Homeschooling

I took these pictures yesterday of my little man working hard on his school work.Every day is not this perfect. I wish!!! Homeschooling can be a challenge but is always a blessing and privilege. If you homeschool and live in Michigan go here to learn more about HB 5912. Your action is required. Tell your representative and co-sponsors of this bill to, “Please withdraw H.B. 5912. Homeschooling is successful and working in Michigan. Since it is not broken, it does not need to be fixed.”

Last night I debated on going to the pool or going to the homeschool meeting… I finally decided to do both and just be late at the meeting… I am really glad I did that because for one, I really wanted to go swimming… and it felt great… and two… I missed the part of the [...]

O.k., I’m a little behind on this meme, so I’m making an effort in this post to catch up a little. At The Heart of the Matter, there have been themes from the last couple of weeks in which I did have things to add. In fact, I had even written them down, but just [...]

College After Homeschooling, And Is College Right For Your Homeschool Children? - Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular, but what about college after homeschool? This article discusses the issues and challenges facing homeschooled children and their parents. More: continued here Other Review: Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Replacement Inserts - 3-pk. (Baby Product)

I don't homeschool my children. Both boys attend the public schools in our hometown for a number of reasons. The most obvious and insurmountable fact is that both my husband and I work full-time outside the home. Doing homework in the evenings is a challenge; fitting in several constructive hours of schooling in the evenings would be impossible. Neither of us would have the patience for it. What

Wow! - 57 Unique Benefits of Homeschooling - Parents --- homeschooling (or low-cost internet private schools), can have extraordinary benefits for you and your children. You don't have to settle for a third-rate public-school education for your kids. More: continued here Other Review: The Fairy Queen's Baby (Paperback)

Well, most days aren’t like this, but this morning’s homeschooling lessons consisted of the following: [**Note: Please keep in mind that this is all in the spirit of fun and learning, and some lessons must be learned the "hard way!" ] –”This is a jungle yard. (See Example A).” –”This is a poor, [...]

By: Rebecca WalkerHomeschooling has come a long way from relative obscurity two decades ago. It is now a leading education trend in America as well as around the world. Estimates put the growth in the sector to about 15 percent per year. This has not stopped the spread of myths about homeschooling among many people; how many times do we often hear that homeschooled children are more likely to end up as social misfits, that they are unlikely to make it to college, that homeschooling will end up gobbling too much of your resources-both money and time, and so on?Many research findings carried out suggest that not only do home schooled children have better social skills, but that they are less dependent on heir peers. Dr. Raymond Moore who wrote the book Better late than Early, found out that

It's Friday Meme day at Heart of the Matter! Today's topic is "How you got started homeschooling". I was lucky in that I knew even before I got married that I wanted to homeschool. Way back in my Senior year of high school, my aunt began teaching her oldest son at home. He'd been at home a good bit with a state tutor due to illness, but after he got better and had trouble with the teacher (NOT

She sneezes, but I'm not paying attention this time. No matter. A blessing is a blessing, regardless of who it comes from."Bless you, my." she says softly, brushing past me.My, me, you. It's all the same to my watery green-eyed girl with a head cold.(She looks like she's in a cage, but those are the gates in our apartment- enabling us to get things done without having to slam the door in her face!)

Someone out there has had a magnificent thought. Schools throw away aged books yearly. I used to work for the civic schools and I’ll confess that a number of the books we not needed were pretty messed up, other than there were others that weren’t in that bad of form. Why did we control books? [...]

I wanted to take a moment to update all my readers of what is happening with the homeschooling situation in California. Thanks to all the prayers and active participation of many homeschooling families and organizations, the California Court of Appeals has agreed to re-hear the case regarding homeschooling! Hallelujah!! Thank you all for your prayers. Below is an excerpt from the newsletter that I received from Advocates for Faith and Freedom detailing the status as of now.California Court of Appeals Agrees to Re-Hear Case Regarding Homeschooling As a result of the prayers of Christians from all across the Nation, the California court of appeals will re-hear its February 28, 2008, ruling stating that a family enrolled at Sunland Christian School, a private homeschooling program, could

The New York Times (via Hot Air Headlines) writes one of their sugarcoated articles about Islamists, here being how they turn to homeschooling. And here, it looks like a lot of those staying at home for teaching are girls. Just a sign of how the parents clearly don't want them making outsider friends, do they? While as for the boys, we can only guess what they'll learn at home when doing so, eh?

Homeschooling is a controversial subject, despite a respectable numbers of families in the area choosing it. The supporters believe that it insures that all children receive a thorough education in a supportive environment that is tailored to their needs. Detractors point out that a child can suffer from a parent's shortcomings on a subject, and that children will not receive the long term, day to day interaction with a group of other children that develops problem solving and relationship building skills.The The Jubilee Academy seeks to address those concerns. They are an accredited curriculum provider for students from kindergarten through High School. Online assignments, automatic assignment grading, progress reports, and lesson calendars are provided. This system brings to m

As I stated in my last post, if you are considering homeschooling, you may be interested in the following information (and the remaining posts in this series) . (However, again, please note that individual states differ in their requirements.) In this post, I will do my best to address the following homeschooling questions: –Are you qualified [...]

