Not Another Homeschool Blog

If you've ever wondered why the law only required 4 1/2 hours a day to homeschool, it is because that is pretty much how long it takes.  After homeschooling all the way through, my kids spent some days homeschooling for 8 hours, and other days not homeschooling at all, or going to outside classes.  They may have done more than an average of 4 hours a day, but they also accomplished a lot more than what is required of a typical student. This video is specifically about black homeschoolers in Louisiana turning to homeschooling, but one of the teachers/parents makes it clear how much can be accomplished in a short amount of time.

Lydia from Rants from Mommy Land wrote an article on 5 stupid battles she stopped fighting .  It is spot on.  Read it. I loved it so much I am going to copy her a bit... This is sincere flattery.  So, here are the homeschooling battles that I have stopped fighting.     1.  Curriculum comparison:  Unless I see that you have a curriculum that I have been thinking about, I probably won't talk to you about it.  Unless, you ask about my curriculum, I also won't talk to you about it.  ... And even then, I will keep the conversations to a bare minimum.  I have seen too many curriculum discussions come close to fisticuffs or at the least, leaving an insecure or newbie homeschooling mother in tears.  It's not that important.  Just pick something and use it. 2.  Defending homeschooling: I don't care what my neighbors think, what my friends think, what my parents think, what my siblings think, what my in-laws think, and most i...

Every year when blogs are ranked and the top 10 homeschool blogs are chosen, I get a little (a lot) insulted that I don't rank amongst homeschool blogs.  That means other homeschoolers really don't find me all that interesting.  But, I guess I always new that. I moved this blog to a homeschool blog site many years back, but only for a short while, because I realized that I was not being read.  I was preaching to the choir.  I really didn't have a whole lot to offer that wasn't already being offered in that environment, so I moved back to blogger.  I am not saying that I don't think my blog is useful, because I know it is.  It is just a whole lot more useful to the homeschool-curious and to brand new homeschoolers than to established homeschoolers. Based on the notes I have gotten regarding my homeschool blogs over the years, it is clear that people just starting on their homeschool journey appreciate my blog and are even encouraged by it.  So, that...

 I can't tell you how many times I have been asked that question. Then answer is NO. I will however, help you to homeschool your kid.  Here are my reasons. 1.  It's called HOMEschooling for a reason.....  your home, not mine. Once you send your child to someone else's home for instruction, it ceases to be homeschooling and becomes a small private school.  This is LAW in many states.  Now that may be fine for someone seeking to find a qualified homeschooler to work with their child, but if that person is still homeschooling their own children, as I am, it changes the dynamic in the home and can take away (and in some cases add to) the education of my own child. This is the main reason I say NO. 2.  Homeschooling is more about family relationship than academics.  I spent my first year of homeschooling strictly relationship building with my kids (after taking them out of public school).  Once I felt our relationship was re-claimed, I was...

Note:  The inexpensive curriculum I purchased for my nephew were "Teacher Wraparound" editions of public school textbooks.  These books have the same page the student's edition would have, but it is a bigger page with notes written on the sides and bottom to give the "teacher" information on presenting the material to the students.  A highly involved parent with average intelligence can easily teach from these books.  Just search for "teacher wraparound" on Amazon.com with the subject you need.  Here's an example: ps.  Older editions, USED, cost just a few dollars plus shipping.  FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITE MY BUSINESS WEBSITE WalletPop Contributor Brighthub Contributor

I came across an article this week on homeschoolers promoting homeschooling , written by Sam Blumenfeld.  From what I can tell, he is a homeschool curriculum provider and speaker and homeschool conventions.  In the article, he suggests that Homeschoolers actively promote homeschooling through numerous channels.  They include having a homeschool book exhibit at the local library and  getting to know the local media, among other things. I have to applaud his effort, but as a parent who has homeschooled for over 8 years, I suggest a different approach.  In my experience, nothing has won people over to homeschooling better than setting an example.  By simply homeschooling my own kids, appearing "normal", and having my kids thrive and turn into productive young adults, I have seen more people warm up to homeschooling and even consider it as a valid educational option. Sure it takes time, but it wins them over for good. Sure, you can take promoting homeschool...

( Has anyone figured out how much of a Dork I am yet?)  In my a to Z blog project I listed M, then N, them M again!)...  I am going to pick up now with O... forgive my scattered brain! Homeschool blogging A-Z:  O is for Online Learning Over the years, we have approached learning is a great mixture of ways.  We have taken classes in the community, used online programs and educational websites, and we have also studied from textbooks at home.  One option we haven't had the opportunity to explore, but is still a great option is online learning through online classes. Online classes including online college courses are classes run by a teacher who communicates through the internet through video programs and message boards.  The teacher and student may communicate live; in real time, or they may leave messages and video instruction for the other to retrieve later.  MIT online learning and other Open Source type classes are one form of online learni...

From the time  I began homeschooling, I always worked from the premise that my kids were gifted... that they had genius potential. Hearing a mom say that surely has many rolling their eyes, but I have always felt that every child was gifted at .. something.  It is up to the parent and educators to help them find what that area of giftedness is and to bring it out. Over the years I have become frustrated with people who told me that my child wasn't ready for this or that based on their age or based on what other kids were doing.  It seemed strange to me that I was homeschooling and that people still expected me to follow the crowd.  It has been hard fighting a tide of when a child is supposed to do what and when, but as the parent and educator is has been my goal to and my responsibility to advocate for my children and to get them the resources they needed. I wish I had met these people (The Staffords) a few years ago and known that they had a program to help pa...

