by: Anita York
Do you know what these famous people have in common?
Alexander Graham Bell
George Patton
Albert Einstein
Benjamin Franklin
Winston Churchill
Agatha Christie
George Bernard Shaw
Will Rogers
If you guessed that they were all homeschoolers, you'd be correct. This is a very short list of famous and successful people who were educated at home. If you would like to expand this list, do a search on the Internet for ?famous homeschoolers.? There are many websites that list these people and some provide detailed biographies. There is even a book called, aptly, ?Famous Homeschoolers,? by Nancy and Malcolm Plant. (http://www.fun-books.com/specials.htm)
The point here is to get into the mindset that people can be educated and become successful adults without attending public school. And because I can almost ?hear? what you are thinking, no, it is not necessary to have a high school diploma to go to college.
So what is homeschooling? In the broadest sense, homeschooling is educating your children at home. You, as parent, become teacher. Parents homeschool for more reasons than you can imagine. Some want to avoid having their children exposed to violence and peer pressure. Some homeschool so that they can make sure their children's education adheres to their religious beliefs. Some live a different lifestyle?perhaps they travel a lot?and want their children's schooling to be flexible enough to fit around that life style. And some, like me, simply enjoy being with their children. They don't want the public school to interrupt and weaken the parent/child bond that they have been working hard to create for the first five years of their child's life.
Just as there are many reasons to homeschool, there are many methods of homeschooling. All the way from ?un-schooling? (learning by doing, learning from life, not using textbook type materials) to ?school at home? (using textbooks at desks set up in a schoolroom at home) and everything in between. It's very easy to find hundreds of homeschool Websites by using a search engine, but just to get you started, try:
Jon's Homeschool Resource Page http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs/
When I decided to write this article, I thought hard about what I could offer that wasn't being displayed on thousands of Websites on the Internet. I realized that the only thing I have to offer anyone interested in homeschooling is?my experience. So everything in the article below comes from my fifteen years of experience homeschooling my four youngest children. I hope it is of some use to you.
Deciding to homeschool your child may be one of the most important decisions you ever make as a parent, and it will take a lot of thought and soul searching. To the newcomer, it may seem impossible, overwhelming and very, very lonely. But like most huge obstacles, once it's broken down into smaller pieces, it becomes manageable. We'll take it one step at a time, in small enough chunks to get a hold of. So, if you're game, roll up your sleeves and let's get to work figuring out if homeschooling is for you and your child.
First things first. Organization is the key. Get a three-ring binder (homeschooling parent's LOVE three-ring binders) and put a label on the front. (If you've made the transition to digital record keeping, you can just start a folder on the computer. But it's not as much fun.) Label it something serious, like ? My Homeschooling Plans? or ?Homeschooling Thoughts.? Put some paper in the binder, find a really comfortable ink pen, and sit down somewhere quiet.
Ready? Good. Now, let's get started.
What are your reasons for considering homeschooling? Even if you haven't actually made the decision to homeschool, the fact that you are here reading this article says you are curious. Perhaps you honestly don't know the answer yet?and that's ok. The remainder of this article is going to try to help you start to find those answers.
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state has it's own set of laws that must be followed. Compulsory (how I hate that word) education here in Washington State starts at the age of 8. Even though I had been homeschooling him from birth, to stay legal once my son reached 8-years old, I was required to become ?certified.? That meant I either had to have two years of college education, or take a ?certification class.? I met this requirement by taking an independent correspondence class, during which I was asked to put on paper my goals, philosophies and reasons for wanting to homeschool. I'd like to help you do the same right now.
Start a page--either the ?tree? kind or a file on the computer?and title it ?My Educational Beliefs.? List what personal beliefs you have about education?especially the education of your own children. Get as detailed as you can here--the value is in the thinking process behind the list. Take your time, I'm in no hurry.
As an example to get you started, I'm going to share with you what I wrote on my list nine years ago.
My Educational Beliefs
1. I believe my child's attitude about learning should be:
One of continual curiosity and seeking of knowledge.
2. I believe my child's learning should lead towards a lifestyle that is:
Rural, physically active, creative.
3. I believe these basic values should be part of my child's learning:
Respect for others
Loyalty to family and friends
Honesty
Generosity
4. I believe children learn best:
Through hands-on learning experience, reading, workbooks.
5. I believe a teacher should:
Provide side-by-side assistance and direction.
Interact with the child.
Provide the structure within which the child may explore, experiment, study and achieve.
Provide a good example of excitement in learning.
6. Other beliefs:
I believe my child should grow up to be self-reliant and occupationally secure in a field of high interest to them.
Now, that wasn't too bad, was it? Don't give up on this until you have at least something written down, but don't agonize over it either. You can come back to it later if need be. Next, start a paper or file titled ?Life Goals For My Child.?
I want you to write down what kind of person you envision your child being as an adult. What are your hopes and dreams for him/her? What educational gifts do you hope to be able to help them find that will serve them their entire lives?
I'll share mine from 9 years ago, just to get you started.
?Life Goals for My Child?
7. Be literate.
8. Be self-reliant.
9. Compete well in their chosen field of occupation.
10. Appreciate art, music, and literature.
11. Be creative.
12. Be inventive and resourceful.
13. Be healthy, mentally and physically.
14. Co-operate with others.
15. Maintain a strong sense of self-worth.
16. Maintain a life-long curiosity, seeking knowledge as a way of life.
17. Look to the future with a sense of excitement and adventure.
For the last exercise, start a third paper titled: Why We (I) Am Going To Homeschool Our (My) Child? (Yes, single parents can successfully homeschool their children.) You may not have all the answers for this one yet either, but just get something down. All of these ideas and beliefs can start getting mixed in with other people's opinions once we start educating ourselves in depth about homeschooling, and you'll be glad you have these lists tucked away.
Okay, here's my old list:
Why We Are Going To Homeschool Our Children
Our family consists of myself, my husband, a 21-year-old daughter, a 19-year-old daughter, an 8-year-old son, a 7-year-old daughter, a 4-½ year old daughter, and an unborn son due in 6 months. My two oldest daughters (from my first marriage) were in the public school system for the whole of their educational years. It is largely a dissatisfaction with the public schools and all it's attendant problems (academic, social, and moral) that has caused us to make the decision to homeschool our youngest children. We decided, even before our 8-year-old son (the oldest of the younger set) was born, that somehow we would find an alternative to the public schools.
