Quiz – are you qualified to homeschool?

Posted on May 1, 2012 by karenp

I just wrote the quiz below. I am going to post it on its own tab above because I think it is really useful! Please let me know what you think of the questions. Do you think I covered all the issues? What did I leave out? How can I improve this to make it more helpful?

I look forward to hearing your ideas! Please do comment below!

Happy Homeschooling!

Karen

Am I qualified to homeschool my child?

Excellent question! Score a point for asking good questions.

Actually the ability to ask good questions and research the answers is vital, but we will get to that in a moment.

So, you are considering homeschooling.

Not everyone is going to be qualified. Not every child is a perfect fit either, come to that!

Answer these quick questions and discover if you are qualified to Continue reading →

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The Lorax Story got me thinking thinks!

Posted on April 4, 2012 by karenp

All the excitement around the Lorax story reminded me of all the other wonderful Dr Suess stories and how much they all teach. What is most spectacular is that they teach in a way that keeps us open, receptive and curious.

the lorax the movie, dr suess and the loraxMy coach, Christianna Carter from www.simpleorganizingsolutions.com, sent me a link to a wonderful article of lessons learned from Dr Suess. (http://sourcesofinsight.com/lessons-learned-from-dr-seuss – for the original). I decided it would be fun to go through the lessons with my homeschooling perspective. So here goes:

Be a thinker of great things. Dr. Seuss teaches us, “Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!”

This is the core of my homeschooling philosophy. Think  up things. Ask questions. Research. Evaluate. Ask better questions. Think up bigger things!

The capital of Turkey and the exact way to write in the pluperfect past tense can be looked up. Nothing can replace the ability to think and question. All the data in the world stuffed into little heads will not make them into thinkers.

We as parents also get to think great things. We need to think outside of the societal assumptions around education, we get to really think about our children and we get to examine our philosophies around education and what exactly we believe success really is.

We get to think up great things to edutain and inspire ourselves and our kids. Have you ever considered doing math drills on a climbing wall? How about studying the alphabet with a camera? What ideas did the Lorax story inspire for you?

Our kids get to think great things in great depth and not just skim the ideas for an exam. They have the chance to think up great futures for themselves and make them happen. They get to explore themselves without the threat of school cliques and pressures and bullying.

Many homeschooled kids get to think without the fog of drugs they would have to have to fit into a schoolroom – now that is a great thing! They get to think without the social pressure to become sexual before they have even left their teens. We live in a sleepy little Continue reading →

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Homeschooling How To and Speed of Implementation

Posted on March 23, 2012 by karenp

Homeschooling How To Tip: Speed of Implementation makes a huge difference!

In homeschooling as in the rest of the world it is far preferable to fail fast, if you are going to fail.

Try things out. Get feedback. Change and try out a new thing. This is true for homeschooling and it is also true in design.

I was so taken by the idea of Dr Suess like individuality and whimsy that the action guide: Secrets to Homeschool Success had a Suesslike cover. However the feedback I received has made me correct and continue. A new cover design has been created. This one feels more “grown up”. I would love to hear your comments on the change. I will post the old cover and the new one below so you can see both.

homeschooling how tohomeschooling how to, homeschool homeschool

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So – tell me what you think…..which one do you prefer? Either comment below or email me at Karen@HomeschoolingHowTo.com

So the Homeschooling How To Gem for the day  – There is no failure – only feedback!

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Homeschooling How To: Lorax the Movie

Posted on March 19, 2012 by karenp

The Lorax, The Movie is here. As a Dr Suess fan I am outraged with myself that I haven’t seen it yet!

I am planning to take the kids tomorrow and it will be a homeschooling event :) Ain’t shcool great!?!

