Homeschooling from scratch in a hurry

Sometimes we enter homeschooling as a journey, a gradual zero depth wading pool. Sampling, testing, experimenting, exploring, researching. Other times people enter their homeschool journey from the high dive. Many parents find themselves there now. Toes on the edge, wondering if they can do it, terrified by the risk, but with a growing line behind them and the clock ticking, it’s jump or ??? Well, the analogy falls flat there. There are other options. Your child will not fail or die or be ruined for life whether you choose to homeschool or not this coming year. Whatever successes or challenges they face this year can be redeemed or neutralized in subsequent years.

I know this, because we have had “those years” before. Like the year my grandfather died. I spent hours many days driving to visit him, bringing him lunch, knowing the trip might be the last of its kind and choosing to ignore the way I “failed” as a homeschool teacher that year. Another year I started a new job that should have been 15 hours a week and turned into 50-60 before settling into 20 after a few months. Homeschooling happened in bits and pieces with the stress pooling in the corners of my eyes and the strain in my verbal instructions many days.

And, somehow they thrived. They knew we loved them. They knew some days were better than others. They learned greater independence and the value of elders and serving others and a million other life skills that I didn’t realize I was teaching as assignments were graded weeks late instead of daily.

They also thrived academically. In the bits and pieces, the “car” schooling (Thank the Lord for audio books) that sometimes become more the norm than the exception, the Saturday studies done of necessity, the shortened Christmas or spring break, they learned more than I ever could have imagined.

Yes, sleep was in short supply, and I wanted to quit (homeschooling, life, my job, parenting, everything!) Hard days and seasons came and went and we all stood stronger because of them.

So, what now? You’ve decided to take the leap, or prepare in case you get shoved off the high dive. First order of business (and the one I honestly get asked the most when people find out I homeschool) — what curriculum do you use?

If we were wading in, this is one of the later questions, but assuming you are hoping to start school in a month, it is kind of pressing. No time to research educational philosophies, or sample a few methods to see what you enjoy, or interview academic experts in your sphere of influence. We need to jump right in. The water’s cold, but you’ll adjust quickly.

This is where the self-interview begins:

  • How much time do I want my child to spend on the computer?
  • Do I have a religious affiliation that I want reflected in the books I choose?
  • How much time do I have to find this curriculum?
  • How much time on a daily basis do I have to help my child with their studies? (this is not asking how capable you feel, that is a whole different issue)
  • How much can I afford?
  • Am I planning on returning my child to a traditional school in the near future or am I trying homeschooling as a potential long-term option?
  • Does my child do well with more desk work, or do they need to move regularly?
  • How much room do I have to store extra materials?
  • Do I have access to a well-equipped library that I know how to use (or am willing to learn)?
  • What technology is available in our home or am I willing to invest in?
  • Are there other like-minded families around me that I can rely on for mutual support?

Once you come up with an idea of the boundaries of what you are looking for, you are more prepared to actually look at curriculum. Set your budget, determine some expectations, and tomorrow we will look at some resources and how to make up your mind.

In future posts, either here or on the Facebook page we will explore more curriculum questions, age specific considerations, working with special needs, setting goals, record keeping, and setting a schedule.

Used Curriculum Sale in St. Charles

Time to dig out and dust off all the school curriculum you no longer need, and bring it to . . .

NPLH’s Curriculum Sale!

Come and sell or just to shop!

Guest are very welcome, so do invite your friends.

(If they’d like to sell, please have them contact us at kristinmark@comcast.net)

A limited number of tables will be available, but feel free to bring your own or use the plentiful floor space!  =)

Thursday, May 14

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Riverside Community Church

37W130 Crane Road

St. Charles, IL  60175

(at Randall & Crane)

Deal from Homeschool Buyers Co-op

I just took advantage of this and wanted to share my excitement . . .

Homeschool Buyers Co-op has a great deal on The One Year Adventure Novel right now. You can get 15% off this amazing curriculum if you order by the end of Monday. Most likely you will actually get 20% off because the more people that order, the better the discount becomes. As long as just a couple more people order the group will hit 100 orders and the 20% discount rate.

