Search Results for: blog fulfilling homeschool art requirements

Charlotte Mason and Art Study

Charlotte Mason called art study “picture talks.” The students were expected to express what they saw in the work or art. How does the painting or artwork make them feel? What do they see? What colors are in the picture? What is the artist trying to convey? These are questions to guide your art study. Your role as the teacher is simply to guide the student but not do the talking yourself. This is not time to lecture but engage your child in conversation about the work of art. Art Study is best implemented by focusing on one artist’s works … Continue reading →

Exploring Homeschool Methods

Finding a homeschool method that fits your family will focus your homeschool and improve the educational experience. I spent a few years exploring methods before deciding on the one that suited my family the best. Since that moment, my children and I have benefited in numerous ways. I encourage you to research the methods for yourself. A lack of vision and focus, as with any endeavor will result in failure and frustration. However, choosing a method should not be frustrating; it should be a natural fit into your family’s lifestyle. The method is simply framework for how your homeschool is … Continue reading →

Moving and Homeschooling: How to Follow the Law

As you may have guessed by my post yesterday, that wasn’t the last time that you will be hearing about our adventures in moving to a different state! I mentioned yesterday that we will be moving from a state that is highly regulated, to one that is not regulated at all. While following the law is a little easier for us because we are moving in the summer, what should you do if you’re moving mid-year? Legally Speaking. . . Legally speaking (with regards to education that is) you are always bound by the law of the state in which … Continue reading →

Teaching Art When You Draw Stick Figures

I am an excellent artist. . .of stick figures. But I decided this to be good blog fodder because I think in essence, it begs a deeper question: how can you teach anything that you’re not naturally good at? My Philosophy on the “Specials” Really, you can teach your child anything you want–at least at the most basic level. I remember when my youngest daughter was four or five, she decided that she wanted to play violin. Everyone assumed that we would sign her up for lessons, but instead, I decided to teach her on my own. I don’t play … Continue reading →

What do Children’s Pageants and Homeschooling Have in Common?

You may have noticed I have not been blogging as much as usual, but I have been distracted. That distraction will end this weekend. Right now, I am at a pageant competition with my daughter who is competing in several areas including photogenic, talent, and overall queen crown. She did excellent playing piano yesterday and people have been complementing us all day on her performance. She also completed her interview this morning, and I am waiting to hear the preliminary results. So what does this have to do with homeschooling? Lots! By finding an interesting hobby or activity for our … Continue reading →

Homeschooling Week in Review May 26, 2007- June 1, 2007

We have a little bit of everything here for you this week at the families.com homeschooling blog. We wrote about teaching evolution, Saxon Math, kids wanting to start or stop homeschooling, and much more. Here is the families.com homeschooling week in review for May 26, – June 1, 2007 May 26, 2007: Teaching Your Homeschooler about Evolution by Andrea Hermitt finished a series on homeschooling and religion that was started the previous week. This post suggests several resources you may wan to use for this purpose. May 27, 2007 Homeschooling Week in Review May 19, – May 25, 2007 by … Continue reading →

Music Instruction and the Homeschooler

Earlier today, I talked about Art requirements for Homeschoolers. I mentioned that art should be an integral part of your homeschooling. I feel the same way about music. It is a known fact that music stimulates the brain, and wires it to understand mathematics and science. Recent research also shows that singing improves spatial. For these reasons, I had began supplementing my children’s education with music instruction long before we started homeschooling. Then once we began homeschooling, I insisted that music practice was done first each day, right after breakfast. With so many things to learn in a homeschool environment, … Continue reading →

Fulfilling Homeschool Art “Requirements”

Like Physical Education, few states have requirements for Art. That does not mean art should not be an integral part of your child’s education. One of my favorite homeschool guides “What Your ___ Grader Needs to Know by E.D. Hirsch, has a chapter on what your homeschooler should cover in applied art and art history each year. This is a good place to start. There are also numerous Art curriculums that you will find in the Homeschool Curriculum Glossary. Meanwhile, I want to give you some ideas of showing that your child has met his or her Art requirements (whether … Continue reading →

Aligning Subjects for Efficient Homeschooling

Valorie Delp’s recent article about Bookadventure.org spurred one more post about aligning curriculum. In addition to aligning hobbies, scouts, or art to your curriculum, you can and should align one curriculum subject to another. If you are familiar with unit studies, you know that this is a subject or project based approach to homeschooling. Language arts, science, history, and sometimes math lessons are centered around one subject like butterflies, for instance. Aligning subjects is a close departure from this concept. This approach to homeschooling, is also reminiscent of the classical style of homeschooling. A classical homeschooler would most certainly study … Continue reading →

Fulfilling Homeschool Requirements through Hobbies

Today, guest homeschool blogger Julie Gentry wrote about homeschooling and scouting. She described how scouting fulfills many academic requirements. Not only can your child fulfill homeschool requirements through scouting, but also through just about any hobby. My daughter, for instance, competes in pageants and is on a step team. (Step is the dance competitions in which African American fraternities and sororities participate.) Pageant activities eliminate any question of socialization. It also forces her to develop her musical talents. She is learning how to write and recite speeches as well. (Language Arts). While all of these are not standard core curriculum, … Continue reading →