homeschooling in first grade.

Since that time, the father repeatedly fought this decision. His arguments were primarily about the influence of his former wife’s religion on their daughter and that homeschooling amplified that impact. He blamed the religion for his daughter’s failure to accept his new wife and child. He asserted that the religion “had the effect of isolating daughter from her peers” and that she could “experience diversity and improve her ability to accept differences in his home” if she were homeschooled.

THE RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE

In January 2007, the father filed a motion that stated,

“At her mother’s insistence, and against [his] wishes, [daughter] is homeschooled through a program that is affiliated with a church that both [mother] and [daughter] attend on a regular basis.” He continued to claim that his daughter was withdrawn and could not accept his new wife and child. His daughter’s therapist agreed that their relationship was suffering because she “strongly identified” with her mother’s religious beliefs.

The Supreme Court admits,

“There is no doubt that mother’s and child’s religious convictions have been a pervasive part of the parties’ school placement dispute… The trial court referred to the evidence presented that involved mother’s and daughter’s religious beliefs, including: the (guardian ad litem)’s account of daughter’s interaction with her counselor in which daughter “appeared to reflect her mother’s rigidity on questions of faith”; the GAL’s concerns about the impact of daughter’s religious beliefs on her relationship with her father; the father’s desire to expose daughter to different viewpoints to decrease his daughter’s “rigid adherence” to her mother’s religious beliefs; and mother’s acknowledgement of the strength of her and daughter’s religious beliefs. The trial court also remarked that daughter’s strong adherence to religious convictions that align with her mother’s beliefs likely was the effect of “spending her time school time with her mother and the vast majority of all of her other time with her mother.””

The blatantly religious overtones of this trial complicated the position of the court, which asserted that the decision had “not considered the merits of [daughter’s] religious beliefs, but considered only the impact of those beliefs on her interaction with others, both past and future.”

The court also states, “The evidence about faith is only relevant because [daughter] was unhappy that her father does not love her enough to want to spend eternity with her by adopting her faith.””

According to the father,

“If somebody doesn’t believe in [daughter’s] religion, she has a real, real hard time with it. If there’s ever anything that goes against what she believes in, she doesn’t really know how to respond and she automatically thinks that somebody’s attacking her or somebody is going up against her… When you have a serious discussion with [daughter], when you question her beliefs, or you present another idea to her about a religious belief, she doesn’t know what to do. She clams up. She turns away. You know, she just really can’t go any further.”

The court states that it:

“considered the importance of daughter having the ability to openly communicate with others who have a different viewpoint on a subject matter, whether or not the topic is religious in nature. It also considered the benefits of group learning, group interaction, social problem solving and exposure to a variety of points of view.”

However, the court asserts that it:

“did not express disfavor regarding the religious nature of daughter’s beliefs or disapproval regarding her vigorous defense of her religious beliefs. Neither did the court criticize the merits of mother’s and daughter’s religious convictions. Indeed, as the trial court emphasized, its order did not impose any restrictions on either parent’s ability to provide daughter with religious training or to share with daughter his or her own religious beliefs.”

THE HOME SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

The court also states:

“The dispute between the parties in this case did not revolve around the relative academic merits of public and home schooling. Their dispute centered upon which academic experience would be in daughter’s best interests.”

In fact, it is interesting to read the court’s evaluation of the academic merits of the homeschooling experience in question. Although the mother was in complete compliance with homeschool laws, the daughter excelled academically and socialization needs were met, the court took issue with the fact that the daughter watched recorded lessons on a computer at home. The mother checked her work, answered questions, engaged in discussions with her daughter, and replayed lessons as necessary. The court cited evidence that the daughter was “bored” and “lonely” in this environment.  

The guardian ad litem determined that “daughter’s best interests, and particularly her intellectual and emotional development, would be best served by exposure to a public school setting in which she would be challenged to solve problems presented by a group learning situation and by the social interactivity of children of her age.”

“The trial court’s acknowledgement that daughter successfully participated in several activities outside of her home, performed well academically with home education and is “generally likeable and well liked, social and interactive with her peers” does not render its decision that attending public school was in daughter’s best interests an unsustainable exercise of discretion.”