I had just decided to use this curriculum and saw this deal come across my page. This is a video course with quizzes and a student workbook for a full year of high school writing. High school students in Illinois must earn two credits in a writing focused class, so this is definitely something we need. And, I have a great instructor via video to teach my kids! It is expensive (about $200) which is why I was thrilled to get a hefty discount. Aside from college tuition and books this is our only curriculum purchase this year, so I decided to go with it. I know we will enjoy it for year to come.

Wish I could give you a more thorough review of the product, but it does look fantastic, and my daughter (just turned 14) really enjoyed the couple lessons she previewed. When I said I wasn’t sure we could afford it she said it could be her birthday gift if that would help cover some of the cost. That’s how excited she was about this program, willing to pass on birthday presents to get it!

If you are interested, be sure to head on over for this deal soon, it will end at midnight (I think that’s 2 am here) Monday the 19th.

The deal: Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op One Year Adventure Novel

ETA: They have already reached the 20% off level, so all purchases will now be nearly $40 off the list price!

Homeschool Resource Fair in Elk Grove

Information for participating (and attending):
Each year we invite a wide variety of organizations to display their offerings for the homeschool community. From co-ops to museums, specialty classes to park district events, support groups to clubs.
We would love to have you join us for this event which will be held Tuesday evening, April 23 at the Elk Grove Village Public Library from 7-9pm.
Vendors: For a nominal $5 fee you will receive a reserved spot and table space at the fair and be part of our contact list which will be distributed to all participants of the event. To register, please click here. You will be contacted within a few days with a confirmation.
We hope that you will join us this year. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. We look forward to another successful event!
Thank you.
Amy Burnha
Beacon Homeschool Support Group
**please note that curriculum will not be sold at this event. Our curriculum sale will be held in May.

For homeschoolers – check out what’s new!!

Teaching Homes for Christ curriculum sale

Website: http://www.teachinghomes.org/

Annual Used Book/Curriculum Sale

Where:
First United Methodist Church of West Chicago
643 E. Washington St. (Geneva Rd.)
West Chicago, IL 60185
(1 block east of Walgreens on the corner of Washington & Rt. 59)

When:
Saturday, April 27th
2-5 p.m.

The contact person for the sale is Terri Moore. booksale@teachinghomes.com Please contact her if you have questions or are interested in selling. All sellers will be assigned a seller number to put on the official tags. You may not drop off materials for the sale without a seller number.

Choosing a co-op

For most of our homeschool years we have not involved ourselves in a co-op. However, there have been certain seasons when we have found them a helpful addition to our curriculum.  As we enter into a new year, many people find themselves beginning planning for next school year. Since we are still teaching and running a household the planning can be a long process, and it is beneficial to take your time and digest the resources, information, and opportunities that surround you.

Sharing from personal experience, I thought it might be helpful to put into writing some of the important considerations in choosing a co-op.

The top three I think are the most important — schedules, cost, and family fit.

Scheduling – Take some time to consider all of the scheduling ramifications of a co-op. You will be committed, each week on a certain day and time to be somewhere, whether it is all day or just an hour or two. This can be a great thing, but make sure it fits in your daily routine and your weekly schedule. Make sure you understand the commitment before jumping in. And, can you back out at the end of the semester if it isn’t a good fit? Especially if the co-op requires volunteer hours or the teaching of a class, all of those will fall on you as well.

Cost – Be sure to add up all the expenses — class fees, books, registration fees, per semester costs, etc. At one point I realized that instead of my child taking one class I would rather spend a little more on what we were doing at home and just enjoy staying put.

Family fit – What are your kids’ ages? Do they have programming available for everyone? Are you kids interested in the classes available? Are you still juggling naps? Consider each child and their needs and developmental ability to make sure it is a workable fit.

Reasons to skip it (at least for now)

Takes you away from each other – One of the huge joys of homeschooling is time together. Some homeschoolers spend much of each day in the car chasing opportunities for different children. Not wrong to take advantage of a beneficial time of learning, but sometimes you might find the greater benefit in staying home. Sometimes.

