Homeschool Co-Ops

Posted on July 28, 2020 by admin

Consider starting a small co-op with 1-2 of your friends if your kids are of similar ages. Get together one day per week to do some subjects with all the kids. One parent can watch the littles while the other does school with the big kids.

Some ideas of things that can be done during co-op:

Read Aloud and Narration (podcast explanation here)

Science Experiments

Nature Walk/Nature Study/Nature Journaling

Learning with math manipulatives

Poetry (or upgrade to Poetry Tea Time)

Memory work

Composer Study

Art study

Geography (or these books)

Art

Semi-independent seatwork (copywork, math, etc.)

Shakespeare (Start with abridged versions for younger kids or beginners.)

Foreign Language

Physical Education

Relationship Tips for Homeschooling

Posted on July 28, 2020 by admin

Homeschooling brings out the best and worst of the relational dynamics in your home. Sometimes problems are pushed aside and able to be ignored when your kids aren’t with you all the time, but that doesn’t mean they have disappeared. They are growing hidden roots. Homeschooling provides the TIME for you to work on those areas in yourself and your kids that need attention.

First priority: teach character building and habit training (patience, being okay with making mistakes, the importance of effort – not results, showing adaptability, accepting “no,” cleaning up after yourself). Second priority: give them a love of learning and teach them how they learn best. Third priority: actual academics.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help for both your child and for you. No one, NO ONE, has it all together all the time! We all need tutoring, mentoring, a shoulder to cry on, someone to laugh with and take a break with.

Kids usually balk at changes. Expect pushback as you start the year. But as you continue your routine, they will get acclimated, realize that this is the way things are, and stop complaining (or at least do it less). You’ve got to push through until you get to that place of their acceptance.

Limited screen time makes for happier kids. And it’s okay if they get bored! Boredom is the breeding ground for creativity! They GET to be bored now! Celebrate! Again, have the courage to push through the time of complaining and you will see reward on the other side.

Use this year as an opportunity to let your children experience a balanced life. Mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual growth are all just as important as academic growth. Spend time immersed in nature. Find fun (or at least doable) ways to exercise. Take the opportunities to discuss the big questions when they arise. Consciously choose your relationship over your checklist. Your kids can emerge from this school year more fully alive than ever before.

When tempers flare, take a break. Change location. Do something fun together. If it still doesn’t work, let go of it and try again tomorrow. Yelling doesn’t make anyone learn better.

Think about all your friends and how different they are. Some of them are good at math. Some of them are good at relationships. Some make you feel loved and you want to share your deepest secrets. Some are task-oriented go-getters. Some are problem solvers. Some are leaders and some are followers. The same goes with your children. They’re not going to be good at everything. Your job is to help them discover their skills and gifts and talents so they can be responsible, contributing adults.

Be aware of your and your children’s personalities. Recognize what impact it is having on your relationships. Count it as a learning/growing opportunity!

If your kids fight a lot, have them do their schoolwork in separate rooms. Create little nooks they will enjoy going to.

Kids’ (and adults’!) prefrontal cortex shuts down and they cannot learn when they are upset. Please do not yell at your kids when they frustrate you during school time. It will cause them to move to fight/flight/freeze mode and literally be UNABLE to do further learning for at least 20-30 minutes. Take a break, then come back with a smile on your face. Be on their team. You are their greatest ally!

If you struggle with being too harsh or impatient with your kids, think of a person you look up to and imagine them sitting in the room with you. It will help you to be a gentler, more patient parent!

Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Getting enough sleep and exercising, eating healthy foods, relaxing with friends or spouse or a good book, walking in nature, praying or meditating – all these things will make you a more patient, loving parent, able to handle the relational conflict when it comes.

Your older kids may say, “That’s not the way we did it in school.” That’s okay. Just have a smile and a short response ready for those times (“I know, but this is how WE are going to do it.”) and be willing to have a longer talk later about why you are doing things differently. And, if you are feeling insecure about why you are doing things differently, it really helps to listen to homeschooling podcasts and read homeschooling books so that you feel firmer in your convictions. This is a shift in mindset for everyone, and there will be bumps like this along the road.

