Mom Is Teaching

In case you missed it Tammy of Just Enough, and Nothing More got her 15 minutes of fame on CNN. Not that she isn’t already about to become (even more) famous with her book Deschooling Gently due to come out soon. But it was still cool to see a face I “knew” on the news. She looked fabulous and her kids are adorable! Check out the video and see for yourself.

homeschoolers, news, CNN

I have to thank Rebecca for this, she pointed out a fun challenge that I had not yet heard of but would love to join in. The Green Hour Challenge!

The Green Hour Challenge is a weekly challenge to get kids outside and interacting with nature. Every week a new challenge is issued with activities and reading for parents to do to get their kids outside and excited about nature. You can read the official explanation of it here along with the first week’s challenge. Every Friday the new challenge will be up along with a Mr. Linky at the bottom for you to share your posts. The challenge is already at week 5 but you are more than welcome to jump in now and join the fun, or go back to the beginning and take it one week at a time on your own schedule.

The only thing you will really need for this is a copy of Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, which you can find in most libraries or online for fairly cheap. You can also access a PDF version for free. This book is a classic, one that every homeschooling family should have just for the fun of it.

I’ll be joining in and starting from the first challenge, so anyone keeping up will be ahead of me. But the most important part is getting outside and sharing nature with our kids. Every Friday I’ll share what we did here. Is anyone else joining in?

nature, outside, education, children

Poor homeschoolers can’t get a break.

It seems that with the California case a new backlash against homeschoolers has popped up. I blame myself, wondering out loud in January what would come next. The next seems to be that homeschoolers are now perceived as “elitist and anti-democratic” by some. Sheesh!

Dana has a great take on the LA Times article that I love. My only point of disagreement is on how much discussion was going on. While Dana saw hardly a word of it the California case was something I could not seem to avoid. My Google alert brought me emails full of terror and panic and assumptions, and more than a few times did I find the case brought up when I was least expecting it online. In fact I had to go so far as to stop following a few people as I was getting a handful of fear stricken posts each day from them on the matter. Clearly, I need to hang out where Dana does online.

But back to the article. It’s hard to take any article seriously that uses lines such as

It smacks of a belief that privileged children should not have to associate with the other kids in the neighborhood and that by staying home, they would not be subjected to the leavening effect of democracy.

It is almost like putting up a giant flashing billboard stating that the writers could only be bothered with a few minutes of research and even then only used outdated stereotypes from the 80s to describe homeschoolers. Privileged? Not associated with the neighborhood kids? Not subjected to democracy? What planet are these guys from?

homeschooling, homeschoolers, news

For those homeschoolers who are not fans of the Carnival of Homeschooling but not interested in Unschooling Voices, Doc has decided to restart her Country Fair. She has a question up now asking about the fate of this fun homeschooling get together so be sure to click over and add your thoughts.

blogging, blog carnivals, homeschooling

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.

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In case you haven’t checked it out yet the Carnival of Homeschooling is up for the week. This week’s theme is all about the month of March. Sprinkled in between the great posts are little tidbits about March holidays, famous birthdays, and more. Of course the posts themselves are great. A few of my favorites were

• Oh Brother, If It’s Not the “S” Word, It’s the Money
• USA Today reports that Teens losing touch with historical references
• Smoothing the Stones: Wrestling with the History of Education
• When you give an unschooler a cookie…

One post that you won’t find in the carnival but is worth reading is this one by Doc. She lays to rest the fears that “California made homeschooling illegal”. While I still feel that the judge seemed biased against homeschooling, it is still important to note that he did not actually change California law in anyway. It is also important to note the allegations of abuse that the family is facing. There are already enough people who equate abuse with homeschoolers, let’s not make their case for them. When we try to make an abuse case into a homeschooling one we only help to blur the lines and reinforce the belief by some that homeschoolers are all abusive.

OK, to end on a good note here’s a top ten surprises about homeschooling. I love reading these kinds of posts, they make me smile and remind me how fun homeschooling can be! Go check it out and see what you can add to the list.

homeschooling

I’m a bibliophile. I am absolutely, passionately, completely in love with books. Some women have closets full of clothes, some have kitchen full of gadgets, I have shelves full of books. I thought I would share some of the newest books that I’m drooling over since I know that I’m not the only one with a book jones.