Mrs C. asks what you're spending on education stuff and shows off her list.  In 2 parts... part 1 and part 2 .  Read it and then come back... I'll wait. OK now... I am going to preface my list pay saying, "the cost of the materials and programs I use are not typical of the average homeschool experience, but are unique to the needs to the particular homeschool children in question and the resources the parents have opted to use for their homeschooling needs and pleasure".  With that said, here goes: 2 Children, grades 10&11, both in a fine arts school for homeschoolers for 12 hours on Tuesdays, and doing mostly AP level work the other 4 days of the week. Clothes: $24.00 on required T-shirts for arts program.  $40.00 on new dance (jazz) shoes, Leotards, and tights for Daughters Tuesday Dance class. (got great deals on eBay and Amazon.) Supplies:  $50.00 on a film camera for my son's film photography class.  (I got off easy this year....

I was prepared for this video to be awful. The reason is that I keep coming across how-to homeschool articles and advice written by people who haven't the foggiest clue on how to homeschool... it drives me crazy. Anyway, this video is concise, and well informed. FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITE MY BUSINESS WEBSITE WalletPop Contributor

My comments on Ramifications of Homeschooling Commentary on video in question: ... Playing with other children, Engaging aspects of childhood was something we were unable to do because of lack of seeing children outside of their families. Homeschooled kids face the same consequences. A child who hasn't effectively learned how to deal with childhood conflicts cannot deal with adult conflicts. A child should become and active member of an organization that offers compromizing skills such as girl scouts, boy scouts or some form of sports in their community. Anything of this nature would improve the outcome. In my school, we spent most of the day praying in church and in class. Who is to say that in Homeshchooling, the children are receiving a full education which I even lacked in a paraochial school? My response: So that was a little clip from a vide from Doris Anne 13, and I'll put the link somewhere... over there. Umm, and someone just sent me this link and I was like ... It...

I started a new homeschool blog... I know- crazy, right? Anyway, it is stictly local listing homeschooling resources in my local area. Homeschooling in Gwinnett. Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom Visit Me at the Families.com Homeschool Blog Visit My Education Column at Examiner.com

I just ran across this interesting advice column where a family psychologist makes some recommendations to a public school mom. He tells her that if her child's teacher is not doing her job, then mom will have to pick up the slack at home. I have often given this same advice myself and am amazed that people look at me blankly when I tell them they have the power to teach their kids outside of public school. One person in particular has a child who needs a great deal of math help, and I have gone as far as having purchased workbooks and given the parents instructions to help the child, but she seems to feel it is above and beyond the call of duty. The full article is below. Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom Visit Free Home Ed. Homeschool For Free!

On one of my homeschool email lists I read the story of a mother who was told that in addition to providing attendance to the school district, that she also had to send curriculum information. (The middle school secretary told her this when she withdrew her daughter from the 7th grade. ) The truth is, all she had to do was send an intent to homeschool notice to the school district, and send in monthly "attendance sheets". She didn't even have to withdraw her child, or speak to the school secretary. (although the withdrawal process keeps the school from calling to see where your kid is.) OK. First of all, do not listen to the school secretary. What does she know about homeschool regulations. Second of all, read your states homeschooling laws. Do no more than they require. The reason I am telling you this is because school officials will go beyond what is legal to make homeschooling difficult to you. Many are just telling you what they are told so you need to go st...

I put together this little homeschooling glossary. I hope you like it. A Homeschoolers Glossary: Accidental-Charter 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 1 A Homeschoolers (Home School) Glossary: Classical-Copywork 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 2 Homeschool Terms You Should Learn: Cover- Detox 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 3 The Homeschoolers Glossary: Diagnostic-Government 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 4 A Homeschoolers (home School) Grading-Independent 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 5 A Homeschoolers Glossary: Journal-Network 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 6 Homeschool Glossary: Newbie-Portfolio 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 7 A Homeschoolers Home School Glossary: Positive-Self 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 8 Homeschoolers Home School Glossary: Sight-S-word 100 Words a Homeschooler Should Know Part 9 A Homeschoolers Glossary: Textbook-...

Here is my latest homeschooling article written for ehow.com Have you ever felt like someone was trying to sabotage your homeschooling efforts? Have people done things that make you wonder if they are just pretending to be agreeable while their actions say otherwise? continued Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom

to fill out their homeschool survey... Its about 120 questions, and I finished it in 5 minutes. Greetings! It's almost time for us to close our 2007 Homeschool Survey ! But You Can Still Participate! Over 3000 homeschoolers have already shared their opinions with us, but we say "the more the merrier". We even have two free ebooks to share with anyone who completes the survey. One is our newest ebook, Homeschool Dialogues , which features some of the most popular interviews from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine over the years. The other is 20 Homemade Learning Games from our friends at Trigger Memory System! We definitely think you'll enjoy reading both of these books. Be watching; once you complete the survey, you'll be directed to a page where you can immediately download both ebooks. We truly appreciate all of you taking the time to participate in our survey and look forward to reading all of the results. It truly helps u...

These articles will help your child plan for after home school. After Homeschooling: Successful Recent Homeschool Graduates By dreahwrites , Oct 29, 2007 It is easy to point out that people like Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin were home schooled. Just about every person alive before 1850 was homeschooling in some capacity. Read more» After Homeschooling: Preparing to Enter the Workforce By dreahwrites , Oct 29, 2007 Not all people who home school have the goal of going to college. Just like many students who attend traditional schools, many home schooled students go directly into the work force. Read more» Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom

One of the more recent and more popular arguments against homeschooling is that it is cost prohibitive. This not true. As I stated in a recent article , you do not need to have a lot of money for home schooling. I will go as far as to say, if you have internet connection, and access to pencil and paper, you will have everything you need. Here are some websites that will allow you to homeschool free: READ MORE>> Read more Notes From a Homeschooling Mom