Ready to start calculus?

My son finished Trig today.  He earned 88% on the final exam and his chapter tests were usually between 90 and 95.  He deserves an A.  I have to crunch the numbers, but he probably earned a 92.

Anyway, I talked to him about starting Calculus.  (Picture a 6'2", 230lb boy) He did a little dance and said "no-math-no".  (The dance resembled a pee-pee dance.)...

Raising Autodidacts; Getting them to learn on their own

 The subject of autodidacts came up today on a homeschool loop.  An autodidact is a person who will learn independently, usually as they become interested in a subject.  Training this type of learner is imperative in

Homeschoolers, college, and scholarships

I can't say that I agree with the idea that homeschoolers should bypass college, but I found the subject interesting and wrote about it in Is a College Education a Good Idea for Homeschoolers?
 Meanwhile, as for me and my family, were are doing everything in our power to ensure college entry and scholarships.  Read:  Things Homeschoolers Can Do to Secure College Scholarships.

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Five Reasons African Americans Should Homeschool

As an African American, I have not been able to ignore the horrible graduation rates among African Americans. Sometimes we like to say that the child is not doing well because the family does not value education, but that is not always true.  In fact, there are a great many families who are distressed and frustrated and feel like their hands are tied in getting them to succeed in school.  If this is you, should should read:   Five Reasons African Americans Should Homeschool because if you want something done right, sometimes you just have to do it yourself. 


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Taking on a homeschool consultant role

I have decided to take on a homeschool consultant role this year.  I have been writing about homeschooling, for about 5 years and homeschooling for 8.  The number of people who have approached me just this summer has been overwhelming... in a very good way.  I have been able to give people advice and help them get started in homeschooling as well as provide support for people who have been homeschooling for less time than me.  In some cases I have been able to help homeschoolers who have homeschooled longer than me too. 

I believe the reason I have ammassed so much knowledge and insight is because I am a writer and so read everything I can find on homeschooling, and stay on top of the movement and subjects that affect them. 

I am excited to move onto this phase in homeschooling and plan to continue long past the time I finish homeschooling my kids. 

I don't know exactly what my role will look like yet and need to make some decisions as to what I will charge for and what I will give away... and the value of these services. 

I hope to start doing seminars soon, and am getting my materials together. 

I would love to hear from other homeschoolers who have moved into this role and from homeschoolers who need help so I can know what to provide.

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I thought homeschoolers weren't supposed to be afraid of lizards

 Another homeschooling myth debunked!

Yesterday a Gecko decided to grace us with his presence on the kitchen counter.  My daughter discovered him when she went to do the dishes.  He was about six inches long (tail included) and clearly a baby.  He scared us to death. Me, my 5'5" daughter and my 6'3" son were practically in hysterics as we scrambled around to find a bowl, (that we never planned to eat from again) to trap him under.  As much as we didn't want him in the kitchen, we also didn't want to trap him kill him or accidentally decapitate his tail.  That would be gross.

Finally, I took a cheap rubbermaid bowl and trapped him under it.  I was shaking by then, so I told the giant boy to take it from there and put him out side.  I went upstairs... I had to lay down for a minute.

Well, that didn't happen.  I discovered he was still there as I finished eating dinner!  (I didn't cook, but picked up dinner from the grocery store) The kids hadn't touched the lizard. They were saving it for daddy.

I had a neighborhood meeting to go to so I missed Dad's arrival.  I just assumed it was taken care of.... till time for my midnight snack.  I bumped the bowl, and he jumped out.

I screamed!  My daughter forced my protesting husband downstairs to take care of it.

(Let's just jump forward a little.  It was ugly. )

As we opened the back door to put out the lizard, a great bug grasshopper jumped in.  Putting him out was easier.

Oh, and now everyone is mad at me for keeping them awake last night to get rid of the lizard.  Apparently, I should have kept my surprise of finding him still there to myself.... and put him out too!

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Is it time to put your homeschoolers back in school?

This is a dilemma  many homeschoolers face.  Some times homeschoolers enroll into public school upon their own request.  For others, it was planned that they go to public high school from the beginning.  There there are those instances when other circumstances dictate enrolling a child into public school.  This article addresses this issue.

 

Homeschooling Questions and Answers: Enrolling Them in School

Not all homeschoolers do so for the entire k-12 process. This means that at one point or another, they will come to the decision to put their child back in school. This can be a difficult and heart-wrenching decision.

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