Today I was blessed to meet with some new homeschool moms. With the time of my homeschooling years slipping away, it was refreshing and encouraging to talk about homeschool beginnings. All the questions that plagued me years ago are repeated by the next group of moms.... well... kinda. They seem more on top of things that I felt in their place. They are asking all the right questions. So much of my success as a homeschooler came from veterans that guided me and worked as my sounding board. Sometimes being able to talk to someone supportive can make all the difference. We have really come a long way! I think I should start making a list of the things new homeschoolers should know. From time to time, I will try to update with new information.
1. Your homeschool won't look like anyone else's and that is okay.
2. You know your kids better than anyone else.
3. Museum of Science and Industry is free for homeschoolers on weekdays (and there is free parking by the farm exhibit)
4. Few kids work at age/grade level in every subject.
5. It is okay for school to look like play (and feel like fun)
6. They will eventually learn _______ (fill in the blank with the topic of your choice where they are struggling)
7. Each child is different and they will learn and grow differently
8. In IL a homeschool is a private school, so if you make a teacher card, it can be used for teacher discounts.
9. High school can start in junior high.
10. CLEP tests are a high schooler's best friend.
11. Homeschool students don't need to take standardized tests (but the teacher may want one occasionally)
12. If you get tired of people quizzing your kids about homeschooling when you are on a field trip, put your kids in a school uniform and everyone will leave you alone.
13. You can't teach your child everything they need to know before graduation, but you should consider yourself successful if you taught them how to learn for themselves.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Truth Pandemic
Truth Pandemic
Today taught me a great lesson about God. He is in the details! A friend contacted me about making a transcript for her internationally adopted son. For some reason that was well beyond my understanding, his college refused his high school transcript from an African country, but they accept homeschool transcripts. Easy fix! We used all his information to make him a homeschool student (his homeschool accepted all his credits from his other school!) :) Happily, the college was pleased with this. Back to my lesson: when you rely on Him, the coolest things happen, down to the smallest detail. Later I needed to call this same friend for information on a topic in her area of expertise. It is more than a coincidence that we were brought back together (after years) over a transcript! If you are interested in adoption, please visit my friend's website: http://www.projecthopeful.org/get-involved/truth-pandemic
and learn today! You will be glad that you visited!
Today taught me a great lesson about God. He is in the details! A friend contacted me about making a transcript for her internationally adopted son. For some reason that was well beyond my understanding, his college refused his high school transcript from an African country, but they accept homeschool transcripts. Easy fix! We used all his information to make him a homeschool student (his homeschool accepted all his credits from his other school!) :) Happily, the college was pleased with this. Back to my lesson: when you rely on Him, the coolest things happen, down to the smallest detail. Later I needed to call this same friend for information on a topic in her area of expertise. It is more than a coincidence that we were brought back together (after years) over a transcript! If you are interested in adoption, please visit my friend's website: http://www.projecthopeful.org/get-involved/truth-pandemic
and learn today! You will be glad that you visited!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Chicago Homeschool Expo
This weekend is my second conference of this season. If you plan to be in Tinley Park, leave a comment and I will look for you there.
Am I doing this right?
Many of the parents who ask this question are just feeling the weight of responsibility for their children's education. They really are "doing it right". Doubts and fears can creep into our minds and make us question our calling and abilities. This often happens when we compare our homeschool to other homeschools. NO TWO HOMESCHOOLS LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME, even if they use the same curricula, even if they share our belief system, even if they are family! That doesn't mean that one is better. My parents homeschooled my younger siblings and did a great job. School at my house looks different, not better or worse, just different. As parents we have the ability to customize and individualize our academics and activities for each child; this is one of the best benefits of homeschooling, but it can also be a detriment when we compare ourselves. If your children are learning and growing, chances are... you ARE doing it right. Perfect doesn't exist in humans.