I don’t know how many read both, but other at my crafty blog I shared a great craft book for kids that I know many homeschoolers would love. Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family takes classic children’s stories and combines them with handy crafts for a great way to get into the stories. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been giving thought to whether the typical paper crafts are needed. So I love that the crafts suggested in this book for each story aren’t the busywork style of crafts.

Anyone who read Tammy at Just Enough, and Nothing More knows that she has a book coming out shortly on deschooling. Deschooling Gently looks to be a great guide for parents who are stuck in the typical roles and schedules of public and private schooling. I was extremely lucky enough to have been contacted by the publishing company asking if I wanted a sneak peak at the book. I’m about half through the ebook version I was sent but I can already tell you to rush over and pre-order the book. Once I’m done I’ll share a real review here for everyone.

Those are the two books that have my eye right now. I’m trying to keep myself restrained and not jump all over every book out there right now. It’s tough, but I think I’m handling it OK so far. Anyone else know of a new book worth drooling over? Do share!

books, homeschooling, crafts, deschooling

If you don’t normally check out Notes From A Homeschooling Mom you should. She creates video posts that share her thoughts and opinions on areas of homeschooling. One of her latest videos is in response to a former school teacher who seems to hate kids quite passionately. Calling them monsters only seems to be the tip of the iceberg on how she feels about children in general. That disgust might only be second however to how she feels about the parents.

Fortunately this person is a former teacher, but it makes me wonder how many teachers are still in schools that have burnt out and feel the same way. I am sure that the numbers are very small, but when you are one of the children dealing with this kind of teacher know that isn’t exactly a comforting thought. Here is the YouTube video response to the teacher’s complaints that children are so horrible. The comments left by the former teacher are read in the video so you can hear for yourself the disdain this teacher seems to have for students and their parents.

As i was looking for more information on this I found a 12 page report that has some interesting observations. TEACHERS WHO BULLY STUDENTS: PATTERNS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS (pdf) looks at teachers who treat students badly as well as suggesting policies that schools could use to help the students who have to deal with these teachers. While this study looks more at one-on-one bullying from teachers I thought it might be a useful read still. It does not seem to far flung that teaches who begin to feel this negatively about their students in general would show their frustrations by bullying those who they dislike the most.

teachers, students, homeschooling

The fabulous Fussy is at it again. Just when I thought she’s couldn’t do any more, she did.

She has created two (yes 2!) social groups on Ning for us to join. First there’s Homeschool Hackers, where you can chat up other homeschooling moms and pick their brains about the homeschooling topics that interest you. Next there is Blissfully Domestic Living for a more general home life chat. Come over, join both, and gab with the rest of us on homeschooling, life, and how to tackle those roving hoards of dustbunnies that threaten to attack.

I know there are several homeschooling boards out there, many dedicated to certain styles of homeschooling. There is the Well Trained Mind forums, there is an unschooling chat forum, and even one for Christian homeschoolers. But I have to say that I like the style of Ning more than regular forums. Rather than just a forum to chat Ning is set up to be social network, a place where you can hang out and chat with your friends in a more relaxed atmosphere. That may be why on Ning alone there are 4 pages full of various homeschooling groups. Find one you like, or find several.

So now I’m curious, what homeschooling hangouts do you have online? Any fun forums or social groups where you like to chat up other homeschooling moms? Where do you suggest for homeschooling moms to go online for some fun conversations? Let us all know and maybe we’ll see you around the internet.

homeschooling, social networking, social groups, chat

I’m feeling a bit tired and with several things on my plate right now. I’ve got a post on unschooling coming up, but haven’t yet been able to finish it. So instead I thought I would share some of the posts around the web that have caught my eye. As the number of homeschooling families continues to rise the number of homeschooling blogs does as well, which leaves me with too many to read and not enough time. But here are a few of the gems that caught my eye. Hopefully they’ll inspire you a little over the weekend.