We want to homeschool for some additional reasons. We want added closeness with our children. We want more independence, greater control over our family's moral and philosophical values, and better awareness of our children's interests.
We dislike the thought of any government agency--no matter how well meaning--directing the raising of our children.
We intend to homeschool because we do not want our children's academic, social, and moral education taken out of our hands.
We believe these areas of a child's education are a parent's responsibility, right, and pleasure.
I'd like you to spend some time going over these lists until you feel they accurately reflect your feelings about homeschooling your children. When I did these exercises, I had only a vague idea about why I wanted to homeschool and what kind of education I wanted to help my children acquire. These simple exercises helped me to ?solidify? my ideas and provided the basis for our future homeschooling methods. I hope they help you to do the same. Keep these lists in a safe place and add to them as you explore the possibility of homeschooling your child.
About The Author
Anita York has been homeschooling her four youngest children for the past 15 years. In addition, she teaches other homeschoolers at two resource centers, and is a contracted Senior Editor, Editor, Copyeditor and Manuscript Screener for three publishers.
Her book "You CAN Homeschool Your Child" is available from One-At-A-Time Enterprises, the business she started with her homeschoolers. Available at: http://www.L7S.net/Item.php?ID=YC000.
Her home business, EagleMountain Reading, Writing, and Research Services http://www.L7s.net/eaglemountain provides a variety of services geared towards helping beginning as well as established authors with various aspects of the writing process. support@L7S.net
Using the Library for HomeschoolingHomeschooling — Is It Worth It?Homeschooling — Can I Do It?Facing the Homeschool Super MomWhat Is Homeschooling And How Do I know If It's Right For My Family?
15 Ekim 2007 Pazartesi
What Is Homeschooling And How Do I know If It's Right For My Family?
by: Anita York
Do you know what these famous people have in common?
Alexander Graham Bell
George Patton
Albert Einstein
Benjamin Franklin
Winston Churchill
Agatha Christie
George Bernard Shaw
Will Rogers
If you guessed that they were all homeschoolers, you'd be correct. This is a very short list of famous and successful people who were educated at home. If you would like to expand this list, do a search on the Internet for ?famous homeschoolers.? There are many websites that list these people and some provide detailed biographies. There is even a book called, aptly, ?Famous Homeschoolers,? by Nancy and Malcolm Plant. (http://www.fun-books.com/specials.htm)
The point here is to get into the mindset that people can be educated and become successful adults without attending public school. And because I can almost ?hear? what you are thinking, no, it is not necessary to have a high school diploma to go to college.
So what is homeschooling? In the broadest sense, homeschooling is educating your children at home. You, as parent, become teacher. Parents homeschool for more reasons than you can imagine. Some want to avoid having their children exposed to violence and peer pressure. Some homeschool so that they can make sure their children's education adheres to their religious beliefs. Some live a different lifestyle?perhaps they travel a lot?and want their children's schooling to be flexible enough to fit around that life style. And some, like me, simply enjoy being with their children. They don't want the public school to interrupt and weaken the parent/child bond that they have been working hard to create for the first five years of their child's life.
Just as there are many reasons to homeschool, there are many methods of homeschooling. All the way from ?un-schooling? (learning by doing, learning from life, not using textbook type materials) to ?school at home? (using textbooks at desks set up in a schoolroom at home) and everything in between. It's very easy to find hundreds of homeschool Websites by using a search engine, but just to get you started, try:
Jon's Homeschool Resource Page http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs/
When I decided to write this article, I thought hard about what I could offer that wasn't being displayed on thousands of Websites on the Internet. I realized that the only thing I have to offer anyone interested in homeschooling is?my experience. So everything in the article below comes from my fifteen years of experience homeschooling my four youngest children. I hope it is of some use to you.
Deciding to homeschool your child may be one of the most important decisions you ever make as a parent, and it will take a lot of thought and soul searching. To the newcomer, it may seem impossible, overwhelming and very, very lonely. But like most huge obstacles, once it's broken down into smaller pieces, it becomes manageable. We'll take it one step at a time, in small enough chunks to get a hold of. So, if you're game, roll up your sleeves and let's get to work figuring out if homeschooling is for you and your child.
First things first. Organization is the key. Get a three-ring binder (homeschooling parent's LOVE three-ring binders) and put a label on the front. (If you've made the transition to digital record keeping, you can just start a folder on the computer. But it's not as much fun.) Label it something serious, like ? My Homeschooling Plans? or ?Homeschooling Thoughts.? Put some paper in the binder, find a really comfortable ink pen, and sit down somewhere quiet.
Ready? Good. Now, let's get started.
What are your reasons for considering homeschooling? Even if you haven't actually made the decision to homeschool, the fact that you are here reading this article says you are curious. Perhaps you honestly don't know the answer yet?and that's ok. The remainder of this article is going to try to help you start to find those answers.
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state has it's own set of laws that must be followed. Compulsory (how I hate that word) education here in Washington State starts at the age of 8. Even though I had been homeschooling him from birth, to stay legal once my son reached 8-years old, I was required to become ?certified.? That meant I either had to have two years of college education, or take a ?certification class.? I met this requirement by taking an independent correspondence class, during which I was asked to put on paper my goals, philosophies and reasons for wanting to homeschool. I'd like to help you do the same right now.
Start a page--either the ?tree? kind or a file on the computer?and title it ?My Educational Beliefs.? List what personal beliefs you have about education?especially the education of your own children. Get as detailed as you can here--the value is in the thinking process behind the list. Take your time, I'm in no hurry.
As an example to get you started, I'm going to share with you what I wrote on my list nine years ago.
My Educational Beliefs
1. I believe my child's attitude about learning should be:
One of continual curiosity and seeking of knowledge.
2. I believe my child's learning should lead towards a lifestyle that is:
Rural, physically active, creative.
3. I believe these basic values should be part of my child's learning:
Respect for others
Loyalty to family and friends
Honesty
Generosity
4. I believe children learn best:
Through hands-on learning experience, reading, workbooks.
5. I believe a teacher should:
Provide side-by-side assistance and direction.
Interact with the child.
Provide the structure within which the child may explore, experiment, study and achieve.
Provide a good example of excitement in learning.