For more information, read the decision for yourself here: http://www.courts.state.nh.us/supreme/opinions/2011/2011026kurowski.pdf

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Despite the court’s assertion that this decision is isolated to this case and that it has nothing to do with homeschooling or religion, the decision seems monumental. Statements such as ”(the court) also considered the benefits of group learning, group interaction, social problem solving and exposure to a variety of points of view” seem to have a much greater scope.

What impact do you think this decision will have on homeschooling? Do you believe this decision is fair? What should the mother have done differently?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Freelance Writing Opportunity


Homeschool Skills is seeking experienced homeschool families to provide content for an exciting new guest feature series! These contributors will write one or more articles related to nearly any homeschooling subject they choose.

The subject matter is very broad, so please email your suggestions! Although all ideas and submissions are appreciated, these subjects are of particular interest:
  • Compliance with difficult laws
  • Homeschool student’s perspectives
  • “Day in the Life” type stories
  • Overcoming challenges in homeschooling
  • Graduation, prom and similar stories

Although we recommend submissions be at least 300 words in length, there is no limit on how long a submission is or how many submissions one contributor can submit.

Contributors, especially bloggers and site admins, should include biographical information and links to their site. I fully expect to include a plug to your site at the end of each post. =D

If you are interested, please email homeschoolskills@gmail.com for additional details.

Regrettably, we cannot guarantee that every submission will be used. Used submissions may be edited for clarity, grammar, spelling, and formatting. We appreciate your understanding.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Field Trips for Less: Discounts, Deals & Freebies

Shaking up the educational experience with a field trip can keep learning fresh and interesting for busy children and bored teens. It’s not necessary to spend hundreds to go to unusual and exciting places, however.
Another great way to save money is to look for discounts and coupons.

First, check for any discounts you may be eligible for. Veterans, seniors, disabled individuals, etc. can often get a few dollars or a certain percentage shaved off of their price just by showing an ID.

Look for discounts and deals in the community.  Entertainment Books for most areas can be found on Amazon.com (click the product link and do a search for your specific area!) contain many coupons, but the initial price can be steep. Many places offer coupons on their website that can be printed, so always look online before planning a trip. Some grocery stores offer discounted tickets to certain places, such as water parks.

Homeschooling groups that organize field trips together can benefit from group discounts. A later post will provide more information about homeschool groups.

While families on a budget may wonder what they can do to supplement their educational experience, there are many options.

Watch for the word “free.” Free is my favorite price! In Seattle, there are several museums that participate in a free museum night on the first Thursday night of every month. During certain hours, entry to these places is totally and completely free.  In Olympia WA, the children’s museum is free on the first Friday evenings of each month. Look for free events in the community and don’t miss them!

Summer is an especially easy time to find free events. Keep tabs on local newspapers and kid’s magazines. A magazine called “Seattle’s Child” offers a calendar of free and fee events in the Western Washington area. Getting a subscription to magazines like this can provide you with periodic reminders to check for freebies (which can be very useful because, let’s face it, homeschoolers are busy!).

Also, simple searches like “Free events Seattle” or “Free events Houston” etc. can find free events in major cities near you (of course, that only works if you search for cities near you… I don’t generally look in Houston. =D)

What are you favorite ways to find low-cost or free field trips? Share your ideas in the comments below, or in the discussion forums (in the 'Discuss' tab at the top of the page!)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Field Trips for Less: Passes

Field trips aren’t just for public schools—in fact, field trips are ideal for homeschool students. Since homeschool parents do not have to take 20+ children with them, spur-of-the-moment detours and regular errands can become memorable teaching moments. For example, grocery stores can be a very educational place for vigilant homeschooling families (more information on grocery store trips will be posted on a later date).

Families can go to (almost) every single place that the schools go—planetariums, zoos, museums, theater performances, etc. While admission to these places can be expensive, families can get more for their money by considering season/annual passes.

