We are living in a time where STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education is gaining in popularity.

Many exciting and innovative career choices will centre around STEM subject areas which, as homeschoolers, we have an opportunity to provide our children with in a more real life way.

I am excited to share a new user friendly CAD (Computer Aided Design) program that we can teach our kids!

Learn Onshape is a company dedicated to teaching online 3D design projects to anyone interested with a special interest in also helping families and kids learn this real life program application!

It is one thing to learn STEM projects, but as homeschoolers we understand the amazing and magical growth which can happen when we teach from real life experiences; and Learn Onshape knows this too!

Learn Onshape has released the first in many videos on “How to Set Up Your Free Onshape Account” which you will need in order to learn and complete the exciting project he has lined up for us very soon!

Or download this Getting Started pdf to help you set up your Free Onshape Account.

Here’s a sneak peak of the first project!

To stay informed of all the inspiring content Learn Onshape will be offering, you will definitely want to sign up for their newsletter!

What kind of 3D designs do your kids want to build?

The post Effective How To STEM Projects Your Kids Will Love appeared first on Home School Innovation.

The sacrifices of men and women who have served our country in time of war, conflict and peace should never be forgotten or taken for granted.  Those who have served our nation, both in the past and present, deserve to be honoured for their dedication and allegiance to our country and our welfare as a nation .  It is our duty to not only take time to pay our respects, but to teach our youth about the history of our nation and our military.

Taking part in Remembrance Day services, in one way or another, has been something I have done my entire life and it is something my children participate in as well.  When they were quite young, we wore our poppies, made crafts, observed the 2 minutes of silence every November 11th and we shared simple stories to help them understand, on their level, what this day was all about.  As they grew and could grasp more, we did more. We now share stories of our family and friends who have fought in wars and who have taken part in peace keeping missions.

Most recently my boys took an online course about WWII which covered the strategies and politics of the war as it unfolded. They came away from that course with a deeper appreciation of those who stood up for our country and fought to preserve our freedoms.

By taking opportunities to be involved in Remembrance Day ceremonies, history courses, family discussions and online activities, I am proud to say my children have a deep respect and appreciation for our veterans.

Here are some resources I have found to help you learn more about Remembrance Day…

Links and Resources:

Education/Lesson Plans/Support Materials:

• Veterans Affairs –
  • Remembrance Day (main page)
  • List of Events – grouped according to Province
  •  Veterans’ Week Learning Resources
  • Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae – includes his poem “In Flanders Fields”
• The Royal Canadian Legion
  • Youth Contests – Plan ahead and research your local deadlines for entry
• Canadian War Museum
• Donna Ward from Northwoods Press – Remembrance Day Resources/Links
  • WWII Secret Agents in France – Remembrance Day Lesson 1:1
• Activity Village 

• CBC News – Canada – Type “Remembrance Day” into search box for articles and look for a link to a Live Stream on November 11th to watch the ceremonies.

Arts and Crafts:

• Painted Coffee Filter Poppy Craft for Remembrance Day from Happy Hooligans
• Colouring Pages and other resources from Activity Village
• Poppy Crafts from Hodge Podge Craft
• Worksheets, Colouring Pages and Crafts  from DLTK Kids

Books and References:

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    On social media, you can look up #RememberThem to find more links or to express your gratitude to our Veterans.

    ~Lest We Forget~

     

The post Remembrance Day Resources for Your Family appeared first on Home School Innovation.

All too often I see or hear of homeschool families divided.

The Unschoolers v.s. the Classical; the Charlotte Mason v.s. the Textbook Style, Christian Homeschoolers v.s. the Secular Homeschoolers, etc.

But, what if we stuck together, despite what style, method or philosophy we adhere to?

What if we celebrated what we have in common instead of separating ourselves by our differences?

What could we accomplish?

For one thing, we could give homeschooling a stronger more unified voice. When it comes time to defend our rights and freedoms as parents to choose how our children will be educated, we need to build upon our similarities.

We could also willingly lend each other a helping hand. Encouraging one another in this vocation we have taken on is so important. While homeschooling is great, I don’t think anyone of you would disagree when I say days of challenge or even doubt do arise; and in those times we need someone to listen.

We can improve everyday if we keep the lines of communication open to one another.  Not for the sake of evangelizing our ways to sway a family into our methods, but to learn from one another and our experiences.  I have learned many bits of wisdom from those who follow a different faith or method of homeschool, which I then adapt to fit my family. Some of my greatest supporters don’t even homeschool!