6. Other beliefs:
I believe my child should grow up to be self-reliant and occupationally secure in a field of high interest to them.
Now, that wasn't too bad, was it? Don't give up on this until you have at least something written down, but don't agonize over it either. You can come back to it later if need be. Next, start a paper or file titled ?Life Goals For My Child.?
I want you to write down what kind of person you envision your child being as an adult. What are your hopes and dreams for him/her? What educational gifts do you hope to be able to help them find that will serve them their entire lives?
I'll share mine from 9 years ago, just to get you started.
?Life Goals for My Child?
7. Be literate.
8. Be self-reliant.
9. Compete well in their chosen field of occupation.
10. Appreciate art, music, and literature.
11. Be creative.
12. Be inventive and resourceful.
13. Be healthy, mentally and physically.
14. Co-operate with others.
15. Maintain a strong sense of self-worth.
16. Maintain a life-long curiosity, seeking knowledge as a way of life.
17. Look to the future with a sense of excitement and adventure.
For the last exercise, start a third paper titled: Why We (I) Am Going To Homeschool Our (My) Child? (Yes, single parents can successfully homeschool their children.) You may not have all the answers for this one yet either, but just get something down. All of these ideas and beliefs can start getting mixed in with other people's opinions once we start educating ourselves in depth about homeschooling, and you'll be glad you have these lists tucked away.
Okay, here's my old list:
Why We Are Going To Homeschool Our Children
Our family consists of myself, my husband, a 21-year-old daughter, a 19-year-old daughter, an 8-year-old son, a 7-year-old daughter, a 4-½ year old daughter, and an unborn son due in 6 months. My two oldest daughters (from my first marriage) were in the public school system for the whole of their educational years. It is largely a dissatisfaction with the public schools and all it's attendant problems (academic, social, and moral) that has caused us to make the decision to homeschool our youngest children. We decided, even before our 8-year-old son (the oldest of the younger set) was born, that somehow we would find an alternative to the public schools.
We want to homeschool for some additional reasons. We want added closeness with our children. We want more independence, greater control over our family's moral and philosophical values, and better awareness of our children's interests.
We dislike the thought of any government agency--no matter how well meaning--directing the raising of our children.
We intend to homeschool because we do not want our children's academic, social, and moral education taken out of our hands.
We believe these areas of a child's education are a parent's responsibility, right, and pleasure.
I'd like you to spend some time going over these lists until you feel they accurately reflect your feelings about homeschooling your children. When I did these exercises, I had only a vague idea about why I wanted to homeschool and what kind of education I wanted to help my children acquire. These simple exercises helped me to ?solidify? my ideas and provided the basis for our future homeschooling methods. I hope they help you to do the same. Keep these lists in a safe place and add to them as you explore the possibility of homeschooling your child.
About The Author
Anita York has been homeschooling her four youngest children for the past 15 years. In addition, she teaches other homeschoolers at two resource centers, and is a contracted Senior Editor, Editor, Copyeditor and Manuscript Screener for three publishers.
Her book "You CAN Homeschool Your Child" is available from One-At-A-Time Enterprises, the business she started with her homeschoolers. Available at: http://www.L7S.net/Item.php?ID=YC000.
Her home business, EagleMountain Reading, Writing, and Research Services http://www.L7s.net/eaglemountain provides a variety of services geared towards helping beginning as well as established authors with various aspects of the writing process. support@L7S.net
Do you know what these famous people have in common?
Alexander Graham Bell
George Patton
Albert Einstein
Benjamin Franklin
Winston Churchill
Agatha Christie
George Bernard Shaw
Will Rogers
If you guessed that they were all homeschoolers, you'd be correct. This is a very short list of famous and successful people who were educated at home. If you would like to expand this list, do a search on the Internet for ?famous homeschoolers.? There are many websites that list these people and some provide detailed biographies. There is even a book called, aptly, ?Famous Homeschoolers,? by Nancy and Malcolm Plant. (http://www.fun-books.com/specials.htm)
The point here is to get into the mindset that people can be educated and become successful adults without attending public school. And because I can almost ?hear? what you are thinking, no, it is not necessary to have a high school diploma to go to college.
So what is homeschooling? In the broadest sense, homeschooling is educating your children at home. You, as parent, become teacher. Parents homeschool for more reasons than you can imagine. Some want to avoid having their children exposed to violence and peer pressure. Some homeschool so that they can make sure their children's education adheres to their religious beliefs. Some live a different lifestyle?perhaps they travel a lot?and want their children's schooling to be flexible enough to fit around that life style. And some, like me, simply enjoy being with their children. They don't want the public school to interrupt and weaken the parent/child bond that they have been working hard to create for the first five years of their child's life.
Just as there are many reasons to homeschool, there are many methods of homeschooling. All the way from ?un-schooling? (learning by doing, learning from life, not using textbook type materials) to ?school at home? (using textbooks at desks set up in a schoolroom at home) and everything in between. It's very easy to find hundreds of homeschool Websites by using a search engine, but just to get you started, try:
Jon's Homeschool Resource Page http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs/
When I decided to write this article, I thought hard about what I could offer that wasn't being displayed on thousands of Websites on the Internet. I realized that the only thing I have to offer anyone interested in homeschooling is?my experience. So everything in the article below comes from my fifteen years of experience homeschooling my four youngest children. I hope it is of some use to you.
Deciding to homeschool your child may be one of the most important decisions you ever make as a parent, and it will take a lot of thought and soul searching. To the newcomer, it may seem impossible, overwhelming and very, very lonely. But like most huge obstacles, once it's broken down into smaller pieces, it becomes manageable. We'll take it one step at a time, in small enough chunks to get a hold of. So, if you're game, roll up your sleeves and let's get to work figuring out if homeschooling is for you and your child.
First things first. Organization is the key. Get a three-ring binder (homeschooling parent's LOVE three-ring binders) and put a label on the front. (If you've made the transition to digital record keeping, you can just start a folder on the computer. But it's not as much fun.) Label it something serious, like ? My Homeschooling Plans? or ?Homeschooling Thoughts.? Put some paper in the binder, find a really comfortable ink pen, and sit down somewhere quiet.
Ready? Good. Now, let's get started.