For example, my children love exploring the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. One trip alone would cost our family $35 or more (definitely more when you include paying for parking!). However, we spent $80 on our first trip and purchased an annual membership that allows six named individuals unlimited admission to the regular exhibits, plus 15 free regular IMAX film passes for the year and five free guest passes to the regular exhibits per year. We added my husband’s parents to the pass for an additional $10 apiece—that’s annual admission for less than the cost of a single one-time adult admission! Now, we can take the kids to the Science Center (or their grandparents can) anytime during the year without worrying about the price of admission. In the first month of owning the pass, it’s already paid for itself. Parking, of course, is still a pain.

Another side benefit of certain membership plans, such as the one for the Pacific Science Center, is reciprocal admission programs. By holding a Pacific Science Center pass, we get free admission to more than 290 science centers that participate in the ASTC Passport Program. Since we often travel out-of-state, we are eager to explore all of the science centers we will be able to visit free of charge.

Zoo passes have similar benefits. The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington, is an amazing place. Their passes are based upon how many people are in your family, and their ages. Adults are $42 apiece and children 3-18 are $11 each. However, you are also granted free or half-price admission to nearly 150 additional zoos and aquariums across the country.

Also consider buying passes for places that aren’t strictly “school” based. One of our favorite places to go as a family is the water park. Homeschool may seem like just a great excuse to justify the expense, but our children have learned the principles of buoyancy (positive and negative), current, etc. by playing in lazy rivers and wave pools. Other principles, like inertia and gravity can also be taught there.

Be creative. Create memories. Have fun! Always remember that school can be more than just an educational experience. It can also build and strengthen relationships.  

Check back Friday for more field trip savings ideas!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Buying a Curriculum

Buying a curriculum isn’t for everyone. Some homeschooling parents really enjoy the ability to teach without stressing about curriculum development; other homeschoolers can feel burdened or restricted by the idea of a purchased curriculum.

There are some definite pros and cons to purchasing a curriculum. Before you decide to, consider the following:

PROS

Ready lesson plans

The curriculum makes school easy for parents, because it eases the burden of preparation. Everything that needs to be taught is laid out in the curriculum material.

Resell-able

Used curriculums can be resold, which can help mitigate the effects of the steep initial price. However, to get the best benefit from reselling, workbooks should be unused. This can lessen the convenience of the curriculum.

Reusable

Statistics show that most homeschool families have three or more children. If you are going to re-use the curriculum with another child, however, you may be unable to find another workbook when you need it. For most effectiveness, copy the workbook pages and do not write in the actual workbooks—or order additional workbooks if possible.

CONS

Expense

Purchasing a curriculum can be pricey, and can leave the family with less funds for “fun stuff” like field trips. Some families may feel obligated to continue using it, even if it doesn’t work well for the family, because of the cost involved.

Buying a used curriculum or re-selling it can help lessen the expense.

Learning & Teaching Style

Some curriculums can feel very similar to classroom school-work and lack the opportunity for curiosity that homeschooling naturally fosters. Did you choose to homeschool because your child wasn’t doing well in a classroom-style school environment? You may want to consider that before buying a curriculum. Is your student ahead or behind of the average student? You will want to consider this also, because most curriculums are designed to be at an average level.

The classroom-like qualities of a curriculum can be mitigated if the family uses the curriculum as a guideline for their work without actually adhering to each activity and assignment. However, this can lessen the cost-effectiveness of such a purchase.

Ultimately, it is important to make sure that the curriculum caters to your child’s learning style—and your teaching style.

Do you use a purchase a curriculum? Why/why not? What are your experiences?

        

Friday, March 18, 2011

Grocery School

The grocery store holds more teaching opportunities than most people recognize. Few people recognize just how many things there are to learn there!

Here are a sample of the things that children can learn and practice at the grocery store (and/or at home, after the grocery trip). This list is not all-inclusive. If you are interested in more grocery store homeschool ideas, let me know and I’ll make another list!  

