Mom Is Teaching

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I am hoping this just got lost in the shuffle.  I want/need some feedback here so I don’t do anything crazy.

Ok, I’m going to do my best to be as general as I can so that I do not directly point out someone.  However, if it looks like a ass, acts like an ass, then it is probably….an ass (and I’m referring to an animal here, I just liked the lingo and you will see why).

I’ve made it clear in no uncertain terms that my son got the best teacher he could have for his personality.  I’ve watched the other 2 kindergarten teachers and they are good teachers in my opinion but I don’t think they would have been able to handle his little quirks and rapidly running mouth near as well as his current teacher.  And, realize that I’m going way out on a limb here by even writing this, if word gets out, my child is doomed…..but it is that important.

With that, I’m going to generalize here for a minute.  I am going to assume that most teachers are aware of parents visiting the school.  And, as a teacher and a daycare owner, I know that teachers tend to be on their best behavior when parents are around.  I am ashamed to say that this is true, but the truth is the truth….see that ass above.

Anyway, my point is this, there is a teacher at my son’s school who teaches a primary grade that I don’t like.  I’m not being personal or emotional here, I do not know her at all.  I do not know how well she teaches at all.  I do know that she screams a lot.  Now, if you consider the amount of time that I have spent in this school (Friday lunch dates that last about 40 minutes and the grandparents day celebration for a total of about 3.5 hours), and realize that  I have noticed the amount of yelling that this teacher does, then certainly it is noticeable to others. 

So, I start to question other parents.  I did learn from one parent that this teacher is supposedly a “good” teacher (I’m not sure by what standards good is defined but the parent did say a “good teacher”).  I have asked around and found out that she and another acquaintance worked together as teenagers and had problems. 

Further investigation into Teacher A (no pun intended), I find that yes, she does indeed yell at the children a lot.  She does indeed yell at them most of the day and that nearly every parent I questioned voiced dissent about it.  Parents whose children simply escaped her wrath by the luck of the draw (supposedly how children are placed in a particular teacher’s room) voiced strong opinions as to what they would have done if their child had ended up in Teacher A’s room. 

I can tell you right now.  Unless I see some drastic changes, there is no way in the world of education that my child will take the abuse that Teacher A puts out.  I will not accept it.  I considered intervening on a child’s part on one of my Friday Lunch Date visits.  It is that bad. 

When questioning one parent in particular I was asked if Teacher A yelled more than this other teacher that everyone knows.  Teacher B that she referenced is known for her yelling.  My answer is emphatically yes yes yes.  Teacher A is way more abusive (and it doesn’t just border on abuse, it is pure abuse in my mind) than the Well-Known Teacher B.   This particular parent said to me, “Yes and that’s the teachers that the Principal likes the best”. 

What that tells me is this, those teachers don’t send very many children to the office.  Thus, the Principal isn’t bothered with disciplining children in Teacher A or Well-Known Teacher B’s classroom, and occasionally a parent that has never witnessed the yelling compliments one of these teacher’s ability to teach.  That Principal then deems them a “good” teacher.

I’m no dummy, I know that administrators have a hard job.  But, part of their job is to see that the children aren’t mistreated.  And, in my opinion, the children in this teachers care are abused for at least 40 minutes every Friday and then some.  I don’t like it.

So, what should I do?  Nothing since it doesn’t affect my child?  Speak up because it affects the child of someone that might not be able to visit the school as often as I do?  Just wait it out and hope my son doesn’t get Teacher A or Well-Known Teacher B? 

What would you do?

I’ve spent quite a bit of time talking about abolition of homework all together.  This is most definitely the premises behind the book The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish that I’ve discussed in great detail.   I’m going to go out on a limb here and shoot out an opinion that’s somewhat different.

As long as the definition of homework means that a child is sent home with “work” to do that could be done in class and is not necessarily to reinforce learning, then it is considered non-sense to me and shouldn’t be used.  However, as a college grad, there is one skill that I feel is more than is vital…learning to study.

