Another lesson from this year of homeschooling is that it is not necessary to follow your curriculum to the letter. Please understand that I really do love our curriculum, My Father’s World. It is well organized, thorough, and easy to use. However, that does not mean that my kids need to do all of the work or that they have to move just because the curriculum says so. I have learned to do the work that my girls need to do and to change the method of delivery to address the kids’ needs’ and interests. Let me explain.

MFW includes a very thorough phonetically-based reading instruction component. I think the methods used are great and do teach your child to read. You teach 6 types of lessons during the week and then cycle through those types of lessons each week. The specifics in each lesson change as you work through the weeks, but the structure remains the same. At some point in the school year we tired of the repetitiveness of the lessons. At that point I decided to change things around a bit. Sometimes we played games that addressed the same concept to be taught. Other times I added an element of surprise to the original plan. For example, when we sort picture cards by initial sounds, sometimes I have a kid run down the hall with the picture card and match it to the correct letter at the other end of the hall. Once all of the picture cards are gone, we flip the pictures and check the letters on the back and correct any mistakes. My take on the lessons kept things fresh and kept the kids engaged while teaching the necessary concepts.

There were studies that we have been very interested, so I decided to extend the learning. MFW includes lessons on cows, horses, and goats. I added to that by creating a unit on the farm. We visited a couple of farms. We watched videos of the three animals included in our curriculum. We read many books about the farm. We compared cows and goats as well. We even created a very large farm diorama. We completed work for a lapbook on the farm (which I still need to construct). We learned about the farm far longer than we were “supposed” to according to MFW, but that worked for us.

An important part of the curriculum is the math calendar. This includes, among other components, learning the days of the week, the months of the year, and counting the days in school using straws on a hundreds chart. I decided to add Zero the Hero to our school experience. The idea is that every tenth day Zero visits your classroom and leaves something for the children to count and sort. On that day the children count to 100 by ones, twos, fives, and tens and sing special songs and read books about Zero or even a letter written by Zero. It can be a lot of work, but it is so much fun! Zero helps the kids learn place value and counting by running with the kids’ imaginations and by being repetitive (every tenth day you are visited by Zero).

My lesson: Use your curriculum as a guide and add or subtract according to your kids’ needs and interests.

I have some lessons that I learned while homeschooling my kids this year. These insights might help you, too.

This school year we started off with a pretty strict schedule, and I worked hard to ensure that we had school time every day. I was sticking to the curriculum, My Father’s World. I wanted to be sure that we covered everything. We got to work at 8 am and worked until 11 am with a snack in the middle of our schedule. We also had dance lessons, soccer practice, doctor appointments, Mom to Mom, and small group on top of maintaining our home and going to the gym. It was very intense, and we were all exhausted!

I learned my lesson a few months in. Nobody could maintain the rigid schedule I had set up, and homeschooling is supposed to be flexible. Besides, one of our goals this school year was for our children to work and play independently so that I would not have to constantly monitor them. I loosened up on our start time, so that the kids would have more time in the morning (their best time of day) to play together without my interference. I played around with when and where we did school work and streamlined a few things from our curriculum, especially on days when we had things going on outside of our home. I took a long look at the things that we were doing outside of school time and realized that those things really are considered school work, too. For example, we cook and experiment with recipes often, and I read to my kids all of the time. Even when we were not “officially” doing school work, my kids were engaged in educational experiences.

Our relaxed routine has helped me focus on other aspects of my children’s lives. I have been better able to help C6 with her sensory issues and anger management. I can help my kids process problems that come up between them. I can also model social behaviors that I want to see in my children’s interactions with others such as treating others the way you want to be treated, introducing yourself, introducing your friends to each other, and using good manners. These are issues that are as important if not more important than academics.

My lessons: 1) Be more flexible with your schedule and your curriculum. 2) Focus on what is important for your kids.

Photo courtesy of woodleywonderworks

I have been learning to knit recently, and my kids are fascinated by it. They want me to teach them how to do it, but I know that knitting is too difficult for very young children. Grammy suggested that she teach C5 how to crochet instead. I am trilled that she is going to teach her this great craft. Not only will she learn how to crochet, but she will also gain precious memories from the times she shares with her grandmother. If you and your children want to enbark on the adventure of learning to crochet this summer, I have included a video that demonstrates how to start a crochet chain.

It is that time of year when you need to evaluate your child’s progress in your homeschool. Here are a few tips for showcasing your child’s learning.

Create a portfolio of literacy and math skills. There are many ways to keep a portfolio, but here is one quick and simple way of creating one. Include the following items in your portfolio:

1. Information about your child’s literacy. You can find a comprehensive collection of printable assessment forms for all kinds of literacy assessment at Reading A-Z. Here are other ideas to help.