So, with the theme of standing together, here is a start to a list of similarities you and I have.

What All Homeschoolers Have in Common

1. We all love our children.

2. Our hearts fill with joy when our kids hit a milestone and break through a previous barrier.

3. All of us have children in our family unit who will learn differently than their siblings.

4. We all have books/curriculum on the shelf we thought would be awesome and have yet to crack open.

5. We all need quiet time to replenish and nourish our souls (Time for Mom (or Dad)).

6. Everyone has had a day (or many in my case) where we don’t get one thing done on our looming ‘To Do’ list.

7. We’ve all stepped on Lego or hotwheels in the night and have had to hold our tongues as not to wake a sleeping child. (Why, oh why does that Lego hurt so much??)

8. There are days when we overhear our kids ‘expertly’ conversing with someone over a topic we know nothing about.

9. We’ve all answered the socialization question 2,348 times (or more).

10. Those days as 5 pm approaches, your husband is due home and you realize you are all still in your p.j.’s because it’s been ‘one of those days’.

11. Once your husband arrives home, to find you in your p.j.’s as stated above, you just roll with it and enthusiastically declare “It was fun p.j. day!!” pretending it was planned long ago.

12. We’ve all struggled with what or how a child learns v.s. what or how we, as parents, like to learn or teach.

13. Someone’s science experiment has ended up mistakenly in the garbage because we thought the kids just forgot to clean the kitchen. (Or worse yet … we’ve eaten it!)

14. Bugs and critters have been brought in the house only to escape. (Ask me about Stacey the ladybug, or our painted lady butterfly fiasco.)

15. We have all learned something (or many things) from our kids. (check out this link up from iHomeschool Network bloggers: What My Child Has Taught Me)

16. We have all witnessed how big, loving and forgiving our children’s hearts are.

17. The wisdom and innocence our kids possess has helped us appreciate homeschooling and family time.

18. There are days when we raise a white flag, days when we need support and a cheerleader to keep going.

19. We’ve all wished for a laundry fairy and are truly disappointed that she never show up for duty. (Seriously…where is she??)

20. The internet and researching have sucked a whole day out of us at one point or another.

21. We’ve all wondered if we are doing enough for our children.

The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it is just different grass. So please, don’t fall for the comparison game which can lead to division and feeling too proud, it’s a trap.

We need to humble ourselves,  be welcoming and soften our hearts.  We all come from different backgrounds and beliefs which can build us up rather than divide and tear us down.

Today, make an effort to reach out, in real life or via social media, to encourage another homeschooler!  Share your experience; but also take time to learn what works well for others so you can improve your homeschool day too.

Be Stronger – Stand Together

The post All Homeschoolers Need to Stick Together To Be Stronger appeared first on Home School Innovation.

Each and every member of our family has their own value they add.  We all have special talents which can enhance our family relationships.

Have an evening or a rainy afternoon meeting with your kids to brainstorm and help one another recognize their own special gifts and talents?

I’m sure your family has someone who:

• Can make you laugh
• Enjoys a good and lively discussion
• Is a caregiver
• Can fix or build things
• Bakes or cooks
• Is musical
• Enjoys organizing
• Loves to read to others
• etc.

The list can go on, but you get the idea.  Sharing your unique talents and gifts within the family will strengthen everyone and also help you recognize how you can help others outside of your family unit.

As homeschool parents, husband and wife can also take time to brainstorm how to add more value to the homeschool day.

How can we enhance the education of our children?

Add more value to your homeschool by:

• Adding in more of the Arts – Music and Art
• More fieldtrips
• Co-op classes
• Online classes
• Park days and play days with other homeschool families
• Finding ways to help break down learning barriers
• Having a flex day
• Join in on the learning! Let them see Mom and Dad trying their hand at something new!

Some ways we have added extra value to our homeschool and our curriculum can be found in these HSI posts:

Spelling Help

Home Schoolers Journey…Am I Doing Enough?

Homeschool Business Letter Project

10 Homeschooling “Mistakes” You Need to Quit

Think You Can’t Homeschool Art? Think Again!

This vocation of home educating our children is important, but never forget to enjoy the process, and more importantly…enjoy one another!

The post Add Value to Your Homeschool appeared first on Home School Innovation.

What kind of planner are you?

I am a list maker, the “old fashioned” pencil and paper kind of list maker.

There is something about a pencil or pen in my hand which helps me to own my to-do list.

When we physically write something out, it helps our minds to own those tasks a little more than if we write it via a keyboard, in a virtual way.