What are your reasons for considering homeschooling? Even if you haven't actually made the decision to homeschool, the fact that you are here reading this article says you are curious. Perhaps you honestly don't know the answer yet?and that's ok. The remainder of this article is going to try to help you start to find those answers.
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state has it's own set of laws that must be followed. Compulsory (how I hate that word) education here in Washington State starts at the age of 8. Even though I had been homeschooling him from birth, to stay legal once my son reached 8-years old, I was required to become ?certified.? That meant I either had to have two years of college education, or take a ?certification class.? I met this requirement by taking an independent correspondence class, during which I was asked to put on paper my goals, philosophies and reasons for wanting to homeschool. I'd like to help you do the same right now.
Start a page--either the ?tree? kind or a file on the computer?and title it ?My Educational Beliefs.? List what personal beliefs you have about education?especially the education of your own children. Get as detailed as you can here--the value is in the thinking process behind the list. Take your time, I'm in no hurry.
As an example to get you started, I'm going to share with you what I wrote on my list nine years ago.
My Educational Beliefs
1. I believe my child's attitude about learning should be:
One of continual curiosity and seeking of knowledge.
2. I believe my child's learning should lead towards a lifestyle that is:
Rural, physically active, creative.
3. I believe these basic values should be part of my child's learning:
Respect for others
Loyalty to family and friends
Honesty
Generosity
4. I believe children learn best:
Through hands-on learning experience, reading, workbooks.
5. I believe a teacher should:
Provide side-by-side assistance and direction.
Interact with the child.
Provide the structure within which the child may explore, experiment, study and achieve.
Provide a good example of excitement in learning.
6. Other beliefs:
I believe my child should grow up to be self-reliant and occupationally secure in a field of high interest to them.
Now, that wasn't too bad, was it? Don't give up on this until you have at least something written down, but don't agonize over it either. You can come back to it later if need be. Next, start a paper or file titled ?Life Goals For My Child.?
I want you to write down what kind of person you envision your child being as an adult. What are your hopes and dreams for him/her? What educational gifts do you hope to be able to help them find that will serve them their entire lives?
I'll share mine from 9 years ago, just to get you started.
?Life Goals for My Child?
7. Be literate.
8. Be self-reliant.
9. Compete well in their chosen field of occupation.
10. Appreciate art, music, and literature.
11. Be creative.
12. Be inventive and resourceful.
13. Be healthy, mentally and physically.
14. Co-operate with others.
15. Maintain a strong sense of self-worth.
16. Maintain a life-long curiosity, seeking knowledge as a way of life.
17. Look to the future with a sense of excitement and adventure.
For the last exercise, start a third paper titled: Why We (I) Am Going To Homeschool Our (My) Child? (Yes, single parents can successfully homeschool their children.) You may not have all the answers for this one yet either, but just get something down. All of these ideas and beliefs can start getting mixed in with other people's opinions once we start educating ourselves in depth about homeschooling, and you'll be glad you have these lists tucked away.
Okay, here's my old list:
Why We Are Going To Homeschool Our Children
Our family consists of myself, my husband, a 21-year-old daughter, a 19-year-old daughter, an 8-year-old son, a 7-year-old daughter, a 4-½ year old daughter, and an unborn son due in 6 months. My two oldest daughters (from my first marriage) were in the public school system for the whole of their educational years. It is largely a dissatisfaction with the public schools and all it's attendant problems (academic, social, and moral) that has caused us to make the decision to homeschool our youngest children. We decided, even before our 8-year-old son (the oldest of the younger set) was born, that somehow we would find an alternative to the public schools.
We want to homeschool for some additional reasons. We want added closeness with our children. We want more independence, greater control over our family's moral and philosophical values, and better awareness of our children's interests.
We dislike the thought of any government agency--no matter how well meaning--directing the raising of our children.
We intend to homeschool because we do not want our children's academic, social, and moral education taken out of our hands.
We believe these areas of a child's education are a parent's responsibility, right, and pleasure.
I'd like you to spend some time going over these lists until you feel they accurately reflect your feelings about homeschooling your children. When I did these exercises, I had only a vague idea about why I wanted to homeschool and what kind of education I wanted to help my children acquire. These simple exercises helped me to ?solidify? my ideas and provided the basis for our future homeschooling methods. I hope they help you to do the same. Keep these lists in a safe place and add to them as you explore the possibility of homeschooling your child.
About The Author
Anita York has been homeschooling her four youngest children for the past 15 years. In addition, she teaches other homeschoolers at two resource centers, and is a contracted Senior Editor, Editor, Copyeditor and Manuscript Screener for three publishers.
Her book "You CAN Homeschool Your Child" is available from One-At-A-Time Enterprises, the business she started with her homeschoolers. Available at: http://www.L7S.net/Item.php?ID=YC000.
Her home business, EagleMountain Reading, Writing, and Research Services http://www.L7s.net/eaglemountain provides a variety of services geared towards helping beginning as well as established authors with various aspects of the writing process. support@L7S.net
Facing the Homeschool Super Mom
by: Laura Bankston
I know this Mom. She homeschools her 5 children, plus she tutors several other children that are dropped off at her house. AND she's a Pastor's wife. AND she's working on fixing up the fixer-upper they just moved into. Whenever I've been in her house, it's been immaculate. Her children all have perfect manners. They all seem to be way ahead of their grade level. She's definitely gotta be a Homeschool Super Mom.
You're probably thinking of someone like this too, right? Someone that made you think, "Man, my son isn't reading as well as hers." or "My house isn't as clean as hers." Or a million other things.
And you probably discovered her when you were new to homeschooling. When you were already feeling uncertain in your new endeavors. You were already putting high expectations on yourself. You were constantly analyzing to be sure you were doing everything right. And as a result, you tend to be a little over-sensitive about what other's are accomplishing around you without giving enough credit to yourself.
So, it's really important that you remember (as a new homeschooler or a seasoned one) these basic principles that we all so easily forget:
"The 4 Basic Principles That Conquer the 'Super-Moms' Syndrome"
Principle #1: We always see other's through glasses that make them larger than life. When I was a teenager, there was this lady in our church. Her hair and makeup was always perfect. She lived in a big, expensive home. She was very stylish and her kids were so cool. I always wanted to grow up and have that.
But I don't anymore.
