Search Results for: blog workbooks and homeschooling

Hand Me Down Curriculum: Benefits and Drawbacks

It’s almost September, and you’re on the hunt for curriculum. You’ve visited web sites, talked to your friends, and scoured the brains of those in your local homeschooling groups. You have a list of curriculum you want, and you know where to get it. Then you look at the price. Ack! Curriculum can be expensive, especially if you want to get a lot of different packages at the same time. If curriculum prices have you reeling, it’s time for a trip to the Used Curriculum Store. Don’t you wish that there was such a thing? What are the advantages of … Continue reading →

Hearts and Hands and Kindergarten Math: Christian Liberty Press

This is a big year for me with regards to homeschooling. One of my daughters entered her first year in middle school while the other entered her first year in Kindergarten. Whenever your child enters into a new transition you want to be sure to provide the best to build a proper foundation. While I have taught Kindergarten twice before I am not so prideful to say I can do it with my eyes closed. Each of my children is different and I am always seeking to find the best curriculum. I also want something that conforms to my beliefs … Continue reading →

Like a Kid in a Candy Store

When it comes to curriculum I am like a kid in a candy store. Educational stores are my weakness and a true threat to my budget. I see all the colors, pages, book covers, sizes and shapes and I want to look through every one of them. Picking one can be such a challenge as I want to pick only the best for my kids. At some point, I just have to bite the bullet and make a decision. For better or for worse, I pick out a science, math and language curriculum and close my eyes and pay. At … Continue reading →

A Whole World Curriculum – Learning About Other Lands And People

I lived in Maryland when first homeschooling my girls and the school board is pretty relaxed with the curriculum. You can use a traditional curriculum and workbooks or create your own, as long as the children are given an overall education. Truthfully, my kids were bored to tears with workbooks and textbooks, so I decided to make a curriculum that would really stimulate their senses and be fun at the same time. I knew my daughters liked learning about other lands and people, so I bought a world map and taped it to the dining room wall—-our makeshift classroom for … Continue reading →

Understanding Charlotte Mason Vocabulary A-B

In previous posts, I and other homeschool bloggers here at families.com have discussed our experiences with charlotte mason curriculum. Read: A little Bit of Charlotte Mason This article discusses how the Charlotte Mason Method influences how my family home schools even though we are typically eclectic homeschoolers. More Charlotte Mason: An atmosphere, a discipline, a life This article talks about the philosophy behind a Charlotte Mason Curriculum. Charlotte Mason: Reluctant Narrators This article discusses how to deal with a common roadblock in Charlotte Mason Homeschooling. More on Charlotte Mason and Living Books This article explains what kind of books to … Continue reading →

Homeschooling in Pennsylvania: Record Keeping and Testing

I generally like to write these blogs in one whole blog covering one state. However, my ultimate goal is clarity and I find that Pennsylvania law is one of the more complicated laws to interpret. Therefore, I have split up the blogs covering Pennsylvania law. The first three blogs on Pennsylavnia can be found linked below. This is not legal advice. As someone who lives in a state that is highly regulated, I cannot emphasize enough the need for you to advocate for yourself and make a point to know your state laws. While the school district will most likely … Continue reading →

Thank You Dr. Moore, and Rest in Peace

Dr. Raymond S. Moore, also known as the Grandfather of Homeschooling, died Friday, July 13, 2007 at the age of 91. He suffered a stroke on Father’s Day and his health declined from there. In addition to private funeral services, memorial services are planned for August 11, 2007, 4:00 p.m. (Tentative ), Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church in Portland, OR and August 18, 2007, 4:00 p.m. , Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Camellia Avenue, Sacramento, CA. Along with his also deceased wife, Dorothy Moore, Dr. Raymond Moore Led the charge in the early days of homeschooling, published numerous books for and … Continue reading →

Homeschooling the Creative Child: Language Arts

Language Arts can be a challenge for creative children. They could care less about nouns and verbs. Spelling and vocabulary can be boring. Writing a structured essay is incredibly painful. Here are some tools and techniques you can try to teach your creative homeschooler creative arts. Literature: The literature that I (as a creative person) have connected to and remember most is the literature that I acted out. Do not just have your children read books, but have them dramatize the books as well. Of course you cannot act out every single book your children read (or can you), but … Continue reading →

Preparing for Standardized Tests

I was asked the following question on a previous blog post: I know that the (standardized) testing always test beyond what the standard level of education is, but what do I do to prepare her for this test. When I taught High School, we always set aside 2 weeks to prepare students. Is there something out there I can get to prepare her for these mastery tests? Many states require standardized testing for homeschoolers. Some parents and children look forward to showing off how much they know. Some treat it as a necessary evil. Others freak out and worry that … Continue reading →

Review, Evaluation, and Adjustment

The week between Christmas and New Years, when everyone else is shopping, goofing off and having family vacations, is our period of review. It is now that I get out my workbooks, to see what they children remember, and take note of what they do not remember. Review is a very important part of the learning process. If you have ever watched a good movie for the second, third, or fourth time, you have surely realized that you noticed things you did not pick up in previous viewings. Learning works in very much the same way. Classical homeschooling puts great … Continue reading →