Young Children (Preschool & Younger):
  • Colors
  • Shapes
  • Names of produce
  • Sorting

Math
  • Write a grocery list and have children guess the prices you will spend. Compare to the end receipt.
  • Have children keep track of how much you are spending on calculators. Or, have them keep track of how much you are saving by buying items on sale or using coupons.
  • Determine unit costs. If something costs $6.79 per pound, how much is it for an ounce? Two ounces? How much can you buy for $5.00? Challenge children to find the cheapest item by unit (instead of the price per can, determine the price per ounce, etc)
  • Before you leave, have children clip coupons and determine how cheap the shopping trip can be. If they decide it is cheapest to shop at multiple stores due to coupon or discounts, have them factor the cost of gas to travel to both stores. Compare the end results of the shopping trip to their predictions.
  • A scientist, Dan Meyer, determined a mathematic formula to determine what checkout line is fastest. Each item takes 2.9 seconds and each person takes 48 seconds to get through the line (ergo, it is faster to be in line behind one person with more items than three people with fewer items) (Orzel, 2009). Have children guess which line will be fastest, based on this formula. Have each child stand in line with an item and “race” to see who finishes their transaction first.

Science
  • Learn the meanings of the food labels. What does it mean if something is pasteurized? Homogenized?
  • Cooking itself an act of chemistry. According to the MIT class Kitchen Chemistry, “Cooking may be the oldest and most widespread application of chemistry and recipes may be the oldest practical result of chemical research” (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009). Discuss how different ingredients and methods of cooking produce different textures, flavors, etc. (Ideas on specific Kitchen Chemistry experiments in a later post!)

Geography & Nature
  • Where does your food come from? Make a map when you get home. Or, before you leave home, decide to experience a culinary world tour, and deliberately by meals from different countries.
  • Where are pineapples grown? Bananas? Peanuts? How do they grow? Can you grow them in your area? Why or why not? How would your diet change if you could only eat locally-grown produce?

History
  • What did people do before grocery stores existed? What would life be like for you if you couldn’t run to the grocery store?
  • Did you know the first self-service grocery store was called Piggly Wiggly? It was opened on September 9, 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee. In 14 years, there were 2,600 Piggly Wiggly stores and other stores began changing to self-service.

Reading
  • Read the labels and discuss what is in each item. There are some pretty weird food ingredients out there. Do you know what polydimethylsiloxane is? It’s a common fast food ingredient… and it’s also used in Silly Putty, head-lice treatments, and breast implants (Science Channel, 2009). You may not come across polydimethylsiloxane in your grocery trip, but you will most likely encounter (at least in passing) foods that contain high fructose corn syrup (candy), phosphoric acid (soda), etc. If you don’t know what an ingredient is, look it up when you get home and learn!
  • Play a game where your family decides to avoid a certain item (like tomatoes or corn syrup) during the shopping trip and anyone who places an item containing that ingredient into the cart gets a penalty. If you have multiple children, encourage success by offering a reward for the person who makes the fewest mistakes (rewards could include a treat or not having to unload groceries at home)

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Earthquake & Tsunami Lesson Ideas

Last week, Japan suffered an 8.9 magnitude earthquake, followed by a severe tsunami that washed up to 6 miles in shore in places. News coverage has been continuous—for ongoing coverage, visit http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/.

 This is an excellent time to teach children about earthquakes and tsunamis. As a part of this lesson, develop a family emergency plan. Make and practice an earthquake and, if applicable to your area, tsunami plan.

Earthquake and Tsunami activities (ordered easy to difficult):

  1.  Simulate an earthquake. Place a thick layer of dirt over a cookie sheet. Use sticks and thread to create power lines and branches for trees. Use cars and figurine people. Have the child guess what the safest location would be. Shake the cookie sheet to simulate an earthquake, and watch what happens. Discuss the results compared to the child’s guess. (http://www.fema.gov/kids/jessnsam/ex01.htm)
  2. Simulate a tsunami. In a rectangular aquarium, create a beach out of sand and gravel. Add little houses, cars, trees, people etc. for effect. Fill a large bag with rocks and empty it quickly in the opposite end of the aquarium. Watch to see the effects of the wave. (http://www.odec.ca/projects/2005/nara5n0/public_html/) (or do it this way -- http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/science_fair_projects/25/297/ba2fb6f2868bf01ab540c85addda5309.html)
  3. Make a seismograph with these instructions: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Geo_p017.shtml?fave=no&isb=empty&from=TSW
  4. Demonstrate the different types of earthquakes with hand motions and a sealed bag full of water.  http://thehappyscientist.com/science-experiment/earthquakes-and-tsunami
  5. Make a shake table using these designs: http://jclahr.com/science/earth_science/shake/plans/deni/index.html
  6. Determine what type of harbor barriers best protect against tsunamis (http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2005/Projects/J0608.pdf)