Since the licensed teachers in the public schools are doing such a dynamite job, some California judges want to require that parents who homeschool be fully accredited and approved by the Department of Education.Not surprisingly, teacher unions applauded the ruling. But the seismic shift on the Left Coast, has sent shock waves throughout the nation. A few people acted surprised that this lack of tolerance would occur in the Land of Milk and Honey-- the birthplace of the modern free speech movement, where medical marijuana is legal, same sex couples have full rights, along with every other nonconforming community. And at one time California led the nation in not standing in the way of parents who wished to homeschool.But one community Progressives do not wish to afford the same degree o

This post is part of a series on “Questions About Homeschooling.” The first question, addressed herein is: –Why would you home-school–What are your reasons for homeschooling? Of course, I know I don’t have to explain any of this to anyone. However, I stated in an earlier post that I would address these issues, so [...]

I stumbled across the Muslim Home Education Network Australia, and it seems they are based in good-’ole Melbourne! How wonderful. They have a Yahoo Group for Aussie Muslim mums who are homeschooling too.

The recent ruling in California has gotten people talking about homeschooling. I have nothing but respect for parents that homeschool. I will definitely consider it as an option for my own children someday. Some of the stuff coming from the mouths of liberal elitists in the educational establishment is disgusting, particularly a recent editorial in [...]

When I was starting out as a bartender while in college, I was given a valuable piece of advice. I was told to always avoid religion and politics as topics, because bar clients, especially after a few drinks, will become very heated and at least half will disagree with my point of view and [...]

I’ve been hearing a lot about homeschooling lately. Frankly, I don’t get it. I’m a live and let live kinda guy, so I don’t mind if people want to homeschool their kids. Knock your self out. I just don’t get WHY anyone would want to in the first place. I can see [...]

Whether you are a proponent of homeschooling or not, you should be aware of something that has happened here in California recently, related to homeschooling. The reason you should be aware of it, and be worried about it, is that it's a fact that California sets the precedent for many other states with regard to laws and such. If a law is passed here, it is often copied in other states. The thing that is most disturbing to me, is not so much the homeschooling issue, as the fact that our rights as parents are being stripped! Here's the breakdown:Recently, a homeschooling family went to court, and was told that they could not homeschool their child, because it was harmful to the child's welfare for them to do so. That saddens me, for that family, but it gets worse. The three judges who heard

Outrage growing throughout California and beyond::_Homeschool_Ruling_Strikes_at_Heart,_Soul_of_Families.htmCalifornia Governor blasts ruling: as I documented here:-indoctrination-in.html"Christians [and others of good will who oppose homosexuality] who object to their children being indoctrinated in perversity, will not be allowed to opt out."Radical homosexual activists continue to bash Christians:

You may already know . . .  ” . . . a state appellate court ruling essentially concluded California state law allows no option for parents to school their children at home. Homeschool and legal experts have expressed concern that the move puts all of the parents of the estimated 166,000 homeschooled children in the state [...]

Since 2007, the Victorian government has required homeschooling kids to be registered with the state, but also makes provision for partial enrollment in government schools for specific activities (i.e. sports, a language etc.) at the discretion of the principal and parents. (Guidelines) Design your homeschooling approachHome Education Network (Victoria)Unschooling at Gifted-Children.com.au (Australia)Always Learning BooksHomeschooling supplies (Australia)Excursion [...]

Homeschooling families in California and thus all across the nation may be affected by the disheartening decision by the Second District Court of Appeal (”Feb. 28) that in order to teach a child at home, a parent must hold teaching credentials or risk criminal complaint. Around 166,000 children are homeschooled in California. The reasons vary, [...]

There's a reason or two 165,000 children are home-schooled in California.The homeschooling movement got blindsided by a ruling from a California appeals court that restricts homeschooling by parents without teaching credentials.kThe ruling was a shock to the movement and leaves an estimated 166,000 children as possible truants and their parents at risk of prosecution.It also demonstrates the lengths government will go to protect its monopoly on education.The homeschooling movement was shocked--to put it mildly."At first, there was a sense of, 'No way,' " said homeschool parent Loren Mavromati, a resident of Redondo Beach (Los Angeles County) who is active with a homeschool association. "Then there was a little bit of fear. I think it has moved now into indignation."A dispute between the Lo

The kids got straight to work on their studies this morning, as we have been planning to go to the park today (it is supposed to reach 70 around here).  Sarah has almost finished one spelling workbook and will be starting on another in a week or so.  She has also started her BJU 2nd [...]

Here are today's homeschooling links.Music FormsArt Forms Bible FormsAward & Certificate FormsTo find some more great homeschooling resources just follow the geese by clicking on the graphic.

In my last article I took a survey of the HIV / AIDS pandemic in the United States and offered a number of facts and concerns related directly to it. The main point, in case you missed it, stressed the importance of parental guidance and teaching on this most dangerous issue. In fact, every parent should be teaching their children about all forms of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's), including HIV. It should also be pointed out that Hepatitis C is as deadly as HIV and there is currently no cure. Hepatitis C is transmitted in the same way as HIV. For some who frequent my blog on a regular basis these series of articles are certainly off the normal path of what I typically write about. My wife says I have a new found passion about a subject that very much concerns me. If I am suc

There is an interesting discussion going on at the Asbury Park Press web site about the pros and cons of homeschooling. This is one of my favorite comments (and in case you don’t catch it, this is sarcasm): TANSTAAFL2: I don’t know who these parents think they are. You would think they might leave the shaping of [...]

By: Mimi Rothschild Homeschooling is an important, life changing step for you and your child or children. It is a calculated decision not made on impulse, rather a daily choice to instill Christian values and be a positive role model in his/her life. Here are three easy tips to sustaining your decision and maximizing the overall experience: •1.)    [...]