There are some parents who ask this question from a feeling that something is wrong, and they can't place the problem. For these dear parents, there is hope. You may not be "doing this" wrong, just not best for your family. If you fall into this category, don't lose heart. It helps to go back to your goals. Why did you start this homeschool journey? What are your goals for your child? Are those goals realistic for your child? If you are homeschooling primarily for advanced academic achievement, character studies will frustrate you, and vise versa. There are curricula that blend the two, but you see the point. Anything that doesn't lead toward your goal distracts from it. Some families want their children to experience as much as possible before graduation and are in constant motion with outside activities. This fits with their goal of a well-rounded student. Families have come to me over the years and wondered why their children are struggling with academics, but they are away from home most of the week. Activities are not evil, just make sure that they are beneficial for your child and help them accomplish the goals for that year. I have found that fellowship/ play date groups are great when children are younger, but not as helpful in the jr high/ high school years, when studies take more time and are more involved. But... academic groups are extremely helpful for older students. They allow for discussion and exchange of ideas in a safe environment. Some students are social and groups give them the desire to learn, while some students are more introverted and exhausted/frustrated by all the activity. You know your child. Let your activities be planned and add to your school rather than detract from it.
There are some parents who ask this question from a feeling that something is wrong, and they can't place the problem. For these dear parents, there is hope. You may not be "doing this" wrong, just not best for your family. If you fall into this category, don't lose heart. It helps to go back to your goals. Why did you start this homeschool journey? What are your goals for your child? Are those goals realistic for your child? If you are homeschooling primarily for advanced academic achievement, character studies will frustrate you, and vise versa. There are curricula that blend the two, but you see the point. Anything that doesn't lead toward your goal distracts from it. Some families want their children to experience as much as possible before graduation and are in constant motion with outside activities. This fits with their goal of a well-rounded student. Families have come to me over the years and wondered why their children are struggling with academics, but they are away from home most of the week. Activities are not evil, just make sure that they are beneficial for your child and help them accomplish the goals for that year. I have found that fellowship/ play date groups are great when children are younger, but not as helpful in the jr high/ high school years, when studies take more time and are more involved. But... academic groups are extremely helpful for older students. They allow for discussion and exchange of ideas in a safe environment. Some students are social and groups give them the desire to learn, while some students are more introverted and exhausted/frustrated by all the activity. You know your child. Let your activities be planned and add to your school rather than detract from it.
Monday, April 16, 2012
APACHE Lessons Learned
I had the privilege to meet many new homeschool parents at the Peoria conference last weekend. A couple of points came up repeatedly in conversation there.
Before you buy any curriculum, make sure that it is a good fit for both you and your child(ren). This means learning style, teaching style, format and content. (If you don't know learning and teaching styles at your house, now is a good time to find out!) Also, does it meet your educational goals and fit your educational philosophy? If you need help discovering these, I can help.
If you are having a hard time deciding the best curriculum for your family, you are not ready to buy anything. One of the biggest mistakes new homeschool parents make is buying a full curriculum because the vendor was persuasive and the books were new/shiny/exciting. There is no hurry to buy your curriculum and no huge benefit to buying at conventions (most vendors just order it online for you and pay shipping). Many (if not most or all) curricula offer at least one week of their material free as a trial. I suggest that you take advantage of their offer. :) Download the samples and try them at home one week in the summer. See which is the better fit for your family before you spend lots of money.
If a curriculum works well for your family, don't feel the need to search for a new one. The old saying "Don't fit it if it ain't broke" comes to mind. There will always be new books, but you will leave gaps and breed frustration if you switch textbooks or programs too often. (I have known people to switch multiple time in a single semester.) When the curriculum stops being effective, then you can go on a search again.
You own the curriculum, and NOT vice versa. If there are too many math problems on a page and it frustrates your child, you can skip some (or do just odd or even problems). If it says to read 20 pages today and you have hundreds of errands, it is allowable to occasionally skip or postpone sections. The general rule is that if you finish 3/4 of a textbook, it is completed. I like to finish workbooks and mark things off my to-do list, but sometimes that only tortures my family.
