Blogs about homeschooling

Purchasing a secular kindergarten program when I started teaching my first child, I thought I had a full grasp of the definition of secular homeschool curriculum. That was 19 years ago. I've since learned that the meanings of secular homeschooling and secular curriculum are not as straightforward as I may have thought.

Here are some considerations to help you dissect what is a secular homeschooler and what is secular curriculum.

I have always enjoyed doing arts and crafts projects with my boys as an add-on to our homeschool curriculum. But as they’ve gotten older, I have found it a bit harder to teach them art because they have less patience with the process of art. They want to have the satisfaction of a completed project at the conclusion of an art lesson instead of working for hours upon hours or days upon days to create something to be proud of.

Some people believe that homeschooling creates unsocialized children who prefer to keep to themselves.

Wait. What?

Most—if not all—homeschooling parents wholeheartedly disagree with that belief. Spend a decent amount of time around a group of homeschooled children, and it’s clear there are just as many introverted homeschooled kids as there are homeschooled kids who can sell ice to an Eskimo.

Most of us would agree that while homeschoolers encounter bullying to a lesser degree than children in public (or private) schools, no one can totally escape bullying and its effects. Although homeschooling is a valid way to help a child escape a bullying situation, it's not a "get out of jail free card." Homeschoolers do socialize (contrary to some ridiculous stereotypes), and can still encounter personal conflicts at co-op, during sports, or at other community activities.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological condition marked by persistent and continuous issues relating to attention span, hyperactivity, mood imbalances, and difficulty concentrating. If you see these issues in your child, you might well suspect that he or she has ADHD.

The question is: What should you do if you think your child has ADHD?

I never thought I would homeschool my children. Understandably, I followed what I knew. As a child, I had fond memories of my elementary school years. My mom frequently volunteered in my class, and I was prepared to follow in her footsteps. However, when my oldest started kindergarten, I didn't find it as easy to get involved as I had hoped. teachers didn’t want me to bring my toddler along to class.

At the same time that I was struggling to find a way to stay connected to my son's school, his extra-curricular activities were absorbing an inordinate amount of time.

If you homeschool a reluctant reader, you’ve probably discovered an undeniable truth: a variety of circumstances can lead to the frustration, and there’s no surefire, works-for-everyone fix.

While the conundrum is a tough situation, it grows more difficult when your reluctant reader loves books. How do you encourage a child who loves stories, but recoils at the thought of reading on her own? The key lies in engaging your book-loving, reluctant reader with four steps that bring literature to life.

To celebrate going back to school one year, my mom sewed the prettiest pink and purple, paisley bell-bottom pants for me. Because my mom didn’t know bell-bottoms had been out of style for a few years, I was called names and made fun at school that first day back to class. On the outside, I expressed anger and wanted to punch the bullies in the mouth, but on the inside I was crushed.

This year my family will be using three BookShark programs with my three children. Yes, you read that right—three separate levels: Level 3, Level 7, and Level 100. Homeschooling multiple children all on different levels can be a daunting task, but don’t let that discourage you from starting this new and worthwhile adventure. If I can do it, so can you. Here's how I manage multiple BookShark programs in one year.

When ordering your BookShark program, the customization tab offers a variety of choices and add-on options. I recommend taking your time when making these selections and purchasing the recommended supplements that your children can complete on their own or with little supervision from you, the parent.

Let's talk brass tacks of homeschooling. With the new school year underway, many of you have already chosen your curriculum, but some of you may be waiting until the last minute (I’m raising my hand here).

There are a lot of curriculum styles out there based on teaching philosophies, but there are also a few different types of curriculum packages. Most curriculum has one of the following formats: