Should You Check Out Other Homeschoolers' Curriculum?

With the planning of new school years and the 4^th annual Not Back to School Blog Hop in full swing, I have found myself wondering whether or not it is a good idea to indulge in pursuing the seemingly endless lists of homeschool bloggers’ curriculum choices.

There are pros and there are cons and here are a few that come to my mind.

Curriculum Hunters’ Friend - If you’re shopping around for curriculum, checking out what other homeschool families are using can be a great idea. I have found wonderful resources that work well with my own family by taking a peek at what similar families use.

Be a Help to a Homeschool Mom - If you have rave reviews to share about certain curriculum choices, the hop makes sharing easy and you could help out other moms whose children could benefit from them.

Making Spelling Fun

The importance of making learning fun can’t be debated, it’s just a simple fact that every educator finds out while teaching. Spelling can be a complicated subject, but it can be introduced early on in a manner that will make it most enjoyable for your child, now and later. 

These ideas are great ways to introduce letters, words and the fun of Spelling to children from Pre-k through elementary grades:

·         Spell with Objects – Decorate a large sheet of paper cut into the shape of a letter you’d like to introduce to your child with objects or pictures beginning with the letter. 

·         Spell with Photos – Take photos of things that begin with the letter your child is learning about or of things that they are learning to spell. They can collect the photos and place them in a small album, writing the letter or word as a caption to accompany each picture. 

Virtual Math Manipulatives

Math Man from ABC Ya

Math manipulatives have been a popular way to engage elementary students and even upper grade levels while teaching math skills for as long as I can recall. When I was a child, we used colorful, plastic bears for counting and the other day I stumbled upon them – except they weren’t in a bucket, they were on my computer screen.

Buckets of bears, tiles, candy pieces (yes, we 

love edible manipulatives) and foam block pieces (like the 50 packs you can find at the Dollar Tree stores) are all great aids for teaching

Simple Ways to Incorporate Teaching Counting into Daily Life

One of the great things about homeschooling is the unique opportunities it presents for teaching. Your child doesn’t have to sit at a desk or stay in a building most of the day while learning to read, write or count. You can take them out and about and teach wherever you are.

Learning to count is the earliest introduction to the vital math skills our children will use not much later in life, and it can be done in these fun and incorporative ways!

Maintaining a Clean House While Homeschooling

Before homeschooling my children ever crossed my mind, I day dreamed -over the noise of a crying baby and a busy toddler- of one day enjoying a silent and clean house after shuffling children out the door and into a traditional school building for hours a day.

Call it a selfish vision or not, it isn’t reality for me today. Since I made the very selfless decision to homeschool my girls, I’ve had to reconsider how to maintain a clean home. I don’t get hours of free time a day to spend however I choose (and to be honest, I probably wouldn’t even spend the time cleaning if I did have it) and my guess is you don’t either. So, let’s look at a few ways we could maintain clean homes while educating our kids from home.

Create and Keep a Schedule or Routine

It helps to know what needs to get accomplished in your homeschool each day and it helps to know what areas of your home need attention each day. If keeping to a schedule would be a help to you, then develop one or print one out (they are super easy to find online). If you find sticking to a schedule difficult, then try a routine. Make a check list of household things to do each day or as often as needed and complete them as you have the time. Cleaning up as you go is a great routine to develop, especially in the midst of homeschooling experiments. 

Let Little Hands Help

It’s important that our children learn to help around the house and care for their things. Make a game of it, whistle while you work and don’t forget to count your cleaning day as class time – Home Economics, anyone? 

Hire Help

If the mess is overwhelming you and your budget allows, don't feel ashamed to hire help. It could be a professional housekeeper or the teenager who lives next door. You might want help to watch your little ones while you clean or to do the cleaning for you, it’s up to you. 

Clean Up Your Attitude

Attitude is everything. When you can’t change a situation, you can change how you view it. You may have to change your idea or ideal of clean. You may have to sacrifice your dream of a spotless home to homeschool your children. Just remember it’s a season. Knock the mountain of laundry off the couch, cuddle up and read a book together and enjoy it.