Your parenting style will probably be the biggest factor in the success of your homeschool. An atmosphere of chaos is not conducive to learning. If you struggle in this area, read or listen to some good parenting books that encourage connection between you and your child and help you to understand both yourself and your child better. (The Whole Brain Child, No Drama Discipline, The Connected Child, Positive Parenting, Connected Parenting, You’re Ruining My Life But Not Really, Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child, the Aha Parenting Website)

Remember, your child is not a project to be managed but a soul to be cultivated.

You’ll never look back and regret spending this time with your kids.

Thank you, Jennifer Porter, for helping me come up with this list! And, I just want to add that we are not writing here from a place of perfection. Far from it! These are the goals, not necessarily always the reality! Parenting is hard, y’all.

More tips and links on my Facebook page!

Homeschool Podcast Suggestions

Posted on July 28, 2020 by admin

Homeschool podcasts can be such a blessing. They will give you practical tips and encouragement that help make your life easier. You’ll meet people just like you who have been where you are and can help you along your journey. But, for me, the biggest benefit has been learning about the WHY behind the WHAT. Learning more about the particular method(s) we use helps me feel confident in my choices and gives me the motivation to keep going when I feel weary.

I’ve found that the best times to listen to podcasts are when I’m getting ready for the day, exercising, or cleaning. Find what works best for you!

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Here are some Podcasts that you may find especially helpful:

Homeschool Solutions Show – A curated collection of some of the best blog posts and interviews about homeschooling. Perfect for the newbie. Start with #1!

Homeschool Snapshots – Gives you a peek into what is going on in other homeschool homes around the country.

Read-Aloud Revival – Inspiration for reading aloud to your kids. Author interviews. Discussion of various genres. Book suggestions.

Your Morning Basket – Interviews with home and school educators about various aspects of Morning Time. Start with #1!

Simply Charlotte Mason – The Charlotte Mason method explained simply! Start at the beginning for a quick walk through each subject.

Schole Sisters – Lively, cheerful, philosophical discussions between three Classical/Charlotte Mason home educators.

The Homeschool Sisters – Good especially for those with high schoolers. Practical advice.

Wild + Free – Unschooling/Charlotte Mason. Focused on giving children a quality education + preserving the adventure, wonder, and freedom of childhood.

Ambleside Flourish – Charlotte Mason method. Put out by a school in Colorado. This will give you a new way of looking at education and at your child as a person. You can also find these as videos on the web.

A Delectable Education – Charlotte Mason method. The first 10 episodes. If you listen further than that, just beware of the perfectionist monster that will try to bite you!

CiRCE Institute – Classical Education. A collection of podcasts put out by the people at the Center for Independent Research on Classical Education. These tend to be more philosophical rather than practical. Lots of great things for your own self-education!

Teaching from Rest Audio Book – This is not a podcast and it is not free ($5 on Amazon), but I just HAVE TO include it here. I listen to this at least once per year when I feel overwhelmed and stressed. It brings such peace to my soul every single time. It is worth your money!

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Individual podcast episodes that I think stand out from the crowd:

(I will keep adding to this list, so you might want to save this post to return to later!)

Five Things EVERY New Homeschool Mom Must Know – Homeschool Solutions 001

The Courage to Homeschool – Wild + Free #58

Ten Things That Are Easier When You Homeschool – Homeschool Solutions 201

The Most Important Person in Your Homeschool Plan is Not Your Kid – Homeschool Solutions 008

Ten Big Fat Homeschool Fears (And How to Conquer Them) – Homeschool Solutions 103

How to Homeschool With Confidence – Homeschool Solutions 145

I’m the Homeschool Mom Without an Education Degree – Homeschool Solutions 105

Getting Your Spouse on Board – Wild + Free #9

All About Narration – Your Morning Basket #10