Questions about curriculum are some of the most common, perhaps even running neck-and-neck with the ‘socialization’ question.

A vast array of amazing curriculum  exists to support you in this journey, no matter what method(s) you use or special needs you may need to address.

We have options!

In fact, it can sometimes feel like there are too many choices and you can feel overwhelmed.

Homeschool Curriculum

 (Remember the first homeschool convention you went to and the vendor hall? There is a lot!)

You don’t have to feel paralyzed when it comes to sorting through and choosing your curriculum.

Take Action

• Grab your pencil and notepad – Make a Pro/Con list

• Ask for sample lessons

• Ask fellow homeschool families what they use

Once you discover some of what is available to you and you start to browse and research, it can help if you keep these things in mind.

 Be Mindful of:

• Who is it for

• What is their learning style

• Will the curriculum support their learning style

• Will it span the ages of your children, or do you care if it does

• Will it help you achieve your end goal for your child(ren)

• Can you photocopy pages for use within your own family (check with publisher) “Homeschoolers Honor Copyright” (from iHomeschool Network)

• How will it fit into your schedule

• Can you easily adapt lessons for more than one child

• Is it available as a download

• Will it support your method of homeschooling  “8 Homeschooling Methods“

• Will this help fuel the love of learning within your children

• Do you even need a curriculum to educate your child that particular subject

Truth is, as homeschool parents we can have many different levels of feeling overwhelmed when it comes to choosing curriculum for our children.

We can feel both blessed and cursed by the sea of books available to choose from.  One of the most common questions I hear about curriculum is:

“What if it doesn’t work, what if I buy it and never really use it?”

And you know what?  We have all been there, and done that!

From those who unschool to those who follow a more aligned path (meaning very much like the curriculum of local schools) we have all bought something we thought would be great, which turned out to sit on the shelf.

We have all held onto those resources and tried it with all our children, some of us get to finally use it and some of us end up writing it off completely.

As much as we plan we also have to be ready for the detours and sideroads.  

A purchased curriculum which turns out not to be exactly what you needed doesn’t always have to be tossed aside.  Instead you can adapt the lessons or at minimum use them as a guide to help plan a study.  You can then head out to the library for books,  find some hands on activities, or search for some YouTube videos to support what you are teaching.  

Remember

• Break down your subjects and your goals for each child within that subject

• Get to know your child’s strengths and weaknesses

• Foster a love of learning

• Support your child’s curiosity, creativity and intelligence

• Have fun and be flexible

Homeschooling is not a contest, it is not a race and there are no “curriculum police“.

You are blessed with the freedom to choose, adapt and change if necessary.

Tip for Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

For a peek into what we have been reading or using check out my  Reading List page; Resources page; and my STEM Resources page.

Ok, your turn…

Share 1 tip about choosing curriculum to help encourage and support your fellow homeschooler!

The Live iHomeschool Studio event has past but the MP3 recordings are still available, click on this link: iHomeschool Studio MP3 Recordings, or on any photo to purchase.

iHomeschool Studio 2014 MP3’s

*Affiliate link

Ever wish you could pack up and escape to a Home School Conference?

Then reality hits and you realise this year it won’t happen for you.

It could be due to combined costs, let’s face it the fees can add up quickly!

• Travel

• Registration

• Hotel

• Meals

• Babysitting

This year is different!  

This year you CAN attend a 4 day educational event made just for Homeschooling Parents!

iHomeschool Network had pulled together some Amazing Homeschool Speakers, for people like you and me who can’t get out to a 4 day conference. iHomeschool Studio is an online webinar event which takes place February 11-14, 2014 and it is only $25!!

*This post contains affiliate links to this event

Not only can we listen in the comfort and of our homes but it is also very affordable!  When you register you will also be provided with the mp3 recordings, so you can go back to listen again and again.

Sessions range from organizing and frugal homeschooling to personality and learning styles. We will offer help with intense kids, high school students, and lazy kids. Although we cover academics like science, music, and geography, we also delve into matters of the heart as we help you instill a love of Christian missions in your children and build positive character traits all while maintaining the spark in your marriage. There is something for everyone! ~iHomeschool Studio

 

What’s Included in your Ticket Price?

• 24 live sessions 

• Audio recordings of all 24 sessions (MP3 format)

• Discounts, door prizes, give-aways from the sponsors and speakers

Don’t forget the convenience factor!

• You can watch/listen at your own pace.

• You can get the kids going on a project, make yourself a hot cup of coffee/tea, sit for a session or two and soak up all that encouragement.

• You can even fold the laundry while you are watching.  (Who am I kidding, we all know I won’t fold the laundry! )

• You can declare a p.j. day, kids can play games or do arts and crafts while you tune in.

I also love that the mp3 audio recordings of ALL 24 sessions are included in the ticket price.

Now we don’t have to worry about all our Mom taxi duties or grocery runs, just download and take all the encouraging iHomeschool Studio talks on the road!

Speakers:

 I am very excited to listen to these awesome speakers as I am not able to travel to the other homeschool conferences this year.

This online webinar is a perfect way for me to get a little “Professional Development” for our homeschool!

What are you waiting for?

Grab your tickets to the iHomeschool Studio and join me in the audience for some homeschool encouragement!