Immaturity and other issues– Another one of the many reasons that I homechool is that some of my kids would not have fit well into a classroom at the state designated age for kindergarten. They needed to run a bit still. Different kids at different ages will benefit more or less from a more structured class environment. Most co-ops are a little more flexible than a traditional classroom, but it is still important to consider the suitability of the situation to your child’s personality and level.

Husband’s perspective- Always seek unity. I don’t rush into anything without talking it over with my husband. Sometimes he leaves the choice to me and is fine either way, but other times he has a stronger opinion about our participating, or not, in a particular activity. I always value his perspective on the situation and want to make a decision that we both are comfortable with.

Other considerations –

Accountability – I think I hear this the most often for why people joined a co-op. They just wanted someone else on a regular, but not daily, basis keeping them and their child on track. Other homeschoolers are in exactly the same place as you and there is something wonderfully enlivening about seeing them once a week and knowing that the rest of the week they are grinding away at the assignments as well. Academic excellence is an important goal and if the co-op will gently keep you on that path, then that is a great reason to join.

Tough subjects — whether it is a subject you hate or one you just plain ol’ don’t understand, a co-op can be a real life saver in certain subjects. Whether it is high level math, speech, writing, or high school science (Physics played a role in our co-op consideration), you might find a co-op a great fit for filling your teaching gap.

Educational philosophy– They might not have to agree with your completely, but you will want to at least be compatible. Be sure you understand their approach and how it affects their classes (worksheets and books chosen, topics of study, class structure, etc.)

Time commitment – you will usually be required to assist, teach, or fill volunteer roles. Don’t forget about transportation times. This will cost everybody’s time if you have other kids at home that you are teaching.

Doctrinal statement – This may or may not apply to you, but this was a significant factor in our decision. Do they have one? Must the teachers agree to it? Must the families agree to it (one parent or both)? Are classes taught from a clear, stated worldview? Do you fit with it, or are you just “ok” with it?

Size and experience– Pros and cons both ways here. I prefer small and personal, others prefer large with lots of choices. Some might like fresh and innovative, others might prefer established and with a track record.

Behavior expectation– what do they expect in class and how do they enforce it? This is important to know if your child happens to be the one that struggles in a new setting or if he might be influenced by the “other kid” who does.

And, a few NOT good reasons to join a co-op :

(these may be way down on your list somewhere, but they will hopefully never be the driving force behind your decision to seek out a co-op)

Socialization – Hopefully you are as sick of hearing this as I am. Your kids need you, not a group of peers to show them how to relate in this world. Yes, they need to work that out with others at times, but you don’t need a weekly commitment to a co-op to accomplish that.

Default -Everyone’s doing it. Um, if everyone jumped off the cliff . . . 😉

Insecurity – Do seek out other homechool moms that can encourage you in your journey, but don’t assume that you need someone else teaching your child for them to get an adequate education.  There are lots of resources that you can use right at home in a subject that you struggle with.  Trust who God has made you to be and His wisdom in placing these children under your care. You can do it!

There is not one perfect co-op and even amazing co-ops don’t necessarily make a suitable fit for every family. Take your time and get to know the co-op, the leadership, some of the members, and even the facility. It does not matter if they worked well for others, what matters is if it will improve your homeschool or take away from it.

I know my bias comes through in this post and as much as we love what we have received and been able to offer through our current co-op, I am more of a non-co-op person. I just love being at home with my kids learning and living life together. But, I also know what an amazing tool a suitable co-op can be in your homeschooling arsenal, so weigh the decision, and enjoy another year of homeschooling whether it’s all under your roof or a little here and a little there.

SEE THE LIGHT Art Curriculum

Art is one of those areas you either enjoy teaching, you “outsource,” or you unfortunately avoid as unessential. However, if we simply drop this as an unneeded subject we are doing a disservice to our kids, but private art lessons can be costly and time consuming.

Rather than skip it or offer them a sub-par artistic education, there is a wonderful resource that you can use to teach your kids art within your own home, and, for significantly less than individual art lessons.