I spent my high school years with teachers sending homework home with us and declaring it a way to “learn to study” when in indeed, it was just busy work, it didn’t reinforce any skill because most of it I did while I was talking on the phone.  Learning to study is a skill that is different for almost everyone.  Everyone learns differently and everyone learns to retain knowledge differently.

I actually knew friends who would go home, on their own and write their vocabulary words over and over to reinforce them.  They would write sentences with their words because they knew we would have to do that on the test.  They learned from this.  Me, that’s the exact kind of work I did while chatting up someone on the phone thus…I learned nothing from it.

So, if a teacher is willing to spend instructional time teaching a student various methods of learning, then the actual homework that is given reads like this, “study for vocabulary test”.  And, as many of students I’ve talked to say, “I skip those assignments all together”, but the truth of the matter is, these students are also earning extremely high grades, so somewhere down the line, they are spending time studying.

I’m going to give you an example of what I would say is a teacher helping a child learn to study.  You can give me your thoughts on this method in the comments as I’m anxious to see what you have to say, even Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish. 

Ok, my example goes like this: 

Instructional Time has been spent discussing the states and capitals of the U.S. and where they are located.  There is a huge map on the wall and the students have access to see it during the day when they have free time.  An empty map is given to the children during class and they have 3 options for filling in the map:  one they can use their textbook and find the answers, they can use the map on the wall and find the answers or they can wait until the teacher goes over the map on the wall and fill in the answers.  The first two ways would make a great in-house assignment but not at home because if the student forgets his/her textbook, what good is the assignment if the child has no resources at home.

One study habit that the teacher puts out there for the students to help them learn is that she also has a blank map on the wall.  The students as a class group or in small group with a student leader (alternating the leader) points to the empty map and the other students try to identify the state and the capital.  Naturally, this can’t be done if the student hasn’t put some time into “studying” before hand. But it makes for great socialization skills and helps the students learn.  You know, the first one to get it right gets to pick the next state.

Sidenote:  One of my junior high teachers who basically never gave homework would work through using his instructional time and then he would do games to help us learn.  One of his games was he would pull down the blank map, split us into two teams and have us compete against one another.  It wasn’t a free for all because he would start with one team, the person in the front seat.  If that person missed it, the other person in the front seat had the opportunity to get the point.  If he/she go it, that team got a point, if not, he went to the second person in the row for an answer.  He would go back and forth so that everyone had to participate but it was somewhat competitive.  He even did this on occasion and instead of breaking us up into teams, he would give you an extra point if you knew the one that he pointed to when it was your turn.  It worked great and rarely even had to take his work home to study.  He had given us every learning opportunity during class plus every opportunity to retain the knowledge.

Another method of studying would be the teacher providing the student with copies of an empty map to take home along with their already “correctly identified map”.  That means that the teacher had to make the effort to check everyone’s map, not just assume that the child did it right because she told them to use the book or the map on the wall.  Many children simply can’t copy straight from a book or it takes them an eternity.  So, the teacher might find that on the final night, giving out a copy of the U.S. map that she has correctly labeled and then giving the students access to blank copies to study from.

Another tip that I think would be beneficial is for the teacher to also leave the map blank, number the states, give a child a copy of the number and state and capital that corresponds and then give the child a copy of the blank map numbered.  And, possibly give them a different one numbered differently.

Now, if a child takes that assignment home, he/she doesn’t need anyone to help them (or shouldn’t and realize I am assuming no learning disabilities here).  They can sit down and use the various methods with which to study.  My reason for loving this method is the child doesn’t have to lug a text book home which is something I always hated and I know many children still do.  Have you ever seen those kids coming out of the building with the back pack weighing them down?

This to me would be one proper way to teach the skills in class, the teacher spending instructional time going over the U.S. map and helping the children label it, giving them opportunities to learn with their peers or alone and finally giving them a study method to employ at home.

My reasoning behind this method is because students have to find their own niche’ for study habits before he/she gets to college and their life would be much easier if it was accomplished before high school. 

Study habits are in - homework is out.

Discuss.