I've read many comments and blog posts recently about the issue of homeschooling versus traditional schooling of children. This is a subject which 2008 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has a pretty clear position.Personally, I do not feel qualified to homeschool my own children, although I understand why some see the value in it. My mom has been an educator her entire career, and I've always respected her efforts to create a healthy learning environment for kids in the public school system. My daughter has gone to both public and private schools, each with their own benefits. No matter how you look at it, there are pros and cons to any learning environment.The positions that our next President take on education will impact parents and kids across the country, no matter what type of

If you're wondering what happened to a previous post that mysteriously disappeared from this blog, I have deleted it. I received some sage advice from a couple of readers (you know who you are), and when I took a moment to think about the unintended consequences that might result from what I posted, I pulled it down. Thank you for the advice you have given me. I hope what I had to say in that

As I get further and further along the path to homeschooling Z I’ve been researching different areas. The latest has been the actual cost of schooling her myself (considering I’ll still be paying taxes to the useless public schools). It turns out that, thanks to www.CostCaptain.com I can actually save money on a bunch of computer software when I start home schooling her. For example, the Standard Edition of Microsoft Office 2007 usually costs around $210, with the (limited) student edition costing around $140. But, at Cost Captain you can get the full Standard edition for only $129.99! They even offer gift certificates, so if you’ve still got a home schoole, teacher, or college student on your Christmas list, or you’re looking for another stocking stuffer for ‘em, then this just may be what you’ve been looking for. »Tags: computer, CostCaptain, home schooling, Microsoft Office, Office 2007, school, softwareNo tags for this post. Related

A person who did not agree enough with his/her own post to put his/her name, wrote on a Yahoo message board: “Homeschooling is a BAD idea!     20-Aug-99 08:48 pm    The basic necessities of a child’s education include BOTH academics (i.e. reading, writing and arithmetic) AND social development. Adequate social development can occur ONLY if a child is allowed to interact on [...]

Yesterday, there was 2 church shootings in Colorado Springs, Colorado where a disgruntled gunman who was a former member of a missionary training school who was spewing out hate mail towards the staff until yesterday when he took a gun to the 2 churches and went about shooting people, killing about 5 people and wounding 5 others until he was gunned down by Jeanne Assam, one of the church's security guards. This individual is identified as 24 year old Matthew Murray who came from a homeschooling, devoted Christian family. He got kicked out of a missionary program known as Youth With a Mission for reasons yet to be known. Then, he went about spewing hate mail at the staff before bringing on the incident yesterday that cost him and 5 others his life.It just comes to show that even the most sincerest devoted of the Christian Faith can commit even the most greatest of sins and that evolution and "long ages" don't lead people to violence, especially school, college, church shootings.

Almost everyone knows the stereotype about homeschoolers and books. That you can tell that you’ve walked into a homeschooling household when there are more stacks of books than places to sit down and read them. So far I think that’s been true for about 98% of the homeschooling families I know. But there is another, lesser known yet still somewhat true stereotype. That homeschooling moms are crafty. Is is a side effect of homeschooling? All the years of doing crafts with our kids turns unto crafters ourselves. Or maybe the two just draw common people. They of people who like to teach their children themselves also like to do other things themselves, like knit their own sweaters and create their own decorations. I’ve tried to come up with some theories, but each one seems to have enough exceptions to it not to hold water. No matter the reason why there are some crafty homeschoolers out there. Like Dana with her too cool Saturday School ideas. See what I mean? Crafty, cr

A friend of mine has made the choice to homeschool her sons and plans on pulling them out over winter break. I wonder how many other families decide this is the time to take action and homeschool? We often focus on the families preparing over the summer months, but there are many who sit through that first semester of school and say “no more”. It must be a mixture of fear and relief that first day back, when the neighborhood kids are packing on the bus outside and you are staring out the window hoping no one notices that your kids aren’t in line. April of Lunablog must have been thinking the same thing when she decided to open up her free homeschool curriculum. The first year of lesson plans will become available on New Year’s day. Some families probably think it is illegal. I know my friend feared that she had to complete the year before she could pull her sons out. Luckily here in Oklahoma the laws are very relaxed and it’s not a problem at all. Legally

I am thrilled to be hosting the Carnival of Homeschooling for a second time. It is always so much fun reading the great posts that people submit. I was even more excited when I found out that this was the 100th edition! Recently Oklahoma, where I live, just celebrated it’s centennial. So I thought I would let them celebrate the big 100 together and share some fun facts about the great state of Oklahoma as you browse the carnival. But first, let’s start the celebration off right! Jocelyn presents 2007 Holiday Bundle posted at Lothlorien, saying “A homeschooler’s bundle of homeschool prizes: books, ebooks, magazines, tshirts, candles, and more! A three week contest that is a homeschooler’s delight!” HappyCampers presents Happy Thanksgiving To Those We Love Near & Far posted at Reese’s View Of The World, saying “Need a way to put your digital pictures together in a memorable way? My husband found a program called Muvee (www.muvee.com) &

Just a quick reminder that I’ll be hosting the Carnival of Homeschooling here on November 27th. Hurry and get your submissions in, you have until Monday evening! I can’t wait to read them all. blogging, blog carnival, carnival of homeschooling

For those who may or may not know, I preschool homeschool my son, which you can read about here. In the short time we've been doing this I have managed to accumulate alot of great materials which I have neat spaces for, but just not too much time to maintain it all. I admit as soon as materials need changing, I've been tossing them in plastic organizing shelves and forgetting it. But the shelves have see-through drawers and the mess could no longer be ignored, so I tackled it! I organized the seasonal material in one drawer, supplies like construction paper and file folders in another, and the last drawer is sort of an "in-box" for things which eventually need to be filed into my son's portfolio. Yep, he's two and has a portfolio. Ha-ha! In any case, I finished the project and it looks so much better and I know the whole functionality part will be a big bonus.What did you tackle this week? Read more and add yours here.

