The Monthly Chat


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Printable bits of wisdom, ideas, and reflections for your friends and
homeschool group, from the members of HomeschoolClassifieds.com
Opinions expressed are those of the individual authors.
©1997-2009 HomeschoolClassifieds.com, Knoxville, TN

 
Homeschool helps
Learning independence is the goal!

Learning is the goal. Learning occurs whether or not you put any effort into it. Ask yourself some hard questions. Why am I homeschooling? Am I on an ego trip? Why am using the methods I am using? Will my child be prepared to function in the real world? Can he/she wash clothes or prepare a meal? Can he/she earn a living and pay bills on time. Could he/she advance to college? Can he/she read, write, and perform basic math functions?

Learning requires discipline on the part of the teacher and the student. If functional learning is not occuring, you are not doing your job. Don't be discouraged by that statement. We all want the very best for our children. It's not about you and it's not a competition. Don't feel guilty if your child is not involved in as many activities as someone else's child or is not progressing at the same rate as someone else's child. Embrace your child's unique persona even if it is not what you expected.

You may be doing something for your child, but if the method suits your learning style and not his or hers, you should change. Don't force your child into the mold of your learning style. If you have the courage to adapt your teaching to your child's learning style, you will be successful in multiple ways. Your child will learn. Learning will be enjoyable by both the teacher and student. Your relationship with your child will become stronger. There are many free resources on the internet for determining learning style. A book called 'Every child can learn and succeed' by Cynthia Tobias is also an excellent resource for determining both your child's and your own learning style.

Your goal is to prepare your child to succeed in the best way he/she can in the world around them. You're working yourself out of a job. Help your child learn independence.
beach

Organization/time management
Homeschooling with Toddlers

We have a ds 7 and a ds 19 months. Color Wonder markers and paper are awesome! They keep him busy while I work with my older son, and my older son likes them too. I don't have to worry about his clothes with them either. Just make sure they are supervised, as with everything toddler, they can bite the tips off the markers!
knb416
 
Homeschool helps
Be Firm but Have Fun!

After 16 years of homeschooling, I value the days most of all when we were free to break out of routine studies for the fun unplanned adventures. (It was always important that our two sons knew to expect a routine school day. ''Yes, we are having school today'' was my consistent morning greeting, as my sons often loved to test me upon waking with ''Are we having school today?''. It was as if I'd suddenly decided to do nothing all day with them. I was always firm with the academic routine, for sure.)

BUT, if some neat adventure fell suddenly in our laps, you bet we took opportunity. We lived in several national parks through our homeschooling years, and had countless unexpected and exciting situations that got us out of the house to investigate. If it meant delaying the afternoon math class until the next day, so be it. It will get accomplished.
Most of all, I cherish those unplanned and exciting adventures with my sons. I hope they never forget them as well.

So please give yourselves the time to just have fun with your kids. Take an afternoon for an unplanned hike or treasure hunt or go after a bug collection for example. Be firm with the routine overall, but leave room for unplanned fun!! You'll remember those times; and the kids will too.
smalloy

Lang arts: readers/literature
Stubborn Readers and Presbiotic Parents

Our son has been reading since he was 3 years old. I have loved to read all my life and as a child, you could find me sunning on the hill behind our house with a book in my hand on any given summer day. As our son has gotten older, though, reading was replaced by outdoor activities and computer games. Now, at 14, he refuses to read anything besides what is required to pass. I now find it a difficult task to read as I have presbiopia and it is a strain for me to read, so I too had lagged behind in my reading.

BUT, I have found a solution for both of us. Audio Books! My son can listen and follow along in his hard copy, or just close his eyes and ''see'' the action happening in his imagination. I can enjoy ''reading'' again also as you can find me with my headphones on every night listening to my ''books''.
rebel_rose
 
Lang arts: readers/literature
Preparing your three and four year old to read

Having fun with your tot does not mean to only tickle and play, but to have fun teaching them the alphabet with games.

When they learn to identify their A,B,C's visually as well as verbally, begin teaching them the sounds of their letters. With the vowels a,e,i,o,u teach them the short sounds. Make a game out of this as well. Your consonant sounds are not bu, or cu -- we do not say buat, we say bat. Be careful how your consonant sound comes out of your mouth.

When your tot has this down, begin putting vowels and consonants together -- for example, write for them on a board or paper: ba, ca, da, pa etc. then bu, cu, pu, etc. When they have this down, then add another consonant to the end of the word -- for example, bat, cat, dad, pad. You will then be on the road to reading. It is very rewarding and fun for you both.
raeroh

Marriage & parenting
SS#s on checks NOT a good idea!