As I’ve mentioned I’ve been reading The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish.  I made notes through-out the book as I read it and some of them seem pointless now as I go back and look, but others are definitely issues that I can add too.  I want to get this written before I start reading the second part of the book, so unfortunately, you get bullets.  And if I know me, some of the bullets will have its own bullets and it may even take me a few days.  But, I just think it is important.

Remember, most of this applies to public schools, public school teachers and public school students.  However, you can learn so much, it is worth it to read it just for the research.

And, not only that, I grew up in a different generation and I never had the amount of homework that children today lug home day after day.  So, excuse me if I approach some of this with snark.  And, if you are a public school teacher that has or will have one of my children in your room, bare in mind that I am the person writing this, not one of my little cherubs. 

• The purpose of homework in the first place.  In the book you will read example after example of children who bring unbelievable amounts of work home with them each night.  Here’s some of my main thoughts on this matter, some I’ve already mentioned in a previous post, others are brand new:
  • The homework is for the child not the parent.
  • Yes, parents need to be teachers so that their children are able to learn by mimmicking many of their behaviors.
  • The parent who sends her child to public school  however, should not be responsible for all of the child’s learning.  Basically, parents shouldn’t be forced to homeschool their children at night. 
  • In most cases, the parent has worked an 8 hour job, and the kid has done just the same.  A child’s work is to learn and most of them have been in school all day doing just that, learning.  The parent nor the child wants to take on a second job at night.  Both parties need to be allowed to rest and relax after a hard days work.
• Have you ever watched kids as they come out of school buildings around you?  Most of them have a backpack on their back that weighs substantially more than what is healthy for them to carry.  I have a cousin in the eighth grade and up until she was in the sixth grade, her mother would carry her backpack inside and then go inside in the afternoons and carry it out.  This sixth grader was small for her age, but if her backpack was too heavy for her to carry, chances are she had too much homework in the first place.
• I wrote just last week about children who are suffering from sleep deprivation.  It is extremely common in our schools right now for kids to act out simply because they aren’t getting enough rest.  And, they aren’t getting enough exercise.  The two go hand in hand.  The child comes straight home from school and starts homework.  That sometimes takes all evening and the child eventually goes to be too late.  Now the kid had no time to burn off energy needed to be tired, they are mentally exhausted but have you ever had one of those nights when your brain was tired but your body didn’t really feel tired.  Well that’s exactly what happens to our kids, then the next day, they take any opportunity they can find to be active and then….then they end up in trouble.
• How many hours a week do you work at your regular job?  For most folks it is 40.  Your child basically spends 40 hours a week doing school work to besides homework.  Now add an extra 2 hours of work to their work day because of homework.  Now your child has worked a 48 hour work week.  How well do you function when you are forced to work 48 hours in five days and maintain a level of expertise that is almost impossible.  Heck, you do it so well, you could probably stand to work a few  hours over the weekend, maybe during your vacation you could paint the house or something.  Come on, give me a break. 
• The j-o-b of a child has 2 components.  One of those components is to learn.  Children are natural sponges.  They are going to learn from their surroundings.  If they have adequate rest, they are going to continue to take in pretty much everything that is put in front of them.  Their other j-o-b is to play.  Yea, you read it right.  A child’s job is to play.  Playing, pretending, even organized sports to some degree allow a child to perform his duties as a child.  So, why, as adults are we not simply letting those children take responsibility for their j-o-b’s?  I have not the answer for you here, I just know that somewhere down the line, someone became misguided and our children are missing out.
• And, that brings me to this statement by the authors of The Case Against Homework, “Learning is maximized and made most efficient and effective when you allow a period for consolidation.”  People, that is not brain surgery.  How well do you perform your job on Monday if you spend the entire weekend doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning floors, painting the house, mowing the lawn?  Don’t even answer that because you and I both know that we have a saying called TGIF and for most of us, we mean that weekends are meant for vegging not working.  Well, guess what, children need that same opportunity. 

I’m going to close this here because the next part I have on my mind requires a little bit more of my own thoughts.  So, until next time……….