Alright. Here is an interesting case. Germany has outlawed homeschooling, and they have literally been willing to fine people, take away custody of their children, etc. What is going on here? [Read More] addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Ffreedomthirst.com%2F2007%2F11%2F19%2Fcourt-homeschooling-is-child-endangerment%2F'; addthis_title = 'German+Court%3A+Homeschooling+is+%26%238216%3Bchild+endangerment%26%238217%3B'; addthis_pub = [...]

F ellow ClubMom blogger, Jen, has an interesting topic on her blog, Stay-at-Home Motherdom, regarding homeschooling and the HPV vaccine - (Human Papillomavirus). Her topic began because of visiting another homeschooling mom's blog who stated that another plus for homeschooling...

I just came from another blog in which the mother was saying that she was grateful that she homeschools her children because of the HPV vaccination. Let me explain. HPV is the Human Papillomavirus. It is a sexually transmitted disease...

Last night a group of homeschooling moms met to eat chocolate, drink tea, and share the ups and downs. It was like a breath of fresh air. When you spend your entire day with kids getting out to be with other adults relaxes and refreshes you. I came home bubbling over and completely renewed. We talked a bit about our experiences with public schools, both with ourselves and our kids. As I drove home I thought about my own school experiences. About the dull history books we never got through and the uncle who shared history in stories he told from his rocking chair. About the ordinary science classroom and the extraordinary days on the side of the river getting dirty and asking a million questions. And I thought about math. (more…)

I mentioned the other day about the Homeschool Blog Awards taking nominations. Anyone who was involved last year probably remembers the controversy that came up. Well as this year’s awards gets into gear the controversy is back. I hesitate getting into it. I can see both sides of the issue. One hand those who host the awards gets to make the rules. On the other some of the rules are a matter of personal perception. It’s never as black and white as we want it to be. For instance some may feel that “darn” oversteps the no foul language rule, others feel that you have to try much, much harder than that to break the curse line. No photographic nudity is another rule. But where that line sits varies greatly. If I post a photo of myself breastfeeding my son some people will see it as a sweet family photo, others will see it as pornographic. Who decides where that line sits? Dana has a much better post discussing this at her blog. And while you are there jump back a p

And the winner is…. (drum roll) Marie! She is the big winner of my homeschool books giveaway! I want to thank everyone who entered this give away. It was a ton of fun and I hope to be able to do it again soon. giveaway, books, homeschooling

By Mimi Rothschild Homeschooling parents know that learning comes in a variety of ways.  One way students can increase their knowledge of a subject is through journaling.  Journaling is a learning tool that can be used in any class; it allows students to improve their writing skills, process information, and better understand a subject.  Read more [...]

Homeschooling can be an expensive alternative to public schooling. But, its worth it. Right? Well, that depends. If you have extra money that you want to spend on schooling then by all means do it. But if you don't have the extra money don't let that scare you away from homeschooling. In fact, most of the homeschooling we did was done free or at least very cheap.You can find a ton of textbooks , crafts items, games, and more for very cheap at yardsales and thrift stores.You can find tons of free info on the internet. They have free printables, free ebooks, worksheets, and even get free items sent to you. I went to google and did searches for free homeschool , free homeschooling, free samples, free printables, and more !! The ideas are endless.Also utilize your library!! They have tons of books, videos, copy machine, etc. Also if there is a book you need and they do not have it they are able to get it for you.There is alot of experiments you can do on the cheap, teach kids about math

It’s another Friday installment of Questions for Homeschoolers! Where you ask the questions and other people answer them. That was my game show announcer voice. What do you think? OK, on to the question. The question this week is one that I am sure many homeschoolers have faced at least once. And it has to do with money. Isn’t the universal issue we all face, money? We all want what is bet for our kids, but sometimes that seems to come with a hefty price tag. How to choose the right curriculum with out costing a fortune? Doesn’t this question come up often? Money always seems to be a huge deciding factor for new homeschoolers, ones who see the packages costing hundreds of dollars and immediately fall over. I’ve talked before about homeschooling not being expensive and I’m sure I’ll talk about it again and again. Mostly because it seems to be one of the first questions nw to homeschooling families ask. It also is one of the issues people against homes

I ran across this article today and laughed, I can so relate. It is well worth the read. Sometimes in a homeschoolers life things do not always go as planned. In fact, there are days where nothing seems to go right. It is in these times that we can learn great lessons from our Lord. If we cooperate with Him we will reap benefits beyond belief. Below is a snippet of the conclusion of this funny, exasperating, and encouraging article. But if you want the funny parts you will have to follow the link and read for yourself!I want to encourage you to remember that your primary life-goal as a mother is build strong moral character in our children to ultimately bring them to Christ and glorify Him. I am increasingly aware that homeschooling is just as much about me changing and growing in Christ-likeness as it is about my kids and their studies. God has called us to be joyful mothers of children. Every act you do for your little ones is making a loud and clear statement about God. This

