Children definitely learn from parents but can we grab a lesson or two from them? Certainly! This year has been a great experience for me. At the beginning of the year I thought school was going to go and be "a certain way" only to realize later it wasn't. I thought school should be ran like a business with set working hours. Fine and dandy if your the type to do it but I'm not. I've realized I'm more of a eclectic teacher and learner(" flying by the seat of our pants"!).
I'm thankful for my oldest son (the bull) for telling me the things he liked and the things he didn't like. We even had the discussion on why he doesn't go to school with other boys and girls (haven't arrived there yet with your kids? You will). So what's the solution? Listen. Not to sound braggadocios here (that word sounds like Willy Wonka invented it) but my oldest is brilliant with a Gene Wilder type-spirit! So we've decided to join a co-op for this year. As for my youngest son (toothpick)? He did surprisingly well this year. For the first part of the year we felt he was a little behind as we compared him with our oldest. Lesson learned from that? Every child is different. It's easy to say everyone's different but I think parents can get in a funk of thinking opposite when it comes to there children.
So here's the big question "why not send them to school"?In a homeschool co-op setting, single families can share their academic goals, morals, religious beliefs and social behaviors. Children can learn similar beliefs and social structures from observation and interaction from different members of the co-op. Scheduling is a big part of any type of homeschool program and Both boys and I can learn time management as well as experience some classroom time with other children.
So there you have it. Has anyone else learned any lesson from there children this past year? If so please share! To all my readers, thanks so much for following here at The Way We Home School. My computer went in glitz in April so this is my first post in awhile. I look forward to hearing from you all soon.
Homeschooling is a major decision that should be taken to our Heavenly Father in prayer.What's your vision? Listening and obeying the Holy Spirit is the key factor.
2. Q: How do I do it?
I've been in this boat. You can read more about our experience found under Why We Home School. Today there is an ever-increasing variety of curriculum- from traditional textbooks, to specific homeschool-christian curriculum with correspondence courses. Thankfully, there are some seasoned mom's who have put together books to throw out to us as lifelines. My favorite is The Ultimate Guide To Homeschooling: Year 2001 Edition Book & CD by Debra Bell. What makes it so special? I found this book packed with helpful information which answered a lot of my own 5w's and H questions. Here is a list of the ten parts covered in the book along with a overview of topics covered:
Homeschooling: Is It for You ( advantages/disadvantages to homeschooling, Single Parents,Special Needs* (see below), careers,and six ingredients of a successful homeschool)
Choosing Curriculum (how do I decide,homeschooling on a shoestring)
Measuring Your Success (are we on target, methods of assessment)
Resource Guide (homeschooling organizations and publications, academic/athletic contests and completions)
Did that help answer some of your 5w's and H questions? It did? Great! Now run, skip, fly, whatever you need to do and get this book. I highly recommend it. Did I mention it comes with a CD loaded with all the info?
3. Q: I pray for patience already. How much will I need to homeschool?
A:A LOT. I don't describe myself as a patient person. I possess little to no patience but I am fully aware of it and constantly work at seeking guidance through prayer and reading. When my oldest was less than two my husband and I noticed something very special about him. He was quick rambunctious learner (he knew the alphabet and sounds), and mover (He walked right at nine months. I know poor us as first timers!). *By three we noticed he was not only quick but fidgety with a short attention span. We came to grips that our son has ADD. We knew we did not want to medicate our son or place him in any behavior-modification programs. After praying and discussing with my husband the idea of homeschooling, I went and researched everything I could about learning styles. Most of it was too analytical and drawn out. I couldn't figure out which style I was let alone his. I do, however, know who I am, most of the time:). I finally stumbled upon two great books called The Myth of the A.D.D. Child by Thomas Armstrong, PhD., and Calm and Compassionate Children by Susan Usha Dermond. Every year I crack open both books to get some insight. These books have tremendously helped us now more than ever in our home since we've found out our youngest has ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
4. Q: Will my Child become a social misfit? A: Let me ask you this: Where did you learn appropriate social behavior? School? Where did you learn to appreciate folks who dress differently, act differently, think differently? School? Where did you learn proper etiquette? 101 course in the cafeteria. OK...so you probably understand what I'm driving at:). Use tools such as Homeschooling support groups, co-ops, community events, blogs-hi:), and fantastic field trips.
5. Q: I already have problem keeping up with the housework. How can I get it done and home school?
A: I have problems with housework. And I've had it long before the idear of homeschooling. Yes, I am admitting that my house is not spotless. I sing the "clean up" song to my boys after activities. (sigh) One of my boys (it will be my youngest), will sing it to me one of these days. So I ran, literally to buy the book Organizing From the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern. I can be honest and say I haven't applied this book in my life like the Bible. But I have found great insight. Baby Steps. Laundry/clean bathroom day in my house are Mondays and Fridays. Saturday is my baking day. In between it all is family pick-up. During school on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have Critical Thinking and Work Habits, which includes housework.
My tip: Be open and honest with your family and say "I need help."
So I hope this has given some insight into homeschooling. If there's any guru's out there by all means leave a comment for us! If you have further questions click below a zap me an email. I'd love to hear from ya!
When our oldest was born, my aunt called my husband and I with great concern for my niece (who was 9 at that time) and nephew (who was 7). They both were from a broken home and were struggling tremendously with every subject in school. So my husband and I decided to take them for a summer to see if we could help in any way. That's when I decided to look for materials and resources to teach them throughout the summer. A librarian had suggested the Core Knowledge series. I did my research and found that Core Knowledge Sequence is based on the premise of a grade-by-grade core of common learning, which is necessary to ensure a sound and fair elementary education.
With church, summer lessons, and community events, we found it to be a great learning experience. As the summer was ending we knew when we dropped them off at there home that they needed more. (sigh) However, and because of circumstances that we couldn't control, we couldn't do more. At that time in our life, we realized that families need a vision for there children.
The Way We Home School Together my husband and I sat down and prayed for our children; lifting up our voices of our concerns and needs. As we studied God's word our answer was clear in home schooling our children. Our purpose in homeschooling is to give our children an individualized,quality education-with a solid foundation of traditional values, Christian character, Biblical standards, and faith in Christ Jesus. Our number one goal is to lead our children to seek a close relationship with our Heavenly Father.We found some great books( which I have listed under Good Reads) that has help us tremendously in homeschooling. Our family consist of dad (the legend), me (aka...the legendswife), the bull/hammer, who is six, and toothpick, who is three.
The concept of this blog is to promote excellent christian educational resources and family bonding. As christian children and parents grow in the Lord, togetherwe can encourage each other in our daily walk with Christ.
Lessons Learned From Home Schooling