We are in Panama City  Beach, and Guido Gustav has been fairly friendly thus far…we just got here last night.  Today was great.  Gustav did make a turn back toward the East it seems and we will probably be cooped up inside all day tomorrow with a 3 and 5 year old as it appears the wave surge may make it into the pools even. 

But, no fear, because I found a Borders tonight that had The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennet and Nancy Kalish.  I’ve also been busy reading Stop the Homework.  Sara Bennet commented on this post of mine on Friday of last week, be sure to check it out as well.  I was so excited I almost pee’d my pants.  I’ve been reading The White Trash Mom  by Michelle Lamar and Molly Wendland and noticed today on the beach that I only have 50 pages or so to go….and I was like, oh no, find a bookstore…today!  And, I did, and I bought it and I’m so excited.

Please excuse me for cross-posting this all over the place.  It is that good!!!

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The biggest complaint I hear from parents of children in public schools in my area is the amount of homework children bring home.  Now, I remember being in school, I’m old but not that old.  And, I remember having homework.  But, I had to carry all the necessary items for my homework home with me on a bus.  I had to lug them from the time school let out until the bus arrived at school which was about 40 minutes.  Then, another 30 minutes of pulling and tugging and dropping and picking them up while on the bus.  Then, the quarter of a mile walk from the bus stop to the house (this was before backpacks were an “item”).  The, I had to lug them back to my mom’s car when she picked me up after work, then lug them back in the house when I got home, do my homework, get the books together and lug again the following morning.

So, you know what?  I did as much as I could possibly do while I was at school.  Give me a free 5 minutes at the end of class, I’m getting that homework started and maybe finished.  Especially if I got 10 minutes at the end of my next class.  That was one set of books and notebooks that didn’t have to go home. 

But the kicker that I see these days?  Once I got all that hauling of books done and I was home for the night I HAD TO DO MY OWN HOMEWORK.  I am so not kidding when I tell you that 99% of the parents I talk to have this complaint, “we sit at the table and do homework every night for at least 2 hours”.  What’s this “we” stuff.  I didn’t have a “we” when I was doing my homework.  I had someone to ask if I was stuck on a question.  But for the most part, if I asked more than 2 or 3 questions, I was reminded that it was MY homework, not my moms or dads.

I hear parents talking about their child having to do these projects and how it took them (the parent) 2 hours to do that blame poster.  My eyes gape open like I just heard someone say the world has ended.  My parents never picked up a stick of glue or a pair of scissors for  any of my projects.  Not in 12 years did either of my parents say, “we have to do homework for ___ hours every night”.

I can almost guarantee you that neither of my parents even knew when I had homework and when I didn’t other than the stack of books I was lugging around.  Oh and for the record, I didn’t make a “B” until I was in the 9th grade.  And after than I only made 7 or 8 of them in the next 4 years.  And, I promise you, it was NOT because my parents had that “we have homework” mentality.

So, for you public school parents?  Please tell me and be honest which category you fit into. Do you just let your children do their thing answering an occasional question or are you one of those “we had 2 hours of homework” parents?

And, for you homeschool parents, how does homework even work?  I did read a couple of research articles where it discussed the importance of giving your children homework and believe it or not, the main topic of this article had a theme something like this, “yes you are home schooling your child, that does not mean you are responsible for standing over them or doing their homework for them”. 

I’m just wondering what part of that sentence the public school parents missed.  I’m completely bumfuzzled every time I hear that “we” phrase so I’m curious how that works in the homes where home schooling is the way to go and especially when there are children in more than one grade.  Teach me, as the time may come that I have to homeschool, I’m certainly not ruling it out.  I just need to learn more about it and you are the people who can teach me. 

So, please, let me know what you think?

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I wrote that last post for opinions just as it seemed.  Now, I’ll tell you why I’m asking.  My husband and I have worked hard in the last year.  Owning a daycare is seriously one of the toughest things I’ve ever done.  It wasn’t as bad as teaching public school, but it was quite unnerving most of the time.  Anyway, we had nor the time or the resources to take a vacation.  And, after our little rendezvous last year in mid-September to the beach, I grew quite fond of the beach at that time of the year.