Back in September I wrote about why I love homeschooling. It was a fun list that inspired a few others to share their own joyous homeschooling reaons. Recently Jo decided to share her 8 reasons because of that post. And picking up on the bandwagon (no, you’re not a lemming) Eden shared her 8 reasons And last Thursday Melissa asked people to share their reasons for homeschooling. I smell a trend coming on. Is anyone else going to jump onboard? I always love reading why other familes choose to homschool and what parts of it are their favorites. So if anyone lse decides to share let me know. I’d love to come read it! homeschooling, kids, fun, life

Summer did a post on 8 Reasons To Love Homeschooling back in September which I thought was pretty great. So I decided to do one on my homeschooling blog a few days later and I would like to share it again here with you. I had alot of fun doing this and it really came at a time when I needed to remind myself what this was all about. Why I Love Homeschooling 1) When my kids were in public school we didn’t get along very well. They were both extremely mouthy and disrespectful. Since we started homeschooling they have become so much more mature and appreciative of things in their lives. It’s been amazing watching them actually grow each day. So many things I missed when they were little but now I get to enjoy these teen years. 2) I know my kids aren’t being taught the crappy History and Geography lessons that I was in school. So little of actual importance historically is taught in school and by the time most of us graduate we couldn’t recite the first line of the C

NATHHAN National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network is a website for Christian parents who are homeschooling special needs children. This site offers many things, including discussion boards, articles, book reviews, support groups, and many other things. One thing of great interest here is that they have their own speech therapy program, Straight Talk, for homeschoolers to purchase at a reasonable price for those who cannot afford therapy or need additional therapy. We have serious considered purchasing this ourselves if and when our insurance no longer provides the therapy our children need.Their goal and purpose, as per their website is as follows:To encourage homeschooling families with special needs children, in ways that glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and equip parents to confidently raise their children with special needs or disabilities.Weblink Wednesday Sponsored by: Valerie @ Just4homeschoolfamilies

I know it is one of the stereotypes, that all homeschoolers are super fundamentalists who keep their children home to hide them form the evil liberals of the world. Like most stereotypes there is an ounce of truth in there. Some of the loudest and well known homeschoolers are deeply religious, and by fact that Christianity is one of the largest religions in America it stands to reason that homeschoolers would also have that large percentage as so. However when you begin to all that “all (fill in blank) are (fill in blank)” you stop seeing much farther than the nearest stereotype. And that leaves a lot out. I am honored to get to know many homeschoolers online. Like birds of a feather homeschoolers tend to group together, to give each other support and encouragement. And when you spend enough time together talking about life you see just how diverse the homeschooling world really is. You see through the stereotypes and see the real people out there choosing it for their fami

Our oldest son is 13 and has Asperger Syndrome, a disorder on the autism spectrum. We tried charter schools and public schools with him and he just did not fit in. Part of the reason for this was simply because the teachers were not willing to make accommodations for a normal looking child, even though medically they knew he has challenges. Homeschool works best for us and it is HIGHLY doubtful we ever go another route again.The two single most important things you have to understand when homeschooling a child on the autism spectrum are 1) breaks are needed more often, and 2) slow and steady wins the race. Aspies especially get frustrated more easily because many times these children are on the high functioning side of the spectrum and they are very hard on themselves. It is not uncommon for Caleb to smack himself on the head and say "stupid, stupid, stupid" when he gets something wrong. It's also not uncommon for an incident like this to end with him being so wiped out emot

Homeschool moms are a creative lot. How else could they manage to fit so much in and make it all so fun? I’m always excited to meet new homeschooling moms who are creatively finding ways to organize their homes, to teach their kids, and to earn extra money from home. That is why I am so excited to announce that I will now be writing for the Creative Mom Cafe. Hold on, before you get worried I will still be right here at Mom Is Teaching. I’m just adding a more creative side blog to the fun. One that I am certain will be a perfect fit with the already creative homeschooling parents out there. So if any of you amazing moms and dads out there have your own crafty or creative blogs drop me a link to them. Do you make your own goodies and sell them online? I’d love to hear about it! Do you manage to pull off all sorts of creative projects with your kids? Share your secrets! Or if you just like to kick back and do some crafting when you have a free moment pop over and see

By: Maryland Demaria When people talk about teaching their children from home in theabsence of any definite or structured curriculum, it is perhaps natural to think that homeschooling is cheap. But this is far from the truth. Although homeschooling does not stick to any particular text, this is perhaps more of a bane than a boon, when it comes to finance. When you need to make sure that your children receives state-of-the-art education so that they can compete with regular school goers, expenses will naturally mount. The actual cost of educating a child at home is surprisingly high. Up-to-date textbooks, course materials, a library, computing equipment, lighting, specially designed furniture all cost money. In this case, the cost may be slightly lesser when it comes to homeschooling the second child. Add to this any additional tuition cost for tutors who come to teach subjects that cannot be handled by parents, like higher-level math or science. The total cost can be a bit mind bogglin

Christine over at "The Thinking Mother" is hosting this week's Carnival of Homeschooling, 94th edition. I have another featured article plus there are many, many more to keep you interested. Please go check out the great listings.