*A reading comprehension assessment is important for you to include because it tells you about your child’s readling level, comprehension skills, and what kinds of books to choose in the future. Story retellings are a great way of assessing your child’s reading comprehension. You can find an example of a retelling rubric (a scale that gives a score) here. You can also estimate your child’s reading level at ReadWriteSite: Level Estimator.

*Spelling tests can give a snapshot of your child’s knowledge of spelling patterns. The LA County Office of Education has directions for how to use spelling inventories to better understand specifically your child’s knowledge of words. All About Spelling offers spelling lists for grades 1-7 as well as the Dolch Sight Words list and the Ayers Spelling Scale. Education Place has a number of spelling lists for 1st-6th grades.

*A book list of all the literature your child has read and a book list including all the literature you have read aloud to your child gives a snapshot of your child as a reader. It will also help you choose books wisely in the future.

*Writing samples can showcase your child’s writing skills. Include a description of the assignment with each sample. Carefully choose samples that show what your child has learned. Choose a few different genres of writing, too: a report, a short story, a poem, etc.

2.Information about your child’s math competency.

*An end of year math test is a great way to show what math skills your child has retained this year. You can use the assessments that come with your curriculum if you wish. Otherwise, I have found two websites that have math assessments: Open-Ended Assessment in Math and Free Math Test.

*Work samples are also important to include. Carefully choose work that shows what your child has learned in math.

*Photographs of math projects with descriptions about the work are also important samples to include in a portfolio.

Hopefully this guide to creating a portfolio will help you to wrap up your school year with a good glimpse of what your child has learned!

Photo courtesy of Hey Paul

Summer is approaching and lots of families are planning vacations, and it is truly a wonderful idea to travel with your children. Go to Playground for Parents to read an excellent guest post by Renee from Mothers Raising Boys on why it is such a great idea to take your kids on trips. Even though travel with your kids can be difficult, you can be successful.  Here are some tips to improve your chances of having fun together while you travel.

Photo courtesy of twodolla

~Pack carefully for the traveling part of your vacation. Kids get bored easily in the car or on a plane. Here are a few things to take with you:

-A DVD player with a few movies your kids never get to see is a great thing to pack with you. It can provide much needed peace and quiet.

-Audio books and headphones can keep kids of all ages entertained for a while. You can also pick an audio book that the whole family will like.

-Lacing cards are a fun way to keep little ones’ hands busy. They don’t require a lot of supplies . Plus lacing cards help your children improve fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination.

-Take a trip to the local Dollar Store and fill a bag with cheap toys. The kids will like the fact that they are new. You won’t care if they get lost.

-A fun retro idea is to give your kids a Rubix cube. It’s compact and won’t make a mess. It will keep your kids’ attention and will keep those hands busy.

-Mad Libs are a fun and educational activity for the whole family. Everyone will have a few laughs!

-I give the kids gum. It keeps them happy!

-Little kids love lift-the-flap books. They keep small hands busy and little minds engaged.

-Create a scavenger hunt for your kids. You can use the printable lists found on MomsMinivan, too.

Photo courtesy of Andy and Tracy Sidesinger

~Be realistic about what you can do on your trip. PLAN!

-Young children get tired and cranky, so plan the things that you absolutely don’t want to miss for early in the day.

-Discuss lunch and dinner options before you head out for the day. You don’t want to have that discussion while the kids are melting down and you are famished.

*Remember to bring healthy snacks with you. You’ll save money, and the kids will have good food to fuel them throughout the day. Avoid the sugar crash!

*Don’t forget to bring water for the whole family – including you. Staying hydrated will make everyone happier and healthier.

-Bring a change of clothes for the little ones in case of an accident.

-Bring sunblock, hats, and sunglasses.

-Pack a map. It can save you!

-Let the kids help you decide on activities for the day.

-Plan for a place to meet up at a certain time if someone gets lost.

~Remember that your vacation is supposed to be FUN for everyone. If you aren’t having fun, then you need to change something!

Make some memories this summer!

Montessori school is out for the summer, and we are homeschooling both kids full time this fall. I planned on taking some time this summer to really get my head wrapped around our schedule, goals, and the like while having a few minor summer projects for the kids. As I started organizing my things for school, I decided to show the kids our school supplies in order to build excitement for school at home. (There have been some negative comments about the idea of home education directed at the kids recently.) They thoroughly enjoyed the sneak peek! We have talked about school at home a bit recently, too.

Despite the fact that the kids have been sick with fevers and coughs this week, there has been much enthusiasm about starting school at home. Apparently the kids want to start the school year now. They demanded school work today. A2 kept asking for a project. I think she wanted to do one of the mosaics from a kit that we have been working on. (They each take about an hour to complete with a lot of assistance from me. I just didn’t have it in me today to do it.) They wouldn’t back down until I found something for them to do. We did puzzles together for a long while. C5 also read a book to me, and we reviewed some sight words. We even talked a bit about place value today. All of that work was on top of cleaning our home. It was definitely a productive day for us!