So, how do you keep a clean house while homeschooling? Has your standard of clean changed since you began homeschooling? 

Del Kroemer

Del Kroemer is the blessed mama of 3 beautiful and busy little girls, the wife of one big hearted husband and happily homeschooling while working from home as a writer. She is currently working on a new blog focused on being devoted to seeking God’s truth and wisdom in homeschooling, homemaking and thriving in this temporary home!

Thank you for following The Homeschooling Blog!

Teaching Black History Through Film

Last time I shared books for teaching Black history, this time I’ll share films.

The films featured here are a mix of fact and fiction, but all derive from the truths of Black history – slavery, racism, struggles, bravery, victories and friendship.

Young Learners:

Great Americans for Children – This series, commonly used in schools, features two Black American’s stories, Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr. The stories are most appropriate for k-4 grade levels/age groups and are wonderfully portrayed through lively reenactments. What I love best about this series is that it comes with a teacher’s guide featuring discussion questions, lesson plans and craft recommendations!

Selma, Lord, Selma – This Disney film tells the true story of the “Bloody Sunday” march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery through the eyes of an 11 year old girl, and in a very non-graphic way. 

Ruby Bridges – Another Disney film, the story of six year old Ruby Bridges is told as she is chosen to be the first African American child sent to her local all white school and the hatred and historical change that ensued. 

March On! … And More Stories About African American History – Featuring stories about Dr. King’s famous speech, Rosa Parks and runaway slaves, this read along living story book shows young students how prejudice and inequality hurts and helps them value the changes that have come because of these brave African Americans and those who helped them. 

Duke Ellington …And More Stories to Celebrate Great Figures in African American History – This read along series introduces children to famous Black musicians.

Older Learners:

The Tuskegee Airmen – The true story of the African American men who broke the color barrier in the U.S Air Force during WWII. 

Roots – A televised sensation based off of the award winning book by Alex Haley, Roots tells the story of his own family’s history from slavery to freedom. 

The Rosa Parks Story – Help your homeschooler see Rosa as a real person, not just a historical figure, with this film that focuses on her life before and after she became a civil rights activist.

The Untold Story of Emmett Till Louise – This story caused a great uproar in its time and it still does today because of the injustice it shows. 

King – A classic miniseries, King tells the backdrop story and well known achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Up From slavery – The African American experience is shared from enslavement to freedom to the inequality experienced thereafter.

There are so many wonderful films on Black history, from mini-series to documentaries and Hollywood movies. Some stories tell of famed African Americans and the events that affected them and other Americans, many that still affect us today. Some films simply feature Black actors and characters and that’s important for children to see as well.

Incorporate these films into your regular family viewing and read the books I’ve shared throughout the year, as well as others you discover on your own. This tells children that Black history really is American history!

Del Kroemer

Del Kroemer is the blessed mama of 3 beautiful and busy little girls, the wife of one big hearted husband and happily homeschooling while working from home as a writer. She is currently working on a new blog focused on being devoted to seeking God’s truth and wisdom in homeschooling, homemaking and thriving in this temporary home!

 

 

Thank you for following The Homeschooling Blog!

Teaching Black History Through Books

Studying Black History month? 

Here's a compilation of books you may wish to use in your homeschool, perfect for elementary-aged children:

•  The ABC’s of Black History by Craig Thompson – Perfect for preschoolers learning their alphabet or children who are already familiar with it, this book teaches pieces of Black history alongside each letter.  
• If a Bus Could Talk: The Rosa Parks Story by Faith Ringgold - The story of Rosa Parks has been told in many books, but this one is by far one of the most engaging for young readers or pre-readers. 
• The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson – A gentle introduction to segregation and a sweet tale of forbidden friendship. 
• The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles – This classic book tells the true story of the courageous little girl who attended an all white school in a time when segregation reigned. 
• Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport – A beautifully illustrated biography on influential leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
•  My First Biography: Harriet Tubman by Marion Dane Bauer – an easily explained, colorful introduction to Harriet Tubman and her legacy. 
•  Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson – oil paintings and stories paint the picture of African Americans history in America for upper elementary and older children. 
•  If You Lived When There Was Slavery in America by Anne Kamma – Let your child take a trip back in time to see what the lives of African American slaves were like and learn more about slavery in an age appropriate way. 
• Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carolyn Boston Weatherford – The true tale of the sit in of four young men that spurred positive change is told through the eyes of a fictional child. 
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe – This classic, controversial tale of slavery is still a must read today, and luckily it is available in versions for children of various ages. The link I’ve provided is a sensitively rewritten version just for the youngest reader. 
• Henry’s Freedom Box : A True Story From the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine – Children will enjoy this clever story of how one slave got himself freed. 
• America’s Black founders: Revolutionary Heroes and Early Leaders by Nancy I. Sanders – Discover Black Americans who helped shape the country but didn’t make it into the common history books through bios and activities.