Today is Blog Action Day, the day when bloggers are encouraged to write about the environment on their blogs. The purpose is to get the word out all over the internet about environmental issues going on. Back in June I did several environmental posts during Low impact Week, but I thought I wanted to share some eco-friendly homeschooling ideas. Helping kids learn about the environment and about environmental issues can be a difficult task. Luckily there are many sites that can help you find info. Thre is a great Footprint Calculator that shows how large an impact your family has on the environment. That would be a great starting place to let your children see where you are making the largest and smallest impacts in your daily lives. Another site that I love is Breathing Earth. It is an amzing simulation that shows carbon emission levels, as well as birth and death rates, around the globe in real time. it is fascinating to watch the pulse of life on the earth. If your kids are gettin

I have a great homeschool question for everyone to think about and answer this weekend. It is one that I hope a lot of people will chime in on, as I am sure it is something many homeschoolers have dealt with or are dealing with themselves. How do you do balance everything(the house, shopping, school, outside activities) and along the same lines, how do you balance different learning styles? In my house I know that I have 1 child who works best with a schedule and another who doesn’t like schedules at all. He does best when he is in charge more. I just want to know how other homeschoolers find a balance. Trying to find a perfect balance among kids who are all different can be hard to do. Unlike a classroom where they can move on with the majority, in homeschooling a parent wants each child to be able to progress at their own pace. When you have children requiring different things from you that can be difficult to do. And then there is the added work of finding a balance in the housew

Home schooling improves academic performance and reduces impact of socio-economic factors TORONTO, ON—Home schooling appears to improve the academic performance of children from families with low levels of education, according to a report on home schooling released today by independent research organization The Fraser Institute. … “The research shows that the level of education of a child’s parents, gender of the child, and income of family has less to do with a child’s academic achievement than it does in public schools.” The study also reports that students educated at home outperform their peers on most academic tests and are involved in a broad mix of social activities outside the home. Research shows that almost 25 per cent of home schooled students in the United States perform one or more grades above their age-level peers in public and private schools. Grades 1 to 4 home school students perform one grade level higher than their public- and private-school peers.

H ere is an article you might want to print up and give to your family and/or friends that wonder about your homeschooling really working. And if you are considering homeschooling and think you are not smart enough, you don't...

The colony of Massachusetts passed two laws in the 1640s requiring that parents teach their children to read and that grammar schools be established by larger towns. But even in Massachusetts, parents were completely free to choose how their children would learn. Yet, a study by the late Lawrence A. Cremin, Ph.D., of adult male literacy during this period reveals that between 70 percent and 100 percent of colonial men could read. This is a quote from a great article I read written by a homeschooler on the history of homeschooling in America. It is a great read for anyone intersted in homeschooling, especially because it disolves the common myth that homeschooling is a new trend. In reality it is the public school system that is the newest of the two. You can read the full article here: A home education is not so new . It is full of great facts, such as (more…)

Are homeschoolers trying to hide something? Homeschooling rates in the UK are up according to an article from the Channel 4 news: Channel 4 News Online reveals that the number of children being schooled at home has risen by more than 60 per cent in the past five years. More than 80 per cent of education authorities reported hikes in the number of children being educated at home, according to the Freedom of Information (FoI) probe. In one area the increase was as big as 800 per cent; with campaigners blaming bullying, special needs provision and too many school tests as reasons for the national hike. But is there an ulterior motive behind this? But Channel 4 News online has also learned that some schools and parents are using home education as a method of avoiding truancy prosectuction and poor league table standings. (more…)

Homeschool Weblink WednesdayHere is another great homeschooling website. It is the Classical Christian Homeschooling website.If you ever wanted to know about the Classical method of homeschooling or about the Trivium, this is a great resource! Our family follows the Trivium and the Classical Christian homeschooling method. It is often challenging and we do not accomplish everything but we have seen the fruit of teaching in this manner.Weblink Wednesday Sponsored by: Valerie @ Just4homeschoolfamilies

Moms who are new to homeschooling can often find themselves at their wit’s end. It can be a huge transition for both mother and child. Especially if they live in an area with few homeschoolers to lean on. Luckily we have the internet to help connect us to others. Last night I found Mandy, a mom that has just started homeschooling her 6 year old and is having problems. This is a mom who could serioulsy need some support and advice. So I’m throwing this out here, a call to all my readers. Go over to her blog and offer support, advice, or even just a “been there” comment. Don’t we all wish we had that when the days get rough? Her post: Hello everyone, so for those of you that know me, I just started being a stay at home mom this summer and am now attempting to homeschool my 6 year old. What a transition. I have been homeschooling for a week now and today felt like giving up! My son is a very good boy, most of the time. However, he is in this new defiant, att

I was curious to see what were the top 10 homeschooling books right now. I found several great sites with top 10 lsits, such as this one from A-Z Homeschool and this one from Homeschool.com’s bookstore. With so many great books out there and so many differing lists I thought it would be fun to compile my own list. So with some research (i.e. Google) I’ve put together a list of 10 books that every homeschooling parent should read. (more…)

As I have noted before, I occasionally submit posts to a variety of carnivals. A carnival is a sort of blog magazine, with links to entries from several authors on a common theme. I submitted my post on getting your yard NWF certified to this week’s Carnival of Homeschooling, because I thought some families might be interested in pursuing this as an educational opportunity for their children. If you have children (or are just curious about homeschooling), the Carnival of Homeschooling is an interesting carnival to browse.