So, we will be taking a family vacation and I will keeping my son out of school.  I will take his lessons.  So, that all makes it sound so simple uh?  My reason for asking is a deep rooted issue I have with missing school.

My lived with my mother until I was 13 (parents divorced at age 4).  She would allow me to miss school if I complained enough, which wasn’t often because I didn’t like missing out on all the social stuff plus that made for a ton of homework later.  Once I turned 13, I moved to my fathers.

My father had a philosophy about school.  If you could breathe and school was in session, then you should be there.  He would have never approved me missing school unless he could look at me at see imminent death.  And, well, I’m 39 and writing this so obviously you can tell I made it. 

The oddest thing is I never had perfect attendance.  I had a little female personal issue that would put me down for about 4 days.  My mom would always allow me to stay out at least 2 days.  From the age of 9 til 13, I was always allowed to stay out at least 2 days and sometimes 3.  It was totally necessary, trust me.

Once I moved to my father’s house, he thought I must have bumped my head when I suggested that I wasn’t going to school for that reason.  He simply thought that it was horrible that I had been allowed to do that in the past and there was absolutely no way I was staying home from school. 

When I had my appendix removed in the eleventh grade, he had me signed up for a homeschool visit from a teacher in the system (he too was a teacher in the same system but a different school - plus he couldn’t teach me algebra II and geometry, hehehe) before I came out from under the sedation.  The doctor insisted I stay out 2 weeks because I  had an exploratory surgery but you can guarantee that home school teacher was at my house 7 days a week. 

So, as I plan to take my kindergartener to the beach during school and teach his lessons myself, I wonder what my father is thinking?  I can promise you, if you had the opportunity, you could see him rolling over in his grave the second he misses that first minute on that first day.

So, tell me again, what would you do? 

Are you as strict as my father was? 

Are you more lenient than my father but wouldn’t keep a child out for a vacation? 

Where on the continuum do you rest?

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I feel perfectly capable of teaching my kindergarten child.  They send so much of the information home that I feel absolutely certain without a shadow of a doubt that I could do it.  Do I want to? 

Absolutely not.  Not with this child.  The second born child, he and I could home school, but the oldest, no, not ever.  With that, I think it is important to note here that my husband’s IQ is well over 170.  It is scary the likeness between the oldest child and my husband.

The dilemma is this:  we are taking a family vacation starting on Saturday, August 30th.  We won’t return until September 5th.  That is a full week of school for my 5 year old.  Now, I have no doubt that his teacher will willingly hand me his lesson and won’t fret one bit about it.  I must say, if this were anything above say…geometry, biology, Alabama History and certainly if it involved reading the likes of Beowulf, I couldn’t do it.  I simply couldn’t teach skills much more difficult than that (I say that and hope that no one that knows I have a minor in chemistry is reading). 

But, alas, he will be learning something like how to spell the word "blue" and how to write number above 30, while possibly picking up 2 new site words.  That, that I can handle with my eyes closed. 

None of that is why I started writing this post.  The reason I’m writing it is this.  If you have a child in public school and they are at a level in which you know you can handle their lessons for the week, would you let them miss a week of school just for a family vacation?

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I know that there are some beautiful families that have kids who love each other and respect each other and never, ever fight.

Mine isn’t one of them.

It’s a common parenting task, whether home schooling or using public schools. Pulling the kids off of each other as they slug it out over the blue hot wheels car even though there are three others just like it a few inches to the left. What? Don’t tell me your’s haven’t done that! Well I know I’m not alone here, from a comment by Suzanne:

I am the mother of a previously HS child, who I then sent to public school Kindergarten, and now he’s coming back home.
I am not nervous at all about HS’ing again. I am just trying to figure if I should keep his 7 year old sister home for 3rd grade. THAT gives me a lump in my throat, can I handle two….or will I spend my days settling the warring factions of sibling rivalry? I would love to hear your thoughts on that.