Enjoy your educational journey through Black history with books and come back next week for a list of films useful in teaching Black history. 

Del Kroemer

Del Kroemer is the blessed mama of 3 beautiful and busy little girls, the wife of one big hearted husband and happily homeschooling while working from home as a writer. She is currently working on a new blog focused on being devoted to seeking God’s truth and wisdom in homeschooling, homemaking and thriving in this temporary home!

Thank you for following The Homeschooling Blog!

Tips for Teaching Black History in Your Homeschool

In honor of Black History Month I want to share a few tips towards teaching black history in your homeschool. 

First, I will say that I believe "black history" is "American history", but as with all designated culture-specific celebratory months, I feel it is important to take advantage of Black History Month to educate your child about our past.

Like all parts of history, black history has its highs and lows and what should be taught will depend greatly on two things – your child’s age and your comfort level. 



These tips and resources can work well for any age group: 

• Read black history books – whether biographies on influential African Americans or stories specific to events that took place, reading is a wonderful way for children of any age to discover important parts of history. Your local library might make locating these types of books easier for you right now, as they often have a display set up with books  related to black history throughout the month. 

• Watch films – there are a variety of films focusing on black history. Videos may be found in your library or online via Netflix, Youtube, Ebay or Amazon. One thing you don’t want to do with films is sit your child in front of them and have them watch them alone and count that time as teaching. I attended public schools where this was their idea of “teaching” black history. Undoubtedly, this was done out of a lack of knowledge as to how to handle teaching a history as controversial as black history. Watch films together and discuss them afterwards; they are meant to be a teaching tool and depending on the content of the film they can cause feelings of fear, confusion and sadness, as a great deal of black history was struggle and oppression - but there were also many victories and that should be the focus, particularly with younger children. 

• Play games – a quick search online can lead you to one of the most fun ways to teach and learn black history, through the use of card and board games. These games are a great way to creatively incorporate learning into your family time. Interactive online and printable games and activities are also a great help, like the virtual underground railroad (for older elementary children to high schoolers) or coloring pages from Nick Jr. and Family Education.

• Cook up some culture – explore traditional African American dishes and prepare them with your child. Find fun recipe ideas at Nick Jr. or do a quick Google search for “soul food recipes”, you won’t be disappointed.

• Family History – If you are African American or have African Americans in your family, share your own stories. There are few stories your child will be interested in as much as those that took place within his very own family history.

Black History Month is a great opportunity to discuss diversity and acceptance of others, so take advantage of it, especially if your child has questions or concerns. 

For awesome Black History Month resources and activities visit Family Education and Currclick.com for now, and watch for more articles throughout this month from me. 

Del Kroemer

Del Kroemer is the blessed mama of 3 beautiful and busy little girls, the wife of one big hearted husband and happily homeschooling while working from home as a writer. She is currently working on a new blog focused on being devoted to seeking God’s truth and wisdom in homeschooling, homemaking and thriving in this temporary home!

Thank you for following The Homeschooling Blog!

Work From Home and Homeschool Successfully

Last time I discussed working from home as an option while homeschooling. I stated a few of the “whys” for working from home and now I will share a few of the “hows” that have helped myself and others work from home and homeschool successfully.

Seek Support

Just as homeschooling is a journey you don’t want to be on alone, working from home isn’t either. You’ll want to gain the support of your spouse and of others who are working from home; particularly those who are doing so while homeschooling. Not only is it nice to have the support, but you’ll need the encouragement some days.  Trust me on that one.