Please, don't put your SS# on your checks! You can black it out when it isn't needed, especially if you are sending it through the mail. I was horrified to receive checks in the mail from other homeschoolers on this site. Both had SS#s listed with name, address and phone numbers. One of them had both husband and wife's SS#.

Are people just ignoring warnings about identity theft? Why make it so easy? I felt guilty just having access to the info. We add nothing to our checks that doesn't have to be there for that particular check. My understanding is that it is illegal for anyone to require the information from you in the first place. Never give it voluntarily with no reason! Certainly don't send through the mail!
lisa1959

Art & music
Music Helps the Soul -- Especially the Restless

I used to have problems with getting my son focused for the school day. He loves music. It seems to calm him down and help him focus. So, every morning before school he plays at least a half hour of piano. It has done wonders for his soul. He greets every morning with joy to play the piano, and the school day goes so much better. He is more focused on his work and the wiggles and jiggles leave. Try it! If you have a child that is struggling with ADHD I know it truly helps.

I also play music in the background (CLASSICAL -- anything else gets him moving) to help him during his most difficult subjects. I know for me it helps me to stay calm and our day goes a lot smoother.
salbert1154
 
Homeschool helps
Take care of your preschooler first

Our days go so much smoother when I make sure to sit down and give my preschooler my undivided attention first. We have our Devotional as a group but then it's preschool time. My older children work on seat work and memorization while my preschooler and I have school.

My youngest is then able to understand when I tell her, ''We had preschool, now it's time for big kid school'', and she is much more willing to be patient when her emotional need for me has been met. I also make sure to have plenty of activities...puzzles, games, beads, flash cards, felt books, peg boards, math manipulatives to give her an ever changing variety of things to do in the room with us.
rnice1

Organization/time management
Save Time Mailing

I have been using the post office for all of my mailing and money orders. Did you know that usps.com can give you costs for mailing and tracking for your packages right at your fingertips?

If you have a carrier that delivers to your door, you can even put in a request to have them stop to pick up a package. I have saved so many miles and precious time using their services. They are the best priced deal around. You can even make greeting cards on their site and they will mail them out. Priority packaging supplies can also be ordered on this site at no cost to you. Check it out!
hcinfo

Homeschool helps
Make your curriculum work for you!

Remember to make your choice of curriculum work for you and not the other way around! If your curriculum is too cumbersome for both you and your students, feel free to switch gears and try something else! Just because the curriculum works for one child, it may not suit another's learning style/needs. Don't feel enslaved to the suggested curriculum itinerary, but feel free to condense, elaborate upon, or even skip projects/busy seatwork that will overly burden your child. Remember that most school systems never complete the entire text in a given year (this was told me by a public school teacher!) so why do we pressure ourselves so much? Enjoy the educational ride!
jandusman

Homeschool helps
Field trips

Check your local papers for events in your area that can be used for educational purposes. Makes great field trips. You'll be surprised to know that most events offer a FREE day to students and educators. Which applies to homeschoolers too!
rootdoctor67
 
Homeschool helps
Makeshift Table

We didn't have enough writing space this morning. We had only a small but strong wooden table and a large white board I'd found, which I had leaning against a wall.

Suddenly the light came on in my head, and I put the white board face up on the table for a great combination! We now have a very sturdy, nice looking and roomy table top to do school on, that we can also write upon with dry-erase pens when we need to spell a word or do a quick math problem. Fun!
jonisaschmidt

Handwriting
Writing Woes

Our oldest son (7yo) does not like to write his spelling words. He will write in his journal, there is just something about having to copy the spelling words from the book. To help him we let him write them on a dry erase board, spell them out with 3x5 index cards that I have written the alphabet on, write them in sand/salt/shave cream, and have him spell them orally. We know he can write, he writes in most other studies, so we need to make sure he can spell. Just a few ideas for those parents of boys out there. Have a beautiful day and God bless.
knb416

Ministry & missions
Kids in Missions

To help your kids understand missionaries better (because I am a missionary in Romania), have them:
  • Write or call a missionary that your church supports.
  • Write letters to the missionary's children or send emails.
  • Make a scrapbook about each country where the missionaries are located, including statistics (% of different religions, population, picture of flag, etc.).
  • Post their picture on your fridge so you can pray for them at meals.
May God bless your efforts in training up your children in the way they should go.
rjfrye

Organization/time management
Keep organized to cut out stress

I find that the more cluttered the house and work area is, the more impatient I get. I purchased some plastic drawer units and placed them out of the way. Each child has a drawer in which to put their books, papers, pencil box, etc. When we are done at the end of the day, all of their items are placed back in their drawer. I have also started the ''flylady routines'' to help me out with my daily chores. It is a free program and one that myself and other home school moms I know find useful. You can find it at www.flylady.net.
candy_fulsher
 
Testing
Put the keys to learning right under their noses

Running out of wall space for maps and other learning aids? Do your kids need to refer to their math tables frequently? Use your kitchen/dining/school table to display whatever you want them to learn. Simply measure your table and then go to your fabric store and purchase heavy-weight clear vinyl (by the roll) to use as a table cloth. Put large maps, charts, schedules, posters, artwork, pictures, or anything else you want under the vinyl. No laminating necessary and you can change it as often as you want.
raisingknights

Testing
Suspect a Learning Disability?

