When Do You Start Buying Curriculum for the Next School Year?

February 28, 2013 by 2 Comments

When do you start planning next year’s curriculum list? Right about now. We’re about half way through the school year, a bit more, and I have a pretty good idea of what is working and what we’ll need to change.

If something is working for my children, I know that I’ll just be using the next level next year which is easy peasy. It’s those subjects that we’re having issues with where I have to spend some more time thinking it through.

When I first started homeschooling, I’d spend hours researching new curriculum, like a kid in an online candy store. There are so many choices now for each subject, it makes it a lot more difficult to narrow down your choices.

Once March comes around I start thinking about what I’d like to use for next year. Why? I try to buy everything I can used before I buy new. [Read more...]

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Homeschooling through the Holidays

November 2, 2012 by

With the holidays coming up, do you continue to homeschool through the holidays, keeping your regular schedule or do you change things up?

Here in Canada, our Thanksgiving holidays is in October so we continue our school as usual until we hit December. However, if you are in the United States, Thanksgiving is at the end of November. With all the holiday preparation and family get togethers, how do you handle school?

Once December hits, I get tired, I need a break. We like to change things up and do fun holiday activities. We read a lot of Christmas read alouds and picture books. We read The Polar Express last year and  then made a lapbook, we made our own chocolate milk and cookies, drew Christmas pictures, and decorated our house with their drawings and crafts. [Read more...]

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What are the Disadvantages of Homeschooling your Children?

October 11, 2012 by

With any advantages to homeschooling, you also have disadvantages as well. As a homeschooler, you have probably heard it many times from strangers or anyone else who has heard you are homeschooling. Here are some disadvantages to homeschooling, at least what others usually think are disadvantages.

What about Socialization?

Do you really think a child needs to be in a classroom of 30 students and 1 teacher to become socialized? There are people to socialize with at the grocery store, the library, or your family. Homeschoolers take plenty of field trips, there are co-op classes that your children can take for various subjects, they have extra-curricular activities as well.

Well, how will your children deal with bullies? They have to learn to stand up for themselves. Of course, everyone eventually has to deal with unpleasant students but does a 4 year old really need to be exposed to that kind of stuff at such a young age? It’s scary enough for them to be away from you, yet having do deal with unwanted behavior from others is ridiculous. You won’t be able to shelter them from the world, and that is not the goal, however, you can pick and choose who influences your children the most. [Read more...]

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What are the Advantages to Homeschooling your Children?

October 6, 2012 by

There are numerous advantages to homeschooling your children as well as disadvantages. If you are considering homeschooling or even if you just need a reminder or encouragement, homeschooling can provide loads of benefits to your children.

There may be religious reasons that factor into your decision. This may be due to the fact that you would like to incorporate your own religion into your studies or you don’t agree with what is being taught or not taught in public school. Many families choose to homeschool because of their faith but it’s not the only reason.

You can move at the students pace, whether it is accelerated or slower than their peers. By homeschooling you have the benefit of time, you can address learning issues and take as long on any subject to make sure the child gets it or you can speed things up for gifted children as well. They do not need to be held back or pushed forward by their class, you decide when your child moves onto the next level and what areas need work. [Read more...]

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Should I Make a Curriculum Change?

September 21, 2012 by

Are you or your child unhappy with your curriculum? When do you decide to change curriculum?

If you are unhappy with the curriculum, you have chosen for your child, you must decide what it is you dislike about it. Is it the teaching style? Or perhaps the books are not interesting or schedule isn’t working? There’s no point in jumping into another curriculum if you don’t know what it is you want.

Is it the curriculum or the child?

And by the child, I don’t mean to place blame on the child but you may need to evaluate if the curriculum is suited to your child’s learning style. Are there visual or learning issues that should be addressed? Is the child placed at the correct level?  You don’t want to choose based purely on grade level, you need to meet the child at the level he is working at in order for him to learn. If he is placed too high, it will be too challenging and result in tears, if he is placed too low, your child may become bored. [Read more...]

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How to Homeschool Lesson Plan

August 21, 2012 by

How do you do your homeschool lesson planning? Do you like to use a program, excel or a planner?

You have all of your curriculum sitting in front of you, now what? If you are lucky to have found the perfect curriculum that came pre-planned, all you need to do is open and go. For those that use other programs or design their own curriculum, you will need to do some planning. [Read more...]

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Homeschool Workbox – What is it?

July 5, 2012 by

What are homeschool workboxes? They are an organizational system that can be used to implement your child’s school work.

Are your children always asking you what they need to do next? Are your children disturbing their siblings while they wait to work with you? You may benefit by setting up a workbox system in your homeschool.

What is a workbox? It is a way to organize all your homeschool subjects so that your child knows exactly what to do and is able to workmore independently.

For example, if you have a rolling cart, each drawer would contain a different subject, and it would be ordered in a specific way so that you would have time to work with each student independently. [Read more...]

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Homeschooling a Large Family?

June 30, 2012 by

Are you worried about homeschooling your large family? Are you organized enough? Don’t worry many families homeschool large families, you can do it too.

The key to success is planning. You are going to need to be organized to ensure that everyone is receiving an adequate education. If you are up for the task and have decided to do this for your family, it can work.

Ask why are you homeschooling? Take a look at each child and set goals for what you want them to achieve by the end of the year. This will help narrow the focus of you homeschool. [Read more...]

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Homeschooling an Only Child?

June 29, 2012 by

Are you worried about homeschooling an only child? What about socialization?

It will definitely take a bit of work on your part but it can be done. There are many families who have only one student. If you’ve decided to homeschool, there is no reason why you should not be able to homeschool your only child.

What are the reasons you are homeschooling? Chances are you want to take your child’s education into your own hands to provide something better. If this is the primary reason for educating your child then you cannot fail. [Read more...]

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Eclectic Homeschool Method

June 25, 2012 by

Are you having trouble relating to one specific homeschool philosophy? Don’t worry, you may just be an eclectic homeschooler, and that’s okay.

What is an eclectic homeschooler? You may like specific parts of a homeschool philosophy but you choose to implement some points and leave out others. You pick and choose what to implement in your homeschool according to what works for you and your student.

I would classify myself as an eclectic homeschooler, I like the chronological 4 year history cycle of classical education, I like the short lessons and narration from Charlotte Mason, and choose to create my own science curriculum. [Read more...]

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