I'd rather have my house that gets messy 5 minutes after it gets picked up, my hair that falls down into my eyes as I pick up my children, and my face that only gets makeup on Sunday. Why you may ask? Well, here's why. I'm happy. I love my family, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
The lady I had idolized as a teen? She still has her perfect home and impeccable style. But, she has a marriage without love and children who are stuck up adults who ignore her totally.
I had seen her through glasses that made her larger than life. In the end, she's not any bigger or greater than me. In fact, she probably wishes that she had my life!
So, if you start to think about someone else who seems to have the life you want, STOP LOOKING! Instead, sit down and make a list of 100 good things in your life--from the air you breathe, to the heat in your home, to the kisses from your child. I guarantee that you'll feel better about yourself that you ever have before.
Principle #2: Everyone has their own unique gift. Everyone has their own unique ability and we tend to notice in other's the abilities that might be our "weak" ones.
For instance, if you think you're house is always messy, you'll seem to know all these people who have perfectly neat homes.
For an example from my life, I have a son who struggles with speech and it seems like every other parent within a 100 mile radius have children with perfect diction. But you know that's not the way it is. My son might not pronounce every phonic sound correctly--yet!--but he has so many other gifts that hardly make that one seem important.
For instance, no one notices his speech. They always comment, though, how loving he is. Just running up to people and giving them hugs. And he has fun no matter what he does. Can you believe one day I actually heard myself saying, "Ryan. Stop that. Not everything is supposed to be fun." I had to step back and slap myself. Then I said, "Never mind. Mommy was wrong. Have as much fun as you can." And I learned a lesson from that.
So, forget about what the homeschooled Jones' are doing. Discover your child's unique ability and relish in it and develop it and learn from it.
Right now, at the end of your list of 100 things that you're grateful for, list 10 wonderful qualities or abilities for yourself and each of your children. Work on acknowledging, praising, and being thankful for all of your gifts. And don't forget to thank God that you got the greatest kids ever born on this earth.
Principle #3: It doesn't matter what others think. I know, it seems easier said than done. But I guarantee that if you've actually taken the time to write down your list of 100 things that you're grateful for and 10 wonderful qualities of your child, that you won't care what other people think because you will know and appreciate what you have.
And, see, it really doesn't matter what other people think.
What matters is what's important to you. Your core values. Your beliefs. Your ethics. How do you want your children to be as adults? Hey, write it down right now. 5 things you want your child to be as an adult.
Okay, I'll do it right now too for Ryan who is 6 years old--but do yours before you read mine: A loving husband and father An honest, ethical entrepreneur Faithful in service to God Kind, thoughtful, and helpful to those less fortunate Thankful and content for what he can do and what he has Now, I'll bet that you had similar types of things. Not, "makes $1,000,000 by age 30" or "wins he Miss America contest".
Focus on developing and rearing your child to have those 5 qualities, and I'll guarantee that the fact that Mrs. Smith's daughter who is 2 years younger than yours is reading book three times as difficult. Geez, that's a real life skill. You see what I'm getting at?
Principle #4: When you say "yes" to one thing, you are always saying "no" to something else. Have you ever heard that before? I heard that from an owner of a successful multi-million dollar business. That was the simple rule that he used to prioritize his life. When he sat at his desk with phone messages to return, he would literally think, "If I say 'yes' to calling this person, what will I be saying 'no' to?" When someone would asked to do something, he was able to say "no", knowing that if he said "yes" to that project, that he would be saying "no" to extra time with his family.
This principle applies to everyone whether they are conscious of it or not.
Mrs. Smith who is working so hard to have her child advanced in reading is saying "no" to some other educational area. Or, Suzie Homeschool Super Mom up the street who has her immaculate home is saying "no" to time with her kids or family or something else.
The same applies to me. I've said "yes" to this homeschool site, so I've had to say "no" to things like having a perfectly neat house, laundry always done and put away, and a 5 course home-cooked meal on the table by 5:00 every night.
Only say "yes" to the things that are important to you. (See, you don't know it, but I've been gone for 20 minutes. My daughter came downstairs crying, and I stopped to take care of her. And I've also acquired a set of ear muffs made from pipecleaners and pom-poms.) So, as I was saying, say "yes" ONLY to the things that are most important to you. And know ahead of time what you'll be saying "no" to before you say "yes"!
Principle #5: Take advantage of every possible tool. That's right. I don't lift a finger (well, hardly a finger) to clean my home as I have cleaner's come twice a week to take care of that responsibility for me. And to solve my meal preparation dilemma? I purchase items that can be thrown in the oven and get side dishes that are quick and easy.
You can do similar things. I have a homeschooling friend who takes one day a month and cooks all day to makes meals for 30 days that she freezes and uses one at a time. And I thought she cooked from scratch every night!
Having difficulties organizing? Don't fight it. Buy something that organizes your stuff or forget it. It really isn't that important to waste time stressing over!
Use all the tools you can, and leave everything else to collect dust.
So whatever happened to that super mom?
Hopefully by now you've done the exercises or at least skimmed enough here and there to know that there is no super mom except the unrealistic giant you've created in your mind. Instead, you should have a full, realistic view of the gifts and treasures that you possess and a new appreciation for all you get done and how you can enjoy doing what you do a little more! If you've done that, than I wasn't wrong in saying "yes" to this project!
Release your worries and enjoy life!
About The Author
Laura Bankston is author of Internationally selling Cooking with Kids Curriculum: Homeschool Cooking in a Box and the Homeschool Cookbook. She currently home schools her three children, maintains home school support websites, and manages their family-owned service business. For information on her curriculum and free home school support services, please visit http://www.homeschoolcookbook.com laura@homeschoolcookbook.com
I know this Mom. She homeschools her 5 children, plus she tutors several other children that are dropped off at her house. AND she's a Pastor's wife. AND she's working on fixing up the fixer-upper they just moved into. Whenever I've been in her house, it's been immaculate. Her children all have perfect manners. They all seem to be way ahead of their grade level. She's definitely gotta be a Homeschool Super Mom.
You're probably thinking of someone like this too, right? Someone that made you think, "Man, my son isn't reading as well as hers." or "My house isn't as clean as hers." Or a million other things.
And you probably discovered her when you were new to homeschooling. When you were already feeling uncertain in your new endeavors. You were already putting high expectations on yourself. You were constantly analyzing to be sure you were doing everything right. And as a result, you tend to be a little over-sensitive about what other's are accomplishing around you without giving enough credit to yourself.