If you suspect your child may have a learning disability, do not hesitate to have him/her evaluated. Rather than ''labeling'' the child, it helps them understand why they're struggling, and reduces their feelings of inadequacy. Furthermore, with a diagnosis from a qualified examiner, assistance is available from a variety of sources, ranging from extra time on standardized tests to funds for college tuition.
bobdebander

Homeschool helps
Educational philosophy

Once you know that it is God's will to homeschool, make sure you and your husband agree on your educational philosophy. Your philosophy will determine which curriculum you use and how you order your teaching. My husband and I prefer to use one curriculum for all grades and all subjects. Then, we know there won't be any ''holes'' in their education. Also it simplifies purchasing, as well as prevents confusion.
rbj251

Unit studies
Planning is key

Make sure that you have planned out your unit studies ahead of time with items you need. When you get to that part, you aren't chasing your tail trying to find everything. Also, it is best to know what you want to teach your child instead of playing it by ear. Be flexible, though, allow plenty of field trips and plan vacations around your theme. This way it is implanted into your child's brain forever!
hcinfo

Testing
Be not afraid.

Whether you test on paper or verbally, don't feel like someone else's test is the only way to judge your child's progress. Try something different like a play, report, 3-D, discussion....paper tests alone get boring. Don't forget the tape recorder -- this is wonderful if you have more than one child.
hcinfo
 
Bible & Spiritual growth
Blessings Journals

We have decided to keep a Blessing Journal this year. Each member of the house has their own journal. Sometimes we work on them together, other times individually. It is a great way to appreciate each other, the family, church, friends, and all the many blessings God provides. My 5 yr. old is the most enthusiastic. She has included the cross, God, her pets, family, etc.
lshultz

Science: general
Civil Air Patrol, aeronautics

My son is active in a cadet program for the Civil Air Patrol. Every Tuesday night they have class where he learns about flight and disaster preparedness. He has opportunities to learn to fly. The first 5 flights are free and if he decides to take flying lessons, the instructor is free. This has been a great way to learn about aeronautics and community service.
hcinfo

Marriage & parenting
Fight your addiction : )

My best advice for homeschooling is some that I need to put into practice as well: Get off the computer! Let your children snuggle up while you read to them, and look into their eyes often.

and add additional verbiage.......
cherrytree171

Homeschool helps
Ask the Lord for guidance

Always pray and ask the Lord for guidance with each of your children in their character training, academics, etc. Pray without ceasing.kdsa;klfjds;laksjdf;alskdjf;aldskfja;sldkfjasd;lkfjasd;fkljads;lkfjas;dlfkjasd;lfkjasd;lkfjas;dlkfjads;lkfjas;dfkljasd;lfkjasd;fkljas;dflkjasd;fkljas;dlkfjasd;lfkj
smbctfsc

Homeschool helps
Weekly Schedule

We have homeschooled for 19 years. I have found that scheduling a four day school week gives you a lot of room for unexpected items in your week. Also we use Fridays as our shopping and banking day. The children learn a great deal and also earn practical art credits for these days.
dmjonesx9
 
Art & music
Music lessons for large families

For basic instruction, consider a college-level music student willing to come to your home. If you can find one that is a good teacher, you may save the logistics of getting the family ready, significant travel time, and probably quite a bit of expense, as well.
lown

Marriage & parenting
Involving Husbands in Homeschooling

We wives need to make sure that we involve our husbands in curriculum decisions,what extra-curricular activities to get involved in etc. Most of all we need to always go to the Lord with our curriculum choices because what we want may not be what He wants.
prv31wife

Math: fundamentals
Great website for producing Math worksheets

http://www.edhelper.com/WordStories.htm

Why spend your time creating worksheets when this website does it all!
rlstites

Organization/time management
Sewing on Badges for church groups & scouts

I started sewing on badges for my children's church groups in the car on the way to church while dh is driving. They finally have all their badges on since I found some time in the middle of our busy homeschooling schedule.
sixsprings

College/vocation
Record Keeping

You can't keep it all. TAKE A PICTURE!! Add that to your child's recordkeeping book for proof! This is especially great for experiments and 3-D items as well as field trips.
hcinfo