SEE THE LIGHT DVDs integrate art and Bible with step by step lessons.  They offer three distinct product lines :

ART CLASS – 9 DVD set with 36 lessons to last you a full school year and lay the foundation for great art skills

ART PROJECTS – Take your art skills into specific projects and styles for another year of art instruction

BIBLE STORIES – Five more lessons related to specific stories from the Bible.

You will thoroughly enjoy each of the teachers that come uniquely qualified as artists and as dedicated Christians.

We have personally enjoyed their first sample lessons and I will have a review coming in a few weeks on one of the Art Project DVDs as well. These are great products and essential for no-fuss art instruction that will work across the spectrum of ages.

Check out all the information, their useful resources, and some free tips and sample lessons at their website, http://www.seethelightshine.com

Rainbow Resource sales

Received via email:

Does Rainbow Have Black Friday Specials?

BlackFridayTag

This is a question I think we’ve been asked more frequently this year, and… for the first time, YES! We are offering some weekend-only deals on specific items and product lines, so check them out! Sale prices will be in effect on these items from Friday thru Monday at 4:00 CST online, or 5:00 CST if you phone in your order. And don’t forget – free shipping on orders of $50 is running through the end of the year so you can save on your gifts – and on shipping too. Double win! Please note that free shipping does not apply to purchase orders, or orders shipping to locations outside of the 50 states & territories. Free shipping is economy shipping (5-10 business days), but inexpensive upgrades are available.

WEEKEND SPECIALS!

And if you place your order “Cyber Monday”…

… and include at least one item from the Christmas catalog, we’ll toss in a special Safari, Ltd. Christmas ornament from their new Christmas ornament Toob while supplies last. So enjoy your holiday weekend, and we look forward to serving you next week!

Getting Your Elementary or Middle School Aged Children Started Learning Spanish

Guest post by Debbie Annett
Author of Spanish for You! – A Simple, Effective, Affordable Curriculum for Grades 3-8

You CAN give the GIFT of language. Parent or teacher, Spanish speaker or not, YOU ARE
ABLE to accomplish more than just vocabulary learning with your elementary and middle
school students. It just takes knowing a little about the language learning process and how to
do it.

The Language Learning Process
Language learning takes time and practice, much like learning to play an instrument or a sport.
Becoming fluent takes many years, unless your student(s) is in an immersion situation where
he/she is using Spanish with Spanish speakers for several hours every day.

However, most parents would like their children to become fluent by the time they are adults.
This means that you have many years to accomplish the goal. So, get your students started in
elementary or middle school. You can work on things steadily, over time, in a non-stressful
way.

If you are not a language teacher, knowing something basic about the language learning
process will help you should you decide to get started on your own. You can do this!

We can break language down into 2 elements, receptive and expressive. Receptive refers to
the language we receive and need to understand. That would be listening and reading.
Expressive refers to the language we express and use to make ourselves understood. That
would be speaking and writing.

When we first learn a language we learn the receptive piece. Think of babies learning their
first language. They come to understand all that they receive from those speaking around
them and slowly begin to express themselves. First they say words, then phrases, then more
over time. They learn the receptive piece first and then develop the expressive piece.

When teaching a language you want to provide students opportunities to read and listen, and
then slowly get them to write and speak. Their EXPRESSIVE language should be encouraged
first as words, then phrases, and then sentences.

And know this – speaking is the most difficult piece. Spoken fluency is the icing on the cake.
And that will come after many years of steady practice and study. YOU, as the parent or
teacher, are getting them started and preparing them for higher level learning in high
school and maybe college.

How to Do It
You know some basics about the language learning process. Now, how do you get started?

First, choose a curriculum/product that is:
1. easy to use – meaning it has a lesson guide or something you follow
2. can be used by a Spanish teacher or not, or for self-study
3. provides lots of audio, so you can hear what is in the book – important!
4. provides lots of self-checking practice
5. provides a variety of practice activities to develop listening, speaking, reading, and
writing skills
6. provides opportunities to practice with others – this means the product can be used by
individuals AND has the flexibility to be used with others.
7. does more than just teach vocabulary and phrases. You do not want your student(s) to
just memorize some things. You want your student(s) to learn how the language works.
8. economical – this is not a must, BUT there are some good ones out there that provide all
the above and accomplish A LOT without the big price tag! (Ahem, Spanish for You! is one!)

