Archive for the ‘Homeschool’ Category

The middle of July seems like an odd time to start thinking about school, but not if you are a homeschooling parent that is in the process of deciding which teaching method to use in the fall.  Although homeschooling is not a new concept, the different methods that can be used to teach have drastically increased since the beginning of homeschooling. With each homeschooling method, there are potential pros and cons. Many of the differences in homeschooling methods boil down to differences in how you view education, how much you want to be involved in teaching, the amount of structure your child needs, and what you want them to learn.

We have compiled a small list of methods to get you started on your research and thought process, while you still have time to decide and choose the best method for you.

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While summer is in full swing across the nation, many homeschooling families are planning out what the fall school semester will look like for their children and choosing their homeschool curriculum materials. Although there is no reason to sound the alarms and call an end to summer, there is definitely a need to check your calendar and count how many weeks until school starts.

There are a few things that you’ll want to have in order before classes actually get started for the new school year. This may be a good time to clean out any clutter that has been left behind from previous years of homeschooling, or the general clutter that busy families tend to create and leave behind. Perhaps you still need to find a support group that will be a good fit for you and your homeschooling family, or some extra-curricular groups. This is even an ideal time to start streamlining some meal planning in advance while you have the time to teach older kids how to cook.

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Math – Check. Science – Check. English – Check. History – Check. Sports – ?.

Organized sports teaches your child teamwork and good sportmanship - a value that will help them succeed in life!

It’s that time of year again – time to break out the calendar and begin planning next year’s schedule. While you are planning and budgeting your homeschool curriculum materials, are you leaving something out? Everyone covers the basics when purchasing homeschool materials: science, math, social studies, English, etc., but many forget a very important part of any child’s homeschool schedule: Sports.

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Choosing a homeschool curriculum can be a daunting task, especially if you are considering switching from a curriculum that was unsuccessful for your child’s needs. There are some things to keep in mind during the process that can help you choose a curriculum that fits both the needs of you and your child.

Consider the following questions as you shop:

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Homeschooling is an option parents are increasingly deciding to make.They are becoming dissatisfied with the public school system, and they want to ensure their children receive a quality education. One thing many people do not realize, though, is this quality can be costly! When one considers most homeschooling families are, of necessity, one income households, it becomes especially important to manage these costs. Here are some tips on how to keep your costs down without sacrificing excellence:

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Different parenting resources present disagreeing data about whether or not holding a child back another grade in school after failing standardized tests helps improve academic performance. While some argue that giving a child another year to “catch up” is a positive alternative, many specialists and parents claim retention can do more damage to their child’s learning and social development.

 According to Karl Alexander, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, grade retention “at any age raises the risk of dropping out of school later,” and has a negative impact on all areas of a child’s academic achievement and socio-emotional adjustment.  Another study conducted by the University of California also found that students who have been held back another year attribute being retained for their “poor peer relationships, poor self-esteem and their continuing struggles at school.”  This is why it is imperative that you consider the following alternatives before deciding to hold your child back another year:

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Wordly Wise 3000 enriches vocabulary skills while making vocabulary learning fun. The homeschool vocabulary curriculum contains riddles, crossword puzzles, hidden messages and many other engaging activities to help kids in grades K through 12 absorb up to 4050 new vocabulary words!

With Wordly Wise 3000, students build their reading vocabularies while simultaneously strengthening their reading, critical thinking, and writing skills. Here you will find a Wordly Wise books and word lists for every level of vocabulary curriculum!

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I'm A Graduate Now What? College Preparation Resources!

College is a big step for any teen, homeschooled or not.  And while skeptics argue that homeschoolers and college don’t go together, research shows that on average, homeschooled teens can “match and often excel beyond their traditionally schooled counterparts in terms of grades” (Sorey and Duggan, Journal of College Admission, 2008).

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Buy Homeschool Resource Books

The kids are about to start homeschool and everything is ready!  You and your husband have bought homeschool resource books, spoken to a few homeschooling families, and even selected the most appropriate homeschool curriculum for your children . . . Everything is in place and you’re eager to move on to the next challenge: informing your family and close friends.

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Find Homeschool Resources Here

Why Homeschool? Homeschool education is perhaps one of the biggest and most monumental reforms in our education system since mass public schooling took effect about a hundred years ago.  As the practice of homeschooling children gains more support from families, many have become increasingly disappointed at the decline in quality of public and private school education in the U.S.  And who can blame them?  Think about it for a second.  Why is it that when our kids take those aptitude tests that measure our rank—in terms of intelligence—in the world, they always score near the bottom?  If our public and private schools systems work, how come our kids never score better than an average Asian or European kid in math, science or literature?

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