 Although, having smartphones and apps certainly are useful too.

In fact, at our house we have a virtual calendar for our family where each member is colour coded, to go along with my paper list.

My husband and I enter our appointments, business travel as well as our children’s sports and other out of the home activities into our virtual calendar.  As our kids become more involved with activities outside the home, this has helped my husband stay in the loop.  When he is out working or if he has been out of town, all he has to do is check our calendar to know what the rest of us are up to.

 It also helps me!

At the beginning of each week I enter all the activities or appointments we have planned as a family and as individuals.

Once all of that is entered I can let it go and allow myself to focus on all our other “to-do” lists.  As homeschoolers, we all have a lot on the go from planning each child’s subjects and projects to the regular household stuff like laundry.

(That never ending pile of laundry, or is this just my house?  Lol.)

What Goes on the Master List?

Making a master list is great, but you have to be picky.

Discern what is on your list and what can or should be on your children’s lists.

Then break it all down, into your daily  Action List.

1. Have – To’s
2. Should – Do’s
3. Want – To’s

I keep my “Have to’s” as focused and clear cut as I can, and try to attack at least 1 “Should Do”.

Once my “Have to” and “Should do” lists  are done I get to pick something from my “Want to” List.  I can work away at one of my hobbies, read a book, or just sit.

At our house the goal of our action lists is to provide our family with:

• organization
• direction
• strategy
• peace of mind
• a sense of accomplishment

This may sound all neat and tidy, but let me tell you, we definitely live a real life around here which also means it can all just be a whirlwind of organized chaos!

The post Organizing Your Homeschool Family appeared first on Home School Innovation.

Homeschool burnout … it happens.

Even when we think it can’t happen to us, it can.

I am not an expert, nor do I hold a degree in psychology, but I am a Mom.

A mom who homeschools, a mom who lives real life.

A life where laundry never folds itself and thus sits too long in baskets, where library books are sometimes overdue, where we have days supper has to be ordered in last minute because I was too tired to run to the grocery store.

But also a life full of fun, smiles, hugs, games, toys and learning along side of my wonderful family.

We all know life, at times, has a way of dishing out way too much on our already overfull plates.  It has happened to me more than once, so I thought I would share some things I do to recover from those moments of feeling tired, overwhelmed or even what we all fear:  Burnout.

This is not my expert opinion, but rather things I do for myself to help stay on track and yes…even recover in times of burnout. 

My Real Life Recovery Strategies:

1. Prayer/Meditation
2. Fun, Fun and More Fun; plan a Field Trip!   “Planning the Perfect Family Field Trip”
3. Coffee Shops and Book Stores – Journal some basic ideas to get back your groove   “Find Your Homeschool Groove”
4. Get Up and Get Moving   “How I Stay Fit With Kids Underfoot”  (my guest post at Lisa Johnson Fitness )
5. Puzzles, Games and Play Dough
6. Make a trip to the Food Bank or Gather things for a Toy Drive
7. Pick a Small Corner of your House to re-vamp
8. Unplug
9. Get More Sleep
10. Take some goofy pictures with your kids
11. A good cup of tea and a good book for a family read-a-loud
12. Take a Nature walk with your kids or just you and your spouse
13. Skype with a friend
14. Play some of your favourite music
15. Say “NO thank you” to adding more into your schedule
16. Celebrate Your Family – Have a Dance Party

Bottom Line:

Never loose touch with what makes you smile, what energizes you and what moves you. These will be your “go-to” self-care strategies!

Time for ourselves as homeschool parents may be limited, but that just means we need to be more diligent about taking care of ourselves.

Schedule time for yourself to recover!

What helps you to unwind and re-focus?

The post Recovering from Homeschool Burnout appeared first on Home School Innovation.

 Hint:  The answer does not include pulling out your hair or giving a lecture.

Many of us parents face this teeter-totter emotion from our children throughout the year.

Let’s face it, we ourselves have subjects we love to dive in and share with our children, and those we try to defer to the other parent.

While we can’t force our child to sit and apply themselves to a subject they may loathe; we can help lift them up out of the doom and gloom so they may see the dreaded subject in a different light.