Second, decide on your approach and schedule.
1. If your approach is to create a class or be teaching in a school, then decide how much
time you have each week to devote to Spanish and how much outside of class you want
students to practice. For example, you might schedule a class 1 hour each week with 4 days
of homework, 10-20 min. each day. OR one class for 1/2 hour a week with 2 to 4 days of
homework, 10-15 min. each day, etc.

2. If your approach is at home for self-study, then decide how much time you have each
week to devote to Spanish. You may schedule your efforts 20 minutes 3 times a week, OR 30
minutes twice a week, etc.

NO MATTER YOUR APPROACH WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU KEEP IT STEADY.
If you “fall off the wagon” occasionally do not fret. Just pick back up and keep going. You want
to look at the big picture. If you have kept things going steadily 80% of the time, for example,
things will be fine. It is when you “fall off the wagon” most of the time that you may not get
results.

(A side note – It is ok to take summers off, or holiday time off. You will not ruin your efforts. During
summers it helps to do a little review here and there, just to stimulate the brain and keep those
connections going.)

As you can see, it is VERY possible for you to begin your student(s) learning Spanish even if
you do not have experience with the language or teaching. You just need to know some
basics about the language learning process and how to do it. You just need to work steadily
over time. Do that, and you will have something of value.

If you would like to learn more about the Spanish for You! curriculum, please visit us at
www.spanish-for-you.net.

I wish you all the best in your language learning efforts!

Free download and more

Wonderful offer from the Bluedorn’s:


Textura by Johannah Bluedorn Stanford

Dear Friends,

I wonder if I could ask you to help me with this special promotion we’re doing.

If possible, could you post this link on your FB page and pass it around to your friends if you think they’d be interested.

Thanks so much.
Laurie Bluedorn

We’re starting to upload Kindle versions of many of our products. So far, we have these:

Trivium Pursuit’s List of National Contests and Exams Open to Homeschoolers

Vocabulary Bridges from English to Latin & Greek — A Vocabulary Studies Workbook

Homeschool Basics: Ten Things to Do Before Age Ten (this is also found free on our web site)

Here is the special offer we have for you:

On November 15-17 and November 23-24 (these five days only) Homeschool Basics: Ten Things to Do Before Age Ten [Kindle Edition] will be free. If you download the ebook sometime during the five day period and write an Amazon review for this ebook, we will send you one of the ebooks from our Trivium Pursuit catalog (these ebooks are in pdf format). You can choose one ebook from the following:

Vocabulary Bridges from English to Latin & Greek by Harvey Bluedorn

A Review of English Grammar for Students of Biblical Greek and Other Ancient Languages by Harvey Bluedorn

Cómo Enseñar el Trivium — Educación Cristiana en Casa en un Estilo Clásico by Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn

Ancient Literature — Significant Excerpts From the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum — Volume One: Julius Caesar

Ancient Literature — Significant Excerpts From the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum — Volume Two: Alexander the Great

Ancient Literature — Significant Excerpts From the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum — Volume Three: Augustus, Jesus Christ, and Tiberius

Ancient Literature — Significant Excerpts From the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum — Volume Four: Ancient Egypt

Ancient Literature — Significant Excerpts From the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum — Volume Five: Caligula, Claudius, and Paul

Ancient Literature — Significant Excerpts from the Books of Classical Authors Which You Can Use to Supplement Your History Curriculum — Volume Six: Nero, Paul, and the Destruction of Jerusalem

Westminster and Her Sisters: A Complete Collation and Comparison of Three English Confessions of Faith by Harvey Bluedorn

Trivium Pursuit’s List of National Contests and Exams Open to Homeschoolers

After you download Homeschool Basics: Ten Things to Do Before Age Ten [Kindle Edition] and post your review, then email us (bluedorn @ triviumpursuit.com) with the name you wrote your review under and tell us which of the above ebooks you would like.