So, it's really important that you remember (as a new homeschooler or a seasoned one) these basic principles that we all so easily forget:
"The 4 Basic Principles That Conquer the 'Super-Moms' Syndrome"
Principle #1: We always see other's through glasses that make them larger than life. When I was a teenager, there was this lady in our church. Her hair and makeup was always perfect. She lived in a big, expensive home. She was very stylish and her kids were so cool. I always wanted to grow up and have that.
But I don't anymore.
I'd rather have my house that gets messy 5 minutes after it gets picked up, my hair that falls down into my eyes as I pick up my children, and my face that only gets makeup on Sunday. Why you may ask? Well, here's why. I'm happy. I love my family, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
The lady I had idolized as a teen? She still has her perfect home and impeccable style. But, she has a marriage without love and children who are stuck up adults who ignore her totally.
I had seen her through glasses that made her larger than life. In the end, she's not any bigger or greater than me. In fact, she probably wishes that she had my life!
So, if you start to think about someone else who seems to have the life you want, STOP LOOKING! Instead, sit down and make a list of 100 good things in your life--from the air you breathe, to the heat in your home, to the kisses from your child. I guarantee that you'll feel better about yourself that you ever have before.
Principle #2: Everyone has their own unique gift. Everyone has their own unique ability and we tend to notice in other's the abilities that might be our "weak" ones.
For instance, if you think you're house is always messy, you'll seem to know all these people who have perfectly neat homes.
For an example from my life, I have a son who struggles with speech and it seems like every other parent within a 100 mile radius have children with perfect diction. But you know that's not the way it is. My son might not pronounce every phonic sound correctly--yet!--but he has so many other gifts that hardly make that one seem important.
For instance, no one notices his speech. They always comment, though, how loving he is. Just running up to people and giving them hugs. And he has fun no matter what he does. Can you believe one day I actually heard myself saying, "Ryan. Stop that. Not everything is supposed to be fun." I had to step back and slap myself. Then I said, "Never mind. Mommy was wrong. Have as much fun as you can." And I learned a lesson from that.
So, forget about what the homeschooled Jones' are doing. Discover your child's unique ability and relish in it and develop it and learn from it.
Right now, at the end of your list of 100 things that you're grateful for, list 10 wonderful qualities or abilities for yourself and each of your children. Work on acknowledging, praising, and being thankful for all of your gifts. And don't forget to thank God that you got the greatest kids ever born on this earth.
Principle #3: It doesn't matter what others think. I know, it seems easier said than done. But I guarantee that if you've actually taken the time to write down your list of 100 things that you're grateful for and 10 wonderful qualities of your child, that you won't care what other people think because you will know and appreciate what you have.
And, see, it really doesn't matter what other people think.
What matters is what's important to you. Your core values. Your beliefs. Your ethics. How do you want your children to be as adults? Hey, write it down right now. 5 things you want your child to be as an adult.
Okay, I'll do it right now too for Ryan who is 6 years old--but do yours before you read mine: A loving husband and father An honest, ethical entrepreneur Faithful in service to God Kind, thoughtful, and helpful to those less fortunate Thankful and content for what he can do and what he has Now, I'll bet that you had similar types of things. Not, "makes $1,000,000 by age 30" or "wins he Miss America contest".
Focus on developing and rearing your child to have those 5 qualities, and I'll guarantee that the fact that Mrs. Smith's daughter who is 2 years younger than yours is reading book three times as difficult. Geez, that's a real life skill. You see what I'm getting at?
Principle #4: When you say "yes" to one thing, you are always saying "no" to something else. Have you ever heard that before? I heard that from an owner of a successful multi-million dollar business. That was the simple rule that he used to prioritize his life. When he sat at his desk with phone messages to return, he would literally think, "If I say 'yes' to calling this person, what will I be saying 'no' to?" When someone would asked to do something, he was able to say "no", knowing that if he said "yes" to that project, that he would be saying "no" to extra time with his family.
This principle applies to everyone whether they are conscious of it or not.
Mrs. Smith who is working so hard to have her child advanced in reading is saying "no" to some other educational area. Or, Suzie Homeschool Super Mom up the street who has her immaculate home is saying "no" to time with her kids or family or something else.
The same applies to me. I've said "yes" to this homeschool site, so I've had to say "no" to things like having a perfectly neat house, laundry always done and put away, and a 5 course home-cooked meal on the table by 5:00 every night.
Only say "yes" to the things that are important to you. (See, you don't know it, but I've been gone for 20 minutes. My daughter came downstairs crying, and I stopped to take care of her. And I've also acquired a set of ear muffs made from pipecleaners and pom-poms.) So, as I was saying, say "yes" ONLY to the things that are most important to you. And know ahead of time what you'll be saying "no" to before you say "yes"!
Principle #5: Take advantage of every possible tool. That's right. I don't lift a finger (well, hardly a finger) to clean my home as I have cleaner's come twice a week to take care of that responsibility for me. And to solve my meal preparation dilemma? I purchase items that can be thrown in the oven and get side dishes that are quick and easy.
You can do similar things. I have a homeschooling friend who takes one day a month and cooks all day to makes meals for 30 days that she freezes and uses one at a time. And I thought she cooked from scratch every night!
Having difficulties organizing? Don't fight it. Buy something that organizes your stuff or forget it. It really isn't that important to waste time stressing over!
Use all the tools you can, and leave everything else to collect dust.
So whatever happened to that super mom?
Hopefully by now you've done the exercises or at least skimmed enough here and there to know that there is no super mom except the unrealistic giant you've created in your mind. Instead, you should have a full, realistic view of the gifts and treasures that you possess and a new appreciation for all you get done and how you can enjoy doing what you do a little more! If you've done that, than I wasn't wrong in saying "yes" to this project!
Release your worries and enjoy life!
About The Author
Laura Bankston is author of Internationally selling Cooking with Kids Curriculum: Homeschool Cooking in a Box and the Homeschool Cookbook. She currently home schools her three children, maintains home school support websites, and manages their family-owned service business. For information on her curriculum and free home school support services, please visit http://www.homeschoolcookbook.com laura@homeschoolcookbook.com
Homeschooling — Can I Do It?
by: Joel Turtel
Many parents would like to homeschool their children but are afraid they don’t have the training or ability to be their children’s teacher. This is certainly understandable, because many parents never had any formal training to be a teacher. However, most parents don’t have to worry about this issue.