Do you have Independent Learners in your homeschool? 

In this #HSICoffeeBreak I share some thoughts with you about what I like to be mindful of with my crew of independent learners.

Eye Contact… we expect it, but do we give it?

How often have you heard yourself say to your children…”Look at me when I talk to you!”  We have all done it at one point or another.  In fact  I said it just the other day, and it inspired me to write this post.

Was I inspired to write about how to get your children behave better and have proper manners?  No, not really; I was inspired more through my own self reflection/criticism … which is sometimes difficult to see, let alone do.

You see lately I have been really busy, barely getting things done and spread a little thin.  I have been multitasking a little too much, which is something we all go through at one point or another.  We all have times of over filling our plates, whether it was our choice or whether it is life just throwing it all at us.  We have all walked this road and while it is  sometimes necessary, it is also wise to remember to slow down enough each day and embrace what really matters.

Upon  uttering these words “Look at me when I talk to you!” I could feel frustration creeping in…then I realized something.

I, through all my busyness, had not been offering the same to my children! …Gulp!

My frustration eased and I quickly started to get things back on track.

I had been so busy that each time the kids wanted to share something with me or ask me a question,  I had my nose buried in one important task or another.  Sure I’d look up from the laundry, dishes, cell phone, or meal prep…but I never stopped.

I felt sad because I realized when we give eye contact we are doing so much more than just showing the other person we are listening…we are showing them:

• How much we care

• Respect

• How special the other person is to us

• Love

• They have a safe place to share

• Their ideas and experiences matter

• You believe in them

Children can fill our hearts with so much pure love and pure joy, they are amazing little people and deserve better than a mumbled back  response over the pot of spaghetti sauce!  If we, as their parents, are not taking the time to fully engage with them and model how to do so, then who will?

Life is all about a process of  give and take; you give respect,  love and eye contact,  that will be returned to you.

The opportunity we have to learn from our kids, once we slow down enough to engage with them, is also part of that give and take.  They can give us back  some our childhood whimsy and innocence.  Eye to eye we are pulled back into the world of our kids looking at it through their eyes.  Discovering once again the beauty and wonder of  everything around us!

Our children are an absolute treasure and gift; their eyes have a special sparkle which is magically contagious…

All you have to do to catch this sparkle  is slow down enough to look into their beautiful eyes!

What sparkle did you catch from your kids today?

Have a look at what he terms the “Second climate crisis” of human resources, our young resources are how we can change the world. But I’ll keep from hacking his concept, grab a coffee and have a watch, it will help re-enforce your decision to homeschool.

How do you find out your kids natural talents and what are doing to encourage them?

Homeschooling with Games

“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!

Although it pertains to business, it relates closely to us moms and dads who have decided to homeschool.

Why did you start?

What prompted you to research homeschooling in the very beginning?  Every homeschooling family will have different reasons and we also share some common reasons too.

Why Do You Homeschool?

Some of My Why:

I started because sending my sweet children off to Kindergarten did not seem natural at all.  Nothing about it felt normal to me.

Here we were teaching all the important life skills they would need like walking, talking, reading, playing, dexterity, motor skills etc.,  in a comfortable loving environment.  Not only that, my kids were thriving, having fun and were on fire for any kind of information they could get their  cute little hands on.  They wanted to know about dinosaurs, trucks, animals, bugs, flowers, trees, building things, touching things, you name it they were into it and wanted to know more about it.  I loved every minute of it answering all their why questions and they loved my answers prompting them to ask even more!  We had a good thing going, so WHY would it make sense for me to stop the flow of information, to change the structure of our days by sending them off to school?

Together we went out  to the library, the local museum, we were always taking in nature on our long walks collecting leaves, rocks and whatever else they could convince me of.  My kids were learning real life patience, understanding, empathy and social skills needed for any situation.  Scouting groups and sports were also part of our week and gave them an outlet to be independent with other children and adults.

This is one part of my “Why”, how about you? 

What gets you motivated everyday?   

Do you forget your ‘why’?

Sometimes  we can get  caught up in our day or whatever family drama that may be going on and we can loose our focus.  It happens to everyone:  homeschoolers, business owners, employees, we are all vulnerable.

What can we do to guard ourselves and get back on track?

In order to restore some sort of  “normal” and to bring everything back into focus I like to write little reminders.  Write down why you started or why you want to start on some nice paper, or in a journal.

I like to use pretty recipe cards for these ideas, after all my why is part of my recipe for our home school  success!  When I feel a little burdened, tired or burnt out I make a cup of tea or coffee reach for my box and relive my excitement for our family and our home school.

Decide right now  to take some action and gain some focus by writing down your “why”  using whatever works for you, but make sure it is written on something that represents who you are, I am not a journal person, thus the recipe box idea.  Also make sure it is always accessible and that you remember to reach for it to either fill in more of your “why” or for when you need a refreshing reminder.

Be loving, strong and courageous and continue on your homeschool journey.

My Free gift for you:

HSI Bookmarks to print and record your “Why”.

Enjoy and Happy Homeschooling!

 HSI Bookmarks (blue) and HSI Bookmarks (natural/gray)

Want more reasons?

Check out:  “23 Reasons We Homeschool”