As always, the depth of lesson should depend on the age, maturity and prior knowledge of your children. Below are some resources that can help you teach tsunami and earthquake lessons!

If possible, consider donating a Japanese Disaster Relief fund: http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

New York Times: 20 Ways to Teach about the Disaster in Japan Across the Curriculum
This interesting list offers 20 suggestions on ways to teach specifically about the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster.

USGS Kids
In addition to showing maps with all of the recent quakes, the USGS website contains valuable facts, visuals and interactive materials.

NOAA Tsunami Brochure
This brochure provides safety instructions in the event of a tsunami.

United States Search & Rescue Task Force: Tsunamis
This site offers some good information on tsunamis.




Monday, March 14, 2011

Mission Statements

Every home school family should define a mission statement, either for the entire family or for each specific child that is being homeschooled. These mission statements provide guidance and should include one or more goals.

Some contend that effective mission statements include clear deadlines and are regularly reviewed. While this is certainly a good idea, it is also a matter of personal preference. I have one broad mission statement for the entire family with smaller individual goals for each child. It is on those individual goals that I set deadlines.

Answer the basic questions in the mission statement—who, what, when, where, how and why. Who does the mission statement apply to? The whole Smith family, or just Jane? What are you hoping to accomplish? By when? Where will this occur? How are you going to accomplish your goals? Why is accomplishing those goals so important? Why are you homeschooling? These questions don’t have to be answered in this particular order.

Our mission statement looks something like this:

This year, the Thelin family will work together to develop each individual’s knowledge, creativity and unique talents. We will use structured time and materials to learn the fundamentals of reading, writing, and some math at home. We will focus on our interests and explore science, geography and other subjects as opportunities of interest arise. At least once a month, we will visit a place of educational interest in our community, such as the science center, zoo, aquarium, children’s museum, etc. We will also look for educational opportunities in our daily life and in spontaneous family activities, such as going on errands, visiting family members, or going to the beach. We believe that learning is a fundamental part of living and that everyone should learn something new every day.

To break it down, we answered:

Who (The Thelin family)
What (develop each other’s knowledge, creativity and unique talents)
When (This year)
Where (at home and in our community)
How (through structured time and materials, field trips, and family activities)
Why (learning is a fundamental part of living)

Every family will have different focuses. I place great emphasis on developing and encouraging the talents and interests of my children. This is partially because, as a public school student, I was repeatedly told that I could never succeed as a writer. (Oh, how I would love to go back and show those teachers how well I’ve done as a professional writer!) My ego and personal issues aside, however, I never want anyone to discourage my children from pursuing the subjects and talents that genuinely interest them. 

As long as learning is the goal, there is no right or wrong mission statement. However, putting the homeschool mission into writing solidifies it for everyone. Consider framing it in a prominent location where most of the learning takes place.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Seize the Moment

