Search Results for: blog things i learn from other homeschoolers

Interviews with Homeschoolers – Danyelle Leafty

I love talking to other homeschoolers and finding out why they chose to homeschool and how it works for them. Today I’m joined by Danyelle Leafty. Danyelle, thanks for letting me pick your brain! First off, I’d like to know, why did you decide to homeschool? I decided to homeschool because my son learns very quickly. I wanted his education to be paced with his ability which would be impossible in a traditional school setting. A single teacher can only do so much. I also wanted him to retain his love of learning. He has been asking questions ever since … Continue reading →

Interviews with Homeschoolers – Vickie Smith, Part Two

We continue our talk with Vickie Smith, author of The Quiet Doll Queen and president of Ark Essentials Publishing. You can read part one here. Vickie, after teaching your children at home for a time, you chose to send them to public school. How did the transition go from home to school? My oldest adapted fairly easily. She’d already made friends and gotten used to things gradually. I also adapted to the huge amount of paperwork and costs that went along with public education. My second daughter struggled a bit, but part of that was by choice. She could’ve dropped … Continue reading →

Interviews with Homeschoolers: Kimberly McNeely

Today I’m joined by Kimberly McNeely, who shares her thoughts about her family’s decision to homeschool. Thanks for taking time to chat with me, Kimberly. When did you start your homeschool, and what brought you to your decision? We started homeschooling in 2003. I had always said it was something I could not do and wasn’t interested in trying, so our first child started school in a charter school some miles from home. When we subsequently bought our first home in an area even farther away from school, it became extremely time-consuming, and potentially dangerous during winter months, to transport … Continue reading →

Interviews with Homeschoolers: Karen Loutzenhiser, Part Two

Karen Loutzenhizer, a homeschool mom from Utah, was kind enough to join me earlier to share some of her experiences. Here is the rest of our conversation. Karen, what are some of your other philosophies in regards to education? I really believe that we underestimate kids. Instead of just focusing on the pet topics so commonly taught to children, I attempt to open up all kinds of topics and present them in a kid-friendly, understandable format to my kids (all age 9 and under). We study chemistry and the periodic table, the Hittite people, and Monet–not just recycling and ancient … Continue reading →

Interviews with Homeschoolers: Karen Loutzenhizer, Part One

Today I’m talking with Karen Loutzenhiser, a homeschooling mom from Utah who took time out to chat with me about her homeschooling journey. Karen, how did you know that homeschooling was the right choice for you? I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl, and the only thing that could top that career in my heart and mind was being a mommy. By the time I got my degree in education, I already had two kids in tow. I knew that they were my absolute joy and my #1 priority. Why would I drop my … Continue reading →

Top 10 Things Homeschooled Kids Do While Everyone Else is in School

10. Get to be asked “Is there no school today?” by neighbors, dad’s co-workers, and the cashier at the grocery store if you are seen outside of your home before 2PM. 9. Get to be questioned by relatives, neighbors, dad’s co-workers, and the cashier at the grocery store on why your mom choose to homeschool and wouldn’t you really like to go to an actual school and be with actual kids.(Now when’s the last time I asked a parent, “are you seriously sending your child to school next year?) 8. Get to wave goodbye to the school bus while in … Continue reading →

They will come to you and ask to learn things

I was told by a fellow homeschooler many years ago when I began homeschooling. The prospect of my kids approaching me saying teach me about A, I would like to learn more about B, or buy me a book about C, really excited me. Over the years, however, I began to give up hope that it would ever happen. I have tried many times to turn a simple question into a teachable moment. The kids however never fell for it. If the asked me to distinguish types of clouds for them, I would try to get them to look it … Continue reading →

Are You Afraid of What other Homeschoolers will Say?

Homeschoolers tend to disagree with each other when it comes to who should teach a child what. There are some that feel the role of the homeschooling parent is to teach the child each and everything they need to know. This means imparting their own knowledge to the child and it also means learning difficult subjects before teaching it to the child. This approach to homeschooling is certainly honorable, but not the rule. I belong to a different school of thought that says teach the child what you know, and even learn a few things in the process. Meanwhile as … Continue reading →

When Ex Homeschoolers Advise You against Homeschooling

A thread on the homeschool forum caught my eye. It is entitled Anti-homeschooling Ex-Homeschoolers. I too have encountered this type of opposition, which is why I understand the reason why people seem to feel like I will judge when they stop homeschooling. People seem to have an uncanny ability to only see things from their own viewpoint. This is normal human behavior. It is even perfectly acceptable. In the cases of ex-homeschoolers however, they often project their own homeschooling experiences onto others and assume they know what the other person is going through and experiencing. If their kids were resistant … Continue reading →

Families.com Homeschooling Blog Week In Review

This has been a fun week for at the families.com homeschooling blog. I returned to families.com after a long absence and was welcomed back with open arms by Valorie Delp who will still guest blog for families.com as she has time. Meanwhile she is busy with the baby blog and food blog. I have wasted no time jumping back into my work as the homeschool blogger. Sunday 09 Mar 2008 Edventures Online by Valorie Delp This is one of the best kept secrets of the kid-friendly website world. It is a subscription service, but I have to say I think … Continue reading →