Handling Homeschooling and Work

Scheduling your time wisely is vital to successfully homeschooling and working from home. One of the great things about homeschooling is that it is flexible. Most work from home jobs are too, but not all.

Depending on your children’s ages and what you are comfortable with, you may consider:

• Starting off slow, working part time
• Working during the day and homeschooling in the evening 
• Only taking jobs that do not require you to work at specific times 
• Working during naptimes or quiet time
• Providing educational DVDs or streaming shows 
• Giving instruction for school work and then working while your child completes their lessons 
• Involving the children in your work, if it is reasonable (for example, teaching them to sew as you sew an item for a customer) 
• Having your spouse help children with some of their subjects or school work     
• Hiring a helper to watch children for a specific amount of time and/or on specific days while you work (you may even swap child care with another mom who also works from home and/or homeschools)

Put Family First

This should go without saying, that our family time and our children’s education should always come first. However, it’s easy to forget – or act as though we’ve forgotten – when we get caught up in work, especially when we have the seemingly valid excuse that work is important.

Yes, work is important and necessary for some of us, for others it is optional. If it is only an option, however much you enjoy working and having some extra cash in your purse choose your family and educating your child by either giving up your work at home job or finding one that is a better fit for you and those who matter most.

Working from home can be a wonderful help to your family and teach your child the importance of work and managing finances, but it can also be an interference to your homeschooling adventure if you don’t balance the two well. You may have to change jobs, change routines and if it comes to it you may have to change your choice to work from home while homeschooling.

I hope this post helps you in your home working and homeschooling journey!

Do you work from home? How do you balance educating your child and your work load?  

Del Kroemer 

Del Kroemer is the blessed mama of 3 beautiful and busy little girls, the wife of one big hearted husband and happily homeschooling while working from home as a writer. She is currently working on a new blog focused on being devoted to seeking God’s truth and wisdom in homeschooling, homemaking and thriving in this temporary home!

Thank you for following The Homeschooling Blog!

Working At Home While Homeschooling

Are you interested in working from home, but worry you may not be able to balance both your child’s education and a career?

It is my hope this information will help you to be encouraged in whatever you choose.

Why Work At Home?

Well, why work at all? Naturally, the main reason is to earn an income. We all need an income to survive. However, many homeschooling families are made up of a two parent household, with one parent going to work outside of the home and covering the family’s cost of living while the other stays home and covers the care of the children and their educating.

Still, in today’s economy, many families are finding that they need two incomes or at least a little extra funds to afford themselves forms of family entertainment or savings. Working from home allows you to help out your working spouse and your family.

Even if the help is not needed, you may simply enjoy having some cash to spare on a coffee.  You do not need to work from home to “define yourself” or your worth (as many people do, whether working from home or outside the home), but you can find great enjoyment in doing something you love and earning money to treat yourself or provide for your family.

Can You Really Work At Home?

There are many scams out there in the big world of the world wide web, which is where you’ll go hunting for most of your work from home positions. There are also many legit companies for you to work for and there is also the option of creating your own home business.

If you write, sew, knit, make soaps, paint, babysit…the list goes on and on, you can usually create an income from the things you create or are able to do.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the task of homeschooling and working from home as well, but both are doable. However, it is not wise for everyone to take on both.

Some people fall behind in either educating their child or in their work when trying to manage both.

Some people wonder which takes priority – work or school? Obviously, your child receiving their education is of extreme importance. However, if you are a single parent or your working spouse relies on your share of income, your work is also of great importance. In these cases, it is critical that you learn to manage working and homeschooling well. 

Next time, I’ll share how you can make working from home work well while homeschooling – whatever your situation! 

Del Kroemer 

Del Kroemer is the blessed mama of 3 beautiful and busy little girls, the wife of one big hearted husband and happily homeschooling while working from home as a writer. She is currently working on a new blog focused on being devoted to seeking God’s truth and wisdom in homeschooling, homemaking and thriving in this temporary home!


Thank you for following The Homeschooling Blog!