Ohhh sibling rivalry. I have more than my share of that around my house. Mostly the boys love each other, like for instance when my oldest hugged and kissed his brother last night after a painful collision with the coffee table. But there are still those moments of brutal screaming, crying, and threats. Most of that coming from me while they are wailing on each other over the littlest, mundane things.

I’m pulling out my copy of Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too this weekend to reread and try to adjust myself. I find I have to do that every so often so I fall off the sane parenting track. This is obviously why I’m an only child.

So what’s your parenting tragedy for when the kids are fighting and fussing?

parenting, sibling rivalry

I’m a bit stumped on a question I was asked so I’m asking you for help. Lori D is looking for a family that does a particular style of home education, and while I know what she’s talking about I can’t put my finger on exactly who it was or when I talked about them. Maybe someone else has the answer.

Summer, I’m looking for a blog that you referenced sometime back. It’s about a family that does “Project Homeschooling” style. They do a project together as a family and whatever they learn from it that’s great. Can you help me? Thanks!

I’m drawing a big blank on this! I know what she’s talking about, I distinctly remember talking about a family, maybe a few families, that did things like this, and yet I can’t find the posts about them. I know that I loved this style when I first heard about it. It is a bit like unit studies are a larger scale, as the entire family comes together to do the project. Older kids and younger kids work together and take from it what they will.

Does anyone remember who this was, or who else does this? Are you a family that teaches in this way? Have any links to share that might tell more about this style?

home education, family, kids

As the school year draws to a close for some a new wave of home educating families are stepping up. The ones who either made it through the year of public or private school and are switching to home education, and the ones facing enrolling their children in school for the first time next year and deciding to stay home instead. As the year stretches into the summer there will be more and more parents suddenly doing the “OMG I’m not sending the kids to school, what will I do” freak out dance.

I love Tammy’s response to one parent’s fears on perfect homeschooling. Things don’t have to be perfect, in fact nothing ever really is. But who would want perfection anyway, that’s pretty boring if you ask me. Spontaneous chaos is what gives moms a chance to shine, and where the most important lessens are often learned. Even if you feel like hyperventilating when it’s happening.

It’s totally normal to be hyper when you’re starting out something SO new, an interesting, and BIG, and fun, and scary, and all that. So, enjoy it. Sign up for everything, get really going. Then, when you feel yourself burning out, back out, do less stuff, and relax. Whether you start by relaxing or start by going into overdrive, you’re still doing a great job and learning about your role as a homeschooling parent.

I think even some experienced families get a little freaked out with each new year. The kids are older, they may be requiring something new, younger children might be getting old enough to start some things, regulations and requirements might have changed, or anything else can throw perfectly sane parents into confusion.

I saw a few other blogs linking to this list of benefits of home education. Some were saying that when things started feeling stressed and they were questioning enrolling their children for next year this list made them relax. So I thought I would pass it on as well, something to help you de-stress and breath.

home education, education, school, parenting

I was thrilled when I received an email asking if I wanted to read Deschooling Gently before it officially came out. I practically jumped out of my seat with excitement at the idea. Tammy Takahashi is one of my favorite homeschooling bloggers and Just Enough, Nothing More is a blog I try to read every day. I received an ebook copy in my email and waited with bated breath for a free night when I could sit down and devour it. This weekend I got that chance and the wait was worth it.

Deschooling Gently is one book that I have to recommend for every new homeschooler. Tammy explains beautifully the problems that many parents face when they look upon homeschooling for the first time. She also shares plenty of her own experiences, both good and bad, so that you get a definitely personal feel. You will not feel like you are being talked down to by some homeschooling guru like some books. She takes you through her own journey into homeschooling her three children and shares some tidbits of other families that she has known who have struggled coming into homeschooling. Let’s face it, for many people choosing to go against the grain and take the homeschooling route is a difficult decision to make.

In Deschooling Gently you explore the many important topics that frequently come up in homeschooling. From choosing the “right” curriculum, to goal planning, to just keeping track of it all. Plus how to find support and how to deal with the ever present doubters and haters. She shares a lot of great information plus lists useful websites and books for you to check out to learn more.