Your homeschool will not look like anyone else's homeschool, even if you both do the same curriculum. God gave you the children in your family for a reason. There is something they need only you can give. You know your child best. If working upside down on the couch helps your child enjoy phonics lessons, don't let the pictures of the children sitting at the table with mom make you feel like a failure. If your child built a working volcano in the house today, don't be discouraged by the moms who keep a spotless house (your day in Good Housekeeping may have to wait until graduation!) I remember talking with a friend when we were both new homeschoolers joining a co-op. We were in awe of the veteran moms who seemed to have it all together. One day we realized that people looked at us that way, and we learned the truth... it just looked like they had it all together; they also had struggles, just different ones from us.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE! It bears repeating. You are NOT alone. You are not the first person to have a struggling reader, a special needs child, a gifted learner, a crisis at home, or a really bad homeschool day that makes you want to quit. Others are out there, and many want to help. Don't despair!
Before you buy any curriculum, make sure that it is a good fit for both you and your child(ren). This means learning style, teaching style, format and content. (If you don't know learning and teaching styles at your house, now is a good time to find out!) Also, does it meet your educational goals and fit your educational philosophy? If you need help discovering these, I can help.
If you are having a hard time deciding the best curriculum for your family, you are not ready to buy anything. One of the biggest mistakes new homeschool parents make is buying a full curriculum because the vendor was persuasive and the books were new/shiny/exciting. There is no hurry to buy your curriculum and no huge benefit to buying at conventions (most vendors just order it online for you and pay shipping). Many (if not most or all) curricula offer at least one week of their material free as a trial. I suggest that you take advantage of their offer. :) Download the samples and try them at home one week in the summer. See which is the better fit for your family before you spend lots of money.
If a curriculum works well for your family, don't feel the need to search for a new one. The old saying "Don't fit it if it ain't broke" comes to mind. There will always be new books, but you will leave gaps and breed frustration if you switch textbooks or programs too often. (I have known people to switch multiple time in a single semester.) When the curriculum stops being effective, then you can go on a search again.
You own the curriculum, and NOT vice versa. If there are too many math problems on a page and it frustrates your child, you can skip some (or do just odd or even problems). If it says to read 20 pages today and you have hundreds of errands, it is allowable to occasionally skip or postpone sections. The general rule is that if you finish 3/4 of a textbook, it is completed. I like to finish workbooks and mark things off my to-do list, but sometimes that only tortures my family.
Your homeschool will not look like anyone else's homeschool, even if you both do the same curriculum. God gave you the children in your family for a reason. There is something they need only you can give. You know your child best. If working upside down on the couch helps your child enjoy phonics lessons, don't let the pictures of the children sitting at the table with mom make you feel like a failure. If your child built a working volcano in the house today, don't be discouraged by the moms who keep a spotless house (your day in Good Housekeeping may have to wait until graduation!) I remember talking with a friend when we were both new homeschoolers joining a co-op. We were in awe of the veteran moms who seemed to have it all together. One day we realized that people looked at us that way, and we learned the truth... it just looked like they had it all together; they also had struggles, just different ones from us.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE! It bears repeating. You are NOT alone. You are not the first person to have a struggling reader, a special needs child, a gifted learner, a crisis at home, or a really bad homeschool day that makes you want to quit. Others are out there, and many want to help. Don't despair!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
What is your time worth?
I have thought long and hard about pricing for Azimuth. After much prayer, I am publishing these prices:
first 20 minutes: FREE (this gives me time to find out your struggles and discover how I can help)
$20/ hour (most issues should be resolved in the first hour)
$100/ flat fee to produce a transcript (this assumes that you have all classes and grades written down as well as a school name and student information)
$50/ flat fee for diploma
$125 / transcript and diploma combination
There are special circumstances that can lower these prices, but I will handle those on a case by case basis.
first 20 minutes: FREE (this gives me time to find out your struggles and discover how I can help)
$20/ hour (most issues should be resolved in the first hour)
$100/ flat fee to produce a transcript (this assumes that you have all classes and grades written down as well as a school name and student information)
$50/ flat fee for diploma
$125 / transcript and diploma combination
There are special circumstances that can lower these prices, but I will handle those on a case by case basis.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Business Cards
Nothing worth having comes easily, right? Today was a comedy of errors as I tried to get business cards made. I am proud to present
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