Thanks again to everyone who has been able to share links and comments regarding homeschooling! I've had so much fun checking out new-to-me sites. I've especially become interested in Sonlight curriculum and also Five in a Row (both literature-based methods) and have been researching them a bit over the past week. Today I started doing a very little bit of school with Sam--mostly working on teaching him big and little A, and the short A sound, doing a couple workbook pages, and letting him practice drawing pictures and writing letters. He had a great time, especially since he has 2 new Thomas workbooks to use. :) We also went to the library later, and checked out a few ABC books and a video. Tomorrow I hope to have him work in a couple other workbooks, and maybe we'll do some kind of a project. One thing I have planned for later in the week is to make some kind of apple dessert together--A is for apple, you know! :)
For today, I wanted to tell everyone about a homeschooling giveaway that's going on over at HsKubes' Haven at Home blog. She is giving away some neat goodies, and a subscription to Birds and Blooms magazine, to boot! You must have a blog to be able to enter the giveaway, so for those of you who can, head on over there and check out the details!
I also had a question for my readers . . . just out of curiosity. :) How many of you homeschool now, or plan to in the future? And why did you choose this type of education for your child(ren) over other types? And last, do you use a specific curriculum (and if so, which one), or do you use a variety of stuff?
Share away!
6 comments:
We are actually considering it for Michael. Well, we are discussing it:). Several years ago I said that I would NEVER even consider homeschooling my children but that comment was made out of ignorance. My mother-in-law is a teacher and she suggested that we at least teach him at home while in the elementary grades. She taught 3rd grade for 10 years and many of the students that entered her classroom from a homeschooling environment, excelled in all of the subjects. She made the point that if homeschooling is done well, children can be ahead of their peers academically and socially.
Michael's only 2 years old so I know that we still have some time to pray about it and seek God's will. I certainly will enjoy the information gathered on your Homeschooling posts. Thanks for doing this!
Well, I just added my post about homeschooling. We are choosing to follow the Classical Education for homeschooling. We will probably be doing a variety of curriculum most of which I don't know yet. However, I am dead set on doing Saxon math. While they are certainly not cheap, they do the best job of incorporating all types of math into the lessons so your children begin learning geometry, algebra from the very start (of course we aren't planning to start math until she's five -- other than counting to 20+ and basic adding).
We are going to homeschool and are planning on doing a classical education using Veritas Press - of course their stuff is actually a melting pot of different curriculums, such as Saxon math and Shurley grammer. We're excited about starting with Ian this next year.
We are strongly considering homeschooling but I'm not of the camp that says homeschooling is the right way to go for every family or child. I think Chloe would be an outstanding candidate for homeschooling as she has a strong aptitude for learning and an amazing memory, but she also tends to be shy in groups so I don't want homeschooling to curb her socially. We have a lot of praying to do about it before we begin anything formally though. We already do letters, sounds, and numbers with her plus tons of reading and singing. We'll keep that up until her motor skills are ready for workbook pages and such I think.
I've heard GREAT things about sonlight. I love the idea that a whole year is centered around one time period using literature and history.
My huge bug-a-boo with homeschooling (and I'm sure this is because of my background) is that not enough emphasis is put on science and math - especially in the younger grades. Not that science and math need to be hard core, but I've observed several homeschooling families and the kiddos turn out strong in english/reading/comprehension (excellent skills and crucial) but they're dolts when it comes to math and science awareness. Ideally, I think science in the younger grades needs to be about developing excitement/interest in various topics. And math needs to be rote memory and drilling games. That's my two cents for you! (probably more than two . . . )
Oh my, I hate Saxon math. I'll have to post on Tracy's and Tricia's blogs and convince them why it's awful. :)
I just wanted to add a suggestion for a great math curriculum: Math U See.
www.mathusee.com
It explains math logically so kids (and parents!) get the "how" and the "why" of things instead of just memorizing facts. Levi loved it. It made math fun, and that's a good thing! :)
Hi Carrie,
I didn't know where you wanted me to post the kefir soda recipes and I hope that doing it here is ok. I will write out the instructions and recipes exactly as April gave them to me. I have not tried them as of yet as I do not have enough of the kefir grains to spare. They continue to develop nicely but I probably have only appx. 1/4 cup. It will be a while before I'll be able to give these a try:).
You can use either water kefir grains for kefir powder. Use about 3/4 cup grains for 1 packet powder for 2 quarts of soda. Place all ingredients in a 2 qt. glass container, add water kefir grains or powder, fill with water to make 2 qts, cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 48 hours. Strain the liquid.
Cream Soda - 1/2 c. Rapadura, Sucanat or maple syrup and 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract.
Ginger Ale - 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh ginger, 1/2 c. sweetener and juice of 4 limes.
Lemonade - 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup sweetener
Limeade with Mint - 1 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 c. sweetener and several sprigs of mint.
Fruit Soda - 2 cups fruit juice and 1/4 cup sweetener
April mentioned that one should use distilled or filtered water as tap water will kill the grains.
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