• Does Barack Obama Support Homeschool? Should Those Who School Their Kids at Home Only Vote for a Pro-Homeschool Candidate? - An interesting and well thought out article that discusses Obama’s stance on homeschooling, and whether that should even matter among homeschooling voters.
• Those “socially inept” homeschoolers - You say socially inept like that’s a bad thing. Some days I have to think that being “socially inept’ is the better option, especially when I reflect my own school years.
• Fifteen, Punk, and Homeschooled - I love this article, written by a teen who attends school online.
• The Smell of Fear - It’s that time of the year again, standarized testing time! When all the “teach to the test” really hits it’s crunch time.
• Super Genius–homeschooling as child abuse? - This is an intersting article from an adult who was homeschooled as a child. Is the pressure to “prove” that homeschooling is the right choice a burden too great on your child?
• Responsible Parents must do Some Degree of Homeschooling - Even parents who are not homeschooling will find times when they need to help their children learn at home.
• The 111th Carnival of Homeschool – Cabin Fever Edition - Of course what list of homeschooling posts would be complete without including the weekly Homeschool carnival.

Those are all the ones I have for now. I think that’s a pretty good list to keep you busy for a while. So go get a cup of coffee, throw some crayons and paper on the table, and curl up for a good read. One can dream at least, right? If you know of any other good posts that I missed drop me a comment and I’ll add them to the list.

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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If you’re ready to start the new year off right Doc already has a great list of January resources up. You will find a little bit of everything, including some interesting holidays you probably did not know existed. Like National Bird Day. You can show your fine feathered friends some love by building them a birdhouse or a bird feeder. Or just take some time and try to get to know your winged neighbors a little more.

The Unschooling Voices #11 is up and running. Definitely a great way to start off the new year! I especially loved this post by Colleen on going against her normal reaction and instead taking her son’s lead. My first reaction probably would have been of the “No, we drove all the way here and I paid for this now you’re doing it!” type. Luckily I’m learning to take a lot of deep, calming breathes.

The Carnival of Homeschooling is due to be up for the first time of 2008 any minute now. It is back home at Why Homeschool. Don’t forget to also enter the Carnival of Homeschooling image contest too. Perfect for all you creative types with photoshop.

2008, birds, lesson plans, homeschooling, unschooling, blog carnivals, blogging, contest

It’s Christmas Eve, are you excited? If you’re traveling this year be safe. There is lots of snow and ice across the midwest and some power outages. We lost power for a few hours on Saturday, but things here seem to be back to normal.

Is anyone hoping Santa will brings some homeschool supplies this year? Though with some families almost anything can bcome a homeschool supply. Do you have any wonderful traditions this time of year. I read the most beautiful post this weekend on one family’s winter traditions. Making lanterns, taking a walk in the dark, a bonefire, and of course lots of reading. It sounded amazing.

If you’ve got family members home right now that usually aren’t Homeschool Savvy has a great post up on involving other family members in the homeschooling. If your husband took some vacation time right now and is driving you nuts this might be a good post for you to read. Especially if you’re feeling the urge to beat him with some mistletoe.

If you’re getting up early tomorrow morning to get presents under the tree, or staying up late to finish some last minute ones here’s something to ponder: What does it mean to support public education?Take a break from last minute wrapping to curl up on the couch with a cup of cocoa and work this one out. Speaking of last minute wrapping, if you’ve got a few people on your list that you still don’t have gifts for I’ve got a post here with some quick and simple ideas.

I’m out of here until the 26th. So let me wish everyone right now a Merry Christmas!

homeschooling, Christmas, gifts, education, public education, celebrations

Today is the last day of school for Christmas break in this town. The kids have freedom until Jan. 3rd when they have to return to the classrooms. I have been teasing my sister in law that she gets to live like homeschoolers for the next few days and get a taste of the good life. All in fun, I promise! Especially as this week we’ve lived the life of a public school family. My neices’ usual care was out all week so we’ve been doing the get up early and drive back and forth thing every day. As much as I love them I’m looking forward to sleeping past 6 AM again and no longer sitting in the car driving them back and forth and waiting to pick them up.

I know that I’ve asked before about stopping or taking a break for summer, but how many take a break for Christmas? With all that is going on I’m sure many families slow down a lot during December. Those who keep on going to stick to your normal schedule or focus more on holiday related topics? It’s always interesting to hear about what all the various homeschooling families choose to do. Though we are all homeschoolers there are always many unique differences in how we live that.

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