Caroline Haroldson is getting ready to embark on a fascinating endeavor, one which I have actually contemplated: a six week tour of the United States. From Homeschool Across America's website:Like millions of other children around the country, 9 year old Caroline Haroldson of Lake Oswego, Oregon will start school the day after Labor Day. But unlike most fourth graders, she won't enter any school doors.Instead, Caroline will begin a six week trek homeschooling (or "travelschooling") across the contiguous United States with her mother in a quest to learn about our nation's history, geography, and government. She's on a mission to find the best learning adventures in the country for families looking for enriching travel destinations.You can share her travels with her through her website and podcasts, once her journey commences.It reminds me of something Noah Webster once wrote which prompted me to begin thinking of incorporating more travel into our homeschool schedule. He was wr

Last week, I looked at entry about homeschooling over on Wikibooks. It was not anything terribly new, with the same stereotypes propogated without anything to really back them up. I was thinking about posting on it, but Alasandra already did a very nice job of that.Ironically, so did Kelley McBride of the Green Bay Press Gazette in her article, Students fight myths about homeschooling. It is even about us right wing fundamentalists who dared pull our kids at least in part for religious reasons and the opportunity to teach our children our "narrow" views. But somehow, we don't come across that way at all. Nice job, Kelley. And nice conclusion:"Education really is being able to handle the situations in the world and knowing how to properly respond, and just being able to live a good life," Lawyer said. "Homeschooling focuses on education as...teaching them how to live life."A positive article on homeschooling is always appreciated now and again, especially when it is not trying to

C onsidering homeschooling? Or have you been homeschooling many years, maybe even a little burned out, dreading beginning another year shortly. This 62-page temporarily free e-book, Secrets to Successful Homeschooling: You Have What It Takes, from the Homeschool eStore may...

The Carnival of Homeschooling is up over at Nerd Mom, contemplating reasons to homeschool.I can count mine on one hand. We even named each of them: their internet sanitized versions are Mouse, Bear, Bug and Peanut.

This week I want to focus on planning out homeschooling. I am a planner at heart, I love to make lists and goals and schedules. Luckily I have just enough of a lazy streak that it does not bother me if not everything falls into order. Just having the plans to look back on is enough for me. Some people need to have detailed plans that they can work off of, some are better suited when they are spontanious. Most fall somwhere in the middle. Having a plan, even if it is just to have a second cup of coffee before getting the kids up, can be beneficial to almost everyone. One thing that is emphasised in Enki is not to try to fit your life around homeschooling, but to fit homeschooling into your life. One of the first steps they suggest in planning is to make a schedule of the natural flow of your day and see where you can go from there. Are your kids grumpy in the mornings and need more time to wake up? Or do they jump out of bed bursting with energy and need something physical to help relea

As true now as it was then:Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides."Thomas Paine Common Sense, January 1776Why are so many so heatedly opposed to homeschooling? I truly believe it boils down to two factors: a reaction to the unknown (custom) and a reaction to stereotypes (the process of classifying the unfamiliar in relation to the familiar). Public school is our common experience and thus has the "superficial appearance of being right."I am not sure why this organizisation finds it "surprising" that there is so little evidence indicating that homeschooling is "detrimental" to children, but at least they point out that the arguments are philosophical rather than actual. And they quote one of the more interesting argument

Welcome to the 83rd edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. August will be here tomorrow, and that means many families are getting ready to start the new year off. But before we can jump back into the school year I need to make sure everyone has had their physicals. A good physical is required to make sure that you are healthy and up-to-date before we can get back to the learning. So without further ado, open up and say “ahhh”. Let’s listen to your heartbeat. Hernandez helps us with some teachable moments with your little girl’s stethoscope.Stethoscope for Your Little Girl Part 1 posted at APMFormulators When your heart is in homeschooling you can find a lesson in anything. Barbara Frank shares An Impromptu Lesson posted in Barbara Frank saying “You can use just about anything to teach your children; even junk mail.” A happy heart is a healthy heart. Find something that will calm and relax you, and make you smile, to keep your heart beating on t

Ask: My 9 year old son has autism and is currently in mainstream public school. He is not doing very well and just does not have the comprehension.If I decide to home school him, so that he can get the one on one and most of all so that he can learn at his own speed [...]

The Friday question for homeschoolers dealt with using tutors while homeschooling. As everyone commented, using a tutor can be a valuable tool for helping your children understand tricky subjects. However Tammy pointed out one important thing to remember when using tutors. Unfortunately, tutoring companies are businesses. They may do a great job in helping kids, but they also have a high interest in convincing people that they need tutors when they really don’t. Also, some tutors are expensive. It’s rare that a tutor is the only possible way to learn something. So it’s important to look at all the possibilities before jumping on the tutoring bandwagon. homeschooling, tutoring, education

This week’s question for homeschoolers I’m almost fairly certain was asked by a spammer. The email address and website given were fake and in the comment there were a number of links to various sites. But because the question outside of the spam linking is fairly interesting I’m going to allow it. What role do private tutoring companies play in home schooling? There are a number of companies offering unlimited tutoring for under $100 per month. I’ve come across a number of online tutoring websites. Has anyone prepared a comparison of the various companies (pricing, quality, etc.)? How do you feel about private tutoring in homeschooling? What instances would you say yes, or no? How about to the new homeschooler who is worried about teaching everything? homeschool, tutoring, private tutoring, tutor, question for homeschoolers

Thank you Frank Cerabino, staff writer for the Palm Beach Post. Interesting thoughts.This is why there is home schooling. Home schooling is a wonderful form of school choice. It allows parents lots of elbow room to create parallel universes, worlds of their own making inside the comfort of their own homes, where there never shall cross a fragment from the outside world that hasn't been purified through the crucible of their own narrow beliefs.It's a safety net for the intolerant. Palm Beach PostI actually am not on the side of Laura Lopez, the Palm Beach mother on a crusade to sanitize the school libraries in her area. Other than the fact that it is certainly within her rights as a mother of students in the system to make her opinions known. But we already know that when you drop off your children in the public system, their minds are directed by the system, not the parent.[we] “do not have a fundamental[due process] right generally to direct how a public schoolteaches their ch