There is literally a supermarket of education resources available for parents to choose from to help them homeschool their children. These include low-cost Internet private schools that take most of the homeschooling burden off parents’ backs. There are also hundreds of low-cost instruction books on how to teach your child reading, math, and many other subjects. These are available in most libraries and great book stores like Barnes
About The Author
Joel Turtel is the author of “Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children." Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com. Email: lbooksusa@aol.com, Phone: 718-447-7348.
Many parents would like to homeschool their children but are afraid they don’t have the training or ability to be their children’s teacher. This is certainly understandable, because many parents never had any formal training to be a teacher. However, most parents don’t have to worry about this issue.
There is literally a supermarket of education resources available for parents to choose from to help them homeschool their children. These include low-cost Internet private schools that take most of the homeschooling burden off parents’ backs. There are also hundreds of low-cost instruction books on how to teach your child reading, math, and many other subjects. These are available in most libraries and great book stores like Barnes
About The Author
Joel Turtel is the author of “Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children." Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com. Email: lbooksusa@aol.com, Phone: 718-447-7348.
Homeschooling — Is It Worth It?
by: Joel Turtel
Suppose that you rearrange your life to homeschool your child and the experiment fails? You may feel that you’ve disrupted your life and wasted a year of your child’s time. Your child may even be kept back a grade by the local public school.
The answer to this concern is, can you risk not trying? Isn’t your child’s future worth the risk? If you see that your child is getting a bad education in public school, the worst thing to do is nothing. Then there is no chance of improvement. If you leave your children in public school, chances are great that their ability to read, self-esteem, and love of learning may be damaged, and they can waste twelve years of their lives. Look at the potential consequences to your child if you don’t try other education alternatives.
The real question is this: Is good enough, good enough for your child? Your child is unique and precious. He or she is born with a love of learning and a unique potential. Your child’s love of learning, self-confidence, and potential can be squashed in the rigid atmosphere of public schools. Is a third-rate public-school education good enough for your child. If you could give your child a rich, fun, rewarding education that will make your child’s mind and future blossom, isn’t that worth the risk of trying?
Money Doesn’t Have To Stop You Anymore
If the only problem is money because you can’t afford $8000 a year private schools, then happily there is a great new option for you—Internet private schools. These schools are low-cost and can give your child a fun, quality, and rewarding education. Many of these schools cost less than $850 a year tuition, which is less than $85 a month for a ten-month school year.
While no one can guarantee you success, like anything else in life, if you keep trying, you will probably succeed in giving your child a great education at home. If you say to yourself, “I will make this work, for my child’s sake,” you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.
Tell yourself what Gene Kranz, actor Ed Harris’s character in the movie Apollo 13, said to his Houston crew about rescuing the astronauts in trouble: “Failure is not an option.” If you say this and mean it, you’re halfway to success for yourself and your child.
Article Copyrighted © 2005 by Joel Turtel.
About The Author
Joel Turtel is the author of “Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children." Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com. Email: lbooksusa@aol.com, Phone: 718-447-7348.
Suppose that you rearrange your life to homeschool your child and the experiment fails? You may feel that you’ve disrupted your life and wasted a year of your child’s time. Your child may even be kept back a grade by the local public school.
The answer to this concern is, can you risk not trying? Isn’t your child’s future worth the risk? If you see that your child is getting a bad education in public school, the worst thing to do is nothing. Then there is no chance of improvement. If you leave your children in public school, chances are great that their ability to read, self-esteem, and love of learning may be damaged, and they can waste twelve years of their lives. Look at the potential consequences to your child if you don’t try other education alternatives.
The real question is this: Is good enough, good enough for your child? Your child is unique and precious. He or she is born with a love of learning and a unique potential. Your child’s love of learning, self-confidence, and potential can be squashed in the rigid atmosphere of public schools. Is a third-rate public-school education good enough for your child. If you could give your child a rich, fun, rewarding education that will make your child’s mind and future blossom, isn’t that worth the risk of trying?
Money Doesn’t Have To Stop You Anymore
If the only problem is money because you can’t afford $8000 a year private schools, then happily there is a great new option for you—Internet private schools. These schools are low-cost and can give your child a fun, quality, and rewarding education. Many of these schools cost less than $850 a year tuition, which is less than $85 a month for a ten-month school year.
While no one can guarantee you success, like anything else in life, if you keep trying, you will probably succeed in giving your child a great education at home. If you say to yourself, “I will make this work, for my child’s sake,” you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.
Tell yourself what Gene Kranz, actor Ed Harris’s character in the movie Apollo 13, said to his Houston crew about rescuing the astronauts in trouble: “Failure is not an option.” If you say this and mean it, you’re halfway to success for yourself and your child.
Article Copyrighted © 2005 by Joel Turtel.
About The Author
Joel Turtel is the author of “Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children." Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com. Email: lbooksusa@aol.com, Phone: 718-447-7348.
Using the Library for Homeschooling
by: Lorraine Curry
Where can homeschoolers get unlimited educational materials and not spend a dime? The library, of course! What a blessing to be able to bring home stacks and stacks of books, all for free. The library makes homeschooling an option for parents who could not afford it otherwise.
According to various experts, and proven by our own experiences, reading aloud is the very best educational activity. The library is the place to get the books for doing this. When reading aloud you will be able to skip over really objectionable parts of books; or discuss world views. An example of this was the book that we used when studying slavery and the Civil War. We checked out a book of the slaves own words. Rather than pass over such interesting and accurate history, I passed over the few passages about nudity.
Scope and Sequence
A good place to start is with a plan, your scope and sequence. The scope and sequence gives details on what you will be teaching (scope) and in what order (sequence). The scope and sequence is usually written for one year at a time.
There are guides available that are quite helpful for writing the scope and sequence. One is World Book's Typical Course of Study. I thought it overwhelming and simplified it for the Course of Study in my book, Easy Homeschooling Techniques. Even a text's table of contents can be used as a a guide for a subject.
As well as helping with choosing resources from the library, a scope and sequence will make it easier to plan your daily schedule. You will also be able to see at any point during the year, what you have covered and what needs to be learned next.