Spontaneous teaching moments are often the most memorable—and memorable lessons are the very best, because they help the child retain the knowledge and information imparted. Not every teaching moment can be an adventure, but at least a few of them should be.
Also, teaching in the moment integrates learning into daily life. This helps children accept and appreciate that learning is a part of daily life. Learning is so much more than a classroom experience. Encourage your children to look for learning opportunities in their daily activities as well.
I have been ‘teaching in the moment’ since Jack started to talk. It’s the easiest method of teaching for me, since our lives are often so busy and hectic. You can probably guess that our preferred homeschooling method is eclectic, heavily leaning toward unschooling.
Teaching in the moment is easier than it sounds. As a homeschool family, parents are already very aware of what their children are learning (after all, they teach it!). Keep in mind recent lessons, and look for ways to apply them.
For example, my family and I went grocery shopping yesterday. On the way home, my oldest son (Jack) asked if we were going to drive through town or on the freeway. No doubt, he was hoping that we would go through town and conveniently pass his favorite park. I explained that the freeway was a better choice, because the groceries would be tossed around the van by the turns and sudden, frequent stops on the roads that go through town. He remembered a recent lesson on inertia, and we discussed how inertia and Newton’s Laws of Motion apply to daily activities.
There are countless ways to teach in the moment. Future posts will give specific examples on how to seize teaching opportunities at the grocery store, park, and in other unexpected places.
Unlike many other aspects of homeschooling, the benefits of spontaneous teaching are often easy to see. When children learn in a format that is fun and exciting, they are often eager to repeat the experience.
I will never forget Jack’s fourth birthday party, when he started encouraging his friends to throw his toys off of our porch so that he could demonstrate and teach them about gravity. I don’t think any of the kids listened—they were pretty happy just to throw the toys—but I knew by watching that Jack had learned something from our previous lessons.
Using everyday activities to teach also gives parents an opportunity to regularly reinforce that learning. For example, seat belts came up in our discussion about inertia on the way home yesterday. Now, when we get in the van next time, I can ask my children why seat belts are important. If they mention inertia or the Laws of Motion, I’ll know that they’ve retained that information. Every time we get in the van, they will use their seatbelt and get a little reminder about a principle that may not have seemed important when it came from a textbook.


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Learning Together

Many homeschooling parents fear that their knowledge is not adequate. Perhaps they only received mediocre grades in school, or maybe they think they need a college education. This is not true.
It is true that you can’t teach what you don’t know. However, it’s never too late to learn.
My oldest son is fascinated by trains. He tries to relate everything he learns to trains. As a result, I have learned a lot about trains. When he asks me a question about how something works and I don’t know the answer, we sit together and look for answers in books and online.
Whether you want them to our not, your children know that you don’t know everything. In fact, sometimes they don’t believe you know anything at all. Why waste your time trying to pretend like you know everything when you don’t? No matter how hard you study or prepare, your children will eventually ask a question that you cannot honestly answer.
Seeing that you still have things to learn is an educational experience for our children itself. Through this, they become aware that learning is a journey and not a destination. It is impossible to know everything there is to know in one lifetime.
Don’t just teach your children – learn alongside them. Learn about the things that interest them, and teach them about the things that interest you. Never be afraid to say, “I don’t know – but let’s find out!”
I have been in college for over a year in pursuit of an education degree. I can tell you honestly that I have not learned anything in my college classes that I didn’t already learn in high school, except for the classes on childhood development and learning – which knowledge I have gained outside of the classroom by being a parent. I have not finished my degree program yet, but I am certain there is no magic class that transforms an average wannabe educator into a superior teaching machine.
However, if taking college classes will help you be a more confident homeschooling parent, I encourage you to do it! There are many correspondence and community classes available. If you are nervous about going back to school, start with just one class at a time.
Ultimately, do not let yourself give up on homeschooling because you are concerned about your own educational shortcomings. Children start small, anyway. You don’t have to know calculus to teach a young child to identify his numbers. Learning is a journey that starts with small steps. Start by teaching the things you do know, and you’ll be amazed at where the journey will take you.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Homeschooling Methods

There are a hundred (perhaps even a hundred million) ways to homeschool a child. Almost every strategy can be categorized within the three primary categories of homeschooling:

STRUCTURED (Traditional)

Structured learning is the most traditional variety, and is generally the first method people think of when they consider homeschooling. This is because structured home schools are so similar to public schools. Structured homeschooling requires the family to have a set, stable structure. School starts and ends at the same time. The curriculum is taught in a certain order, at certain points of the day. Often, structured homeschooling parents will use textbooks, teacher’s manuals and other school materials to guide their teaching. Distance learning, such as online and correspondence schools, fall into the structured homeschool category.