I was discussing ways in which I believe Dr Suess is still teaching and reaching people all around the world and remembered hearing a CBC  interview with David Gilmour on his book The Film Club: A Memoir. He uses movies as the entire highschool curriculum for his son.

the lorax the movie, dr suess and the lorax

The Lorax Story – what a bonus – Dr Suess, an author whom I love, AND a movie – a medium my kids love. I rooted about on the internet and found this wonderful review of the book I mentioned above and thought I would share it. It came from: http://gaither.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/david-gilmour-on-movies-as-homeschool-curriculum/

I suspect that we education facilitators :) don’t take enough advantage of these wonderful opportunities that arrive in most movies. There is the discussion about morality, character traits, philosophy, story telling and when all that runs dry there is always the discussion of film techniques.

David Gilmour on Movies as Homeschool Curriculum

November 18, 2008 by Milton Gaither

This post reviews David Gilmour’s The Film Club: A Memoir(New York: Twelve, 2008).

Gilmour, a Canadian novelist, movie critic, and media odd-jobber, here offers a memoir describing the experience of allowing his deadbeat 15 year-old son to drop out of school and live at his home rent-free on condition that father and son watch three movies of father’s choosing every week together and that son promise not to use drugs.  For three years David and his son Jesse are ”the film club.” Continue reading →

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Secrets of Homeschool Success

Posted on March 14, 2012 by karenp

Homeschooling How To Presents:

Secrets of Homeschool Success!

It has arrived!!homeschooling how to action guideI am delighted to announce the arrival of the Action Guide. I have finally been convinced to stop perfecting it and allow people to start using it…so here goes.

You can see the whole description in a very detailed letter here: www.homschoolinghowto.com/secrets-of-homeschool-success

If you see any typos in the letter please do let me know – I rushed to put it up before I changed my mind and edited the guide another time!

Here is the table of contents -

What’s in this book for you?
Step 1…………………………………………………………..p7
What is the most important first question?
Step 2…………………………………………………………..p 11
How do I apply that to my child?
Step 3…………………………………………………………..p 22
How does my child rate?
Step 4………………………………………………………….p 25
What exactly do you mean?
Step 5………………………………………………………….p 28
Learning styles?
Step 6………………………………………………………….p 32
Connect the dots!
Step 7………………………………………………………….p 35
Communication styles?
Step 8 …………………………………………………………p 48
Loving styles?
Step 9…………………………………………………………p 54
Take a break!
Step 10……………………………………………………….p 56
What about home-school styles?
Step 11……………………………………………………….p 59
Are we getting it right?
Step 12……………………………………………………..p 63
And the big picture is….
Step 13……………………………………………………..p 65
Have faith in your child!
Step 14……………………………………………………..p 70
Your most vital resource!
It’s not over, ’till…………………………………………. p 73
I have the last word!
Suggested Resources………………………………….p 78

I had a ball writing (and editing) this action guide and I do hope that it will be very useful indeed for other parents. I prayed for such a guide when I was starting out.

Homeschooling How To Tip of the day: Get the Guide :)

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Homeschooling How To: One of the BEST ways to learn

Posted on January 9, 2012 by karenp

Teach!

Homeschooling How To Tip: Let your children teach each other. This is one of the very best ways to check exactly what your child understood from the original lesson. There are a number of benefits – let me count the ways :)

*It highlights their learning and the gaps in comprehension for them.

homeschooling how to sisters* It makes them feel important.

* It is an opportunity for your child to genuinely give value to the family.

* It gives them the chance to understand that other people may learn differently – can you say “teach-able moment”?

* They come up with astonishingly creative Continue reading →

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Homeschooling How To – 11 Tips for Dealing with the Fighting

Posted on December 14, 2011 by karenp

By: Joy Kita

Images of the ideal homeschool life include smiling, happy children engrossed in an educational activity, working alongside their siblings with grace and maturity and little conflict. Fighting, after all, may be typical for their public schooled peers, but certainly not acceptable behaviour for children taught at hhomeschooling how toome under the watchful eye of mom. Throw in a crackling fire and some hot chocolate, mom busy baking cookies in the kitchen and the picture is perfect-the message intact-homeschooling life is a superior.