Tips to Help your Child Learn a Subject They Don’t Like

•  Take a deep breath and step back from the situation a little.  Don’t let a battle start.
• Have one on one time where you can chat with your child to help them figure out why they might be avoiding math (for instance).
• Be willing to adapt.  Adapt the curriculum you are using, or in the case where you don’t use curriculum, perhaps be willing to get some samples and give them a try.
• Be willing to be creative.  How can you approach that subject from a different view-point? Baking for fractions, figuring out your car’s mileage for division, talk about gear ratios in your truck for ratios, etc.  Find something they enjoy and go about the subject from that angle.
• Get laughing.  Why not get a little creative and silly? Shake out those nerves
• Get your other kids busy – something they can collaborate on or be independent with and then find a spot where you and your other child can work on their least favourite subject.
• Reach out to other home school parents and ask what works for them, get some fresh ideas.
• Get downright real.  Once kids see how their Dad or Aunt use Math everyday in their careers it can be enough to inspire them to try a little harder. 
• Be willing to be available.  Sometimes they just need Mom or Dad to sit beside them.
• Always,  Always,  Always end on a positive note!  If you push further into a lesson and you feel like you are heading into that all familiar tailspin; then it is time to go back and let your child execute a question where they will get the right answer.  Finish it there for the day and make note of where it started to fall apart.

As parents, we are often part detective as we try to figure out our kids and the curriculum we may use or choose not to use.

So, although I did provide you with the above tips, know that these are things we do in our house which have worked for me.  They are not absolutes, take what you can and adapt my tips to help you conquer your  home school day.

One thing I do know for sure is none of my kids are the same and the above tips come from a few years of me taking it one day at a time.  Each of my kids have their own learning styles unique to themselves and no matter how much they love a subject area, or not, they all have times where they just need me to be there for them.

Want more?  

Head over to watch my short  HSI Coffee Break  Video- Homeschooling Your Child’s Least Favourite Subject 

What tip is your favourite?

The post Homeschooling Your Child’s Least Favourite Subject appeared first on Home School Innovation.

Summer time,

A time to…

• unwind
• relax
• be adventurous
• play
• dream
• discover

What better way to check off everything on the above list than to open up a great book!

We are often sitting outside reading our books, getting lost in adventures of the future, days gone past, antics of the animal world or silly stories just for fun.

No matter what book we choose to read, the 1 thing we love to do is gather around for our family read-a-loud time, and in the summer, we take it outdoors!

Family Outdoor Read-A-Loud Essentials

1. A great book (check out what is on our reading list).
2. A blanket to sit on.
3. Sunscreen, Hats, Bug Spray.
4. Pitcher of fresh water with lemon slices, or a homemade batch of Lemonade.
5. Snacks, my kids enjoy fruits slices and some homemade goodies.
6. Bubbles, or sand toys if you have a sandbox.  This allows kids to also keep busy as I read, if they really feel the need to move around
7. An easy supper on the menu. Something in the slowcooker or something you can have pre-made like cold salads etc. Then you can loose yourselves in the adventures of your book for the whole afternoon!
8. A great discussion! There is nothing we like better to than to sit and talk about the story we are reading.
9. Room to act out what was read.  Let the kids run around the yard to “play” out their interpretation of the story.
10. A clear agenda for Mom or Dad.  Don’t let your usual “to do list” nag at you…enjoy your reading time with your kids!

Our Reading List at the moment:

(Could you help me out? At the bottom of this post I have a question for you!)

What is on your Reading List? 

Notice I don’t have a book for myself!

What would you recommend for my summer reading? (Moms need a good book too!)

The post Homeschool Summer Reading appeared first on Home School Innovation.

“Break Free in Your Homeschool”  has made me think of so many mini posts!

This one is about:

Games

How often do you use games during your home school week?

We used to play a lot of games and for some reason these past few months,  games have been an after thought or even pushed right aside.

Children love to play and they also need to play!

Playing  provides so much opportunity to lock in knowledge or learn something in a different way and often without realizing just how much they are learning.

Playing board games, as one instance,  can offer so much to your home school and it engages both hemispheres of the brain.

Let’s not forget that they are fun and a great way to break free from the same old routine!

Brain Hemisphere Processing:

I’d also like to add that both hemispheres of the brain will be engaged when the task is more complex, so don’t forget to play games that challenge everyone a little too!

Now when you think of games as not learning, or as a waste of  “school time” reference this chart with your game closet…take a look at all the ways your brain is stimulated and challenged!  Games are a great way to spend some home school time.

Games to Enhance Your Homeschool

*This list contains affiliate links to games we love to play in our home

Schedule games into your day and have some fun!

What game are you going to pull out this week?

   Share with us in my Comment box below!

The post Homeschooling with Games appeared first on Home School Innovation.