This method is ideal for organized parents and families that who have fairly regular daily activities and work well with schedules. Families who are beginning to homeschool after the children who have already been in public school will likely find that the similarities between structured homeschooling and public school help ease the transition to home learning.

UNSCHOOLING

Unschooling is very misunderstood (likely due to its name), but is actually a very legitimate homeschooling style. It is extremely unstructured. Curriculum and school hours are directed by the interests of the child. Unschooled children might never work from textbooks. Instead, these children are led by their natural curiosity to learn about the subjects that interest them.

Unschooling is an ideal homeschooling method for extremely young or extremely curious children. Children who generally reject the idea of school outright may find that unschooling can pique their interest for learning. It certainly doesn’t work for everyone.

ECLECTIC

Eclectic home schools combine traditional and unschooling methods. Some subjects are structured while others are unstructured. This allows children to learn the necessary skills (such as math and reading) for their age in a structured environment while exploring science and history as their own interests lead them.

AFTER-SCHOOLING

After-schooling children removes the pressure of curriculum from the parents but does not offer many of the benefits that homeschooling does. After-schooling parents send their children away to school (public, private, charter—whatever their choice) and then continues the educational process at home through homework help as well as extracurricular teaching and field trips.

This site is intended to encourage and assist homeschoolers of all types and in all circumstances. Use the method that works best for your family, and – no matter what method you choose – there will information posted here to help you be successful.

Personally, my family best benefits from using an eclectic style that leans heavily toward unschooling. I work from home and my spouse is disabled and cannot work. We have absolutely no success with schedules and all of our attempts at traditional, structured homeschooling have lasted a few days and then failed miserably.

Every family is different. Find the methods that work best for you. If one method does not work, try another. Consider trying others even when you have found one that works, because you just mind find one that works better.



Sources

Homeschool Learning Network. (2010). Structured Homeschooling. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Homeschool Learning Network: http://www.hlnfamily.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1184&Itemid=166

Homeschool.com. (n.d.). “Relaxed” or “Eclectic” Homeschool. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Homeschooling Approaches: http://www.homeschool.com/Approaches/Eclectic.asp

Unschooling.com. (n.d.). FAQ. Retrieved March 7, 2011, from Unschooling.com: http://www.unschooling.com/index.shtml

Welcome to Homeschool Skills!

Homeschool. It’s a word full of meaning and controversy. For various reasons, homeschooling is a rising trend. The US Government estimates that 1.5 million students are currently homeschooled (Rao, 2010). While there is some controversy about the accuracy of these numbers, that shows a dramatic increase in the number of homeschoolers over the last decade.

I have met many people who would like to homeschool their children, but are nervous about getting started. Fears about their own educational shortcomings, the logistics of curriculum and scheduling, and other aspects of homeschooling prevent may prevent some parents from trying. To these parents, I urge – Don’t worry about it! The greatest joy of homeschooling is the ability to learn together. (But that is another post entirely… =D)

Ultimately, quality education plays an enormous factor in a child’s future success. Whether it occurs in the homeschool or a public school setting, quality curriculum, lesson plans and activities are essential for an enriching and enjoyable learning experience. Children learn best when the lessons are personal, entertaining, and engaging. Public school teachers, day care providers, and other teachers are welcome to adapt the contents of this blog to their own use.

Three days a week, this blog will explore the universe of homeschooling. Among other things, we will discover:
  • The purpose of homeschooling
  • The types of homeschooling
  • The myths of homeschooling
  • Sample home school lessons
  • General homeschool strategies
I am a homeschooling parent of four who is also pursuing a college degree in education. I firmly believe that everyone can home school their children, and it is my goal to provide encouragement and ideas to home learners of all types.

Guest posts are welcome—if you have homeschooling experience or ideas to share, please contact me at homeschoolskills@gmail.com. Questions and suggestions are also very welcome.



Sources: Rao, V. (2010, September 27). As home-schooling moves to mainstream, stigma fades . Retrieved March 7, 2011, from MSNBC Today: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39342787/ns/today-parenting/