If there is one thing I wish we’d done more of in our early homeschooling years, it would be International Day. In our children’s young lives, it was a way to travel on a tight budget and expose them to other parts of the world. We ‘visited’ Australia, Germany, South...
Category: Subjects
Homeschooling envelops a BUNCH of different subjects. These are the top of our list that we will cover regularly.
Growing Things Part II – Picking
You don't have to have a farm to be able to enjoy the fresh and in-season fruits of the ground. Even with a small space, you will be surprised at what you can grow, and with a little exploration, you will probably find places that let you pick some of...
Growing Things Part I – Planting
Learning where food comes from is an important part of educating children. I remember when I lived in London, a prominent political person in South Africa was asked where she would get her groceries if the farmers gave up their farms. Her response was the name of the local grocery...
Fishing in Ocean City
Homeschooling. What does that mean to you? Perhaps you know someone who homeschools. Or perhaps you have simply heard the term. Or perhaps you are interested in homeschooling or are already doing so. What does it look like? How do you “do” homeschooling? The fundamental basis for science is observation....
Hands-on Science
It might surprise folks that as a Cornell University graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering, I had little to no practical, hands-on science experience prior to my graduation. Most of my knowledge of chemistry, physics, biology and the like was out of textbooks. For many reasons, I do not...
Science Made Easy
Teaching science to your child can be a daunting topic if you weren't a science fan yourself, but there are so many fun and easy ways to get your child interested in the subject. They're easier than you think. In many ways, we are closer to the beginning, rather than...
Phonics Pathways
Phonics Pathways - a great phonics resource to teach reading and spelling. When my husband told me to start somewhere with phonics, Phonics Pathways by Dolores G. Hiskes was the book I pulled off the shelf first, and last. This simple two hundred thirty-seven page book got me quite excited....
Audio Books. An Invaluable Item…
Audio Books. An Invaluable Item... Audio Books… I can’t emphasize enough the great wonder and value of audio books. If you’re in the car for more than 15 minutes on a regular basis with your children, audio books are your friend. They’re an extension of your reading to them at bedtime,...
The 4 Rs
You've heard about the 3 Rs. So what is the fourth R? Everyone has heard of the 3 Rs, but the 4 Rs are what the education of my children is based on. Considering that they’re the foundation of learning, has anyone else noticed that of the 3 Rs, writing...
Math
Math should be practical and real, not daunting. While many people don’t like history, at least an equal number say they don’t like math, and that they were never good at it. Usually what that means is that they had a teacher who didn’t know how to teach children who...
Movie Reports
Movie reports are a great idea. Try one. Just as there’s a place for book reports, periodically there’s a place for movie reports for your children. These can be a great sidekick to your film study. A particular part of the movie, whether that be a character, a scene, the...
Newbery Books
Newbery award books - best children's books of the year. Award-winning books can be a great resource, and new Newbery Books turn up annually, and have since 1922. This award is given for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. In other words, for the author of the...
Using Multi-media
Using multimedia in your curriculum. I’ve said a fair amount about the growing audio-visual medium, so it makes sense that I should write about using multimedia. Unless you’re the rare and estimable person who is incredibly bright and loves the study of facts and figures, you will perhaps be like...
Living History Books
History comes alive with living history books. Perhaps if history had been taught to me through living history books, I might not have dropped it like a hot potato as soon as I was able to do so. Somehow, the teaching of history to students in school seems to be...
Interest-led Homeschooling
Interest-led Homeschooling While the 3 Rs are absolutely fundamental things to teach, don’t be hesitant to delve into interest-led homeschooling. While you may not give your child a choice of what math they get to do because you know the direction you are taking them, there are times and things...
Film Study
Introducing film study... The audio-visual medium seems to be replacing the written word for entertainment in the current younger generation, which is why I believe film study is important. What exactly is film study, what does it entail, and how does one go about studying a movie? Why should you...
Caldecott Books
Caldecott Awards are given to the illustrators of children's books. One of the greatest gems of a book I read to the children was a Caldecott Book. Whereas Newbery awards are given annually to the authors of children’s books, the Caldecott Medal awards are given to the illustrators for the...
Book Reports
Book reports help you evaluate comprehension. Every now and then you need to know what your child got out of a book, which is where book reports come in. Developing your child’s ability to articulate their comprehension of something is very important. Having them demonstrate this through book reports (or...
Reading. Why bother?
In our modern world... Reading. Why bother? In this modern time when things are turning increasingly to audiovisual, why bother reading? Is there any good reason for children to read, and for you to read aloud to your children? Yes! Yes! Yes! In fact, it’s almost more important now than...