Welcome to the 81st Carnival of Homeschooling, where we are taking some time off teaching for some professional development. Teacher in-service days mean no school, so help your young scholars find something to do while you peruse the offerings. Whether a quick tip or research into how children learn, each presentation is designed to help you become a little better teacher and parent, with just a touch of controversy to keep it interesting.All good meetings begin with a humorous anecdote. This one is brought to you by Dewey's Treehouse. Enjoy your in-service!MotivationalIf you don't know what you are doing, you will never get it done. Write a simple vision statement! Presented by Trinity Prep SchoolThe Wood Between the Worlds: what does home mean to you? Presented by The Little Homeschool on the Prairie Why are you homeschooling? So you can keep up with the curriculum or so that you can teach your child? Presented by: Seeking Rest in the Ancient PathsI am the bionic woman.

We're enjoying all the benefits of Grandma's house at the moment. Even my two year old burst into loud cheering when we turned into her edition here in Kansas. Hence the light posting. But we shall be on our way back home in a few hours.In the mean time, don't forget to send in your entries for the Carnival of Homeschooling. They are due tonight! Also, i finally got caught up on my emails so if you have submitted and NOT heard back from me, I did not receive your submission. Please resend it. I don't want to miss anybody.The carnival submit form is here.(And the baby did so much better this trip. The last time we came down, we had to stop so many tmes it took us senen hours. This time it only took four. What a difference one litle baby can make to your schedule...)

I will be hosting the next Carnival of Homeschooling right here at Principled Discovery. What is a carnival? Why should I participate? Some answers are available here.How do I participate? Well, there are some instructions in that link, but essentially just write or select a post which you would like to share with the broader homeschooling community. Then send me the link. You may email it to me directly, or use the carnival submit form at blogcarnival. If you choose to email it directly, make sure it has a recognizable subject, like "carnival of homeschooling." If it says something like, "Hey Dana!" or "Check this out" or "New site submission" it will likely get deleted and never read. I have a lot of spam in that account!And please feel free to let your readers know I am seeking submissions! If only my regular readers and a few dedicated carnival participants submit, it won't be so very interesting.

Our family has been homeschooling for about 7 years. To some, I am considered a veteran homeschooler, while to others, I am still a rookie. I would have to agree with both assessments. Sometimes I feel like I have it all together, like I've been at it for much longer than I actually have, and I can handle anything that's thrown at me. On the other hand, there are days when I feel like I began just yesterday, I worry if I'm doing the right thing, and I feel like giving up. The veteran in me has plenty of advice to share, while my rookie side is always looking for tricks and tips to help. I guess it all balances out.    To give any decent advice, it helps me to think back to my first thoughts about homeschooling. Of course, I asked those seasoned veteran moms the most popular questions...Is it really legal?...Am I capable of teaching?...and the ever-present: What about socialization?...But those questions were easily and patiently answered...Yes, it's legal...We've taugh

Our family has been homeschooling for about 7 years. To some, I am considered a veteran homeschooler, while to others, I am still a rookie. I would have to agree with both assessments. Sometimes I feel like I have it all together, like I've been at it for much longer than I actually have, and I can handle anything that's thrown at me. On the other hand, there are days when I feel like I began just yesterday, I worry if I'm doing the right thing, and I feel like giving up. The veteran in me has plenty of advice to share, while my rookie side is always looking for tricks and tips to help. I guess it all balances out.    To give any decent advice, it helps me to think back to my first thoughts about homeschooling. Of course, I asked those seasoned veteran moms the most popular questions...Is it really legal?...Am I capable of teaching?...and the ever-present: What about socialization?...But those questions were easily and patiently answered...Yes, it's legal...We've taugh

I’ll be hosting next week’s Carnival of Homeschooling over at Homeschool Hacks (which is undergoing a bit of a reformation). If you have a homeschooling post to submit, please send the following info to carnivalofhomeschooling@gmail.com: Post Title URL of Post Blog Title Blog URL Summary/Description of Post This week’s Carnival is posted at Consent of the Governed. Always a good read.

The Carnival is up over at Consent of the Governed, but be warned.Lives under construction. It could be slow going!Wouldn't you know that I would have forgotten to submit something for this week's edition? At least I have a new template, though, with most of my links back. I can surf again!Clipart

The 7th Country Fair of Homeschooling opened yesterday with a bang. The theme was diversity and the posts submitted certainly shared what diversity was all about. I wanted to share my top 5 favorite posts from the Country Fair, though there are certainly a lot more posts worth checking out. When Tammy, of Just Enough, Nothing More, said “Homeschoolers are Weird“ I couldn’t help but giggle. I should put a banner up that reads “Weird, and proud of it!”. Tammy, of Life Without School shared a post called Unconditional Teaching that really made me stop and think. Owl, of Owl Flutter hit my heartstrings in her post on feminism and motherhood, in “Because We Treat Children Like Little Mental Patients“ Melissa, of Read Mommy, Read! shared a post that really made me smile, “Diversity and Compassion“. RegularMom, of Like I Have Time For This, talked about the diversity all around her in her post Diversity. Choosing just 5 to showcase was hard, as there are so