It looks like I was successful in making the idea of homeschooling positive.

Photo courtesy of tiffanywashko

My husband and I were so moved by this boy’s story that we shared it with our children. Ben Comen runs because he loves it. He runs with a team because the members of the team love him. Watching this group of kids love Ben made me think about something I have been wrestling with.

We have neighbors who have two boys the same ages as my girls. Her eldest boy mostly likely has Sensory Processing Disorder, SPD, like my daughter. His mom suspects that he is on the autism spectrum as well. This mom is fighting for her boy to be diagnosed and treated. Because our kids share some of the same struggles, I have been sharing resources, information, and support for this mom.

We spend most afternoons at my neighbor’s house because she and I both need another adult who understands. Sometimes things can get a little out of sorts when our kids play together, though. It can be difficult to get all four kids engaged in activities. Sometimes a sound or situation will set off one of the older kids. C5 often has hurt feelings or she and P4 get into a tussle. Although I have seen major progress over the last few months, C5 is often in tears or upset during our time with our neighbors. Yet my kids and my neighbor’s kids ask to see each other. They ask all day long. I don’t understand it since we often struggle to keep the peace.

I have been considering giving everyone a break from these play dates. I am mostly concerned that my sweet child, who is very compassionate and caring, is being forced into a situation that is not good for her. I don’t want her to resent me or to be hurt. I brought this up to my hubby, and he didn’t see anything wrong with me taking her there, but I was still struggling with it.

When I watched this video about Ben Comen, I felt the Holy Spirit assuring me that I am in the right place. My children and I are ministering to this family. In the same way that Ben’s team mates came back to finish the race with him, we are running along side this family and helping them to finish the race and not finish the race alone. I am teaching my little girl how to love other people, even people who are difficult to love.

This is one of the greatest lessons I think I can teach my children.

We have been looking at the options for classes at our local YMCA as a way to vary our kids’ experiences. The classes there are a great way to address PE and learn new skills. Our problem is deciding which classes to take. We want our children to experience many different things before they settle into focusing on one particular activity they want to pursue in depth. For example, we want them to try various sports, dance,  and swimming. The trick is getting them to try something new. When I suggested a dance class, my daughter told me that she already knew how to dance. I explained that there is much more to learn about dance, but she insisted that she simply did not need to learn anything more about dance. I also recommended other classes we could try with similar responses.

What are your strategies for getting your children to try out a new sport or activity?

First photo courtesy of tiffanywashko

Second photo courtesy of lunawhimsy

In the past I have written about the benefits of using puppets in your homeschool to encourage literacy. Here are a few other ideas for how you can use puppets to motivate your children and encourage learning in your homeschool.

~A puppet can help your younger child to develop language skills. Young children love puppets and are often willing to open up to them. Take advantage of this and have your child and tell the puppet stories. Ask your child probing questions to encourage more developed ideas.

~Your child can teach a puppet something you’ve recently learned about. For example, have your child explain a process in math or science to the puppet. The puppet can ask questions in order to encourage your child to add details to the explanation. This is a great way to assess your child’s understanding.

~If you are studying a particular historical time period, have your child make puppets that reflect the dress of the time. Then have your child create and perform a puppet show that includes historically accurate details. Music and art can be woven into the the performance as appropriate. Or your child could make puppets of a certain historical figure and have that puppet engage with the audience in character.

Try using puppets in your homeschool.

Photos courtesy of Wendy Piersall (@eMom)

Are you studying traditional literature in your homeschool? You can engage your children in this study by diving into Fairy Tales and adding a twist to the learning experience.

• Your children might enjoy reading several versions of the same fairy tale. It is common to do a study on the Cinderella stories and compare the different versions of the tale. You can find a great lesson plan at EDSITEement. Write or act out the story from a different character’s point of view. You can even have your children write their own version of a fairy tale but from as if it is from a different culture. Research a particular culture thoroughly first and require that the story include information about that culture in the story.
• Add fractured fairy tales to your study. Read the “original” version of a tale and compare it to the fractured version. There are many great fractured fairy tales available now such as The Fourth Little Pig, Just Ella, Sleeping Ugly, and The Paper Bag Princess. Then have your children write their own fractured fairy tales. You can even incorporate persuasive essays in your study. Your children can write from the antagonist’s point of view explaining why s/he was wronged.
• Since many fairy tales were collected by the Brothers Grimm in an effort to preserve German folklore, you can do a research project on Germany.
• Study Hans Christian Anderson’s life and fairy tales. (Beware that his tales do not always have happy endings.) You can also learn about Holland since Andersen was Dutch.

Photo courtesy of g.naharro