Begin
Begin a rough draft. As main points (I, II, III, IV, etc.), list the major subject areas you will cover, such as Bible, Math, Language Arts, Health, Science and History. Leave plenty of room between your points, so that you can list subordinate topics beneath the main points. You may add Music and Art as well. (You could study the art and music of the time period you are covering in history.)
Now, pick and list the topics (from the guide) that you would like to cover. Get your children's input . You may end up with more than necessary. Remember, this is a rough draft! Look at grades around your child's grade, so you can have a continuity from year to year in subjects such as history. (See sidebar for an example of a history plan.)
Put some order into the jumble of science topics in Typical Course of Study when writing the scope and sequence. Choose one field of science (chemistry, physics, biology, etc.) to focus on each year, or spend the year studying scientists and discoveries from the same historical period you are studying. Tobins Lab's catalog has science topics arranged in an orderly fashion.
If you have children in several different grades, perhaps you can combine the topics or pick one that all can learn at the same time. I did this frequently with History, Science, and Health. Teach your children who are close in age the same Math and Language Arts. Look through several of the grades and plan ahead to achieve a continuity from year to year.
Choosing Books From The Library
Once your scope and sequence is completed, you have the easy job of picking out armfuls of books on a regular basis to fulfill the learning goals of your plan. With so many libraries having computerized card catalogs, this is quick work. Type in the era or topic, such as "civil war."
With this method one thing leads to another and soon you will read in one book about a person whose biography you can then borrow. Many homeschoolers favor the old Landmark, Signature or the We Were There biographies, which your library may still have. More eloquent writing was done by authors like G.A. Henty, Oliver Optic or Horatio Alger who wrote about various historical periods. We used the children's section of the library almost exclusively for many appropriate non-fiction books on a wide variety of topics when our children were younger. We also found some wonderful classic novels in the adult section, such as a fragile copy of the Christian colossus about slavery, Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Other Ideas
For foreign language, check out videos or cassette tapes. Do an intensive study during the time you have the tapes. Then in a week or so check them out again and do another study. Keep doing this until done with the course.
Most libraries have computers for public use, sometimes with good quality learning software. Have your child work on one of these while you are looking for books. Keep track of progress made each visit.
Use the library's newspapers for current events classes.
See more easy tips, including detailed planning how-to's in EasyHomeschooling Techniques http://www.easyhomeschooling.com/frtechniques.html
About The Author
Lorraine Curry is the author of 5 Star Easy Homeschooling books. See and link to more articles, FREE copywork, subscriptions, ebooks and more at http://www.easyhomeschooling.com
Where can homeschoolers get unlimited educational materials and not spend a dime? The library, of course! What a blessing to be able to bring home stacks and stacks of books, all for free. The library makes homeschooling an option for parents who could not afford it otherwise.
According to various experts, and proven by our own experiences, reading aloud is the very best educational activity. The library is the place to get the books for doing this. When reading aloud you will be able to skip over really objectionable parts of books; or discuss world views. An example of this was the book that we used when studying slavery and the Civil War. We checked out a book of the slaves own words. Rather than pass over such interesting and accurate history, I passed over the few passages about nudity.
Scope and Sequence
A good place to start is with a plan, your scope and sequence. The scope and sequence gives details on what you will be teaching (scope) and in what order (sequence). The scope and sequence is usually written for one year at a time.
There are guides available that are quite helpful for writing the scope and sequence. One is World Book's Typical Course of Study. I thought it overwhelming and simplified it for the Course of Study in my book, Easy Homeschooling Techniques. Even a text's table of contents can be used as a a guide for a subject.
As well as helping with choosing resources from the library, a scope and sequence will make it easier to plan your daily schedule. You will also be able to see at any point during the year, what you have covered and what needs to be learned next.
Begin
Begin a rough draft. As main points (I, II, III, IV, etc.), list the major subject areas you will cover, such as Bible, Math, Language Arts, Health, Science and History. Leave plenty of room between your points, so that you can list subordinate topics beneath the main points. You may add Music and Art as well. (You could study the art and music of the time period you are covering in history.)
Now, pick and list the topics (from the guide) that you would like to cover. Get your children's input . You may end up with more than necessary. Remember, this is a rough draft! Look at grades around your child's grade, so you can have a continuity from year to year in subjects such as history. (See sidebar for an example of a history plan.)
Put some order into the jumble of science topics in Typical Course of Study when writing the scope and sequence. Choose one field of science (chemistry, physics, biology, etc.) to focus on each year, or spend the year studying scientists and discoveries from the same historical period you are studying. Tobins Lab's catalog has science topics arranged in an orderly fashion.
If you have children in several different grades, perhaps you can combine the topics or pick one that all can learn at the same time. I did this frequently with History, Science, and Health. Teach your children who are close in age the same Math and Language Arts. Look through several of the grades and plan ahead to achieve a continuity from year to year.
Choosing Books From The Library
Once your scope and sequence is completed, you have the easy job of picking out armfuls of books on a regular basis to fulfill the learning goals of your plan. With so many libraries having computerized card catalogs, this is quick work. Type in the era or topic, such as "civil war."
With this method one thing leads to another and soon you will read in one book about a person whose biography you can then borrow. Many homeschoolers favor the old Landmark, Signature or the We Were There biographies, which your library may still have. More eloquent writing was done by authors like G.A. Henty, Oliver Optic or Horatio Alger who wrote about various historical periods. We used the children's section of the library almost exclusively for many appropriate non-fiction books on a wide variety of topics when our children were younger. We also found some wonderful classic novels in the adult section, such as a fragile copy of the Christian colossus about slavery, Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Other Ideas
For foreign language, check out videos or cassette tapes. Do an intensive study during the time you have the tapes. Then in a week or so check them out again and do another study. Keep doing this until done with the course.
Most libraries have computers for public use, sometimes with good quality learning software. Have your child work on one of these while you are looking for books. Keep track of progress made each visit.
Use the library's newspapers for current events classes.
See more easy tips, including detailed planning how-to's in EasyHomeschooling Techniques http://www.easyhomeschooling.com/frtechniques.html
About The Author
Lorraine Curry is the author of 5 Star Easy Homeschooling books. See and link to more articles, FREE copywork, subscriptions, ebooks and more at http://www.easyhomeschooling.com
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