Naturally, this is a lie, and it is best for all new homeschooling moms and dads to know the truth, it may not set you free, but it will help your sanity remain intact even it is only Continue reading →

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Homeschool How To – The Homeschool Socialization Debate

Posted on December 7, 2011 by karenp

Are Homeschool Children Getting Enough Socialization?
By Joy Kita

The Great ‘S’ Debate

Socialization; a word that has become dirty to many a homeschooling family, and is akin to a curse word for all its implied meaning. The use of this word causes the most experienced home educating parent to cringe, or at the very least procures a heartfelt eye roll. No matter how long one has been homeschooling it is a question that is expected and dreaded in equal measures. Dreaded by teaching parents not because of a feeling of inadequacy in their ability to answer or because of a lack of strength in their answer, but because it is so very overused and abused. The sentiments behind the question may vary in condescending tones and sincerity, but it is always asked.

why homeschoolThere have been enough reports filled with irrefutable statistics on the academic success of homeschooling that many critics have been silenced. Of course, as with any controversial subject, the critics never remain without argument for long. The idea that homeschooled children cannot possibly be getting the required amount of socialization-as if there is an industry standard-is not a new one. It has caused many a grandparent sincere grief, and given many experts in the field (the socialization one) a new platform in which to express their concern.

So the question remains; are homeschooled children receiving enough socialization? But is it the right question? Might a better one be, “are homeschooled children receiving the right kind of socialization?” And further to that thought can we not direct the same attention to public schooled children? Are our children, homeschooled or not, receiving good socialization? There is a difference, and most homeschooled parents are keenly aware of what that difference is.

In order to answer the first question with the proper attention it deserves it would be wise to dig a little deeper into the word itself. With all the opinions on how children should be Continue reading →

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Homeschool how to: “and then I went away.”

Posted on December 4, 2011 by karenp

Homeschool how to principle: Child driven education!

How fast can you learn something when you are interested in it?

Quite!

In this entertaining Ted talk this marvelous man leaves computers in remote villages with no instructions on how to use them. Then he goes away for a while. When he comes back it is  to find astounding results.

Children have a natural innate passion for learning that will flourish if we give it a chance.  As parents and especially as homeschoolers, we need to trust in their instinct to learn, create an environment that will foster that and celebrate their wins! Celebration is important and FUN!

Now that you have seen the results - what do you think of the system? Were you as delighted and amazed as I was by the childrens’ curiosity? When I watched their faces I felt like dancing! They are quite able to delve deeply into subjects that would never even make it to the public system curriculums.

The “teaching each other” is an integral part of the learning which is interesting to note. This is truly wonderful from a homeschooling perspective. Many people ask how we can teach children of such varying ages at the same time - you can have them teach each other! This will build the confidence of the teaching child and solidify its learning, it will facilitate the learning childs discoveries, build team spirit and best of all - it is not you teaching!!

This goes back to my central point about being the “Facilitator of your child’s education” - not necessarily the teacher! That is a foundational  Homeschool How To Tip.

Please do let me know what you thought of the talk. What was your AHA! moment in this talk? How did it make you feel about your homeschooling adventure? Do you have a “Homeschooling How To Question” rising from this talk? Comment below or email me at Karen@HomeschoolingHowTo.com

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Why Homeschool? Here are my top 6 reasons.

Posted on November 30, 2011 by karenp

homeschooling how to, homeschool how to Why did I originally choose to homeschool? My five year old daughter was so miserably unhappy that she cried every step of the way there each day and then I cried all the way home. We did that for one entire semester until I could not bear it any more and had to find a better solution.

Once I started doing the research the answer to “Why Homeschool?” changed and blossomed until I cannot even imagine an alternative.

So let me count the ways…

 

1. No stuffing square pegs into round holes! We can tailor each child’s education to their unique talents and interests. We can build their strengths into mastery instead of wasting fruitless hours building their weaknesses into mediocrities.

 

2. No trying to play pool with a wet noodle! We can tailor the education to suit each Continue reading →

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