(more…)

For the last few months I have gotten at least one email, sometimes, more, each week asking me questions about homeschooling. I don’t mind it at all, in fact I love trying to find the answers to these questions and share links that I hope will help them further. But in these questions there are often some asking me for curriculum recommendations. I honestly don’t mind fielding questions on finding good curriculum, but I need a little help to know what they need.

Last week I got two such emails. One was from a mom looking for places to get free or cheap homeschooling resources and curriculum material, another from a mom wanting to know where to buy her daughter’s curriculum from. The problem is when you are looking for curriculum there are a thousand different variables. What style are you using, how much structure do you want, and what are your state’s requirements? Those simple questions can be the difference between spending hundreds of dollars on a prepackaged set or spending a few dollars on some used books and printer paper.

Many soon-to-be homeschooling parents know they need to check their state’s laws before homeschooling. Find out what is required, will you need to keep records, will you be required to take the standardized tests, will you need to submit anything before homeschooling. But from there some parents do not know where to go. I still remember one email I received two months ago from a frustrated mother who was quickly planning to pull her child out during winter break. Her need to homeschool came on so quickly that she had not yet had a chance to really learn more about it. When I supplied links to various sites that would provide more information her response was flustered disbelief. She had assumed that there was one national curriculum plan that all schools, and all homeschooling families, had to follow. The idea that there were many different styles and options went against her assumptions about what homeschooling meant.

I thought now might be a good time to update the list of homeschooling methods I’ve talked about. I certainly haven’t covered them all, and they are just basic overviews, but they are a good place to start if you’re not sure where you are at on the homeschooling spectrum.

• Enki Education (Holistic Approach)
• Waldorf part 1 and part 2
• Unschooling
• Montessori
• Classical /Neo-Classical
• Charlotte Mason
• Unit Studies
• Eclectic
• Literature based
• Principled Approach
• Online homeschooling

homeschooling, education, curriculum

Got any great homeschool tips you would like to share?

The always fabulous Mrs. Fussypants is almost ready to reopen Homeschool Hacks, the collective tip site for homeschoolers. If you have any tips, ideas, or hacks to make homeschooling easier let her know. I have several to add, I just haven’t had time to email her yet. I know, I know! Must make time for the Fussypants!

She’s taking it a step (or several) further than just homeschooling though. She is calling the main site Blissfully Domestic and dedicating it to all things domesticly related. Covering tips on children’s health, cooking, crafts, and more this is looking to become a full service stop on the internet. And she promises that it won’t just be for homeschoolers, so you can send your non-homeschooling friends over as well.

Of course if you never checked out Homeschool Hacks before you could always do so now. The archives are full of already shared tips and ideas that you can browse through. From lesson plans to games to resources and more. There is a lot of great advice tightly packed into those archives. Or you can just wait until the grand reopening on February 18th. I don’t know about you, but I’m terrible at waiting. Especially for surprises.

So if you have any tips or advice that you would love to share with other homeschooling families head over and give Fussy a shoutout. You might just see your name up in the big lights of the new Homeschool Hacks. It’s all about sharing the love.

homeschooling, homeschool hacks, Mrs. Fussypants, tips, ideas, advice

Last night a friend of mine shared this blog post that she had found. It really hit home with her, and gave myself some food for thought. I woke up this morning knowing that there are many other homeschooling moms out there who probably fit in the same situation. And probably some who didn’t even realize that they were.

Can we really expect our children to shun screen time in favor of books if we are constantly checking our email, reading message boards, or *gasp* blogging throughout the school day?

Can we admonish our children to finish their work in a timely way when we can barely get dinner on the table by nightfall?

Can we honestly reprimand our kids for letting projects go unfinished if they can look around and see a half-dozen incomplete projects (sewing, crafting, writing, cleaning) of our own making?

Can we chide our children for letting their work pile up until it is overwhelming when we are dealing with a mountain of neglected laundry every saturday?

In short, if we are disorganized, scattered dilettantes, can we really expect anything better of our children?

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